ORLANDO, FL — There’s nothing like home cooking, and the Orlando Magic are proving it, notching their fourth consecutive home victory after dominant wins over the Charlotte Hornets and Indiana Pacers. This comes after a challenging road trip for the team.
Franz Wagner has stepped up in a major way, consistently leading the scoring effort for Orlando. Over the last five games, he’s put up 32, 23, 27, 28, and 22 points, providing the offensive boost the Magic need in the absence of star forward Paolo Banchero, who’s sidelined with an oblique injury.
This game was the Magi’c fist in the Emirates 2024 NBA Tournament, the Magic floor sporting a gray black and gold motif.
Following the game plan set by Head Coach Jamahl Mosley, the Magic emphasized defense, using it as a foundation to fuel their offense.
“We’ve done a great job turning teams over,” Said Mosley “…finishing possessions but then getting in transitions and getting the easy baskets. I think that’s a big key for us as we continue to move forward.”
Their focus paid off in a decisive 114-89 victory over the Hornets. Wagner led the way with 32 points and eight rebounds, while scoring was distributed effectively across the lineup.
Jalen Suggs contributed 17 points, shooting 3-for-5 from beyond the arc and dishing out four assists. Moritz Wagner also came up big off the bench with 18 points and five rebounds.
Orlando’s defensive intensity was a key factor, leading to 17 fast-break points to Charlotte’s eight, along with 15 second-chance points compared to the Hornets’ six.
For Charlotte, LaMelo Ball topped the scoring chart with 35 points, and Grant Williams added 15. The Magic defense held Brandon Miller to just eight points.
The Hornets committed 22 turnovers, leading to 22 points for the Magic, underscoring Orlando’s defensive dominance in this home stretch.
“ I think our defense fueled everything tonight.” Said Magic guard Jalen Suggs “You know, it wasn’t shot making fueling us. It was getting stops on that end and then getting out and running, causing problems in transition, you know, which is something that we do very well, you know, just with our athleticism, getting to the rim and the shooting that we have around us. I think it was great.”
Magic vs Pacers
Orlando returned for the second night of a back-to-back to face the dangerous Indiana Pacers.
The Pacers jumped ahead early, forcing Orlando to play from behind through the first and second quarters. Pascal Siakam and Bennedict Mathurin led the Pacers’ scoring with 25 and 23 points, respectively, challenging Orlando from start to finish. The Magic had to lean on their resilience to pull off the win.
Franz Wagner was outstanding, leading all scorers with 29 points, while Goga Bitadze recorded a double-double, contributing 12 points and 12 much-needed rebounds.
Head Coach Jamahl Mosley praised Bitadze’s grit:
“I thought it was great,” said Mosley. “Six offensive rebounds, twelve rebounds total, big-time blocks at the right time. He gave us that spark. It got a little chippy, but we’re okay with that, and he’s okay with that. And I think that’s part of what makes him him. He plays with that little bit of an edge, and I think that helped out a ton tonight to get our guys going a little bit more. I think we went on a run right after that.”
Orlando trailed 27-18 after the first quarter but clawed back by scoring 23 in the second, bringing the halftime score to 45-41.
The Magic’s strong bench played a crucial role, with standout defensive efforts from Jonathan Isaac and Anthony Black. They helped Orlando keep pace with Indiana in the third quarter, each scoring 27 points, setting up a resilient, clutch performance in the fourth quarter to pull ahead.
Mosley was thrilled with the play of Isaac and Black:
“You talk about guys that stay ready, stay ready for the big moment,” said Mosley. “Jonathan Isaac on the second night of a back-to-back, making big blocks, big plays, big shots, communicating on defense. We go to switching one through five at the end of the game, and he’s able to guard multiple positions. Anthony Black just played the right way. He didn’t let anything rattle him; he’s setting up our offense and communicating on defense. Just growth for these guys.”
Starting the fourth quarter down by four, the Magic showed their heart and defensive tenacity, which ultimately led to their victory. They held the Pacers to 5-of-19 shooting and forced seven turnovers in the final quarter.
Black scored all six of his points in the fourth, using his driving skills to disrupt the Pacers’ interior defense. He finished with four steals, three of which came in that final period.
“Super comfortable,” he said of playing alongside the starters in the fourth. “When I play with them, my role is super simple and easy. It’s just to impact the game on the defensive end. Comfortable for sure.”
Jalen Suggs struggled with his shooting, going 2-of-15 from the field, but his defensive presence was as impactful as ever, and his two free throws with 9.1 seconds left sealed the win.
The Magic defense made things tough on Tyrese Haliburton, holding him to just nine points on 3-of-14 shooting.
Orlando’s bench outscored Indiana’s reserves 32-17.
“This team (the Pacers) is a high-scoring team,” said Isaac. “They put up, I think, 135 the other night. (Us) on a back-to-back, they’ve been resting for two days. To come out here and send that kind of message, it speaks volumes about our coaching staff, our team, guys taking on the challenge… I almost can’t say enough about the resiliency, the energy, the mindset of these guys. With that, I feel like we can go as far as we want to.”
The five-game homestand concludes on Friday when the Philadelphia 76ers come to town for an Emirates NBA Cup 2024 game. The Magic are currently 1-0 in the tournament following their win over Charlotte on Tuesday. Orlando will also face Brooklyn and New York in its other NBA Cup games.
