The Orlando Magic are looking to bounce back in a big way after a humbling night in Oklahoma City, where just about everything that could go wrong did. The Thunder handed them their worst loss of the season - a 128-92 blowout that saw OKC lead wire-to-wire and build a 41-point cushion at one point. Now, the Magic head home to face a Brooklyn team that may not be at full strength, but certainly won’t lack grit.
Let’s start with what went wrong for Orlando. The Thunder came out firing and never looked back, opening the game with a 39-14 first quarter that set the tone.
Oklahoma City shot a blistering 51.6% from the field, while the Magic struggled to find any rhythm, finishing at just 38.2%. The gap in energy and execution was clear from the jump - something Jalen Suggs didn’t shy away from postgame.
“They were better in every area,” Suggs said. “Pace, physicality, execution - they just came out and punched us early. Against a team like that, you’ve got to be intentional from the start.”
Suggs led the Magic with 20 points and six assists, while Paolo Banchero added 17. But it was Oklahoma City’s depth and ball movement that stole the show.
Six Thunder players scored in double figures, and Isaiah Hartenstein notched his first career triple-double with 12 points, 10 rebounds, and 10 assists. Isaiah Joe caught fire from deep, hitting five of his eight threes en route to 22 points, and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander added 20 of his own in a performance that was as balanced as it was dominant.
Now the Magic return to the Amway Center, where they’ll try to regroup against a Brooklyn team that’s had its own share of roster challenges. The Nets are missing several players, including Cam Thomas (personal reasons), Haywood Highsmith (knee), and Ochai Agbaji (not with team), among others.
But don’t expect them to roll over. This is a team that’s been scrappy all year, leaning on youth and high-energy play to stay competitive.
Orlando, meanwhile, will be without Franz Wagner (ankle) and Colin Castelton (G League), but they’ll need to tighten up defensively and bring the kind of physicality that’s become their identity when they’re at their best. The starting group - Anthony Black, Jalen Suggs, Wendell Carter Jr., Desmond Bane, and Paolo Banchero - has the tools to set the tone early. The question is whether they can shake off the sting of that OKC loss and reestablish their footing.
Magic head coach Jamahl Mosley addressed the team’s mindset heading into this matchup, especially in the wake of recent roster moves and trade chatter involving Tyus Jones.
“We talk about it as truth,” Mosley said. “This is a business, and we’ve got to address the human side of it too. But at the end of the day, we’ve got to move forward and be ready to face a tough, physical, and aggressive Brooklyn team tonight.”
That’s the challenge now - turning the page quickly and getting back to what’s made this Magic team one of the East’s most intriguing young squads. The loss in Oklahoma City was a reality check. What happens next will say a lot about this group’s maturity and ability to respond when the lights are back on.
Tip-off against Brooklyn is set, and the Magic are favored by 8.5 points. But after what happened last time out, they know better than to take anything for granted.