Magic fall to Knicks as Orlando's NBA Cup run ends

Jason Beede, Orlando Sentinel on Dec 13, 2025

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LAS VEGAS — When discussing his team’s keys to success ahead of Saturday’s NBA Cup semifinal against the Knicks, Magic coach Jamahl Mosley had one name on the top of his list to try to slow down:

New York All-NBA guard Jalen Brunson.

The Magic failed to accomplish their goal as Brunson posted 40 points in a 132-120 victory over Orlando at T-Mobile Arena.

Although Jalen Suggs (26 points), Paolo Banchero (25) and Desmond Bane (18) combined for 69 points, New York had Karl-Anthony Towns (29 points) and OG Anunoby (24) total 53 in addition to Brunson.

Neither side took good care of the ball. The Magic scored 21 points off 12 takeaways and the Knicks tallied 17 off 14 Orlando turnovers.

The New York win ties the regular-season series at 2-2, with Orlando dropping a second game to the Knicks in less than a week. The Magic fell by six on Sunday on the road.

While the Knicks (18-7) advance to Tuesday’s Cup championship to face the winner of Saturday’s late Spurs-Thunder game, the Magic (15-11) will have multiple days off before they travel to Denver for a Thursday game.

Super Suggs

It’s not hard to imagine where the Magic would have been without a strong offensive showing from Suggs in the first two quarters.

The Magic guard went mano a mano with Brunson as each guard notched 25 points in the first half. Suggs scored 10 in the opening frame and added 15 in the second as he missed just five shots from the floor.

Often putting his body on the line, Suggs provided a spark for Orlando early but scored only one point in the final two quarters.

He appeared to move slowly in the second half and went to the locker room with 7:35 left in the game. The Magic said he was questionable to return due to a sore left hip and he did not make his way back.

Rest of starters

While Suggs got going early, the same couldn’t be said for Banchero, who missed his first four shots from beyond the arc and had eight points at the half.

Banchero added eight points in the third quarter and nine in the finale frame but wasn’t efficient from distance (0 for 7) and had five turnovers.

Besides Suggs, Bane was Orlando’s only other double-digit scorer in the first half (11 points) as he hit his first 3 and drove regularly to the basket. But he picked up his third foul with about two minutes left in the second quarter and fouled out with just over a minute remaining in the game.

Wendell Carter Jr. hit a pair of 3-pointers as he scored 14 points in 35 minutes.

Starting in place of Franz Wagner (left high ankle sprain) for a second game in a row, Anthony Black struggled. He shot 1 for 6 from 3 and turned the ball over four times.

Rookie watch

Jase Richardson checked into the game after Suggs exited midway through the fourth quarter.

The No. 25 pick made his first pair of buckets, including a 3-pointer that brought Orlando within six points of the Knicks with under five minutes to play.

Richardson took advantage of his late action, posting nine points in 8 minutes with two assists and a rebound.