The Orlando Magic delivered a statement win on their home floor Sunday night, snapping the Milwaukee Bucks’ three-game win streak in emphatic fashion with a 118-99 blowout. Anthony Black led the way for Orlando with 26 points and five rebounds, while Kevin Porter Jr. paced Milwaukee with 28 points, seven assists, and four boards in a losing effort.
A Sloppy Start, Then a Spark
The first quarter wasn’t exactly a clinic in offensive execution. Between the two teams, there were 10 turnovers-seven of them by Milwaukee-and 21 missed shots. For the Bucks, Kevin Porter Jr. was essentially a one-man offense early, keeping things close while his teammates struggled to find any rhythm.
The turning point in the quarter came with the return of Franz Wagner, who was playing his first game back after a lengthy absence due to an ankle injury. Wagner made an immediate impact, scoring in transition and pushing the tempo.
That shift in pace allowed Orlando to generate easier looks, and they began to pull away. The Magic looked poised to close the quarter with an eight-point lead, but a deep three from Porter in the final seconds trimmed it to 27-22 heading into the second.
Black Takes Over, Bucks Hang Around
Cam Thomas checked in to start the second quarter-making his Bucks debut-while Bobby Portis gave Milwaukee a much-needed scoring punch. Portis helped tie the game at 31 just three minutes into the period.
But then Anthony Black took over.
The rookie guard showcased his full offensive arsenal, knocking down multiple threes and nearly throwing down a highlight-reel dunk that had the home crowd buzzing. His scoring surge helped Orlando build a 41-33 lead midway through the quarter.
Milwaukee kept things close with timely threes from Ryan Rollins and AJ Green, and despite the Magic’s cold shooting from beyond the arc-just 3-for-20 at one point-the Bucks managed to take a 54-51 lead into halftime. It was a scrappy first half, and despite their shooting woes, Orlando was still very much in it.
Magic Flip the Switch in the Third
The third quarter began as a back-and-forth affair. Porter, Myles Turner, and Green carried the scoring load for Milwaukee, and with just under six minutes to go, the Bucks trailed by only two, 66-64.
That’s when the Magic hit another gear.
Orlando ripped off a 7-2 run, capped by a crafty move from Black-part euro step, part hesitation, all smooth-to stretch the lead. Then the threes finally started falling. After going just 4-for-21 from deep in the first half, the Magic caught fire in the third, hitting 6-of-11 from beyond the arc.
Franz Wagner, Moe Wagner, and rookie Jase Richardson all connected from deep during that stretch, and Orlando suddenly had breathing room. They closed the quarter up 87-74, with momentum fully on their side.
Black Closes It Out, Magic Cruise
Cam Thomas, quiet in the first half, scored his first points as a Buck to open the fourth with a drive to the rim. But any hopes of a Milwaukee comeback were quickly dashed by Anthony Black, who responded with a personal 6-0 run. That included a highlight-reel alley-oop off a sideline out-of-bounds play that brought the crowd to its feet and extended the lead to 93-78.
From there, it was all Orlando. The Magic kept their foot on the gas, and the Bucks simply had no answers. Garbage time gave us a glimpse of Ousmane Dieng, who knocked down a smooth bucket late, but by then the game had long been decided.
Numbers That Tell the Story
The Magic dominated the possession battle-taking 86 shots to Milwaukee’s 77. A big part of that was turnovers: the Bucks coughed it up 19 times compared to just 11 for Orlando. The Magic also won the battle on the offensive glass, pulling down 11 boards to Milwaukee’s six.
It was a complete team win for Orlando, who got contributions across the board and saw their young core shine. For Milwaukee, the loss underscores some of the issues that have lingered all season-ball security, rebounding, and inconsistent scoring outside of KPJ.
This one might not have playoff implications just yet, but it was a clear reminder: the Magic are no longer just a young team with potential-they’re a team that can take it to you, wire to wire.