Denver Nuggets Tracked Down By the Orlando Magic In Second Half Collapse
If you walked out of the Kia Center 24 hours ago, you probably thought the sky was falling. The Orlando Magic had just dropped a tough one to the Charlotte Hornets, and the vibe was bleak. But in the NBA, redemption comes fast, and sometimes it comes in the form of a chaotic, heart-stopping, 127-126 thrill ride. On Saturday night, the Magic didn’t just beat the Denver Nuggets; they survived them.
A Wild Finish Against the Nuggets
When Nikola Jokic is at the free-throw line with the game in the balance, you usually start packing up your gear. With 11.9 seconds left, a jump ball scramble led to a foul call that sent him to the stripe. He sank both, putting the Nuggets up by one. It looked like another classic “Denver steals your soul” moment.
But Orlando had other plans. Desmond Bane, who has been a steady hand for this squad, drew a massive foul on Bruce Brown with just 6.9 seconds on the clock. Ice in his veins, Bane drilled both free throws to retake the lead.
That left the Nuggets with one final shot to ruin the night. Jamal Murray, a guy who has made a career out of hitting clutch daggers, launched a shot at the buzzer. But Anthony Black, who was everywhere tonight, contested the look perfectly. The shot fell short, the buzzer sounded, and the Kia Center exhaled.
Anthony Black’s Career Night
We have to talk about Black. The stat sheet says he dropped a career-high 38 points, but the numbers don’t tell the whole story. Black played like a man possessed. He wasn’t just scoring; he was making winning plays when it mattered most.
Late in the fourth, with the Nuggets threatening to pull away, Black pulled off a heist, picking Jokic’s pocket for a clutch steal that led to a crucial bucket. That play was the emotional turning point. It signaled that the Magic weren’t just happy to be close; they were there to win. For a young guard to have that kind of impact against a juggernaut like Denver speaks volumes about his development.
Bouncing Back From Heartbreak
This win was the ultimate palate cleanser. Losing to the Hornets is tough to swallow, but turning around on a back-to-back and taking down the Nuggets is the best kind of medicine. It proves this Magic team has a short memory and plenty of grit.
There’s no time to celebrate, though. The team is heading north of the border to face Scottie Barnes and the Toronto Raptors on Monday. If they bring the same energy they brought against Denver, it’s going to be a fun flight to Canada.
