Magic Nearly Blow 25-Point Lead, Survive Late Scare vs. Spurs

The Orlando Magic were up big, but the San Antonio Spurs didn't quit. Fortunately for the Magic, they were able to hold them off for a road victory.

Jeremy Brener | Jan 31, 2024

Magic Nearly Blow 25-Point Lead, Survive Late Scare vs. Spurs /

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ORLANDO - The Orlando Magic are breathing a sigh of relief after a 108-98 win against the San Antonio Spurs on Wednesday night at the Frost Bank Center.

The Magic struggled to start, keeping pace with the Spurs but trailing at a reasonable deficit for most of the first quarter. The deficit grew to as much as 11, but the Magic stayed the course. However, a strong second and third quarters helped the Magic build a 25-point lead ... but the cardiac Spurs never quit.

The Spurs took that 25-point lead and nearly dug out of it completely, using a 15-0 run to cut the deficit to just three points. However, that was as close as San Antonio would get; Orlando finished the game on a 9-2 run.

The Magic's win was anchored by Paolo Banchero, who once again proved himself worthy of a spot on the Eastern Conference All-Star team. Banchero scored 29, grabbed nine rebounds and dished out seven assists. He was one of six players to score in double figures in the Magic's win.

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The Spurs were short-handed, playing without Keldon Johnson and Zach Collins, but Devin Vassell had a strong performance with 26 points while No. 1 overall pick Victor Wembanyama added 21.

The Magic's road trip continues Friday when the team travels to Minneapolis to play the Minnesota Timberwolves. Tipoff is scheduled for 8 p.m. ET inside the Target Center.

Published Jan 31, 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.