Ten days ago, the Orlando Magic (10-7) snapped the Knicks’ (9-6) perfect home win streak. Tonight was supposed to be the get-even game. Not quite. The Knicks managed to take a 66-64 lead into intermission
despite an underwhelming first-half performance. After the break, the home team got serious and even more physical (if you can believe it). They blew the lid off early in the fourth, answering every Knicks push and with an equal response and more. Garbage time came early. Final: Magic 133, Knicks 121.
Give credit to the Magic, whose 133 points were a season-high. Also recording a season high: Franz Wagner, with a final line of 37 points, seven assists, and six rebounds on 13-of-19 from the field. One turnover, too, in his 34 minutes. Overall, the Disneys had five players in double-digit points, with Desmond Bane dropping 27 and Jalen Suggs contributing 26.
For the Knicks, Jalen Brunson recorded a 33-point, 11-assist double-double. Karl-Anthony Towns added 24 points and eight rebounds. Mikal Bridges was a net positive, with 18 points on 7-of-11 shooting and two more steals. Consult the box score for the rest. And take note of Josh Hart’s -19 +/-. Rough game for him.
Worst news of the night: Not long into this game, Landry Shamet, the Knicks’ best sparkplug off the bench recently, collided with Wendell Carter, Jr. and appeared to dislocate again the shoulder he dislocated last year. He ran straight to the locker room and did not return to the court. Carter appears to lower his shoulder into Shamet on the play. What is it with these dirty Florida teams?
First Half
The first quarter was a mess, with whistles and turnovers aplenty. Both teams struggled to find rhythm, committing 18 combined turnovers and shooting poorly from deep. Brunson paced the Knicks early, splashing a pair of threes on his way to 11 points, while Wagner repeatedly forced his way to the line for the Disneys.
New York fell behind, then briefly regained control behind an 11–2 run, courtesy of Brunson’s shotmaking and a pair of Mitchell Robinson alley-oops, but Orlando’s response (Wagner’s free throws, Bane’s late three-point play) swung the momentum back in their favor. By the buzzer, the home team escaped this debacle with a 31–29 edge thanks to Desmond Bane’s tip-in at the buzzer.
Here’s Mitch:
In the second quarter, Jordan Clarkson gave New York a spark early. Towns added inside scoring, including a big dunk, but Orlando stayed close behind Wagner and Suggs. The former drilled a late three to trim the differential, but the Knicks controlled most of the final stretch (thanks to some Brunson heroics) and carried a two-point lead into the break.
Sometime during the quarter, my friend texted that Mohamed Diawara looks like an ‘uncoordinated gazelle.’ An accurate assessment of his eight first-half minutes, I’d say.
Through the half, the Knicks had shot efficiently, hitting 61% from the floor and 8-for-20 from deep. Orlando stayed within nipping distance by dominating the free-throw line (17-for-20) and the offensive glass (seven O-Boards to New York’s three). Our heroes had dished up 18 dimes and matched the Magic in steals and blocks, but both teams struggled with turnovers (NY 9, ORL 10).
Second Half
The Magic continued to play NFL basketball through the second half. Not knocking it, we loved when the Knicks used to break heads, but it’s never pleasant to be on the receiving end.
The Knicks briefly stayed ahead behind a Clarkson triple, steady scoring from Towns, and a Hart and-one. For every punch, though, Orlando had an answer. They gradually exerted their dominance thanks to Wagner’s relentless drives, Bane’s perimeter shooting (3-of-7 tonight), and aggressive play by Suggs and Tristan da Silva. A flurry of late Magic tricks (Anthony Black’s steal, Bane’s step-back three) capitalized on two Brunson turnovers and closed the quarter on a run. Orlando won the period 34-27, and it sure didn’t seem like the Knicks would figure out how to flip the script.
Fourth quarter, more of the same. Suggs was obnoxious:
And Wagner met little resistance:
Yep, Orlando controlled the fourth quarter from the jump. New York scored first to cut the lead to three, but don’t believe your lyin’ eyes. Jonathan Isaac’s put-back dunks, Anthony Black’s corner three, and relentless scoring from Wagner, Bane, and Suggs pushed the lead into double digits and kept it there. The Knicks couldn’t get stops, and garbage time might have technically commenced with 2:30 remaining, but you could argue it started somewhere around the first quarter. On to the next one.
Up Next
The road trip comes home, sorta, for a battle in Brooklyn on Monday. Safe travels, Knickerbockers.
