Orlando Magic Dominate Los Angeles Clippers
It was a scene straight out of a basketball fever dream in Orlando. The Magic, down their star player Paolo Banchero for the fourth straight game, didn’t just beat the Los Angeles Clippers; they ran them clear out of the Kia Center. The final score, a lopsided 129-101, doesn’t even begin to tell the story of this absolute track meet.
Before the game, Coach Jamahl Mosley preached about turning defense into offense. His team must have taken it as gospel. They didn’t just score in transition; they lived there, racking up a mind-boggling 39 fastbreak points. To put that in perspective, you’d have to rewind the tapes all the way back to February 16, 2000, to find a Magic team that ran the floor with such reckless abandon. It was the second-most fastbreak points in franchise history.
Suggs Puts On a Magic Show
Jalen Suggs decided to have himself a night. The man was a human highlight reel, dropping a season-high 23 points and looking every bit the “head of the snake” on defense. He was everywhere—diving for loose balls, hitting pull-up threes like they were layups (he splashed four in the first half alone), and generally causing chaos for the Clippers. He was so dominant that he earned an early night, sitting out the entire fourth quarter.
But this wasn’t a one-man show. Six different Magic players hit double figures. While James Harden did his thing for the Clippers, leading all scorers with 31 points, his team looked lost. It probably didn’t help that they were missing key guys like Kawhi Leonard, Bradley Beal, and Derrick Jones Jr. Still, you play who’s in front of you, and the Magic played like a team possessed.
A Full Team Effort
When Suggs wasn’t torching the nets, others stepped up. Tristan da Silva came off the bench and immediately settled the offense in the second quarter with back-to-back threes, finishing with a solid 17 points. Franz Wagner, despite a slow start, battled his way to 20 points, living at the free-throw line.
The bench? Oh, they brought the energy. Jonathan Isaac checked in and hit a three on his first touch. Anthony Black was a stat-sheet stuffer with 12 points, 4 rebounds, 4 assists, and a team-high 7 steals. The Magic’s reserves outscored the Clippers’ bench 47-37, a testament to the depth this team is building.
Orlando took advantage of every Clippers’ misstep, scoring 33 points off 21 turnovers. It was a clinical, almost cruel, display of efficiency. With five wins in their last six games, this young Magic squad is proving they’re more than just potential; they’re a problem. And they’re doing it with a swagger that has the whole city buzzing.
