Franz Wagner scored a game-high 31 points and the Orlando Magic went on a 9-0 run late in the fourth quarter to rally past the visiting Philadelphia 76ers 98-86 on Friday in NBA Cup group play.
Wagner kicked off the pivotal run with a 3-pointer to extend Orlando’s lead to 89-82 with 3:56 left in the game. After Paul George missed from beyond the arc, Jalen Suggs knocked down a three-pointer to give the Magic a 10-point lead. Jonathan Isaac capped the run with a putback dunk that gave Orlando a 95-82 lead with two minutes left.
The Magic held Philadelphia scoreless for more than three minutes during the run, closing out a terrific defensive performance. Orlando limited the Sixers to 40.3 percent shooting from the floor in the game and forced 18 turnovers that the Magic converted into 24 points.
Orlando gave up just 14 points in the fourth quarter and has given up fewer than 100 points for the fifth straight game. The Magic won all five contests, including two in the NBA Cup to improve to 2-0 in East Group A.
Wagner had a game-high 11 rebounds and added six assists. Suggs finished with 19 points and seven rebounds, and Isaac had 11 points and nine rebounds off the bench. Moritz Wagner chipped in 14 points off the bench.
Rookie Jared McCain led Philadelphia in scoring for a second consecutive game with 29 points. He shot 5-of-10 from 3-point range.
George scored 13 points and went 3-of-9 from beyond the arc for the Sixers, who shot 32.3 percent from deep.
In his second game of the season, Joel Embiid scored 20, going 10-for-10 from the free-throw line and grabbed eight rebounds but committed six turnovers in 33 minutes. With the loss, Philadelphia dropped to 0-2 in the NBA Cup.
–Field Level Media
