The Magic Insider

The guards continue starring in Magic's rally past the Bulls

Grading Orlando Magic players in win against Chicago
Nov 16, 2025; Houston, Texas, USA;at Toyota Center. Mandatory Credit: Troy Taormina-Imagn Images
Nov 16, 2025; Houston, Texas, USA;at Toyota Center. Mandatory Credit: Troy Taormina-Imagn Images | Troy Taormina-Imagn Images

The Orlando Magic were down 15 points in the second half, which they were able to come back from going into the late in 4th quarter. The Magic dominated in the paint, finishing with 62 total points in the paint. This aggression forced former Magic Center Nikola Vucevic to pick up his 4th foul early in the 3rd quarter, neutralizing his second half impact.

Many individual players left their fingerprints on the game, each one of them being necessary in a clutch game such as this one. Let's take a look at how each player graded in the Orlando Magic Report Card.

Desmond Bane did it again, leading the Magic in scoring in his second straight 37-point outburst. 18 of those 37 came in the 4th quarter, where the Magic were able to stave off the Bulls in the closing minutes. He scored in a multitude of ways, primarily scoring around the rim and getting to the free-throw line 10 times throughout the game. As the season has progressed, Bane's chemistry with the team has only gotten better, and his game is flowing much more naturally.

Anthony Black has continued his evolution, tonight having multiple sequences that helped give the Magic the lead and gave the team huge momentum swings. Black took a page out of Desmond Bane's book, showcasing shots at the rim and the 3-point line, as well as getting to the free-throw line. Where Black really shone was attacking in transition. He played in multiple lineups that featured three guards, and he was able to add nine rebounds, which allowed him to attack in transition. One of his key plays was blocking a 3-point shot that could've tied the game late in the 4th.

Franz Wagner held down the offense in the first half where he scored 17 of his 25 points. He did have a little bit of a turnover issue, finishing with five turnovers, but he was able to make it up through his efficient play. He's continue to be the backbone of the team, staying consistent in his play throughout the first quarter of the season.

Wendell Carter Jr. might be the unsung hero of the game. In the closing minutes of the game, Wendell was able to come up with an offensive rebound and slam it back down to put the Magic up by 5. There has been multiple games this season where he was able to get offensive rebound in clutch situations. Most recently he was able to do it against the Detroit Pistons where he had one logged on the stat sheet with 3 minutes to go and in the final possesion he was fighting with the Pistons rebounders to help open up more offensive rebounds. He also had the hard assignment of guarding NIkola Vucevic, where he was able to hold it down.

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Johnathan Ramlakhan
JOHNATHAN RAMLAKHAN

Johnathan Ramlakhan has covered the NBA for 5 years including live coverage of the Orlando Magic & Miami Heat. Additionally, he worked for several MMA & Boxing promotions spearheading the social media divisions, and interviewing their top athletes. Johnathan received his bachelors at UCF, as well as Masters in Sports Management from Full Sail University.