As tipoff approached Saturday, perhaps no Orlando Magic player needed a confidence boost more than point guard Elfrid Payton. He entered the day mired in the worst stretch of his brief pro career. His ineffectiveness the night before even prompted his coach to keep him on the bench most of the second half of a close game.
Evan Fournier felt compelled to say something.
"Elfrid, we need you," Fournier remembered telling Payton before the game. "We trust you. Just play your game."
The pep talk might have helped because Payton started to emerge from his slump Saturday.