The Orlando Magic improved their record to 29-24 on Friday in a thriller at Kia Center. Third year forward Franz Wagner propelled the young Orlando squad with 36 points, highlighted by a flurry of clutch shots in the 4th quarter and overtime. Paolo Banchero added 19 points, 7 rebounds, and 8 assists while Cole Anthony shined off the bench with 14 points and 11 boards.
Franz set the tone for his performance the first time he handled the ball, easily backing down Demar DeRozan into the lane with a jump hook and the games first bucket. Chicago never had the lead at any time during the first half, unable to stifle the good ball movement from Orlando with the Magic holding a narrow 52-50 halftime edge.
Whatever Head Coach Billy Donovan said to his Bulls in the locker room during halftime worked. Chicago took their first lead at 11:37 of the 3rd quarter with an Alex Caruso three-pointer that began a 9-0 run. The Magic, through multiple rotations, looked sluggish while also allowing the Bulls extra possessions off of costly turnovers. Chicago extended it’s lead to 11 points near the end of the third quarter.
With 8:52 remaining in the final quarter, trailing by 7 points, it became “Wagner’s World” at Kia Center. Franz Wagner calmly drilled three-pointers on 3 straight possessions to take the lead back from Chicago while the ambience turned from shocked silence to deafening cheers from those in attendance. At no point did the young Orlando team panic or seem shaken. However, with the Magic clinging to a 3 point lead, tension returned when Chicago’s Demar DeRozan drove to the basket and drew a questionable foul resulting in a 3-point play that would send the game into overtime.
Franz Wagner, seeing much tighter defense to begin overtime, bullied his way to the bucket, snagging his own missed shot for a close range put-back to strike first. The subsequent 6-0 Orlando run was enough to ultimately hold off the feisty Bulls and secure the win. Orlando now sits firmly in 7th place, just a half game behind the 6th place Indiana Pacers in the Eastern Conference standings.
The Magic have won 5 of their last 6 games. Next up, the Oklahoma City Thunder come to Kia Center on Tuesday, February 13th, for a game that will also mark the retirement of Magic legend Shaquille O’Neal’s #32 jersey in what is sure to be a packed arena.
THE CONVERSATION.