Beede’s Breakdown: Magic top Knicks for 1st win under Sweeney; Suggs hurt

NEW YORK — Playing without Paolo Banchero for the first time this season, the Magic knew it would take a team effort to win on the road against the defending champion Knicks on Sunday night.

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In a meeting between two teams that entered Madison Square Garden winless, it was Orlando that escaped the Big Apple with its first win of the season and first under new coach Sean Sweeney.

During the season debut of Anthony Black, who returned from a right ankle sprain, the Magic outscored New York 40-27 in the fourth quarter en route to a 111-102 victory that dropped the Knicks to 0-3.

“I thought the toughness and the resolve was great,” Sweeney said after the nine-point win that bumped Orlando’s record to 1-2. “We didn’t start the game very well, shooting it, but we stuck with it. And over the course of the 48 minutes, I thought we did a great job with continuing to play the right way of being aggressive with balance.”

“Just throughout, I thought we saw a lot of competitiveness, we saw a lot of toughness and we stayed together throughout,” he added.

Orlando didn’t take its first lead of the night until the 7:25 mark of the fourth quarter when Franz Wagner (23 points) converted an and-one opportunity late. Wagner scored 21 points in the final frame.

Although Orlando trailed by double digits often, it was able to remain within striking distance of New York much the night because of sharp 3-point shooting (43%). But turnovers (15) and allowing the Knicks to collect offensive rebounds (12) let New York stay firmly in control early.

Despite a combined 72 points from Jalen Brunson (28 points), OG Anunoby (22) and Karl-Anthony Towns (22), the Knicks struggled mightily from beyond the arc when they shot 9-for-38 (24%).

The Magic will have a couple days off as they continue their three-game road trip with two games at Toronto on Wednesday and Friday.

“It’s big time for us,” Wagner said. “We had a tough start to the season. Obviously a lot of new things for our team. Obviously they’re the defending champions, so I’m sure they looked at this game the same way we did — really needing a win.

“So, it feels good to get our first one of the season.”

Starting 5

With Banchero out because of a right low-grade high ankle sprain, Sweeney turned to Jase Richardson to start alongside regulars Jalen Suggs, Desmond Bane, Wagner and Wendell Carter Jr. at New York.

In his first-career NBA start, Richardson knocked down two 3-pointers in 17 minutes of action.

Orlando got off to a slow start, falling behind 12-0 to open the game. The Magic didn’t score until the 7:18 mark of the first quarter.

Bane and Wagner were held scoreless in the first quarter. Wagner didn’t make his first bucket until 2:27 remained in the first half. Bane’s first points came when he knocked down two 3-pointers in the last 2:07 of the first half to help narrow Orlando’s deficit to 52-48 at the half. The Magic shot 6-for-11 from 3-point range in the second period.

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While he opened shooting 1-for-10 from the field, Wagner contributed by distributing the ball early for Orlando, notching eight assists before the break. The German forward found his footing on offense late by driving to the basket and getting to the free-throw line.

“(He) willed us to victory down the stretch, for sure,” Black said about Wagner.

Suggs, Bane and Wagner each recorded three turnovers.

Wendell Carter Jr. found himself in early foul trouble when he picked up his third foul with 31.7 seconds left in the second quarter and his fourth about four minutes into the third quarter.

Suggs hurt

Suggs exited the game with 2:09 left to play after he appeared to injure his right knee. The Magic guard came down awkwardly following a transition play.

He was helped off the court and went directly to the locker room. Suggs recorded four points, six rebounds and six assists in 34 minutes before his night ended.

Sweeney didn’t have much of an update after the game beyond saying Suggs will be evaluated. Sweeney added that he spoke briefly with the Magic guard post-game and that Suggs was in good spirits.

Welcome back, Black

Sweeney said before the game the team would be smart about how many minutes Black would play in his first action of the season, indicating that the fourth-year guard would play under a minutes restriction.

But it was hard for Black to stay off the floor after he scored nine of the team’s first 13 points and opened 3-for-3 from distance. His fifth 3-pointer of the night put the Magic ahead 98-91 against the Knicks with 3:22 left in the game.

Black played 26 minutes while finishing the night with 18 points, three rebounds and five assists. He fouled out with 14.1 seconds left in the game.

“Anthony definitely brought a spark,” Sweeney said. “It was good to see him out there. The guys were all excited that he was back.”

Second unit

With Black back and Richardson in the starting lineup, Sweeney’s rotation shortened to just four players off the bench in the first three quarters: Black, Tristan da Silva, Jamal Cain and Nikola Vucevic.

The Magic received better production from its bench compared to the first two games of the season when all four players contributed at least one triple in the first half.

It was a stronger showing for da Silva from 3-point range Sunday after a 1-for-7 performance Friday against Minnesota. He knocked down five 3-pointers to score 19 points in 26 minutes.

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Jason Beede can be reached at [email protected]