Magic Snap Four-Game Skid

Sacramento, CA — The Orlando Magic put on an offensive clinic against the new-look Sacramento Kings, securing a convincing 130-111 victory, and snapping their four-game losing streak. This game was by far the Magic’s best shooting night on this current six-game road trip and was their second-highest-scoring game of the season.
This win also marked the end of their poor offensive spell, where the team scored under 100 points for the past three games straight, the third time the Magic have had such a stretch or longer this season.

Injury Report and Roster Updates

Both teams had relatively healthy rosters, with the Orlando Magic missing only Jalen Suggs (quad) and Moe Wagner (torn ACL) this game, a good sign of the team finally getting back on the court.
The Kings were active this trade deadline, offloading De’Aaron Fox for Zach LaVine and acquiring Jonas Valanciunas from the Wizards in a separate trade. This marked LaVine’s first game as a King, but the Valanciunas was made earlier today so he wasn’t able to play just yet. Sacramento played without any injuries this game.

Magic’s Offensive Firepower

Orlando’s offense was firing on all cylinders, shooting an impressive 56.8% from the field and 51.6% from three-point range.
Franz Wagner led the charge with 31 points, including 16 in the third quarter alone, where the Magic built a lead as high as 30 points. Paolo Banchero complemented with 23 points and 9 assists, while Goga Bitadze had a perfect shooting night and contributed 14 points.

Impressive Defensive Stand

The Magic’s defense was equally as impressive, limiting key Kings players like Malik Monk, Zach LaVine, and Keegan Murray to below-average performances, scoring 10, 13, and five points, respectively, on about 30% shooting from the field each.
Orlando managed to keep Sacramento’s scoring in check despite giving up 28 free throw attempts and being outrebounded on the offensive glass. The Magic’s ball movement was exceptional, leading to 30 assists on the night, showcasing the potential of this offensive system when things are clicking.

Kings’ Defensive Struggles

Sacramento’s defense was notably poor, something they are still looking to mitigate after all their trades. The Kings allowed Orlando to exploit their poor man-marking and rotation for easy scoring opportunities.
Although Domantas Sabonis and DeMar DeRozan had solid individual performances with an efficient 21 and 19 points, respectively, the team as a whole couldn’t match Orlando’s intensity or execution on both ends of the floor.

Third Quarter Turning Point

The third quarter was pivotal for Orlando, outscoring Sacramento 42-23, with Wagner’s scoring spree setting the tone for the visitors. The Magic’s defense in this quarter was particularly effective, forcing turnovers and converting them into easy fast break points. The game’s momentum was decisively in Orlando’s favor from this point onward as they mounted onto their lead and were able to shoot the lights out this quarter. 

One Last Road Game Ahead

The Magic led the Kings to a blowout where Orlando ended up emptying the bench about halfway into the fourth quarter. This victory was a much-needed boost for the Magic, not only for their scoring output but also for their confidence.  
As they head into the final game of their West Coast road trip against the Denver Nuggets on Thursday evening, the team will aim to carry the momentum from this game forward.