Injury-Riddled Magic Stun Knicks for Upset Victory in New York

The Orlando Magic, on the second night of a back-to-back, surprised the New York Knicks with a 103-94 upset victory Monday night in Madison Square Garden.

Orlando Magic guard Cole Anthony (50) looks to drive past New York Knicks guard Josh Hart (3) in the fourth quarter at Madison Square Garden. | Wendell Cruz-Imagn Images

What a difference 24 hours can make.

Sunday night, the injury-riddled Orlando Magic posted one of its more disappointing results of the year in an ugly home loss to the Utah Jazz.

But playing the second of back-to-back games Monday night against the New York Knicks, that same shorthanded Magic team won a prizefight in Madison Square Garden.

By knocking off New York 103-94, Orlando improved to 22-16 this season and pulled within 2.5 games of the Knicks in the Eastern Conference standings.

"I'm so proud of this group for continuing to battle [and] fight, different guys stepping up [and] stepping in," Magic coach Jamahl Mosley said postgame. "No matter what happened last night, you take those lessons and learn from it."

Added Mosley: "That's what this group is all about."

"Mose keeps telling us, man, we have enough. We have enough," Cole Anthony said postgame. "I think more and more each night, we, just as a team, we just believe it. ... I just think tonight, that was apparent."

The Magic's defense made sure nothing came easy for the NBA's 3rd-ranked offense, holding the Knicks to their lowest point total, three-point percentage, and assists in a single-game this season.

The lead changed hands nine times in the first half until Jett Howard's turnaround triple gave the Magic a 53-51 advantage at the halftime horn. Orlando never trailed again. For every New York rally, the Magic had the big shots to counter. That poise carried the Magic to one of their best wins and salvaged the finale of the four-game series with the Knicks.

Between the first matchup on Dec. 3 and Monday's contest, only 34 days passed. But with each matchup, the availability of Orlando's top scorers dwindled.

• All-Star forward and leading scorer Paolo Banchero missed all four games.
• Franz Wagner, who scored 30 in the Dec. 3 loss, then missed the next three.
• Moe Wagner posted a career-high 32 in the Dec. 15 loss, but a season-ending ACL tear meant he missed the final two games.
• Jalen Suggs' 27 points was Orlando's high mark in the Dec. 27 loss, but a low back sprain kept him out of Monday's series finale.

Although Suggs was inactive Monday, he was still engaged with the team on game day. Mosley said postgame that his fourth-year guard sent him a text about Orlando's 0-3 mark against New York this year. The Magic needed to do something to change that mentality, Suggs told Mosley.

"Our guys did a great job of doing that, responding to that," Mosley said. "I’m sure he sent them messages as well, to be able to have the line of communication with what we were trying to get done tonight.”

With his family watching on in the city that raised him, Cole Anthony started in Suggs' place for the second consecutive game. He led the Magic's scoring with 24 points, adding seven rebounds and four assists in 36 minutes.

The King of New York pic.twitter.com/MCyeveoTCj

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Kentavious Caldwell-Pope finished with 15 points and three of the Magic's 11 made triples (11-of-31).

With Karl-Anthony Towns sidelined due to a knee issue, Orlando had a size advantage. Wendell Carter Jr. posted a season-high 19 points off the bench — nine in the fourth quarter. Jonathan Isaac scored 13 points and grabbed nine rebounds and Goga Bitadze had six points, eight rebounds and four assists.

As a team, eight of the 10 players scored at least six points. Orlando shot 50% from the field and committed fewer turnovers than New York.

They have a stunning win to show for it.

Up Next

The Magic return home for a three-game homestand, which begins with the first leg of a back-to-back on Thursday evening against the Minnesota Timberwolves. Tipoff is 7 p.m. ET at the Kia Center.

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