The Knicks Lose to Magic 117-108

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On Friday night, the New York Knicks faced off against the Orlando Magic at the Kia Center in Orlando, FL. The Knicks previously lost to the Oklahoma City Thunder 129-120 and the Magic were blown out by the Philadelphia 76ers on Wednesday night. Both teams needed to redeem themselves by pulling out with the victory.

Player Matchup

Julius Randle has been efficient all season including the last five games, scoring 20 points in each on at least 45% shooting. It was a matchup of the Power Forwards as Paolo Banchero averaged 21.2 Points a game before last night.

Scoring Woes

After the first quarter, the Knicks led 29 to 26 behind Randle’s 16 points but struggled to score in the second quarter. Between the end of the first quarter and the three-minute mark in the second quarter, the Knicks scored only five points. Meanwhile, the Magic were racking up points and made scoring a hard task for the Knicks.

By the end of the first half, the Magic led the Knicks 55 to 44 with the Magic shooting 23 percent from three-point range and the Knicks only seven percent with one made three-pointer.

Second Half

In the second half, the Magic led the Knicks by as many as 20 points on sloppy offense. The Magic shot just 21.2 percent from the three-point line, yet they dominated the game from inside the paint. Speaking of domination, the Magic also got to the free-throw line more often than the Knicks did.

The Magic shot 40 free throws compared to 29. Some of the late-game calls were going toward the Magic. The officials made all the right calls for the Magic, but that’s not where the Knicks’ frustration lay.

Foul Calls

The issue was that Jalen Brunson was seen falling on his back numerous times with no call to follow. Yet, when the Magic were on offense, the officials gave them the foul call. Coach Tom Thibodeau voiced his concerns in the post-game presser feeling “sick and tired” of non-calls.

The Knicks cut the lead down to five with 32.1 seconds to go in the fourth quarter. Unfortunately, it was too little, too late.

Final Outcome

All in all, Julius Randle finished the game with 38 points and 12 rebounds, while Jalen Brunson was inefficient scoring 20 points on 4-of-15 shooting. The Magic pulled out with the 117-108 victory behind 32 from Franz Wagner and 29 from Paolo Banchero.

The game’s outcome left the Knicks with a two-game losing streak and much to think about before their reunion with Obi Toppin and their next road game against the Indiana Pacers.