The New York Knicks dropped their first home game of the regular season on Wednesday night to the Orlando Magic, in what turned into an unexpectedly entertaining matchup. The Knicks entered the contest fully healthy, while the Magic dealt with the absence of Mo Wagner and, later, the loss of Paolo Banchero at halftime.

New York’s defeat could be attributed to a combination of factors: poor officiating, early turnovers, and stagnant ball movement. However, the Magic simply outplayed the Knicks in every major category. They controlled the glass, shot more efficiently from the free-throw line, and played disciplined, physical defense no matter who had the ball.

Wednesday night didn’t just reaffirm that Orlando remains a legitimate threat in the East — it reignited a question Knicks fans were hoping to avoid: do the Magic pose a real threat to New York’s standing near the top of the conference?

“For the last two years, it has not been fluid basketball, it has been a war,” Wally Szczerbiak said postgame. “This is a big, strong team, and they impose their physical will against the Knicks… Orlando had a great game plan, executed, and got the job done.”

Orlando entered the matchup as the league’s worst three-point shooting team but performed exceptionally well against a Knicks defense that could never find its rhythm. The Magic consistently created mismatches by posting up smaller defenders, swinging the ball to open shooters, and punishing New York’s rotations from beyond the arc.

A big part of Orlando’s success came on the boards. Even with Mitchell Robinson back in the lineup, the Knicks struggled to secure rebounds. Goga Bitadze and Wendell Carter Jr. dominated the paint, using their strength and positioning to win crucial second-chance opportunities.

From top to bottom, Orlando matches up well against New York. Jalen Suggs has evolved into a defensive anchor, preventing Jalen Brunson from drawing fouls or creating consistent space. Meanwhile, Desmond Bane punished the Knicks from the perimeter, finishing with 22 points and three made threes.

What made this loss especially disheartening for Knicks fans was that Paolo Banchero’s absence didn’t slow Orlando down. The reigning All-Star exited at the end of the first half with a groin injury and never returned, finishing his night with four points in 12 minutes — yet the Magic still found ways to dominate both ends.

“I didn’t think there was a level of focus that I thought this team needed to continue to make a statement at this home stand this early into the season,” Monica McNutt said postgame.

The Knicks will look to bounce back and look like the leading contenders in the East, many think they are, when the Miami Heat come to town for a Friday night matchup.