Magic Returns Home, But Falls to 76ers Behind Joel Embiid MVP Night

Joel Embiid and the Philadelphia 76ers were too much for the Orlando Magic.

Jeremy Brener | Jan 19, 2024

Magic Returns Home, But Falls to 76ers Behind Joel Embiid MVP Night /

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ORLANDO - The Orlando Magic remains in the loss column after a 124-109 defeat to the Philadelphia 76ers on Friday night at the Kia Center.

The Magic came into the game with the tall task of defending reigning MVP Joel Embiid, and he came out of the gates strong with 15 first-quarter points, but Orlando was able to keep it close behind a balanced attack.

Cole Anthony Kelly Oubre Jr. 76ers — USA Today Sports

In the second quarter, the Sixers began to get in their groove a little more, and they took an eight-point lead into the locker rooms.

Philadelphia extended its lead to as much as 22 points with Embiid and Tyrese Maxey leading the way. Maxey also had a strong night with 32 points of his own. Orlando never saw a lead in the second half.

Wendell Carter Jr. had his best game of the season for the Magic, dropping 25 points and 11 rebounds off the bench.

Magic Center Wendell Carter Jr. 'Starting To Get His Swagger Back'

It's clear that the Magic misses Franz Wagner and Gary Harris, but Embiid is going to make it difficult for any team to win.

The Magic is back in action on Sunday night against the Miami Heat. Tipoff is scheduled for 6 p.m. ET.

Published Jan 19, 2024

JEREMY BRENER

Jeremy Brener is an editor, writer and social media manager for several Fan Nation websites. His work has also been featured in 247 Sports and SB Nation as a writer and podcaster. Brener has been with Fan Nation since 2021. Brener grew up in Houston, going to Astros, Rockets and Texans games as a kid. He moved to Orlando in 2016 to go to college and pursue a degree. He hosts "The Dream Take" podcast covering the Rockets, which has produced over 350 episodes since March 2020. Brener graduated in May 2020 from the University of Central Florida with a Bachelor's degree in Broadcast Journalism minoring in Sport Business Management. While at UCF, Brener worked for the school's newspaper NSM.today and "Hitting the Field," a student-run sports talk show and network. He was the executive producer for "Hitting the Field" from 2019-20. During his professional career, Brener has covered a number of major sporting events including the Pro Bowl, March Madness and several NBA and NFL games. As a fan, Brener has been to the 2005 World Series, 2010 FIFA World Cup and the 2016 NCAA National Championship between the Villanova Wildcats and North Carolina Tar Heels. Now, Brener still resides in the Central Florida area and enjoys writing, watching TV, hanging out with friends and going to the gym. Brener can be followed on Twitter @JeremyBrener. For more inquiries, please email jeremybrenerchs@gmail.com.