ORLANDO, Fla. — The Orlando Magic’s season-long seven-game homestand couldn’t have come at a better time.
Especially with their road woes, most recently blowing an 11-point fourth-quarter lead in a loss to the Thunder in Oklahoma City on Tuesday, to remain winless in away games.
The homestand couldn’t have started better, kicking it off with a 130-129 win over the Golden State Warriors Thursday at Amway Center, with the Magic closing out a tight game successfully for the first time.
After playing six of their first eight games on the road, the Magic appreciate staying in Orlando and playing at Amway Center for the next two weeks.
“Our fans will continue to push us, support us because these guys are doing the right things, playing the right way,” coach Jamahl Mosley said pregame. “Just to have that support and energy is going to be great for these guys to get into that home routine.”
Jalen Suggs led the Magic with 26 points, nine assists and four steals, including a pull-up 3-pointer with 37.7 seconds remaining to give Orlando a 129-126 lead. He knocked down a free throw to give the Magic a 130-126 lead with 31 1/2 seconds left.
Klay Thompson (27 points) buried a heavily contested 3 to reduce the Warriors’ deficit to 130-129 and Paolo Banchero turned the ball over on the ensuing possession to give Golden State the final possession with 4.9 seconds left. But the Magic (2-7) held on for their first clutch win after Thompson missed a floater at the buzzer.
Banchero finished with 22 points, eight rebounds and three assists. Franz Wagner had 19 points while Wendell Carter Jr. added 14 points and eight rebounds.
Chima Okeke led the bench with 16 points (4-of-6 shooting, 3 of 5 on 3-pointers), including 12 in the first, to go with nine rebounds and three assists.
R.J. Hampton added 15 points (4-of-6 shooting, 3 of 5 on 3s) and Kevon Harris had 12 points (4 of 7, 2 of 3) and five rebounds off the bench.
Stephen Curry led the Warriors with 39 points and nine assists.
Being at home should also give the Magic an opportunity to get healthier.
Cole Anthony (torn right internal oblique), Markelle Fultz (fractured left big toe), Gary Harris (left knee injury recovery), Jonathan Isaac (left knee injury recovery) and Moe Wagner (sprained right midfoot) remain sidelined. Terrence Ross also sat Thursday after suffering a contusion in his left knee contusion in Oklahoma City.
Suggs stepped into the starting lineup in place of Ross alongside Wagner, Banchero, Carter and Bol Bol.
When asked which guys are able to do full court five-on-five drills, Mosley responded “they’re doing small pieces of it.”
“Moe Wagner’s not,” Mosley added. “Gary and [Jonathan Isaac] are doing the half-court stuff, getting a little bit of bump. Markelle is not doing that yet. They’re on their own different paths of how they’re responding to their own treatments.”
Fultz posted multiple pictures on social media this week of himself without the boot on his foot and wasn’t wearing it on the bench Thursday.
“He keeps it on at certain times,” Mosley said, “and then as he gets on the court, he’ll put it on a little bit so it’s not fully off all the way, I don’t believe.”
Anthony, who injured himself in a Oct. 26 loss to the Cleveland Cavaliers, is expected to get back on the court for individual work within the next few days, a a person with knowledge of the situation told the Orlando Sentinel.
That person added that he hopes to return after Thanksgiving in late November/early December.
