Short-handed Magic routed by Bucks, 122-93

Jason Beede, Orlando Sentinel on Jan 15, 2025

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MILWAUKEE — If the Bucks were the team playing on the second night of a back-to-back Wednesday against the Magic, they certainly didn’t show it.

Less than 24 hours after taking down the Kings at Fiserv Forum, Milwaukee led by as many as 30 points in a 122-93 home victory over Jamahl Mosley’s short-handed Orlando squad.

The Magic were missing Franz Wagner (return to competition reconditioning), Jalen Suggs (low back strain), Goga Bitadze (concussion protocol), Gary Harris (left hamstring strain), and Jett Howard (left ankle sprain). That was in addition to center Moe Wagner (done for the year with a left knee torn ACL) and two-way guard Mac McClung, who remains with Osceola, Orlando’s G League affiliate.

Although Mosley has repeatedly instilled the belief that Orlando “has enough” to win games regardless of who’s on or off the court, that wasn’t the case Wednesday against seven-time All-NBA guard Damian Lillard (30 points) and two-time MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo (26), who combined for 56.

With the win, the Bucks (22-17) clinched the regular season series over the Magic, which could be significant in the East’s standings come April.

The latest meeting was the third overall and second in the past five days. Milwaukee won the first two by a combined eight points, but secured a 29-point victory this time. The sides meet a fourth time March 8 at Milwaukee, a location Orlando hasn’t won at since Feb 9, 2019.

Orlando (23-19) wraps up its two-game trip Friday when it heads to defending champion Boston.

Starting 5

Mosley used his 16th starting lineup of the season when Cole Anthony, Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, Tristan da Silva, Paolo Banchero and Wendell Carter Jr. took the floor to open.

Filling in for Bitadze, Carter was re-inserted into the starting lineup for the first time since Jan. 1 at Detroit. He racked up 12 points and 10 rebounds, recording his third double-double of the season.

Banchero continued to play 5- to 6-minute stretches when he was on the floor. Still searching for rhythm on the court, the All-Star forward totaled 22 points and five rebounds in 26 minutes, but committed a team-high seven turnovers.

The Bucks held Orlando scoreless for a five-minute stretch in the first quarter when the Magic failed to hit 3s (2 of 14) against Milwaukee’s zone defense. Orlando trailed by 18 after the first frame and by 21 at the break.

What went wrong

What didn’t?

Milwaukee outscored Orlando 54-32 in the paint, 22-15 in fast-break points and 48-40 in bench points.

It wasn’t just that the Magic lacked healthy bodies but they lacked effort on both ends as well. Milwaukee recorded 10 blocks compared to Orlando’s lone one.

The Bucks even outrebounded them 49-32.

Bitadze update

A big reason for the discrepancy on the glass was the lack of size for Orlando. Already without Moe Wagner, the Magic placed Bitadze in concussion protocol Wednesday.

Bitadze, who was already listed as questionable with a right hip contusion that forced him to miss the second half of Sunday’s game against Philadelphia, also got hit in the head, a league source said.

The 6-11 center was evaluated Sunday for a concussion but symptoms did not present themselves, the league source said. Bitadze, however, has since developed concussion symptoms and for safety has been placed into the protocol.

“A lot of times, they hit people differently and at different times,” Mosley said of concussion symptoms. “So, just being aware and conscious of how we go about that approach is going to be very important.”

Osceola acquires former Gator

Earlier Wednesday, Orlando’s G League affiliate added center Colin Castleton from the Long Island Nets, Osceola GM Kevin Tiller announced.

In exchange, Osceola sent Long Island a first-round draft pick in both the 2025 and 2026 G League drafts. Long Island also received the Reid Travis’s returning player rights. In a corresponding move, Osceola waived forward Jemerrio Jones.

Castleton spent the last three years (2020-23) of his college career in the SEC at Florida.