Jalen Suggs had a game-high 26 points, including 14 in the fourth quarter, and helped the short-handed Orlando Magic finish with a flourish to beat the visiting Phoenix Suns 115-110 on Sunday night.
The Magic remain the NBA’s only unbeaten team at home at 10-0.
Orlando earned the win despite not having star forwards Paolo Banchero, who has been out over a month, and Franz Wagner, who suffered a torn oblique in the Magic’s loss to the Philadelphia 76ers on Friday.
Orlando leaned on its balance to make up the absences as four Magic players scored in double figures. Goga Bitadze finished with 21 points and 16 rebounds, Cole Anthony had 14 points and Moritz Wagner added 10 for Orlando, which has won two of its past three games.
Devin Booker scored 25 points, Tyus Jones added 21 points, Bradley Beal chipped in 18 points, Royce O’Neal finished with 16 and Grayson Allen poured in 13 for the Suns, who have lost three in a row
The Magic led 109-106 with 2:20 left after Suggs scored on a layup. Suggs and Bitazde each hit two free throws to push Orlando’s lead to 113-106 with 1:05 left and the Magic held on from there.
Phoenix went on a 14-0 run to take a 23-13 lead with 4:40 left in the quarter. The Suns pushed their lead to 34-22 on Allen’s three-point play with 1:29 left but Orlando answered with a 7-0 run and trailed 34-29 heading into the second quarter.
Jones had 16 points and Beal chipped in 11 to help Phoenix take a 62-57 lead into halftime. Anthony had 10 points on 4-of-7 shooting from the floor to pace the Magic
The Suns were without star Kevin Durant, who didn’t play due to an ankle injury. The Suns are now 1-9 without Durant in the lineup this season.
–Field Level Media