Magic Let an Important One Get Away, Lose to Grizzlies 105-104

ORLANDO, Fla. — When the Memphis Grizzlies' Santi Aldama missed both free throws with 10.1 seconds left Friday night, the Orlando Magic had a chance and a choice.

But confusion disrupted Orlando's final possession. Rather than calling a timeout, Paolo Banchero pushed the pace and ran into defensive traffic in the lane. His last-second shot was never close.

In the first game of a critical seven-game homestand and on the second night of a back-to-back, the Magic failed to score in the final 2 minutes 38 seconds and lost to the Grizzlies, 105-104.

The result dropped the Magic to 28-30. They remain in seventh place in the Eastern Conference, a half-game ahead of the Miami Heat.

Franz Wagner's 25 points led Magic scorers, but he committed two turnovers in the scoreless stretch to end the game. Banchero had 21 points but made only five of his 21 field goal attempts.

Cole Anthony, starting for the injured Jalen Suggs, contributed 17 points, nine rebounds and seven assists. Wendell Carter notched his eighth double-double this year with 10 points and 11 rebounds.

The Magic collectively shot 40.9 percent from the field and made 9-of-31 threes after a 0-for-8 start.

Season-long struggles with free throws stood out Friday. The Magic missed 10.

"We talk about the free throws, the margin of error," Magic coach Jamahl Mosley said. "You miss 10 free throws in a game that's close in margin. You give up 15 offensive rebounds in a game that's close in margin. Those are extra possessions you can't get back."

For the year, Orlando shoots just 76.2 percent from the line — fifth-worst in the league.

Grizzlies star guard Ja Morant scored 23 points to lead a group of five double-digit Memphis scorers.

The Grizzlies entered the night as the NBA's highest-scoring offense (123.1 points/game) while playing at the league's quickest pace (104.49 possessions/game).

The Magic are their opposites, scoring the fewest points per game (104.2) and operating at the NBA's second-slowest pace (96.67 possessions/game).

Both coaches spoke pregame of the significance of establishing their desired pace. The struggle to do so made for an all-night tug-of-war.

Memphis played its way in the first 12 minutes, but Orlando dragged them into the mud in the second 12. The two teams went into halftime tied at 53.

Orlando took a 19-point lead with a 23-4 explosion to start the second half, but Memphis finished the bipolar quarter on a 23-7 run.

"I thought after our run in the first six or seven minutes, they turned up their physicality a little bit," Wagner said. "They play really fast, so if you don't get a good look, you're on your heels the possession down. That's what they did a really good job of in that stretch, I thought."

"We let them get too comfortable in that third quarter," Anthony said. "We had got up 20, we were on a 23-2 run, and then we immediately let them come and match that. We had done a great job the whole game defending the three, and I think they hit four or five threes just that quarter. That's the game right there.

"We get up that much; we should be able to maintain that lead. That's on us. We gave them that game."

The Magic built a nine-point lead in the fourth quarter and couldn't hold it, scoring one point in the last 4:38. The game's final throes were a microcosm of the season: three good looks and three misfires before Banchero's last chance.

Suggs missed an 11th straight game with a left quad contusion. Reserve forward Jonathan Isaac was a game-day scratch with an illness.

Up Next

The Magic host the Washington Wizards at the Kia Center on Sunday, Feb. 23, at 6 p.m.

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