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G League Grand Rapids Drive

Balanced Magic Knock off Drive

December 7, 2018 - NBA G League (G League)
Grand Rapids Drive News Release


LAKELAND - The Lakeland Magic (6-6) picked up their third win in as many tries against the Grand Rapids Drive (5-8) this season, pulling away in the second half and finishing with a 109-98 victory. Of the nine Lakeland players that entered the game, eight scored at least eight points.

Of the Lakeland players, BJ Johnson's 18 points were the team high and Amile Jefferson piled up 15 points, 14 rebounds and four assists. Antonio Campbell performed well again against the Drive as he scored 17 points off the bench. Troy Caupain and John Petrucelli each scored 13 points, and the Magic outscored the Drive by 24 points in the 26 minutes Petrucelli played.

Zach Lofton scored 25 points for the second consecutive game for the Drive, also adding six assists. Michael Bethea Jr. set his second season high in a row with 22 points. Keenan Evans also added 16 points for the Drive. Johnny Hamilton posted Grand Rapids' only double-double with 10 points and 11 rebounds.

The Drive were able to keep the majority of the game close, as it was a back-and-forth battle with 16 lead changes and 10 ties through three quarters. However, the Magic had built an eight-point lead that they did not relinquish by the start of the fourth quarter, and they were able to push the lead to as many as 20 points during the fourth quarter to close it out.

Grand Rapids ran into many of the same problems that have plagued them through their current five-game losing streak. The Magic out-rebounded them 48 to 38 and bettered the Drive's 30 percent three-point shooting clip by 11 percentage points. The Drive took 40 of their 84 field goal attempts from deep, but the Magic still hit 14 of their 34 tries versus 12 makes by Grand Rapids. The Drive came into the game tied for 24th in the league out of 27 teams in three-point percentage.

Now winners of four straight games, the Magic will try to keep it going as they face the Long Island Nets on Sunday. The Drive's next opportunity to get back in the win column will be when they close out their current four-game road trip against the Fort Wayne Mad Ants on Monday night.

Check out the Grand Rapids Drive Statistics



NBA G League Stories from December 7, 2018


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