Magic Come Back to Beat Stephen Curry, Warriors 103-96 as Kevin Durant Rests

Aaron Gordon had 22 points and 15 rebounds as the Orlando Magic overcame a 13-point fourth-quarter deficit to defeat the Golden State Warriors 103-96 on Thursday at Amway Center in Orlando, Florida.

The Magic went on a 14-2 game-ending run, with Gordon scoring seven of those points.

Nikola Vucevic added 12 points, 13 rebounds, six assists and three blocks for the 29-34 Magic.

Stephen Curry had 33 points, eight rebounds and six assists for the 43-19 Warriors, who have lost four of their last six games.

Golden State played without Kevin Durant (rest) and Andre Iguodala (illness).

Warriors Can't Afford to Be Complacent with Nuggets Pushing for West Crown

The Warriors are still one half-game ahead of the Denver Nuggets for the Western Conference lead despite the loss.

Prior to their Thursday defeat to the Utah Jazz, Denver had beaten its previous five opponents by 12.8 points per contest, which included victories over three above-.500 Western Conference teams (the Oklahoma City Thunder, Los Angeles Clippers and Sacramento Kings).

The Nuggets' close proximity to the Warriors in the standings puts the pressure on Golden State.

Granted, three of the Warriors' four most recent losses carry a few asterisks. They were without Durant and Iguodala on Wednesday and sans Cousins in a 126-125 loss to the Miami Heat on Monday. The big man also sat during the team's defeat to the Portland Trail Blazers.

But the Warriors have also looked a bit sluggish. They scored just 15 fourth-quarter points against the Magic in a game where they looked like they would cruise to victory after a 30-11 third-quarter run. The Warriors allowed 42 second-quarter points to the Miami Heat and lost to the Rockets sans MVP candidate James Harden. Portland outscored Golden State 35-12 in the fourth quarter of its win.

The late winter of the NBA season is akin to the dog days of summer in baseball, where the drag of a long 82-game regular season can take its toll on any team. Perhaps that is what is happening with the Warriors, who looked invincible before this 2-4 stretch.

Chances are the clear championship favorites will bounce back and pull away for the Western Conference lead once again. They control their destiny thanks to two remaining games with Denver, which will visit Golden State each time.

However, the Warriors now have to re-create some breathing room given the Nuggets' recent run.

Magic's Lack of Firepower Will Sink Them in East Playoff Race Despite Win

The Magic were impressive against Golden State and won despite being 4.5-point underdogs, per Vegas Insider. Although the defending champion Warriors were sans Durant and Iguodala, the Magic could use this win to catapult themselves into a run to secure a playoff berth.

However, there is a significant offensive concern, one which the Magic overcame in this game: At times, the team lacks fire power.

Orlando couldn't find the basket in the third quarter, with the team scoring just 11 points. Orlando had as many turnovers (four) as field goals.

The Magic bounced back, but entering Thursday, they were one of the league's worst offensive teams. Orlando was third from the bottom in points per shot (1.20), per ESPN.com. The Magic were also bottom 10 in effective field-goal percentage, true shooting percentage and offensive efficiency.

The main issue is the second unit doesn't have enough firepower outside Terrence Ross. And if he can't get going, then the Magic run the risk of getting little production from their second unit.

For example, the Magic dropped a 108-103 game to the 13-49 Knicks recently despite leading 34-20 after one quarter. However, the Knicks clearly won the battle of the benches, to the point where their second unit outscored Orlando's 75-7. The Magic bench shot 2-of-16 from the field, with Ross going 1-of-10.

That may not matter much if Vucevic, Gordon and rising second-year forward Jonathan Isaac can lead the team to victory on some nights, but if the starting unit encounters trouble, the Magic may not have the bench to rely upon.

Orlando is percentage points ahead of the Charlotte Hornets for the eighth and final Eastern Conference playoff spot, so the Magic certainly have a good shot at the playoffs. But they won't get there without their offensive performance improving on a more consistent basis.

What's Next?

Both teams play Saturday. The Magic will start a three-game road trip by facing the Indiana Pacers, and the Warriors will finish their four-game Eastern Conference swing at the Philadelphia 76ers.