Franz Wagner scored 23 points with seven assists, and the Orlando Magic pulled away in the second half to beat the Washington Wizards 121-94 on Sunday night.
Orlando, still without injured starters Paolo Banchero and Wendell Carter Jr., leaned on its depth. Mo Wagner and Cole Anthony each scored 16 off the bench, rookie Anthony Black added 12, and Jett Howard hit all three of his 3-point attempts. Goga Bitadze posted 10 points and 12 rebounds while anchoring the middle.
Jordan Poole led Washington with 24 points, but it wasn’t enough to stop the Wizards from dropping their fourth straight. Rookie Bilal Coulibaly impressed with 20 points, six rebounds, six assists and three blocks, while fellow rookie Alexandre Sarr chipped in 11 points and two blocks.
The Wizards’ biggest issue remains defense. Entering the night, they allowed a league-worst 123.5 points per game, and Orlando took full advantage. The Magic spread the floor and hit 17 of 48 shots from 3-point range (35.4%), well above their season average of 29.8%. Ten different Orlando players knocked down at least one shot from deep.
The turning point came in the third quarter. Leading 65-60, the Magic capitalized on a transition take foul by Poole that sparked a four-point swing. That ignited a 12-2 Orlando run, pushing the lead to double digits. From there, the Magic dominated on both ends and cruised to a second straight home victory by 27 points.
Orlando continues to show progress despite its injuries, using depth and balance to stay competitive in the Eastern Conference. The win also highlighted the development of younger players like Black and Howard, who contributed valuable minutes off the bench.
For Washington, Coulibaly’s emergence was one of the few positives in another frustrating loss. The team’s inability to defend consistently has overshadowed individual flashes of promise and remains the biggest hurdle for a turnaround.
The Wizards travel to Houston on Monday for their third road game in four nights, while the Magic host Charlotte on Tuesday looking to extend their winning streak.
