It’s not an exaggeration to say that Terrence Ross won this game for the Orlando Magic. I promise I’m not exaggerating here. I know I exaggerate so often that this is a “boy who cried wolf” scenario, but I’m telling you straight up, Terrence Ross was the deciding factor in this win. I admit that I am crying wolf. I am crying wolf loud and clear. But the wolf is about to eat me. Metaphorically.
Ross only had six points in the first three quarters of this game, and both those buckets were near the end of the first quarter. He continued to play significant minutes in the second and third quarters, but didn’t do much of note (he’s also not a rebounder so his statistical contributions in this period are pretty much blank). Then, the fourth quarter came around, and Ross poured in sixteen points including two clutch three-pointers in the final two minutes that closed the coffin lid on the Grizzlies.
Ross, over the past month or so, has been making up for his indisputably poopy beginning to the season. This game isn’t the kind of statement game that says “The T-Ross of last season, the one who was a fringe 6MOTY of the Year candidate, is back”, but he’s already had those statement games. This game is just the latest in a string of steady scoring efforts that our now commonplace for the Human Torch.