Magic Unable to Hang On to Late Lead in Loss to Thunder

The Lead

Wendell Carter Jr. matched his career high with 30 points while tying his season best with 12 rebounds and Franz Wagner amassed 20 points and a season-best seven assists, but the Orlando Magic, despite leading by as many as 15 in the game and 11 in the fourth quarter, were unable to hang on against the Oklahoma City Thunder in Tuesday’s 116-108 loss.

Clutch Plays

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, who erupted for 34 points, and Aleksej Pokusevski each made a pair of big shots down the stretch during OKC’s late 23-4 run. But the biggest shot of the night came with 51.9 seconds left when Lu Dort, who also was stifling defensively against Paolo Banchero, drilled a dagger 3-pointer that put OKC up six.

Key Stats

Turnovers were Orlando’s kryptonite. They coughed the ball up 25 times. The Thunder scored 30 of their points off those miscues. Both teams had their way inside, combining for 114 paint points.

Interesting Notes

Carter’s other 30-point night also came against the Thunder. That took place on March 20 of last season at Amway Center. Jalen Suggs, who missed the last five games with a sprained ankle, returned and finished with nine points, two rebounds, four assists and two steals in 28 minutes.

Memorable Moment

To complete a wild back-and-forth sequence late in the second quarter, Bol Bol grabbed a rebound, pushed the ball ahead, and found Wagner in stride for an emphatic one-handed slam as he zipped past Josh Giddey.

Quote of the Day

“It’s been extremely fun because we are all extremely talented. We’re all capable of making plays for each other, rebounding, and blocking shots – and we can all push the ball. It’s very different for other teams because we are able to go big.” – Bol on playing alongside three 6-foot-10 teammates in starting lineup (Banchero, Wagner and Carter)

Injury Report

Terrence Ross exited Tuesday’s game in the first quarter with a left knee contusion and didn’t return. Cole Anthony (right internal oblique muscle injury), Markelle Fultz (toe), Moe Wagner (sprained right midfoot), Gary Harris (left knee rehabilitation), and Jonathan Isaac (left knee rehabilitation) were unavailable for the Magic. Chet Holmgren (foot) was out for the Thunder.

This Day in History

On Nov. 1, 2009, Jameer Nelson erupted for 30 points, J.J. Redick scored 27 and Dwight Howard posted 24 points and 11 rebounds in a Magic victory over the Raptors in Toronto. Orlando made 17 of their 32 3-point attempts. Chris Bosh led the Raptors with 35 points and 16 rebounds, while Andrea Bargnani tallied 26 points.

Rivals Report

Losing Holmgren, the No. 2 overall pick in the 2022 NBA Draft, for the season after injuring his foot during a Pro-Am game over the summer was a tough blow for the Thunder. But they still have plenty of other young talent to showcase, including Giddey, Tre Mann and Jalen Williams. The main reason for their solid start, however, has been the play of Gilgeous-Alexander, an early-season Most Improved Player Award candidate. Through OKC’s first five games, he’s averaging 31.0 points, 5.0 rebounds and 7.0 assists.

Up Next

The Magic start a seven-game homestand on Thursday at 7 p.m. against the defending-champion Golden State Warriors. This will be the longest stretch at home for Orlando since March 2018, when they also played seven consecutive contests at Amway Center. The Warriors have gotten off to a not-so-hot start to their five-game trip out East, losing to Charlotte, Detroit and Miami in their first three games. The Magic and Warriors split their two meetings last season, with each team winning on their home floor.