Franz Wagner scored 28 points and grabbed nine rebounds as the Orlando Magic defeated the New York Knicks 124-107 at Madison Square Garden on Wednesday night. Desmond Bane added 22 points and eight assists, helping Orlando hand the Knicks their first home loss of the season.
Anthony Black contributed 17 points on 7-for-11 shooting for the Magic, who won for the fifth time in seven games. Orlando overcame the loss of leading scorer Paolo Banchero, who exited with a left groin strain in the second half.
Jalen Brunson led New York with 31 points but rolled his right ankle late in the game, and Karl-Anthony Towns recorded 15 points and 12 rebounds for his 10th double-double of the season. The Knicks had been 7-0 at home before Wednesday and averaged 130.2 points during a five-game winning streak.
Orlando held New York to 35% shooting in the first half and just 1-of-10 from three in the second quarter, building a 20-point halftime lead. Wagner scored 17 points in the first half, and the Magic outscored the Knicks 32-19 in the second quarter to seize control.
The Knicks cut the deficit to 100-91 late in the third quarter, but Jalen Suggs hit a key three-pointer that sparked a 10-4 Orlando run and restored a double-digit lead. From that point, the Magic maintained their advantage through the fourth quarter.
Bane’s 22 points and eight assists highlighted Orlando’s balanced attack, while Anthony Black and Wagner provided consistent scoring and rebounding. The Magic’s defense limited the Knicks to 30.6% from three-point range, forcing turnovers and controlling the pace.
Orlando (6-6) returns home Friday to host Brooklyn, while New York (7-4) remains at Madison Square Garden for a Friday matchup against Miami.
