Jazz 97, Magic 93: Orlando falls despite Arron Afflalo's game-high 20 points

The Orlando Magic dropped their second straight game on Sunday, 97-93, as the Utah Jazz rallied from a deficit that reached 16 points in the first half to end their own two-game losing streak.

Despite shooting 50-percent from the field and out-rebounding the Jazz, the Magic had a few miscues down the stretch that silenced the crowd. Orlando had 20 turnovers which led to 22 Utah points.

Though J.J. Redick scored 14 points off 50 percent shooting, he committed four turnovers in the fourth quarter alone. Those turnovers consisted mostly of bad passes. He also earned his second technical foul in as many games, arguing a non-call after Utah guard Alec Burks tugged Redick's jersey out of his shorts while chasing him around a screen.

Even Arron Afflalo's game-high 20 points weren't enough to get the Magic rolling. Afflalo had a season-high 13 points in the first quarter, which gave the Magic a comfortable lead for some time.

Center Nikola Vucevic recorded a double-double with a 16 point-16 rebound game.

Mexican big man Gustavo Ayón took rookie power forward Andrew Nicholson's starting spot on Sunday right after Nicholson started in his hometown of Toronto in Orlando's last contest. Magic coach Jacque Vaughn's has not hesitated to experiment with his starting lineups in Glen Davis' absence.

Despite the loss, Ayón had one of his best games in a Magic uniform: the big man logged 37 minutes of playing time, tallying nine points and 12 rebounds. Although he missed a pair of critical free-throws that could have sent the game to overtime, Ayón still had a great overall performance.

With Davis sidelined for an extended period of time due to a sprained shoulder, the power forward slot could belong to either Ayón or Nicholson.

The Christmas dinner may not taste the same after this loss for the Magic, however, they do have a chance to make up for their second loss in a row as they square off with the New Orleans Hornets on Wednesday at 7 PM.