The Kia Center court might have looked different than usual for Orlando‘s first NBA Cup group play matchup against the Hornets — it was light grey with a large gold trophy in the center and a blue outline — but the Magic‘s pathway to victory looked much the same Tuesday night as it did in their last two.
Missing Paolo Banchero (torn right abdominal muscle) and Wendell Carter Jr. (left foot plantar fasciitis), Jamahl Mosley’s squad won their third straight game at home, where they improved to 5-0.
Riding a season-high 32 points from Franz Wagner, who didn’t play the fourth quarter on the first night of a back-to-back, the Magic used a 30-6 run in the second half to capture the 114-89 victory over the Hornets (4-7).
The 25-point win is an added bonus for the Magic, who’s part of East Group A in the league’s in-season tournament. Point differential is the second tiebreaker in group play.
The Magic (6-6) have a quick turnaround when they face the Pacers on Wednesday night at Kia Center, marking the third meeting in the first 13 games between the East foes.
Starting 5
Mosley stuck with the same first group — Wagner, Jalen Suggs (17 points), Kentavious Caldwell-Pope (6), Tristan da Silva (5) and Goga Bitadze (9) — as he had the last five games.
Suggs came out firing from 3 where he hit first two attempts and quickly racked up 13 first-quarter points. After he shot a combined 2 of 12 from 3 with just 12 points between the last two contests, Suggs went 3 of 4 from 3 in the first half against the Hornets.
He had a scare in the second quarter when he went down and grabbed his right foot after a collision. Clearly in pain, Suggs limped off the court but was able to return a few minutes later. He didn’t score after halftime.
Wagner at one point scored 13 in a row for the Magic in the second frame. It was his fifth straight game with 20-plus points.
No other starter, however, finished in double-digit scoring.
Second unit
Cole Anthony (6 points) was the fifth player off the bench alongside Anthony Black, Gary Harris, Jonathan Isaac and Moe Wagner for a second game in a row.
Wagner led the bench in scoring with 18 points and Isaac was active with 7 points, 4 rebounds and 2 steals.
Black found himself in foul trouble with 3 before the break but continued to find his spots on offense (8 points) to go with 5 rebounds, 3 assists and 2 blocks.
Rookie watch
Da Silva didn’t notch his first points until the third quarter, but did so when he grabbed an offensive rebound in the paint off Franz Wagner’s missed triple.
The No. 18 pick was still active elsewhere with 6 rebounds, 2 blocks and 2 assists in 32 minutes.
Jason Beede can be reached at [email protected]
Up next …
Magic vs. Pacers
When: 7, Wednesday, Kia Center
TV: FanDuel Sports Network Florida
Originally Published: November 12, 2024 at 9:26 PM EST
