RotoWire Jason Shebilske

Two struggling teams met Tuesday night, but Magic Gaming got a slight boost to their momentum with a series win over 76ers GC.

76ers GC managed to take control of Game 1 early on after they forced Magic Gaming to turn the ball over numerous times. By the end of the first quarter, Magic Gaming committed nine turnovers while shooting just 3-for-11 from the field. The Sixers weren’t particularly effective in creating good shots, but they were able to capitalize on their fast break opportunities to take a 24-6 lead at the end of the first quarter. 76ers GC forced four more turnovers over the first three and a half minutes of the second quarter and went on a 12-3 run during that span. Magic Gaming found a slight rhythm over the remainder of the quarter, but they still entered halftime trailing by 23 points.

Magic Gaming slightly narrowed the deficit over the third quarter, shooting 7-for-14 from the field over the frame, but 76ers GC still carried a comfortable 59-40 lead heading into the final quarter. The Sixers erased Magic Gaming’s hope during the beginning of the fourth quarter, going on an 11-4 run over the first two and a half minutes as the team went 8-for-11 on their field goals during that time before securing a comfortable 86-61 win. BreadwinnerLA put together a triple-double for 76ers GC, recording 21 points, 15 rebounds and 10 assists along with seven steals, while Steez had 15 points and eight steals of his own. Magic Gaming had two performers with double-doubles, as Reizey (27 points, 10 assists) and May (16 points, 19 rebounds) each had solid games, but they were unable to keep up with the Sixers after their early struggles with ball control.

The game was much more even over the first half of Game 2. Although Magic Gaming had a lackluster performance from the floor during the first quarter by shooting just 47.1 percent, the Sixers only held a one-point lead at the end of the frame. The game stayed gridlocked over much of the second quarter, but Magic Gaming had several clutch shots to end the half, which allowed them to secure a 34-31 lead heading into the half while shooting 4-for-7 from beyond the arc.

The Magic took over in the second half, going on a 15-2 run over the first two and a half minutes behind 10 points from Reizey to open the half. 76ers GC offered some resistance over the closing minutes of the third quarter, but they couldn’t get too much done while shooting 5-for-13 and committing five turnovers during the quarter as Magic Gaming led 62-41 going into the fourth quarter. 76ers GC forced six turnovers in the final quarter, but they only made one shot from 3-point range and weren’t able to make up enough ground as they dropped Game 2 by a score of 80-64. Magic Gaming had strong showings once again from Reizey (37 points, 11 assists) and May (14 points, 19 rebounds), but they had much more help from their supporting cast as they had four starters with double-digit point totals. Radient led the Sixers with 35 points and four assists the second time around, but BreadwinnerLA (12 points, five rebounds, five steals) was the only other player to break the 10-point mark.

Magic Gaming started Game 3 on the right foot by securing a 22-15 lead at the end of the first quarter behind a 66.7 percent mark from beyond the arc. However, 76ers GC didn’t give up as the half rolled on and went 8-for-11 on their field goals to bring the deficit to two points heading into halftime.

However, Magic Gaming once again took on the identity of a second-half team during the third contest, opening the third quarter on a 14-4 run before eventually outscoring the 76ers 25-8 over the quarter while going 9-for-11 from the floor. 76ers GC attempted a comeback bid during the fourth quarter as Radient had 15 points during the fourth quarter alone, but Magic Gaming took care of business late in the game to secure a series win with an 80-62 victory in Game 3. Magic Gaming had strong performances from familiar faces. Reizey had a monster performance with 44 points and eight assists, while May finished with an 11-point, 17-rebound, 10-assist triple-double. Radient finished with a total of 33 points and five assists for 76ers GC, but he also committed seven of the team’s nine turnovers in the final game.

Magic Gaming (4-7) will face off against Hawks Talon GC on Tuesday, while 76ers GC (1-8) will close out the week against winless Celtics Crossover Gaming on Thursday.