Josh Cohen

We can talk about talent, strategy and data all we want, but ultimately, availability and attrition are probably the most significant components of NBA success these days. It’s hard for a team to keep up when undermanned. Several teams are having to fight through that obstacle early in the season, including the Orlando Magic. Paolo Banchero (ankle), Jalen Suggs (knee) and Noah Penda (hamstring) are currently nursing injuries. Anthony Black (ankle injury management) didn’t play Monday against the Wizards. These particular absences limit the number of ball handlers and playmakers they have on the floor, which is a big reason for their high turnover rate.&nbsp;

The Magic have been generating great 3-point looks this season so far because of their spacing, ball movement and execution. They’ve done an outstanding job getting into the paint and spraying out to shooters. They actually have the league’s second-best 3-point percentage off kickouts from the paint (53.1 percent). However, against Washington on Monday, they didn’t get enough of them to drop. They went 11-for-39 overall from beyond the arc (28 percent), 4-for-16 on kickouts in general, and 1-for-5 on kickouts from the paint. Without Banchero, it’s been harder for the Magic to get to the free throw line and without Suggs and Black, they have struggled to get out on the break to score easy baskets in transition.

The last couple years, it’s been a successful long road trip that’s helped the Magic rebound from a tough stretch. In March 2025, after losing five straight at home, they went 3-2 on an ensuing road trip and finished that regular season 13-6. Last season, they won three out of four on a West Coast trip right after the All-Star break and a couple weeks later won games at Minnesota and Milwaukee to build some more momentum. Now, sitting at 2-5 on the season, the Magic will have the opportunity to do the same out West with games at Phoenix, Golden State, Sacramento and Utah. Those teams are a combined 8-19 so far this season.&nbsp;

"I trust the coaches, you know what I mean? That we've got a good system, and we're figuring it out. Once we get it down, I think we'll look really good and that's part of the league, I think; going through some of these growing pains at the start. And like I said, just keep trusting that once it comes together, I think we'll be a really good team." – Franz Wagner after Monday’s game against the Wizards

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Wizards Postgame: Sean Sweeney

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Wizards Postgame: Desmond Bane and Franz Wagner

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Magic Four-Point Play: Follow-Up vs. Wizards

ORLANDO - In back-to-back games, the Orlando Magic were unable to come up with the defensive stops they needed to down the stretch.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Sunday against the Celtics, Jayson Tatum knocked down a pair of clutch jumpers late in the fourth quarter to help Boston surge to the finish line. Monday against the Wizards, it was the combination of Anthony Davis, Kyshawn George and 2026 No. 1 overall draft pick AJ Dybantsa who made big shots late to propel Washington to a 103-94 win over Orlando at Kia Center.

After the Magic pulled within three with just under seven minutes left, the Wizards responded with a 14-6 run to end Orlando’s comeback attempt. Davis and George each made a pair of jumpers in that stretch and Dybantsa scored on the fast break twice.&nbsp;

“I thought the guys did a really good job tonight competing,” Magic head coach Sean Sweeney said. “I thought they did a great job trying to stick to it throughout the course of the game — cut the lead in the fourth quarter down to three or four a couple times. Just couldn’t quite get over the hump. I thought those guys did a great job trying to battle through it on a back-to-back, tough schedule type situation against a team that’s big and strong and that has good players.”

Not helping matters was the Magic’s injury report. Paolo Banchero (ankle), Jalen Suggs (knee), Anthony Black (ankle injury management) and Noah Penda (hamstring) were all out. Those absences continue to significantly reduce the number of ball handlers and playmakers they have to work with.

Franz Wagner did all he could to keep the Magic in the game. He finished with 24 points and six assists. Desmond Bane scored 20 points and Jamal Cain and Tristan da Silva each had 10 points.&nbsp;

Davis led the Wizards with 27 points and nine rebounds, George scored 22 and Dybantsa had 21.&nbsp;

This was not a great shooting night for Orlando. It made just 11 of their 39 attempts from 3-point range (28.2 percent). They also only took 10 free throws.&nbsp;

“I think our offense starts with aggressiveness, touching the paint,” Bane said. “We believe once we touch the paint, whatever comes from that is usually going to be a good possession for us. I think as long as we are keeping that process, being aggressive getting two feet in the paint, making sound decisions, we can live with the result — whether it’s a shot at the rim or the 3-point line. We have guys that can shoot the ball well and we will continue to.”&nbsp;

Turnovers were an issue again as well. They had 18 of them, which led to 22 Washington points.

The Wizards did a lot of their damage from the mid-range. They ended up shooting 53.3 percent overall from the field.&nbsp;

The loss snapped the Magic’s seven-game winning streak against the Wizards at Kia Center.&nbsp;

Orlando will now head out West for a four-game trip, starting Thursday at Phoenix. Tip-off will be 9 p.m. ET. 

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Game Highlights: Magic vs. Wizards

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Undermanned Orlando Magic Fall Short Against Washington Wizards

In the Orlando Magic’s six games combined, their opponent has taken 52 more floor shots than them. That net field goal attempt mark ranks 29th. Turnovers and rebounding have been big factors in that. In Sunday’s loss, the Magic committed 18 turnovers, which led to 21 Celtics points, and Boston scored 15 second chance points off its 14 offensive rebounds. Another reason for the shot volume gap so far this season for the Magic is that they haven’t been able to get out and run as much. They are averaging just 9.4 transition shots per 100 possessions, which ranks 28th. Last season, they averaged 13.2.&nbsp;

Magic Continue to Generate Great 3-Point Shots

The big improvement for the Magic so far this season has been their 3-point shot quality. They are generating outstanding looks from beyond the arc because of their spacing, ball movement, and overall execution. Currently, Orlando ranks No. 1 in the league in 3-point attempts per 100 possessions off kickouts (from paint and non-paint). It’s made 39.4 percent of those shots. On threes specifically off kickouts from the paint, the Magic are shooting a league-best 56.8 percent. Anthony Black has made six of his 10 3-pointers off kickouts (from paint and non-paint). Tristan da Silva is 10-of-18 and Desmond Bane is 9-of-19. The Magic are also second in assist percentage. So far, 71.2 percent of their made shots have been assisted. It’s also worth noting that Orlando is shooting only 25.9 percent on 3-point attempts without a potential assist attached to them, which accentuates the importance of their ball movement and unselfishness.&nbsp;

Forcing Opponents Into More Turnovers Key Going Forward

The Magic’s collective ball pressure and anticipation were main reasons why they had a top three defense in both the 2023-24 and 2024-25 seasons. They were one of the best at poking the ball away from handlers, as well as deflecting and intercepting passes. So far this season, they haven’t been able to come up with enough steals or deflections, ranking 27th&nbsp;and 28th&nbsp;in those respective categories. Obviously, without Jalen Suggs, it’s harder to excel in those areas. Still, Orlando is playing tough half-court defense. The Magic’s opponents are shooting just 55 percent from the paint, 10th&nbsp;lowest, and 34.6 percent from 3-point range, 13th&nbsp;lowest.&nbsp;

"I think we kind of got in our own way a little bit. You know, not sticking to the fundamentals that we want to play with and making sure that we get a shot off every possession. I think for the most part, when we did touch the paint and played off the feed, and kind of trusted the pass, shared the ball, we got good looks, then most of the time, it was a good result and we just kind of gave too many possessions, I think, and Boston did not." – da Silva after Sunday’s loss to the Celtics

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Celtics Postgame: Sean Sweeney

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Celtics Postgame: Anthony Black

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Celtics Postgame: Tristan da Silva

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Magic Four-Point Play: Follow-Up vs. Celtics

ORLANDO - What makes the Boston Celtics such a good team, aside from Jayson Tatum’s incredible scoring ability, is they protect the ball at a high level, force opponents into a lot of turnovers, and prevent opponents from scoring much around the basket.

Those were among the biggest factors in the Orlando Magic’s 108-97 loss with the C’s in town on Sunday afternoon.&nbsp;

The Magic were only able to force Boston into 13 turnovers (12 if you subtract the C’s letting the shot clock expire near the end of the game); they turned it over themselves 18 times, which led to 21 Celtics points; and Orlando mustered up just 36 paint paints.&nbsp;

“When you see that crowd, being able to make that right play to your teammate is really important and credit them,” Magic head coach Sean Sweeney said. “They force turnovers. They are aggressive to go for steals. There are a number of times when you have to be really strong with the ball and then play through contact when you do get it. We can do a better job of that. Love the aggressiveness, but both halves I thought we could have been better with the basketball.”&nbsp;

Tatum’s play was also a big factor. The six-time NBA All-Star erupted for 32 points, and he hit two clutch shots late in the fourth quarter to help Boston pull away.

Anthony Black and Tristan da Silva each scored 23 points to lead the Magic, Desmond Bane recorded 19 points and Franz Wagner, although he shot just 5-of-20 from the field, filled up the stat sheet with 14 points, six rebounds and a career-high 12 assists.&nbsp;

What kept Orlando in the game was its 3-point shooting – many generated off sharp ball movement and paint kickouts – and its defense on the perimeter (Celtics only shot 27 percent from downtown).&nbsp;

But Boston getting up three more floor shots (largely because of its offensive rebounding) and seven more free throws made it too difficult for Orlando to keep up.&nbsp;

Paul George chipped in with 17 points, six rebounds and eight assists for Boston, which improved to 5-1 on the season, while Derrick White and Luka Garza each had 12 points.

The Magic will look to bounce back on Monday when they host the Washington Wizards at 7:30 p.m.&nbsp;

“Got to win,” Black said. “Can’t lose two in a row, especially at home. We know we have to come out and play a better game. Clean up the turnovers. Clean up the rebounds. And then just continuing to play hard. We know we are going to have to dig in because it’s a back-to-back.” 

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Game Highlights: Magic vs. Celtics

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Orlando Magic Come Up Short Against Boston Celtics

So far this season, the Magic have taken 21 shots in the final eight minutes of the fourth quarter when the score differential was within five. They’ve made 13 of them, which is 61.9 percent. Among the 19 teams who have attempted at least 10 shots in these time and score circumstances, that’s the second-best mark. In the NBA Cup game on Friday at Toronto, Orlando went 6-for-8 from the field in the last eight minutes while the score was within five. In that time, Franz Wagner made a driving layup and floater; Jamal Cain also hit a floater; Anthony Black and Tristan da Silva each made 3-pointers; and Wendell Carter Jr. connected on a dunk off a drop-off pass from Jase Richardson. The Raptors, meanwhile, made just one of their five floor shots in that same stretch.

Paint Touches Leading to Great 3-Point Looks

The Magic are generating quality perimeter shots because of their ball movement, spacing, and execution. Tracking data shows that they have taken the second most 3-pointers per 100 possessions when the ball has touched the paint. Even more impressive is that Orlando is shooting a league-best 59 percent from beyond the arc directly off kickouts from the paint. Black is a perfect 4-for-4 on these shots; Carter Jr. is 2-for-2; and da Silva is 7-for-12. Da Silva’s 12 attempts are third most in the league. The Magic are 8-of-12 on threes taken off spray-outs from the paint when Wagner is the one dishing out the pass. When they’ve taken a three on a possession where the ball did not touch the paint, the Magic are shooting a league-worst 19.2 percent. What’s good, though, is that they’ve only taken 26 threes in that fashion, second fewest in the league. The bottom line is that there is a massive difference between taking a feet-set uncontested or lightly contested three versus one off the dribble or without proper ball movement and spacing.

Few players, if any, are better at surveying the floor when making a move toward the basket than Wagner. He’s dished out the third-most passes in the league so far this season off drives with 37 of them. His teammates have taken 30 shots on those possessions, making 13 of them. What’s most impressive about it all is that he’s one of the few players that can break down a defense without blazing past his initial defender off the dribble. He perennially has one of the lowest blow-by percentages on drives, and yet his ability to score or pass on drives is elite. Paolo Banchero is similar in that regard, although with his blend of power and finesse, he draws fouls a lot more on his drives.

“Big-time response. I thought we executed our coverages. Our intensity was way better. Great energy, even through their runs, especially there in the fourth. We showed great poise I thought. Everybody that played was ready to come in and contribute.” – Wagner on his team’s NBA Cup win in Toronto

The Magic are now 12-4 all time in NBA Cup play. Last year, they went 4-0 in group play and finished 5-1, with their lone loss coming in the semifinals against the eventual cup and season champion New York Knicks. Orlando’s other in-season tournament group play games this year are against the Bucks and Pistons at home and against the Nets at Brooklyn. This year, the quarterfinal and semifinal games will be played at the home arenas of the higher-seeded teams, while the final will take place at Hinkle Fieldhouse on the campus of Butler University in Indianapolis.&nbsp;

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Raptors Postgame: Franz Wagner

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Raptors Postgame: Desmond Bane

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Raptors Postgame: Sean Sweeney

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Magic Four-Point Play: Follow-Up at Raptors (NBA Cup)

The Orlando Magic knew after Wednesday’s loss against the Toronto Raptors that they needed to be more physical and take care of the ball better in Friday’s rematch.

Not only did they check those boxes, but they also shot it extremely well from 3-point range – all of which carried them to a 121-114 victory in NBA Cup group play.&nbsp;

The Magic cut their turnovers down from 20 in Wednesday’s contest to 13 in Friday’s game, and then they knocked down 25 of their 29 free throws (86 percent) and 18 of their 34 3-pointers (53 percent).&nbsp;

“Terrible performance the last game. They out-physicalled us and we were a way more intense team than the other night,” Franz Wagner said afterwards on the MagicTV broadcast. “Big-time response from us and onto the next one.”

Wagner racked up 26 points, five rebounds and a career-matching-high 11 assists, while Desmond Bane erupted for 28 points, Wendell Carter Jr. had 20 points and seven rebounds and Anthony Black finished with 17 points, six rebounds and a career-tying-high 10 assists.&nbsp;

Although Jase Richardson had only four points, the Magic outscored the Raptors by 26 when the 6-foot-1 point guard was on the floor.&nbsp;

Orlando also withstood a spectacular game from Scottie Barnes, who racked up a career-best 41 points on 19-of-34 floor shooting. Toronto’s next best scorer was Immanuel Quickley, who had 17 points.

Resilience was a factor for Orlando. After the Raptors took a two-point lead with 8 1/2 minutes remaining in the fourth quarter, the Magic responded with a 21-12 run to end the game.

“We just doubled down on the things we’ve done all training camp, all through September,” Bane said. “Things we’ve talked about defensively. Offensively, we didn’t panic. Tristan (da Silva) made big shots. Franz obviously making plays. Everybody all the way up and down the roster. Very pleased and something we can build off of."

What made Friday’s game so unusual was that the Raptors took 17 more floor shots than the Magic. That was largely because Toronto only committed 11 turnovers and it pulled down 15 offensive rebounds. However, the reason that ultimately didn’t matter was because Orlando attempted and made 14 more free throws and knocked down six more 3-pointers.

The Magic are now 12-4 all time in NBA Cup action. Last year, they went 4-0 in group play and 5-1 overall, with their lone loss coming in the semifinals against the eventual Cup and NBA season champion New York Knicks.&nbsp;&nbsp;

A win at Toronto to start their NBA Cup slate is huge. Their other three group play games are at home against the Bucks and Pistons and at Brooklyn. 

Up next on Orlando’s regular season schedule is a meeting with the Boston Celtics at Kia Center on Sunday at 3:30 p.m.&nbsp;&nbsp;

“How we played tonight with our physicality and energy all night; that’s got to become a habit,” Wagner said on MagicTV.

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Orlando Magic the More Physical Team in NBA Cup Victory Over Toronto Raptors

Magic Unable to Prevent Raptors From Doing What They Do Best

No team is better at turning opponents over than the Raptors, which was evident again with the Orlando Magic in town on Wednesday night. Orlando committed 20 turnovers for 20 Toronto points. Being without Paolo Banchero and Jalen Suggs, two of their primary ball handlers, made it that much more difficult for the Magic to protect the ball and limit the Raptors from getting out on the break and scoring easy baskets in transition. Orlando is now averaging 18.0 turnovers per contest through four games, tied for third most in the league. Only the Clippers and Hornets are averaging more.

The other thing Toronto does exceptionally well is guard the 3-point line. With all the defensive pressure it applies, it’s hard for opponents to get clean looks up from distance. Currently, the Raptors are giving up the fourth fewest 3-point attempts per 100 possessions and their opponent quantified shot quality (QSQ) from beyond the arc ranks eighth. That’s measured off how heavily contested the shots are, how many defenders are nearby when the shots are released, where exactly the shots are being taken, and how far out they are being taken. The Magic went 10-for-35 from downtown in Wednesday’s game (28.6 percent). For the season, they are shooting 31.4 percent from 3-point range.&nbsp;

Tristan da Silva Continues to Shine Early in Season

One of the bright spots for the Magic in Wednesday’s loss was da Silva, who racked up 20 points on 8-of-10 overall shooting and 4-of-5 3-point shooting. Through four games, he’s averaging 14.5 points on 51.2 percent shooting from the field and 45.2 percent shooting from beyond the arc. Assuming he continues to come off the bench, a Sixth Man of the Year award could be within reach for the third-year forward out of the University of Colorado. Other reserves around the league who have gotten off to great starts this season include Charlotte’s Grayson Allen, Indiana’s Obi Toppin, Atlanta’s Aaron Wiggins, and Boston’s Payton Pritchard.&nbsp;

“Just the trust that the coaches have put in me (and) the trust I’m getting from my teammates (who are) looking for me and making sure I get the looks when I’m open. It’s really a credit to them for finding me and allowing me to play this role.”&nbsp;– da Silva&nbsp;

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Raptors Postgame: Tristan da Silva

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Magic Four-Point Play: Follow-Up at Raptors

The statistical category everyone was talking about ahead of Wednesday’s game in Toronto was turnovers. The Raptors’ bread and butter is turning opponents over and then getting out on the break to score easy baskets in transition.

Early on, the Orlando Magic did a good job protecting the ball, which helped them jump out to a nine-point lead. But that didn’t last long. As Toronto’s defensive pressure increased, so did Orlando’s turnovers. They finished with 20 of them, which led to 20 Raptors points, as the Magic fell 129-99.

“The turnovers definitely were a big part of it,” Magic head coach Sean Sweeney said. “Their pressure got to us at times during the game. We will do a better job of handling that in the next one. But definitely impacted us. The multiple steals at the end of the first half was tough. But we will get it corrected.”&nbsp;

That wasn’t the only issue Orlando ran into, though. Unlike Sunday’s win in New York, the Magic struggled with their long-range shooting, connecting on just 10 of their 35 attempts from 3-point range (29 percent). The Raptors, conversely, made 15 of their 35 threes (43 percent).

Scottie Barnes, who had his worst offensive performance of his career on Sunday against the Timberwolves by going 0-for-12 from the field and not scoring a single point, bounced back with 28 points on 11-of-17 floor shooting. RJ Barrett racked up 25 points and Immanuel Quickley finished with 16 points.

Tristan da Silva led Orlando with 20 points on 8-of-10 overall shooting and 4-of-5 3-point shooting. On the season, he’s shooting 45.2 percent from downtown.&nbsp;

“Just the trust that the coaches have put in me (and) the trust I’m getting from my teammates (who are) looking for me and making sure I get the looks when I’m open,” he said. “It’s really a credit to them for finding me and allowing me to play this role.”&nbsp;

Franz Wagner had 15 points and five assists, but he also committed seven turnovers. Desmond Bane recorded 13 points and Jase Richardson, starting for the second straight game, tallied 10 points.

Both teams were short-handed. Paolo Banchero (ankle), Jalen Suggs (knee) and Noah Penda (hamstring) were out for Orlando, while Kawhi Leonard (knee) was out for Toronto.

The Magic have now lost four straight at Toronto. They will match up there again on Friday at 7:30 p.m. There will be a little more on the line in that meeting. It will be each team’s first NBA Cup game. In the in-season tournament last year, the Magic won their group and reached the semifinals. Orlando is 11-4 all time in the in-season tournament.&nbsp;

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Orlando Magic Can’t Overcome Turnovers, Poor Outside Shooting in Loss to Toronto Raptors

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