'We Got Our Ass Kicked!' Magic Star Paolo Banchero Reacts to Loss vs. Knicks

The Orlando Magic scored just 74 points in a loss to the New York Knicks.

Jeremy Brener | Mar 9, 2024

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Orlando Magic

ORLANDO - The Orlando Magic suffered arguably their worst loss of the season at the hands of the New York Knicks on Friday night at Madison Square Garden.

In a 24-point loss, the Magic managed to score just 74 points, the lowest total in a game for the franchise since 2018. Orlando had scored at least 92 points in every game this season, but the team went ice cold against the Knicks.

“We got our ass kicked," Paolo Banchero said postgame. "We just gotta be better. Maybe that’s what we need - to get a taste of that."

The Magic rolled into the game riding a five-game win streak, but the Knicks put an abrupt end to that with a stifling defense Orlando had no answer for.

The Magic rank 23rd in offensive rating this season and it has never been their bread and butter. The team has always gotten the job done on the defensive end to ensure that they would come out on top. But the offense can't be quite as cold as it was on Friday night.

Magic Win Streak Snapped in Blowout Loss vs. Knicks

The Magic will definitely need to get their offense in gear before their next game on Sunday when the high-octane Indiana Pacers come to town. Tipoff is scheduled for 6 p.m. ET.

Published Mar 9, 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.