The Orlando Magic are still looking for their first win of the season after Minnesota came into the Kia Center and handed them a 115-93 loss on Friday night.
After surrendering 132 points to the Atlanta Hawks in the opener, Orlando was intent on tightening things up defensively. That part of the mission showed some progress, even if the overall result still ended in a blowout.
The Wolves did not torch the Magic the way Atlanta did. Orlando held Minnesota to xx percent shooting, and no one on the Wolves scored more than xx points. Anthony Edwards was limited to xx points on x of x shooting, which at least gave the Magic something to hang their hat on after a rough night one.
But the offense never got going, and that’s where the game slipped away for Orlando.
Desmond Bane had a tough one from the start. He finished 2 of 11 from the field and 1 of 9 from behind the arc, despite getting the freedom from the coaching staff to keep firing when the looks are there. The shots just didn’t fall, and when Bane isn’t making perimeter threes at a decent clip, the Magic lose a major piece of what they want to do offensively.
Tristan da Silva had a similarly cold night. He went 2 of 9 overall and 1 of 7 from three, his first rough shooting performance of the season, preseason included. Whether it’s just a one-game blip or the start of something more is something Orlando will be watching closely.
Franz Wagner also had his hands full with Minnesota’s defensive setup, which featured Jaden McDaniels and Rudy Gobert in the frontcourt. With the lane crowded and no easy space to operate, Wagner never found a rhythm. He still put up 18 points on 7 of 14 shooting, but he also committed six turnovers, the most on the team.
Orlando now turns the page quickly. The Magic are back in action Sunday night for their first road game of the season against the defending champion New York Knicks. Tip-off is set for 7 pm ET at Madison Square Garden, with the game available on Magic TV 27 and NBA League Pass.
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Franz Wagner Just Gave The Magic Something To Build On
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There was also a needed lift off the bench, with Anthony Black back in the mix after his ankle sprain and providing scoring help in his season debut. Elsewhere, the lineup had some rough edges, as Jase Richardson was asked to start and the group had to manage without Goga Bitadze, leaving Orlando with a few rotation questions even after a result it badly needed. [Read more 🡒]