Orlando came into Washington hoping to reverse a trend of poor performances in the nation’s capital and to get their postseason push back on the right track. Things, however, did not go to plan. Plagued by lethargic defense and ineffective offense they failed to best a Wizards side only barely hanging on to the fringes of the playoff race, falling to 31-38 on the season and into a temporary tie with the Hornets for ninth in the East.
The Magic opened the game by targeting what they had evidently identified as a mismatch: Nikola Vucevic in the paint against Bobby Portis and the Washington frontline.