The Magic had a difficult start, trailing 12-0, but their defense soon stepped up and helped them to gain the momentum. By avoiding fouls and other blunders, the Magic managed to force a turnover, and this allowed them to transition from defense to offense. Markelle Fultz then threw an alley-oop to Wendell Carter. During the opening quarter, the Magic made seven turnovers and scored 11 points from them. This set the tempo for the rest of the game, where Orlando created 22 points from 16 turnovers and out-hustled the Nuggets. The Nuggets’ shooting percentage for the floor was only 46.4 percent, with a 10 out of 33 rate from three-point range. The Magic seemed to be a unified force in their defense, smothering drives and pushing back against shots, with a great deal of energy. The Magic prevented one of the top offensive teams of the league to only 104 points, following up a strong defensive showing the day before.
Trade Deadline Announcements
Thirty minutes before the game began, the Orlando Magic declared that a four-team trade had taken place, which was initially brought up by the Orlando Sentinel. The Magic gained a 2024 second-round pick (from the Denver Nuggets), some monetary compensation, and Patrick Beverley. On the other hand, the Lakers received Mo Bamba, Davon Reed, and two second-round picks from the Clippers in 2024 and 2025. The Nuggets were presented with Thomas Bryant, and the LA Clippers were presented with Bones Hyland.
Next Up the Miami Heat
The Orlando Magic are heating up for a potential upset against the #6 seed Miami Heat. We predict that the Magic will come out on top with a 6-point lead in what is sure to be an exciting matchup. With their recent performance, Magic fans aren’t far from thinking that a win just might be possible. I believe the final score will be 111-105, which would surely go down as one of the team’s most historic upsets. It will certainly be an entertaining game to watch as the Orlando Magic attempt to beat Miami and continue their winning streak.
