Jonathan Isaac came off the bench to record his first double-double in over five years, helping the Orlando Magic beat the visiting Philadelphia 76ers 104-99 on Sunday.
Isaac tallied season-highs of 20 points – including 13 in the fourth quarter – and 11 rebounds for his first double-double since Dec. 15, 2019. Cole Anthony scored 27 points on 11-of-17 shooting while Paolo Banchero bundled 20 points with eight rebounds and six assists for Orlando.
Tyrese Maxey led Philadelphia with 29 points but shot just 7-of-19 from the floor. Paul George added 25 points along with 10 rebounds and six assists. Joel Embiid missed his fourth straight game for the 76ers with a foot injury.
Banchero put the Magic ahead 97-96 with 1:32 remaining, sinking a pair of free throws after he was fouled by Eric Gordon. With Orlando clinging to a 100-99 lead, Banchero collected himself for an iso midrange jump shot that put the Magic ahead by three with 29.7 seconds to go.
Maxey misfired from 3-point range on Philadelphia’s ensuing possession and Banchero hit two free throws to close it out.
With the game tied at 57 in the third quarter, the 76ers broke serve. Philadelphia surged ahead with an 18-9 run, taking a 75-66 lead on George’s step-back 3-pointer with 1:32 left in the frame. Banchero minimized the damage with a 3-pointer of his own in the final seconds, cutting Orlando’s deficit to 77-73 going into the fourth.
Anthony pushed the Magic to a 49-48 lead at halftime, scoring 20 points on 9-of-13 shooting before the break. Maxey led the 76ers with 22 points in the first half, making 5 of 11 attempts from the field. The Magic led by as many as seven points in the second quarter but Maxey’s effort kept the 76ers within striking distance.
Orlando shot 39-of-80 (48.8 percent) from the field overall, making 7 of 30 (23.3 percent) attempts from 3-point range. Philadelphia made 33 shots on 72 attempts (45.8 percent) and shot 12-of-29 (41.4 percent) from beyond the arc.
The Magic also held a 54-34 advantage in points in the paint and a 41-29 advantage in total rebounds.
–Field Level Media
