Magic experience tale of two halves vs. Rockets, fall to Durant

Orlando collapsed in the second half against Houston

Jan 29, 2026; Atlanta, Georgia, USA; Houston Rockets forward Kevin Durant (7) reacts to a referee against the Atlanta Hawks in the second quarter at State Farm Arena. Mandatory Credit: Brett Davis-Imagn Images | Brett Davis-Imagn Images

The Orlando Magic could not hold off Kevin Durant and the Houston Rockets inside Kia Center, choking away a 19-point lead en route to a 113-108 loss.

What were a few of our takeaways? Let's examine!

Is it too late to enter Desmond Bane into the 3-point contest?

Feb 24, 2026; Los Angeles, California, USA; Orlando Magic guard Desmond Bane (3) reacts after scoring a three point basket against the Los Angeles Lakers during the second half at Crypto.com Arena. Mandatory Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images | Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images

Death, taxes, Desmond Bane scoring 30-plus points.

At least that's been the memo for February. The first-year Magic guard has scored at least 30 points in four of his last six games, including in three of his last four post-All-Star break.

He's been the Magic's best and most consistent offensive player this season. And a flurry of the sharpshooter's 30 points came from beyond arc, too.

Bane drained six more triples, despite the five-point loss, doing so on 10 attempts. He's now shooting an absurd 54.2 percent from beyond the arc over his last eight games and 50.5 percent over his last 16.

Is it too late to enter Bane into his second-ever 3-point contest, Adam Silver? We're asking for a friend, we promise.

Unlikely source leads Rockets second-half surge:

Feb 25, 2026; Houston, Texas, USA; Houston Rockets head coach Ime Udoka reacts with guard Reed Sheppard (15) after the end of the third quarter against the Sacramento Kings at Toyota Center. Mandatory Credit: Troy Taormina-Imagn Images | Troy Taormina-Imagn Images

It was the tale of two halves for the Orlando Magic.

They dominated the glass against a Steven Adams-less Rockets, while also forcing turnovers, converting in transition and, most importantly, knocking down open looks (thank you, Des!).

The script completely flipped in the second half. Kevin Durant played and was obviously outstanding, scoring a game-high 40 points on 14-of-28 shooting. But he wasn't solely responsible for spawning Houston's avalanche. Neither did Amen Thompson, Jabari Smith or Alperen Sengun.

It was second-year guard Reed Sheppard, who's their best pure 3-point shooter, even though he's prone to getting hunted on defense because of his small, skinny 6-foot-2 stature. Sheppard scored 20 points on 5-of-7 from distance, adding two blocks and steals apiece with four boards and three dimes.

The Rockets' No. 3 overall draft choice in 2024 has been put under a microscope this season. He passed the test, completely changing the course when Houston needed him the most.

Welcome to the Orlando, Jevon Carter:

Feb 26, 2026; Orlando, Florida, USA; Orlando Magic guard Jevon Carter (2) brings the ball up court during the second quarter against the Houston Rockets at Kia Center. Mandatory Credit: Mike Watters-Imagn Images | Mike Watters-Imagn Images

This game marked Carter's first game with Orlando inside Kia Center. And the veteran guard impressed.

He's consistently a bulldog at the point-of-attack, but his shooting and efficiency in his brief Magic tenure's been rather shaky -- albeit over a six-game sample. Jevon finished fourth on the team in scoring with 14 points on 4-of-9 shooting from 3-point range in 22 minutes.

That's not a bad way to endear yourself to the Magic faithful, even though the team's collapse leaves a sour taste in the mouth.