Orlando Magic forwards Paolo Banchero and Franz Wagner (22) have a good time after a play throughout the second half of an NBA basketball game against the Washington Wizards, Tuesday, Dec. 26, 2023, in Washington. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon)
WASHINGTON — Franz Wagner had 28 points, nine assists, and eight rebounds, rookie Anthony Black scored a career-high 23 points and the Orlando Magic defeated the Washington Wizards 127-119 within the NBA on Tuesday night.
“We’re playing good ball straight away, and I’m just attempting to deal with that, truthfully,” Black said. “It’s going to come back game-by-game, getting more comfortable. So I’m just attempting to keep doing things that’s helping us win.”
Paolo Banchero overcame a slow start to complete with 24 points and eight assists and Jalen Suggs returned from a two-game absence attributable to a left wrist injury to attain 11.
“He looked good. His conditioning was on point, he was on the market defending the best way, crawling into the basketball, attempting to do quite a lot of the best things,” Magic coach Jamahl Mosley said of Suggs. “Having a few games off, there wasn’t as much rust as we’d thought there’d be.”
Jordan Poole had 30 points to guide the Wizards, who’ve lost 4 of their last five, and Tyus Jones added 22.
Trailing by as many as eight, Washington’s bench got here up with 12 points in the primary quarter, and a 14-4 run tied things at 33 after one.
Orlando Magic forward Paolo Banchero (5) shoots over Washington Wizards guard Bilal Coulibaly (0) throughout the second half of an NBA basketball game, Tuesday, Dec. 26, 2023, in Washington. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon)
The Magic went on a 7-0 run to take a 45-38 lead within the second quarter and force Washington to call timeout with 6:44 left within the half.
The Wizards’ Corey Kispert got here off the bench and began the sport 6 of 6 including 3 of three on 3-pointers for 15 first-half points as Washington fought back from down nine to trail 63-60 on the half.
The Magic led by as many as nine several times within the third before Banchero hit a left-handed layup for the last shot of the third quarter to offer Orlando a 98-88 lead.
Washington trailed by as many as 17 within the fourth quarter, but an 11-0 run capped by Jones’ 3-pointer made it 117-111 with 3:10 remaining. Poole hit a pair of free throws with 2:02 remaining to chop the deficit to 4 and did so again on a dunk with slightly below a minute to play, but that’s the closest Washington got.
“It’s the togetherness that we’ve got, our poise, our communication,” Wagner said. “Now we have guys that like twiddling with one another and for one another and I believe that shows within the last couple of minutes when stuff isn’t going our way that we come together and form of find our groove again.”
The Magic had 70 points within the paint and caused 21 turnovers. They’ve won the primary three games of a four-game regular season series with the Wizards.
“Overall, I believe schematically we did the best things,” Wizards coach Wes Unseld Jr. said. “Clean up on a few those turnovers and a few of the transition opportunities and paint points, I believe it’s a distinct ballgame.”
Daniel Gafford had 13 points and 13 rebounds while Kyle Kuzma had 17 for the Wizards. Nonetheless, he was only 6 of 18 from the sector while accounting for six turnovers.
“I just didn’t play well,” Kuzma said. “If I’d have found more of a rhythm, we probably would have won because everybody else played well.”
NEXT SCHEDULE
Magic: Host Philadelphia on Wednesday night.
Wizards: Host Toronto on Wednesday night.
