Terrence Ross scored all 22 of his points in the fourth quarter Sunday night as the visiting Orlando Magic earned their first win of the season by pulling away for a 110-104 victory over the New York Knicks.
Cole Anthony, playing in the arena his father called home for his first four NBA seasons, posted his first double-double with 29 points and a career-high 16 rebounds as the Magic outscored the Knicks 36-24 in the fourth to avenge Friday’s 121-96 loss to New York in Orlando.
Anthony, who also had eight assists, is the son of Greg Anthony, who opened his 11-year NBA career with the Knicks.
The win was the first for the Magic’s rookie head coach, Jamahl Mosley.
Mo Bamba finished with 10 points and 13 rebounds for the Magic, while Wendell Carter Jr. and Jalen Suggs had 11 points each. Franz Wagner added 10 points.
Julius Randle racked up 30 points and 16 rebounds for the Knicks, who were trying to start 3-0 for the first time since 2012-13. Derrick Rose scored 23 points off the bench, while RJ Barrett had 12 points and Mitchell Robinson and Kemba Walker added 10 apiece.
The Knicks led by as many as 13 in the first half and led by seven points multiple times in the third before the Magic went on a 10-0 run to take a 69-66 lead. New York responded by scoring the next nine points to start a 14-2 run that ended with Randle sinking a pair of free throws to extend the lead to 80-71.
Wagner’s 3-pointer with 15.2 seconds remaining began a 15-0 Magic run that carried into the fourth quarter. A pair of free throws by Robin Lopez gave Orlando the lead for good at 81-80 with 10:28 left. Ross followed with a 3-pointer and Wagner capped the surge with a dunk.
Alec Burks hit an eight-footer out of a Knicks timeout, but Suggs drained a free throw and Ross’ 16-footer gave the Magic an 89-82 lead.
Consecutive baskets by Barrett and Rose pulled New York within 89-86 with 6:28 remaining, but Ross drained three free throws after being fouled by Barrett, and Orlando led by at least two possessions the rest of the way.
–Field Level Media
