The Orlando Magic had a dominant showing against the Milwaukee Bucks on Monday night.
The Orlando Magic defeated the Milwaukee Bucks at home on Monday, 118-99, to open the first of two games between the squads in a three-day span.
There are several reasons Orlando was able to win this game comfortably. Let’s take a look at five of them.
1. Health Matters- The Magic finally got forward Franz Wagner back on the court after he experienced two extended absences due to a nagging left ankle he sprained during a game against the New York Knicks on Dec.7. Because of the injury, Monday’s game was just the third contest Wagner has played in over the last two months.
Monday marked the first game of Wagner’s career that he came off the bench, and he contributed 14 points and five assists on 60 percent shooting to aid his team in the blowout victory.
Conversely, Bucks star forward Giannis Antetokounmpo missed his seventh-straight game due to a calf strain. Antetokounmpo’s injury, paired with the dramatic saga surrounding his future with the franchise, made the Bucks vulnerable.
2. Anthony Black Continues to Shine- It has been an up and down season for the Magic, but one consistent bright spot for them has been the ascension of third-year guard Anthony Black.
Black led Orlando with 26 points in the victory — his 18th game of the season with 20-plus points according to Orlando Magic PR. Through 51 games (31 starts) Black is averaging 15.9 points; a 6.5-point increase from last season. After Monday’s game, the Magic are 14-4 when Black scores 20 or more points.
3. Jalen Suggs Distributes Big- Coming off the first triple-double of his career less than a week ago; Suggs helped teammates find the basket on Monday with 10 big assists. It was the fourth time this season Suggs has logged 10-plus assists, and he also had five steals to demonstrate his impact as a two-way threat.
4. Defense- The Magic are a formidable force when they execute defensively, and Monday’s game was no exception. Orlando forced the Bucks into 20 turnovers that it converted into 27 points to supplement a third-straight win.
5. Desmond Bane Delivers- The Magic mortgaged their draft stock and gave up two role players in Kentavious Caldwell-Pope and Cole Anthony to acquire Desmond Bane from the Memphis Grizzlies last summer, and he often reminds the basketball world why it was a trade worth making.
Bane notched 25 points in the win on an efficient 72 percent clip from the field; once again illustrating his ability to play as an elite option.