The Orlando Magic remain in “cruise control” mode. Franz Wagner & Co. manage their seventh win in a row against Charlotte. The Milwaukee Bucks’ comeback was also almost magical. The NBA on Monday morning
The last time the Orlando Magic had a run like this was around the turn of the year 2010/11. And the young team from Florida can hardly be stopped at the moment. After a 130:117 home win in the East duel with the Charlotte Hornets and before two duels with the underdog Washington Wizards, the winning streak now stands at seven – and Orlando is in second place in the Eastern Conference (12-5, just behind Boston/13-4, which won 113:103 against the Atlanta Hawks).
In impressive form against the Hornets: Franz Wagner. Together with Cole Anthony, the world champion was the evening’s top scorer with 30 points, while his older brother Moritz narrowly missed out on a double-double (eleven points, seven rebounds).
“That’s really cool for this squad,” said match winner Wagner, adding with a view to Head Coach Jamahl Mosley. “Like the coach always says, it starts with work. We want to keep it going.” However, the team must continue to improve, the game against Charlotte, which lost top man LaMelo Ball with an ankle injury, was “not the best this season”, said the strong Anthony, who really turned up the heat in the fourth quarter (17 points) and put an end to the Hornets (5-10).
Pöltl’s double-double is not enough – Lillard’s reunion
Meanwhile, fellow world champion Dennis Schröder lost 102-105 with the Toronto Raptors at the Cleveland Cavaliers (9-8) and slipped to 8-9. The German point guard scored 15 points for the Canadians, whose top scorer came from Austria: Center Jakob Pöltl scored 18 points and grabbed 13 rebounds, but was unable to prevent the defeat against Darius Garland (24 points) and his Cavs.
Meanwhile, the Milwaukee Bucks (12-5) pulled off the biggest comeback of the season so far. Despite trailing by 26 points, the team led by superstar Giannis Antetokounmpo won 108-102 against the Portland Trail Blazers (4-12). Damian Lillard, who joined the Bucks in September after eleven years with the Trail Blazers, scored 31 points in his first reunion with his old club. Antetokounmpo scored 33.
Booker decides game at MSG – Nets accurate from outside
The Phoenix Suns (11-6) are just as strong as Orlando, as Devin Booker (28 points) hit a late three-pointer to make it 116-113 at the New York Knicks (9-7). Top scorer at Madison Square Garden was Knicks guard Jalen Brunson (35), reserve Isaiah Hartenstein added seven points.
Meanwhile, the Brooklyn Nets (8-8) set their best three-point haul of the season in a 118-109 win over the Chicago Bulls (5-13): No fewer than 25 attempts by the home side “from downtown” fell through the net of the former champions, who were not helped by 27 points from DeMar DeRozan. The Dallas Mavericks’ previous best was 23 threes in the game in Memphis at the end of October. The all-time record in the NBA is 29 threes in a game, the Nets record is 27.
Almost just a side note: The San Antonio Spurs (3-14) led by Victor Wembanyama (22/11) are now on a dozen defeats in a row after their 120:132 loss to the champion Denver Nuggets (11-6).
