Ross scores 30, Magic ride dominant third quarter past Knicks 107-89

Orlando Magic fans and broadcasters affectionately call Terrence Ross “The Human Torch” for a reason. He lit up the New York Knicks last night with 30 bench points. It was his hottest performance of the season: 30 points is the most he’s scored this year.

Ross led the Magic in scoring and directed them to a 107-89 victory Wednesday night. But it was far from easy. The Knicks held a slender margin at halftime and the Magic needed a dynamic third quarter performance to take control of the game.

Ross lights it up

Not only did Ross lead Orlando in scoring, but also he shot the ball accurately and efficiently. His 30 points came on 10-16 from the field, a perfect 5-5 from the charity stripe and a near-perfect 5-6 from beyond the arc.

https://twitter.com/OrlandoMagic/status/1362235415521071105

His scoring also solidified the Magic lead late. He scored 18 of his 30 points in the second half, including two clutch free throws and a three-pointer to push the lead to 17 in the fourth quarter.

Ross ended up padding the stat sheet with six rebounds, four assists, two steals and two blocks. Head coach Steve Clifford explained how his improvement and overall skillset contributed to his 30-point performance.

A magical third quarter

The Magic and the number 30 got along well against the Knicks. Orlando outscored New York 30-14 in the third quarter. Over the final nine minutes of the quarter, the Magic went on a 25-8 run to erase their halftime deficit.

The Knicks were limited to 6-20 shooting in the third and only made 12 shots in the entire second half. Despite the poor shooting form, they had some positive performances. Julius Randle recorded 25 points and seven boards, while RJ Barrett added 15 points.

Like Ross, Orlando shot the ball well with 16-34 on threes and a 45.7 percent field goal percentage. Nikola Vucevic managed his 20th double-double this year with 16 points and 17 rebounds.

And Evan Fournier put up 19 points in his first game back in more than a week due to back spasms. He spoke about his return from injury after the game.

Up next

Orlando (11-18) has now won two of its last three games for the first time since its record was 6-2. The Magic welcome the Golden State Warriors to town Friday for the second game of a four-game homestand.

With the loss to the Magic, New York (14-16) ended a three-game win streak. The Knicks begin a five-game homestand Saturday against the Spurs.

Sound used in this story courtesy of ESPN and ABC Newscall.