Magic’s Ross shows reserve strength in win over Wolves

(Field Level Media) Terrence Ross came off the bench to score a season-high 32 points and lead the Orlando Magic to a 122-112 win over the visiting Minnesota Timberwolves last night.

Nikola Vucevic added 21 points and 10 rebounds, and Aaron Gordon scored 19. The Magic came into the game having lost five of their last seven, but with the win they are only 3 1/2 games behind the eighth seed in the Eastern Conference.

Orlando made headlines earlier in the day by trading for former No. 1 pick Markelle Fultz. The Magic sent Jonathon Simmons, a first-round draft pick (via Oklahoma City) and a second-round pick to Philadelphia for Fultz, who was the first pick of the 2017 draft.

Karl-Anthony Towns had 27 points and 11 rebounds, and Andrew Wiggins added 23 points and nine rebounds for the Timberwolves. Minnesota has lost three straight and five of its last six. The Wolves were missing point guards Jeff Teague (foot), Derrick Rose (ankle) and Tyus Jones (ankle). Jerryd Bayless started in place of the injured guards and went scoreless on 0-for-6 shooting in 27 minutes.

Orlando had just a one-point lead after the first quarter, but took control of the game in the second. The Magic outscored Minnesota 39-27 in the period and continued to pad their lead in the third quarter.

Wes Iwundu hit a 3-pointer in the final seconds of the third, giving Orlando a 102-85 lead. Ross then opened the fourth with another 3, and the Magic extended their lead to 20 points, their largest of the night.

Towns cut the lead to nine with 2:39 left to play, but Ross ended any hopes of a Timberwolves’ comeback with his sixth 3-pointer.

Ross caught fire in the first half leading Orlando to a season-high 71 points at halftime and a 71-58 lead.

Ross scored 11 straight, including three consecutive 3-pointers, over a two-minute stretch midway through the second quarter. That came as part of a 13-4 run that helped Orlando build a double-digit lead.

The Magic shot 73.9 percent in the second quarter, while holding the Timberwolves to just 37 percent.