Franz Wagner scored 23 points and his brother Moritz Wagner had 16 as the host Orlando Magic scored a season high in coasting past the Washington Wizards 121-94 on Sunday night.
It was the Magic’s second straight win without injured star Paolo Banchero, who last played Oct. 30 because of a torn oblique. Eleven different players scored for the Magic, six in double figures, with Cole Anthony scoring a season-high 16 off the bench. Starting center Goga Bitadze had a double-double with 10 points and a game-high 12 rebounds.
Washington has lost four in a row, and its scoring output was its lowest of the season. The Wizards’ starting lineup included three rookies (Alex Sarr, Kyshawn George and Carlton Carrington) and second-year pro Bilal Coulibaly, who scored 20.
Jordan Poole led the Wizards with 24 points on 8 of 19 from the floor, including 3 of 10 from 3-point range.
Carrington was hurt when Moritz Wager fell into his leg with 4:49 left in the game. He did not return.
Orlando broke open a five-point game at halftime with a big third quarter, outscoring Washington 30-16. The Magic put together a game-changing 13-2 run capped by a traditional three-point play by Kentavious Caldwell-Pope to make it 77-62 with 6:25 left in the third.
The lead changed hands in the first quarter with the Wizards taking a 15-12 advantage on a three by Sarr, but Orlando closed the quarter strong. Moritz Wagner and Franz Wagner made back-to-back threes to give Orlando a 24-20 lead, and the Magic maintained a four-point edge after one.
George got hot for Washington in the second quarter, making four threes, but the Wizards’ defense collapsed. The Magic went on a 10-0 run with rookie Tristan Da Silva making a corner three followed by a three by Caldwell-Pope, Franz Wagner’s layup and a two-pointer from Da Silva to go up 54-40.
George answered for the Wizards with eight straight points, including two threes, but the Magic led 61-56 at halftime.
The third quarter was all Magic. Poole collected three quick fouls in the first three minutes, giving him four for the game, and went to the bench. The Magic capitalized. Franz Wagner converted a traditional three-point play, Jalen Suggs sank a three and the Magic led 83-66 with 3:15 left in the quarter.
–Field Level Media
