The Washington Wizards held off the Orlando Magic 103-94 on Monday night at Kia Center, outscoring Orlando 26-24 in a close fourth quarter after a third-quarter defensive stand turned the game in Washington’s favor. Anthony Davis led the Wizards with 27 points and nine rebounds as Washington improved to 4-3.
The Magic led by as many as nine points in the first half and took a 33-28 first-quarter lead into a 60-59 halftime edge. Washington flipped that script in the third quarter, holding Orlando to just nine points while scoring 19 of its own, a swing that built the cushion Washington needed down the stretch. Desmond Bane led Orlando with 20 points as the Magic fell to 2-5.
Key Moments: How Washington Pulled Away
Orlando controlled much of the first half behind Franz Wagner and Jase Richardson, building a 33-28 first-quarter lead and extending it to 60-59 at the break. The Magic’s offense stalled badly in the third quarter, managing only nine points while Washington scored 19 to erase the deficit and take control.
Washington’s Kyshawn George delivered one of the night’s biggest shots late in the fourth quarter, hitting a contested jumper from the foul line with 3:17 remaining that pushed the Wizards’ lead to 95-88. Franz Wagner tried to counter by attacking the rim, drawing fouls as Orlando was already in the bonus, but the Magic could not close the gap in the final minutes.
Top Performers From Both Teams
Davis finished with 27 points, nine rebounds, four steals and a plus-8 rating in 34 minutes, going 12 of 17 from the field. Kyshawn George added 22 points on 9-of-15 shooting with five assists, and AJ Dybantsa scored 21 points off 7-of-17 shooting. Trae Young ran the offense with 15 points and a game-high nine assists.
Bane paced Orlando with 20 points on 8-of-17 shooting, continuing a stretch in which he has scored 20 or more points three times this season after a season-high 28 points on Oct. 30 at Toronto. Wagner added 24 points and six assists.
What It Means
Washington’s win moved the Wizards to 4-3 and into the top spot in the Southeast Division standings, two games ahead of Orlando. The Magic dropped to 2-5 and sit last in the division with a two-game losing streak. Washington now leads the season series 1-0 after the first meeting between the two teams this year.
What’s Next
The Wizards continue their road trip against Charlotte next. The Magic host their next opponent looking to snap a two-game losing streak.
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