Orlando Magic: Ben Gordon Showing Signs Of Old Self
Jeremy Brevard-USA Today Sports
Even though the Orlando Magic lost the game to the Charlotte Hornets on Monday night, what we saw was something that could be a revelation of the Magic’s 2014-15 season — Ben Gordon finding his groove back.
If you don’t remember who Ben Gordon is, let’s take a quick stroll down NBA memory lane. He was once a prolific scorer with the Chicago Bulls, bringing the franchise back to relevance after a few dark years after Michael Jordan retired and Scottie Pippen bolted town for the Houston Rockets.
After Gordon was realized as a hot commodity, he decided to take a boneheaded long-term deal with a Detroit Pistons team that was rebuilding after years of being the Eastern Conference’s powerhouse. It was in Detroit that Gordon’s game began to diminish, as injuries began to become a staple of his career.
After becoming mainly a bench warmer for the then Charlotte Bobcats, Gordon was known as washed-up, and he was looking for a team that would give him a chance to prove his worth again. That team turned out to be the Magic, and so far this preseason, Gordon is making the most of his opportunities.
Against the Hornets on Monday night, Gordon showed flashes of his old self, leading the team with 17 points in a losing effort. But what Gordon showed on Monday night was that he could still be a scorer in this league, and although he may not be as deadly with the ball as he once was, Gordon proved that he can be instant offense off the bench.
If he plays in the regular season like he played tonight, Gordon should have no problem resurrecting his career, and the Magic would have a deadly offensive player off the bench. Either way you look at it, it’s a win-win.
Kareem Gantt is an NBA featured writer and covers the Orlando Magic for Rant Sports. For more from this author, ‘follow’ him on Twitter, ‘like’ him on Facebook and ‘add’ him to your network on Google.
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