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Luc Mbah a Moute missed Orlando Magic defeat

Mon, 23 Feb 2015 Source: csnphilly.com

Luc Mbah a Moute was away from the team for personal reasons. He flew from Philadelphia to Orlando, but did not arrive at the Amway Center before the opening tip. Mbah a Moute did not sit on the Sixers' bench.

The Sixers lost their second consecutive game after making major moves last Thursday before the trade deadline. The Sixers fell to the Orlando Magic, 103-98, Sunday at the Amway Center.

Isaiah Canaan, acquired in a trade with Houston, made his first start, and the scoring point guard did not disappoint. He had 14 points with four three-pointers, including one with 31 seconds to play drawing the Sixers within three points.

Jerami Grant suffered a lower-back contusion when he went up to dunk the ball in the first half and was fouled hard by former Sixer Dewayne Dedmon. Grant had seven points in 10 minutes of work.

Turning point

Former Sixer Willie Green made a couple free throws with 1:05 to play, stretching the Magic's lead to four points. On Orlando's next possession, another former Sixer, Nik Vucevic, dunked the ball. Orlando led 101-95 with 47.5 seconds remaining.

Follow the leader

Vucevic put up impressive numbers. He had 31 points and 13 rebounds for his 34th double-double of the season, which ties him with DeMarcus Cousins for second-most in the NBA.

Channing Frye had 15 points with 12 coming in the first quarter.

Robert Covington scored 16 points, while Hollis Thompson came off the bench to score 12 points.

Stat-egic

The Sixers average 40.6 points in the paint. On Sunday, they had four points in the paint in the first quarter and none in the second quarter. They finished with a total of 26, while the Magic had 50.

Take a bow

JaKarr Sampson had 16 points in 19 minutes. He was 6 of 9 from the floor. He came through in the final two minutes, making two free throws and scoring a layup to bring the Sixers within a point at 96-95 with 1:47 to play.

What's next

The Sixers play at Miami Monday night. The Sixers are 4-10 on the second night of back-to-backs this season. The Heat learned on Saturday that Chris Bosh is out for the rest of the season because of blood clots in one of his lungs. Bosh was averaging 21.2 points per game, 7.0 rebounds and 2.2 assists.

Monday will be the Sixers' first look at Goran Dragic in a Heat uniform. The reigning Most Improved Player of the Year was acquired in a trade with Phoenix last Thursday.

Source: csnphilly.com