The Orlando Magic finally have a win at home. Franz Wagner came within one rebound of his first career triple-double as Orlando beat the Milwaukee Bucks 107-99 on Friday night at the Kia Center.
Wagner Does It All
Wagner finished with:
- 35 points on 13-of-22 shooting
- 12 assists
- 9 rebounds
- 6-of-6 from the free-throw line
It was his fourth straight game with at least 30 points. He also sealed the win late. With the Bucks within eight in the final minute, Wagner stole the ball and finished with a Euro-step layup to put Orlando up 104-94.
Bane Returns With a Strong Night
Desmond Bane, who missed the win in Utah earlier this week, added 21 points. Goga Bitadze chipped in a season-high 12 points, half of them on alley-oop dunks set up by Wagner.
How the Game Played Out
Orlando controlled the first half, building a 52-37 lead at halftime. Milwaukee made a push in the third quarter, outscoring the Magic 35-32, but Orlando held on down the stretch.
The Magic shot 45% from the field and made all 14 of their free throws. Milwaukee shot 39%.
For the Bucks, Jaime Jaquez Jr. led the way with 22 points, and Tyler Herro added 18. Milwaukee has now lost nine straight games and falls to 1-12.
NBA Cup Standings
The game counted in NBA Cup group play. Orlando improved to 2-0 in the group, while Milwaukee dropped to 0-2. The group also includes Brooklyn, Detroit and Toronto.
The Bigger Picture
The Magic have now won three straight and improve to 5-7 overall. After an 0-4 start at home, they finally gave the Kia Center crowd something to cheer about.
Up Next
Orlando heads to Boston to face the Celtics on Monday, Nov. 16. The Celtics beat the Magic 108-97 in Orlando earlier this month, so the Magic will be looking for some payback with Wagner playing at this level.