Jalen Suggs recorded his first career triple-double with 15 points, 11 rebounds, and 11 assists, while Desmond Bane scored 23 and Paolo Banchero added 22 to lead the Orlando Magic to a 118-98 win over the Brooklyn Nets on Thursday night.
Playing 29 minutes in just his seventh game after missing eight with a right knee injury, Suggs also contributed four blocks and three steals, showcasing his all-around impact. Anthony Black added 18 points and five assists, and Mo Wagner chipped in 14 points and five rebounds off the bench in 12 minutes.
For Brooklyn, Egor Demin led the way with a career-high 26 points on 6-of-10 shooting from three, while fellow rookie Nolan Traore matched his career high with 21 points and seven assists. Michael Porter Jr., the team’s leading scorer, struggled, finishing with nine points on 2-of-13 shooting. The Nets, the lowest-scoring and poorest shooting team in the NBA, converted just 41.5% of their field goals and committed 19 turnovers.
Orlando, playing the first of four straight home games against teams with losing records, built a 21-point lead in the first half and pushed it to as many as 26 in the third quarter, cruising to a comfortable win.
Up next:
The Nets will host Washington on Saturday, while the Magic remain at home to face Utah on Saturday.
