For the third time this season, the Orlando Magic misplaced their main scorer to harm. It did not hold them from getting back from greater than 20 factors down for the second time in eight days.
With Jalen Suggs on the bench after a second-quarter wrist harm, backup guard Cole Anthony hit the game-winning layup to finish a 17-point fourth-quarter comeback.
The Magic received 10 factors from Anthony, 19 factors and 11 rebounds from Goga Bitadze and 21 factors from rookie Tristan da Silva to win a recreation they trailed by 21 factors midway by way of the third quarter.
Orlando made a similarly-improbable comeback on Dec. 21, when Anthony spearheaded a 37-8 fourth quarter run and the Magic overcame a 22-point deficit to stun the Miami Warmth. They did it with out Suggs in that recreation as properly, together with Gary Harris, an ejected Wendell Carter, Jr. and stars Paolo Banchero and Franz Wagner, each out with long-term indirect accidents.
They have been pulling out these wins due to gamers from the again of the bench — some from manner again. 21-year-old Caleb Houstan, who averages 1.2 factors, got here by way of with 12 factors Sunday, capturing 3-for-4 from three-point vary. A kind of threes tied the sport with 50 seconds to go.
Orlando additionally received a bounce again recreation from da Silva. He was held scoreless within the Magic’s loss to the Knicks Friday, however scored 13 factors within the remaining quarter, capturing 5-for-6. On Anthony’s game-winner, the play was imagined to go to da Silva, however the Nets swarmed the rookie, and Anthony took benefit by attacking the basket.
The Magic might have folded in any of those video games, particularly lacking their 4 main scorers (together with Moe Wagner, out for the season with an ACL tear). That they are nonetheless fourth within the Jap Convention is a testomony to their toughness, and an indication that they might be really harmful when Banchero returns.
