Our Clients:

Field Level Media - Professional sports content solutions | FLM

Mar 29, 2025 7:41 pm

Hot shooting, stifling defense carry Magic over Kings

orlando magic

Caleb Houstan’s 6-of-7 3-point shooting off the bench en route to 18 points helped the Orlando Magic capitalize on a stifling defensive effort as they cruised psat the visiting Sacramento Kings 121-91 on Saturday.

Orlando (36-39), the NBA’s top defense in points allowed coming into Saturday’s matchup, delivered its 18th game holding an opponent to fewer than 100 points this season. The Magic limited the Kings to 42 percent shooting from the floor, including 7-of-28 from 3-point range.

The Orlando defense was especially effective against Zach LaVine, holding him to just 10 points on 3-of-8 shooting and forcing him into five turnovers.

The Magic came out aggressively from the start, not allowing the Kings (36-38) a made field goal until more than three minutes into the contest. By then, Orlando built a nine-point it never relinquished.

Jonathan Isaac helped cap the tone-setting first quarter with a steal of a Malik Monk pass — one of six Monk turnovers in the game — that led to a Goga Bitadze dunk in transition.

The sequence put an exclamation mark on Orlando’s 38-21 first-quarter performance.

Bitadze recorded a double-double off the bench with 12 points and 10 rebounds. Houstan knocked down three triples before halftime to help the Magic take a 15-point lead into intermission.

Sacramento cut the deficit to 11 points early in the third quarter on a DeMar DeRozan 3-pointer, the last of his team-high 21-point effort. Orlando erupted in response, going on a 26-5 run from that point.

Franz Wagner scored 10 of his 21 points during the decisive burst. Behind Wagner, Houston and Paolo Banchero, who scored a game-high 24 points, the Magic recorded their fifth-highest scoring game of the season.

Domantas Sabonis finished with 14 points and 13 rebounds for Sacramento, which was playing the first of six straight road games.

–Field Level Media

You may also like

Minnesota Timberwolves
Apr 2, 2025 3:09 am

NBA roundup: Wolves overcome Nikola Jokic (61), Nuggets in 2OT

Nickeil Alexander-Walker hit two free throws with 0.1 seconds left in double overtime, and the visiting Minnesota Timberwolves overcame a 61-point triple-double from Nikola Jokic to beat the Denver Nuggets…

Nuggets, Timberwolves
Apr 2, 2025 1:47 am

Wolves top Nuggets in 2OT despite 61 points from Nikola Jokic

Nickeil Alexander-Walker hit two free throws with 0.1 seconds left in double overtime, and the visiting Minnesota Timberwolves overcame a 61-point triple-double from Nikola Jokic to beat the Denver Nuggets…

Eric Dixon Villanova
Apr 2, 2025 1:26 am

Eric Dixon breaks Villanova’s career scoring mark in win over Colorado

Eric Dixon scored 22 points to become the all-time leading scorer in Villanova history, guiding the Wildcats past Colorado 85-64 on Tuesday in the first round of the College Basketball…

More Basketball News

Minnesota Timberwolves
Apr 2, 2025 3:09 am

NBA roundup: Wolves overcome Nikola Jokic (61), Nuggets in 2OT

Nickeil Alexander-Walker hit two free throws with 0.1 seconds left in double overtime, and the visiting Minnesota Timberwolves overcame a 61-point triple-double from Nikola Jokic to beat the Denver Nuggets…

Nuggets, Timberwolves
Apr 2, 2025 1:47 am

Wolves top Nuggets in 2OT despite 61 points from Nikola Jokic

Eric Dixon Villanova
Apr 2, 2025 1:26 am

Eric Dixon breaks Villanova’s career scoring mark in win over Colorado

Southern California, Eric Musselman
Apr 2, 2025 1:23 am

USC squashes Tulane in first round of Las Vegas tourney

Chattanooga mocs, dan earl
Apr 2, 2025 12:25 am

Chattanooga earns spot in NIT title game with win over Loyola Chicago

Read all
fb-post
advertisment
title-icon

Upcoming events

See all odds