Magic Weather Storm, Snap Losing Streak vs. Thunder

The Orlando Magic is victorious once again after a team-oriented win against the Oklahoma City Thunder.

Jeremy Brener | Jan 4, 2023

Magic Weather Storm, Snap Losing Streak vs. Thunder /

ORLANDO - The Orlando Magic (14-24) is starting 2023 on the right foot with a 126-115 win against the Oklahoma City Thunder (16-22) Wednesday night at Amway Center.

On a night where only nine players were available due to health and suspension, the Magic needed everyone in order to grab the win.

Orlando took advantage of Oklahoma City's lack of height and dominated inside. The team scored 70 points by the end of the first half, and every player scored between six and 11. At the end of the game, eight players scored in double figures, tying a franchise record.

The Magic led by as much as 22 and cruised through the game into the third quarter. However, the Thunder began to slowly chip away at the big deficit.

Oklahoma City brought the game to within seven points during the fourth quarter, but Orlando continued to play its brand of basketball, share the ball and responsibilities, and it worked in its favor.

December's Eastern Conference Rookie of the Month Paolo Banchero led all Magic players with 25, while Thunder guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander had the most points of any player, scoring 33.

It's a nice win for the young Magic, winning a game against a Thunder squad that scored 150 the night before against the NBA-best Boston Celtics. The victory snaps a three-game losing streak and could give the team momentum going into the new year.

However, the Magic can't celebrate for too long. The Memphis Grizzlies are coming to town tomorrow night to try to rain on the parade. Tipoff is scheduled for 7 p.m.

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Published Jan 4, 2023

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.