The Orlando Magic defeated the Milwaukee Bucks 107-99 in Emirates NBA Cup Group Play on Friday night at the Kia Center. It marked Magic head coach Sean Sweeney’s first win in Orlando after starting 0-4 at home this season.
“The crowd’s energy was phenomenal,” Sweeney said. “When we were playing the way we were supposed to, you can feel the electricity in the building, and the fans have been great. Each game that we’ve been here, certainly we need to do a good job of protecting home, which we did tonight. I’m just excited about how those guys played.”
Magic forward Franz Wagner had a career night, leading the game with 35 points, 12 assists, and nine rebounds. Wagner was originally credited with a triple-double, but a rebound was taken away. Through seven games in November, Wagner is averaging 27 points, 9.1 assists, and 6.7 rebounds with four-straight 30 point games.
“What can’t you say [about Wagner]?” Sweeney said. “He’s been great. He’s been dominating the game on both ends. Offensively, he’s a +34 in his minutes tonight aside from anything else. Every stat indicates how much impact he’s having on the game.”
Orlando led for all but 20 seconds of the contest, but Milwaukee kept the contest close the entire way. Despite shooting 27% from the field in the first half, the Bucks only trailed the Magic by 15 points at the half.
“I thought we played alright today,” Wagner said. “Not an easy one with the travel we had. It’s not an excuse, but I think we can play a little better.”
In the first half, the Magic had a 13 ½ minute stretch where every point was either scored by or assisted by Wagner. In the final 18 minutes of the half, Wagner assisted or scored on 33 of Orlando’s 40 points.
Out of the half, Milwaukee’s offense picked up, as the team combined for seven three-pointers in the third quarter. Former Miami Heat forward Jaime Jaquez Jr. made three of them and finished the night with a Bucks-high 22 points off the bench.
“They take a lot of threes,” Sweeney said.
Desmond Bane came alive in the third quarter, scoring 13 of his 21 points in the period. Bane had six threes in the game and is shooting 47% from deep in November.
“[I’ve just been] getting my legs under me,” Bane said. “Them first couple [games] sucked the wind a little bit. Trying to get in shape and get used to a new style of play, where your shots come from. I think that I’m starting to settle into a rhythm. I got an understanding of my role, what’s expected of me, and I’m gonna continue to deliver.”
The Bucks were threatening late in the game, but Wagner and Wendell Carter Jr. kept them at bay to secure the win. Milwaukee won both quarters in the second half but could not overcome the poor first half.
“[Wagner’s] a killer,” Bane said. “I was on the court with him, and I asked him that in the fourth quarter ‘are you a killer?’ ‘Yeah, I’m a killer.’ He is man; he does it on both ends of the floor. Came up with that steal against Kuzma late. Play after play, whether he’s scoring, assisting, using his voice in the timeouts. I think that’s something that he’s grown in a lot.”
In his return to action for the first time since October 25, Jalen Suggs was 1-for-8 with a three. Without Wagner on the court, the Magic had only six points in 11 minutes.
“[Suggs is] the heart and soul,” Bane said. “He brings energy, it’s infectious. Everything that he was doing out there was pretty much part of the right process.”
Orlando is now 2-0 in group play in the NBA cup and improved to 13-4 all time, the second-best mark in the league since its introduction in 2023. The other top four teams (Los Angeles Lakers, Milwaukee Bucks, and New York Knicks) have all won the NBA Cup.
“These games are as close as they are going to get to [playoff situations],” Bane said. “Meaningful games early in the season. A lot of money on the line; a little extra motivation, not that we need it, but something we can use to kind of spark us. I just love how we’ve competed.”
Next up
The Magic go on the road again on Monday to face the Boston Celtics. Boston has the best record in the Eastern Conference and defeated the Magic in the Kia Center to start the month,
“I think we’re turning in the right direction,” Bane said. “We can still do better, but I thought our process was great.”
Tip-off against the Celtics is set for 7 p.m. on November 16.