ORLANDO, FLA. – Everything about Jimmy Butler's first game with the 76ers was going great, until the fourth quarter.
Butler had 14 points in his Philadelphia debut, but the 76ers collapsed late and lost to Orlando 111-106 after Terrence Ross hit a tiebreaking three-pointer with 8.7 seconds left that helped the Magic finish off a big comeback Wednesday night.
"We're going to be just fine because once we put this together, we're going to be tough," said Butler, acquired Monday from the Timberwolves in a five-player swap.
The four-time All-Star played 33 minutes and shot 6-for-12 from the field after a couple of days spent adjusting to the big trade. He added four rebounds and two assists.
"A lot has been going on, but that's no excuse for not winning," he said. "No matter what, we're expected to win. I'm expecting to win, and we're expecting to win as a team. So that isn't an excuse."
Orlando scored 21 straight points in the fourth quarter, then held the 76ers without a basket over the final 3½ minutes.
"You don't just click your heels and win NBA games. We will use this as a way to remind everyone that this is the NBA," said 76ers coach Brett Brown. "Although we lost, the organization of the things we put in put us in decent position. If we can get three shots [in the final minute] instead of three turnovers, maybe we're talking to each other about a win."
Nikola Vucevic had 30 points for the Magic, including two clinching free throws with 5.8 seconds remaining.