Magic's Furious Comeback Comes Up Short Against Curry, Warriors

Down by 15 points in the fourth quarter Monday, the Orlando Magic rallied to take a two-point lead against the Golden State Warriors. Then the comeback abruptly stalled and Orlando lost its fourth straight game.

Golden State Warriors guard Stephen Curry (30) drives in against Orlando Magic forward Paolo Banchero (5) during the third quarter at Chase Center. / Kelley L Cox-Imagn Images

Down 15 points to the Golden State Warriors entering the fourth quarter Monday, the Orlando Magic rediscovered their fighting spirit.

A 25-8 run gave Orlando a 92-90 lead with 4:27 to play. But the Magic's late-game issues with execution — an issue they aimed to rectify before going West — again spoiled the ending.

The Magic offense went scoreless for three-plus minutes as Golden State closed the game on a 14-7 run, handing the Magic their fourth straight loss, 104-99.

"I don't know if we even got a stop," guard Cole Anthony said of the closing stretch. "We might have got one or two stops in that final stretch, but ... we couldn't stop them, at least in that final stretch."

The Magic, now 24-27 and eighth in the Eastern Conference, have lost nine of 10 games and 11 of their past 13.

Through the first 24 minutes, Orlando was doing better to not let missed shots affect their defense – something that's harmed them and contributed to losses as of late. Despite shooting just 34.6 percent from the field and 3-of-16 from three, Golden State was no better in that stretch – just 36.6 percent from the field and 5-of-23 from distance.

The score was 43-all at the break, and only so because Orlando surrendered a seven-point lead with 1:47 to play before half. However, the Magic would only keep their opposition quiet for so long.

The Warriors, who entered the contest averaging the fourth-most made threes per game (15.6), would finally burn the Magic for not taking more advantage of their slow start. Golden State shot 57.9 percent from the field and 6-of-8 from three in the third quarter, outscoring Orlando 39-24.

That gave the Warriors the cushion and time to react to — and ultimately thwart — the Magic's fourth-quarter comeback attempt.

"We always talk about it coming down to those final possessions – it's never that," Magic coach Jamahl Mosley said postgame. "It's a 39-point third quarter where you let go a little bit, your communication breaks off, you don't knock some shots down."

"That third quarter is what puts us in that hole," Anthony said. "We fought. I don't think it's a question of our fight. We just had mental lapses where we give up a [39-point] third quarter. We give up as many points in the third quarter as we do in the first half.

"It's going to be hard for us to win games like that."

Anthony finished with a game-high 26 points off the Magic bench, and both Franz Wagner (21 points) and Paolo Banchero (18) joined him in double figures. As a whole, Orlando shot 43.4 percent from the field and 8-for-32 from distance.

For the Warriors, Andrew Wiggins' 25 points and Stephen Curry's 24 were the high marks. Golden State finished 43.6 percent from the field and 12-of-39 from three.

Orlando was just 5-of-10 from the free-throw line while Golden State finished 24-of-34.

"You look at a 15-0 free throw count in that third quarter," Mosley said. "I think just our ability to defend without fouling, one and then our ability to attack the basket. We had 52 points in the paint, attack[ed] the basket 47 times and shot 10 free throws. That's a factor in it but that's not the only factor in this game."

Jalen Suggs, who was downgraded from questionable to doubtful to out throughout Monday, missed his fourth straight game because of a left quad contusion.

Up Next

The Magic's road trip continues Wednesday night versus the new-look Sacramento Kings. Tipoff is at 10 p.m. ET. Full Schedule

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