Balanced attack boosts Magic past Kings

Jason Beede, Orlando Sentinel on Mar 29, 2025

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ORLANDO, Fla. — When the Magic saw their 3-game winning streak come to an end against the Mavericks on Thursday, a key third quarter was what shifted the contest in favor of Dallas.

But Saturday night at Kia Center, Magic coach Jamahl Mosley‘s squad was not only able to weather the third quarter storm brought on by the Kings but actually rebuild and add onto its double-digit lead after halftime.

Behind a combined 63 points from Paolo Banchero (24), Franz Wagner (21) and Caleb Houstan (18), the Magic led by as many as 35 in a 121-91 victory against Sacramento.

Two more for the Magic scored in double figures as the group notched 16 points off 16 Sacramento turnovers handing the Kings (36-38) their fifth loss in six games.

The result is significant because the win clinches Orlando’s spot in the play-in tournament with seven games left in the regular season. Seeds 7-10 in each conference compete in the play-in for the Nos. 7 and 8 seeds in the playoffs.

The Magic (36-39) wrap up a 3-game homestand Monday against the Clippers.

Starting 5

In addition to wanting a better third quarter, Banchero aimed for a faster start after he scored only one point in the opening frame against the Mavericks.

He and the rest of the Magic got their wish when the group hit four of their first five shots from the floor to jump out to a 13-5 lead. Orlando led by 17 after the first quarter.

As Sacramento’s defense collapsed towards Banchero driving to the paint, the Magic forward dished out six assists to open teammates.

Both Banchero and Wagner, who started alongside Cory Joseph, Kentavious Caldwell-Pope and Carter, were able to overcome the defensive attention from the Kings and attack the basket with ease.

It was Banchero’s 16th straight game with 20-plus points and Wagner’s 43rd time this season reaching the scoring mark.

Carter hit his first triple from the left corner and later his second from the same spot. But three first-half fouls limited his time on the court. He racked up 12 points and four rebounds in 17 minutes.

Second unit

Orlando’s first five off the bench — Anthony Black, Gary Harris, Houstan, Jonathan Isaac and Goga Bitadze — found its groove and helped keep the Kings at bay.

Houstan hit his first three 3-pointers and later added three more to total 18 points in 25 minutes.

Bitadze recorded his team-leading 15th double-double by way of 12 points and 10 rebounds.

Black was feisty on the defensive end, picking off passes and pushing the pace the other direction. The second-year guard totaled eight points, four rebounds and two steals in 25 minutes.

Isaac defended well with two steals and saw significant minutes (19) for the first time in weeks.

Orlando’s bench outscored Sacramento’s 53-37.

Rookie watch

Tristan da Silva didn’t see the floor in the first half and didn’t check into the game until late the third with the Magic ahead by 30-plus points.

The No. 18 pick hit one triple but shot 1 of 5 from the floor in 12 second-half minutes.

Welcome back Markelle

During the first quarter of Saturday’s game, the Magic played a special tribute video honoring Kings guard Markelle Fultz, who spent five seasons in Orlando.

Fultz remained unsigned throughout much of the season before he signed for the rest of it with Sacramento in mid-February.

“It’s known how I feel about Markelle, how we feel about Markelle, and what he does, what he means, who he is as a young man, as a husband, as a father … All of those things about Markelle Fultz, I cannot speak more highly of a young man that I’ve ever been around,” Mosley said prior to tipoff.