Magic Surge Past Spurs
San Antonio, TX — The Orlando Magic had a fourth-quarter explosion to defeat the San Antonio Spurs 116-105 away from home, propelled by Paolo Banchero, Franz Wagner, and a red-hot Kentavious Caldwell-Pope.
This victory marks Orlando’s fifth win in their past seven games, helping vault them into the seventh seed in the Eastern Conference standings.
Injury Report Updates
Orlando welcomed back Cole Anthony, who returned after missing 9 of his last 10 games due to his toe injury. Cory Joseph continued to start, but Anthony was able to contribute 9 points off the bench.
San Antonio ruled out Jeremy Sochan (back spasms) and Charles Bassey (left knee) shortly before tip-off, with Bismack Biyombo stepping into the starting five to bring his size and experience against his former team.
Banchero and Wagner’s Tale of Two Halves
Paolo Banchero and Franz Wagner played incredibly well, each finishing with 24 points, but their scoring paths were complete opposites.
Banchero struggled early with just 7 points in the first half, then erupted for 17 in the second half, including 11 in the fourth on 5-of-6 shooting to fuel the rally.
Wagner was the one keeping the team in the game early on, dropping 17 points in the first half, with 15 points coming in the second quarter alone, before cooling off in the second half during Banchero’s takeover to finish with 24.
Their combined efforts, alongside 47.8% team shooting, powered Orlando’s late surge.
KCP’s Sharpshooting
Kentavious Caldwell-Pope delivered a season highlight, scoring 23 points, marking his second-highest tally of the season and most since the historic game on December 21st against Miami.
He was lethal from deep, hitting 7-of-9 threes, providing a critical boost for Orlando as the Magic outscored the Spurs 37-21 in the final quarter of the game.
Fourth-Quarter Turnaround
Trailing by 11 in the third and down 93-91, Orlando unleashed a 14-2 run to take control late in the game. Caleb Houstan continues his stretch of good shooting, adding 12 points, while Anthony Black’s defensive tenacity resulted in 3 steals and 2 blocks fo the Magic, and Wendell Carter Jr.’s near double-double with 8 points and 11 rebounds fortified Orlando’s effort to close this game out.
The Magic’s three-point shooting was blazing at 38.3% and their perfect 12-for-12 free-throw performance sealed the deal and showcased their efficiency on all three levels.
Spurs’ Late Fade
Harrison Barnes led San Antonio with 24 points, supported by Julian Champagnie’s 19 and Stephon Castle’s 16. Chris Paul played in his 1,347th career game tonight, passing Kobe Bryant for 15th all-time in games played, while contributing 10 points and 7 assists to San Antonio’s effort.
Despite a flaming 49.4% field goal clip, the Spurs faltered late and dropped their fifth straight game as a result of Orlando’s defense, who forced 17 turnovers and capitalized on the Spurs’ multiple missed opportunities.
Looking Ahead
Now 37-40, Orlando passed the Atlanta Hawks in the standings as they lost to the Blazers and fell to 36-39 for seventh in the East, bolstering their play-in hopes after a run of poor form to kick off the new year.
With just five games left in the regular season, the Magic aim to finish above .500 for the second season in a row as they return home next to face the Dallas Mavericks.