The Orlando Magic lost their sixth straight game Monday, falling to the Memphis Grizzlies by a 94-85 final, but they at least got a strong performance from second-year power forward Andrew Nicholson. Making his third straight start in relief of the injured Nik Vučević, Nicholson tied a season-high with 19 points, notched a season-high with 11 boards, and tied a career-high with four blocked shots. Video of all the rejections is embedded in this post.
Nicholson set the tone by blocking the Grizzlies' first shot of the game. Jerryd Bayless spins past Jameer Nelson and puts up a floater, but Nicholson is there to swat the shot at its apex.
Later in the quarter, Nicholson blocks Kosta Koufos twice on the same possession. On the first attempt, Nicholson reacts in Bayless' dump-off to Koufos in time to block the shot. Koufos recovers the rebound and, after spinning to elude Nelson, tries a putback off the glass. Nicholson blocks that offering too and Glen Davis grabs the board.
In the second half, Nicholson added to his total with a left-handed rejection of Zach Randolph to force a shot-clock violation.
Nicholson's impressive all-around showing Monday raised his season averages to 10 points, 5.3 rebounds, and 0.6 blocks.
