ORLANDO, Fla. — Since drafting Paolo Banchero No. 1 overall in 2022, the Magic had played only one game with Banchero and Franz Wagner both out of the lineup.

Orlando played just its second game Sunday night without its star duo when it hosted the Kevin Durant-less Phoenix Suns at Kia Center.

Despite the unique circumstances of Wagner and Banchero suffering the same injury 37 days apart (torn right abdominal muscle), Jamahl Mosley’s squad found a way to win 115-110 over the visiting Suns.

With the victory, the Magic improved to 10-0 at Kia Center and remain the only undefeated team at home this season.

In addition to Durant (left ankle sprain), the Suns were missing rookie Ryan Dunn (left ankle soreness) and big man Jusuf Nurkic (right thigh contusion). Phoenix (12-11) also lost to the Heat in Miami on Saturday night.

Although they have a home-heavy December, the Magic (17-9) travel to Milwaukee on Tuesday night for a chance to advance to the NBA Cup semifinals in Las Vegas.

Starting 5

Mosley re-inserted rookie Tristan da Silva back into Orlando’s starting lineup against the Suns. He joined Jalen Suggs, Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, Goga Bitadze and Wendell Carter Jr. to open against Phoenix.

Mosley mentioned before the game that possessions might move quicker than before without Franz Wagner and Banchero, and that held true throughout.

Suggs started off slowly with just four points before the break, but two key 3-pointers in the third frame got him going on offense. He scored 14 of his team-high 26 points in the fourth quarter.

It was Bitadze who provided the energy to Orlando’s first group when he recorded his team-high seventh double-double of the season by way of a season-high 21 points and career-high 16 rebounds.

His nine offensive boards was part of a larger effort that saw the Magic score 20 second-chance points.

Caldwell-Pope was active on both ends with two steals in the opening three minutes. He added a pair of triples to total eight points.

Second unit

The Magic were still missing Jonathan Isaac (who missed his second straight with a sore right hamstring) and Gary Harris (who sat his seventh in a row with a left hamstring strain).

With those two out and da Silva earning the start, Orlando’s second unit featured Anthony Black, Cole Anthony, Jett Howard, Caleb Houstan and Moe Wagner.

Houstan, who had barely been part of the rotation to this point, was first off the bench and offered length and long-range shooting. His second 3 of the night capped a 13-3 run to put the Magic in front 80-79 late in the third quarter.

Anthony, who fell out of the rotation entirely earlier this season, provided an early boost with seven first-quarter points. The first Magic scorer in double-figures, he totaled 14 points with three assists.

Howard, known for his sharpshooting, displayed more of his offensive game by driving to the hoop once and taking a mid-range shot another time to record six points with two assists.

While Orlando’s young wings helped spread the floor and share the basketball, it was Moe Wagner at the center of it all for the second unit. The veteran big man did a little bit of everything racking up 10 points, six rebounds, three assists, two steals and a block while offering direction and guidance on the floor.

The Magic’s benched outscored Phoenix’s 46-23.

Rookie watch

Back in the starting lineup, da Silva looked extremely comfortable in his 15th start of the season.

He scored five straight points in the first quarter, that included his first 3-pointer, to total eight.

The No. 18 pick added five rebounds in 19 minutes.

Up next …

Magic at Bucks

When: 7 p.m. ET, Tuesday, Fiserv Forum

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