Magic scoring just isn’t there in 100-91 loss to the Knicks
Orlando, FL – The defense showed up for the Orlando Magic on Sunday night—no question about that. They held the New York Knicks to 100 points and forced 12 turnovers in the first half.

However, when you don’t have your big guns, when you’re being outmuscled, when your best players are frustrated, and when your opponent’s shots fall while yours don’t—it’s a tough combination to overcome.
For Orlando, only one player managed to score in double digits: rookie Tristan DaSilva, who had a career-high 20 points. Jalen Suggs struggled offensively, managing just nine points on 4-of-19 shooting. To his credit, he contributed in other areas, recording three blocked shots, eight assists, and five rebounds. But his fouling out with nearly four minutes left in the fourth quarter left the team short-handed in crunch time.
Moritz Wagner was his usual scrappy self, pouring in a career-high 32 points and grabbing six rebounds. He even got into a little tussle with Knicks big man Karl-Anthony Towns.

But where was the rest of the team? Where was the offense?
The Knicks, on the other hand, brought it.
Jalen Brunson led the charge with 31 points, shooting 50% from three (4-of-8). Towns dominated inside, notching 22 points and 22 rebounds while banging bodies with Wagner in the paint. Mikal Bridges contributed 17 points, as did Josh Hart.
Interestingly, the Knicks got almost nothing from their bench—a noteworthy stat.
After turning the ball over 12 times in the first half, New York tightened things up, finishing the game with 19 turnovers overall, which led to 15 Orlando points. Whatever adjustments were made in Tom Thibodeau’s halftime speech, they clearly worked.
Looking at the box score, it’s hard to ignore that nearly the entire Magic roster (except for two players) finished with single-digit scoring. After almost a full week off following their battle with Milwaukee, one has to wonder—did the break disrupt their rhythm?
If you’re Magic head coach Jamahl Mosley, what do you say after this one?
“You know, we’re not gonna make excuses,” Mosley said. “Our defense did keep us in it—that was the key—but again, costly and timely turnovers hurt us. That second quarter got away from us, and I think that was a big part of it.”
New York outscored Orlando 29-19 in the second quarter, effectively taking control of the game. Only three players scored for the Magic during that stretch: Wagner, DaSilva, and Kentavious Caldwell-Pope (who had just four points all game). Meanwhile, Towns tallied 11 points in the quarter. The Magic shot a dismal 29% from the field and just 20% from three in the period.
“Whether it’s offense or defense, I think we’ve got to improve mentally a little bit,” Wagner said. “This is a game of energy. I know we like to use numbers to analyze or make sense of a game, but at the end of the day, it’s a game. When you put your energy in the right place, good things happen. That’s just how it works. I think we need to mature a little bit as a group—everybody included.”
“This is a good opportunity for us. With our two best players out, everybody’s getting a chance. We’ve got to appreciate that—it’s an opportunity to evolve.”
Wagner’s point is valid. With Franz Wagner and Paolo Banchero sidelined, the Magic are being tested. Despite the loss, it’s a chance for the team to embody their “Next Man Up” mantra and step into the gaps.
The Magic even gave newly acquired Corey Joseph nearly 10 minutes of playing time, hoping his veteran experience would settle things down. Joseph quickly recorded an assist on a Wagner basket and could be a key rotational piece moving forward.
Now, it’s time for the Magic to regroup, refocus, and move on. It’s a long season, and they’ve had a strong showing overall so far. Even without two of their stars, they are surely capable of better than what they showed on Sunday night.
Let’s go, Magic!