Knicks Struggles Continue with Loss to Magic
ORLANDO — The Knicks, feeling the strain of a depleted roster and subpar defense, faced another tough defeat on the road, this time against the Orlando Magic.
Despite Jalen Brunson’s impressive play, they fell to the Magic, losing 133-121, while allowing them to shoot 54 percent from the field.
The turning point? With just over seven minutes left in the fourth quarter and the Magic leading 20-4, Jalen Suggs chased a loose ball after Josh Hart lost the ball. Frustrated, Hart reacted by grabbing Suggs around the throat, resulting in a technical foul.
The early moments of the game saw a significant presence of Knicks fans, but their enthusiasm was met with chants of “Let’s Go Magic,” signaling an impending defeat as the Knicks struggled.
Now sitting at 9-6, the Knicks have found themselves with just one win in their last six road games, clearly showcasing defensive weaknesses. A comeback seemed impossible under those circumstances.
Franz Wagner was a standout for the Magic, scoring 37 points. Even though the Magic generally struggles with three-point shooting, this marked their first game scoring over 130 points this season.
On the Knicks’ side, they faced further issues when Landry Shamet suffered a significant shoulder injury in the first quarter, and Miles McBride later left the game due to illness. Shamet’s injury looked similar to a previous dislocation that had sidelined him for months last season, presenting a tough situation for him given the non-guaranteed nature of his contract.
This forced a shake-up in the Knicks’ rotation, bringing in players like Mohamed Diawara, Tyler Kolek, and Pakome Dadiette early in the game. Yet, they needed Brunson to really step up.
In the first half, he scored 23 points on 8-of-13 shooting, helping the Knicks take a narrow 66-64 lead at halftime. However, in the closing minutes, coach Mike Brown began making substitutions, and Brunson finished with 33 points and 11 assists.
Mikal Bridges contributed 18 points but struggled in the fourth quarter, while Karl-Anthony Towns added 24 points despite turning the ball over four times.
Hart fouled out after only 29 minutes on the floor. The Magic faced their own challenges—head coach Jamal Moseley didn’t return for the second half due to illness, leaving assistant Joe Planty in charge, yet they came out victorious.
Wagner capitalized on the situation, continuing to dominate the Knicks, scoring effectively once again. Just a week and a half prior, Wagner had torched the Knicks for 28 points in their previous matchup.
Brown praised Wagner’s skills, acknowledging his size, strength, and scoring ability. “He has great footwork and is difficult to defend,” Brown said, noting his versatility in scoring from different areas on the court.
With this victory, the Magic improved to 10-7, winning six of their last seven games, including both contests against the Knicks in that stretch.
In their recent matchups, Orlando has consistently demonstrated a more aggressive and physical play style, something the Knicks acknowledged they struggled to counter.
While the Knicks showed slightly better performance compared to their last game, the defensive lapses were still glaring and ultimately cost them the matchup.
