Franz Wagner scored 14 points in 17 minutes in his return to action for Orlando and was a catalyst in a game-changing third-quarter run as the Magic downed the visiting Milwaukee Bucks 118-99 on Monday.
Anthony Black amassed 26 points for Orlando on 8-of-13 shooting. Desmond Bane added 25 for the Magic, who have now won three in a row, matching their best runs of the season.
Milwaukee’s modest three-game winning streak — its longest of the season — was snapped. The Bucks, still without star Giannis Antetokounmpo (calf), got a game-high 28 points from Kevin Porter Jr. He added seven assists, while AJ Green knocked down 4 of 8 from long range and finished with 15 points.
The two teams meet again in Orlando on Wednesday.
After missing the last nine games with an ankle injury, Franz Wagner entered the game with 4:11 left in the first quarter, but didn’t assert himself until late in the third. Orlando led 73-70, when Moritz Wagner knocked down a three for the Magic after receiving a pass from Franz. Jase Richardson hit a three for Orlando on its next possession to make it a nine-point lead.
After a fadeaway jumper by Porter Jr., Franz fed his brother again for a long three to make it 82-72, then Franz scored on a drive to the basket and then sank a long three with 19 seconds left in the quarter to make it 87-72. Milwaukee would never get it under 10 points the rest of the way.
Orlando outscored Milwaukee 36-20 in the third period.
Neither team looked sharp in the first quarter. Milwaukee committed five turnovers in the first five minutes, and the score was tied at 13 with 3:30 left in the first.
Orlando went on a spurt at the end of the first with Franz Wagner scoring on a nifty reverse lay-up, and his brother following with a dunk on a pick-and-roll. A three at the buzzer by Porter Jr. made it 27-22 Orlando after one.
The Bucks played cleaner and better second quarter. Bobby Portis Jr. made back-to-back buckets to knot the score at 31 with just under nine minutes to go. After Orlando creeped back ahead 43-36, Milwaukee went on a 7-0 run started by a three by AJ Green. A driving lay-up by Jericho Sims gave the Bucks a 47-46 lead and they hung on to a 54-51 lead at halftime.
Cam Thomas made his Bucks debut after being released by the Brooklyn Nets, and he scored four points in 13 minutes.
