NBA: Wagner inspires fourth-quarter surge as Magic stun Knicks
Powered by a 40–27 fourth quarter, Orlando won 111–102 at the Knicks. Franz Wagner finished with 23 points, 13 rebounds and 9 assists; New York remain winless after three games.
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Orlando waited until the final quarter to take control of Madison Square Garden. Still trailing 75–71 going into the last twelve minutes, the Magic went on to beat New York 111–102 on Sunday 25 October. Franz Wagner led the fightback with 21 of his 23 points in the final period, in a night that also brought him 13 rebounds and 9 assists.
New York hold firm, then fold
The Knicks had made the better start. Ahead 28–21 after the first quarter, they kept their advantage at the break, 52–48. Orlando stayed within reach but could not turn the game around in the third quarter, which ended level at 23–23. Everything was still to play for the visitors heading into the final act.
The change was dramatic: 40 points for Orlando in the last twelve minutes, against 27 for New York. The Magic won the period by thirteen points, enough to wipe out their deficit and finish with a nine-point lead. Wagner, who had struggled to score until then, changed the complexion of the game by taking on more offensive responsibility.
Wagner finds support around him
The German forward did not do it alone. Desmond Bane scored 22 points with four three-pointers. Crucially, the bench provided the shooting Orlando needed to stay in the hunt: Tristan da Silva posted 19 points, including five baskets from behind the arc, and Anthony Black added 18, also with five from long range.
Between them, da Silva and Black produced 37 points. Black also handed out 5 assists without a turnover. That efficiency gave the Magic several ways out, particularly when their starting five were struggling to find the basket. Wendell Carter Jr. contributed inside with 9 points and 10 rebounds.
Long-range shooting proves decisive
Orlando finished 18 of 42 from three-point range, against 9 of 38 for New York. That nine-basket gap from distance more than made up for their struggles elsewhere. The visitors also pulled down 49 rebounds, four more than the Knicks, while dishing out 29 assists.
New York did have individual firepower. Jalen Brunson scored 28 points; Karl-Anthony Towns added 22 points and 14 rebounds, while OG Anunoby also scored 22 points. But that output was not enough to hold off Orlando's late surge. The Knicks now have three defeats in as many games. The Magic, for their part, pick up their first win of the season after two losses.
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