Utah Jazz @ Orlando Magic
Thursday, February 29, 2024 at 7:00 PM ET
Kia Center, Orlando, FL | Game ID: 22300850
Q1 Q2 Q3 Q4 Final
ORL 29 24 27 35 115UTA 21 30 31 25 107
ESPN UpdateESPN Update
Jalen Suggs and Paolo Banchero lead the Magic to a 115-107 win over the slumping Jazz
ORLANDO, Fla. -- — Jalen Suggs hit three 3-pointers in the final three minutes and finished with 15 points as the Orlando Magic beat the Utah Jazz 115-107 on Thursday night.
Paolo Banchero , back in the lineup after missing two games due to the flu, had 29 points and nine rebounds for the Magic, who won for the 10th time in 13 games. The Wagner brothers, Franz and Moritz, each added 14 points. Suggs shot 5 for 8 from the field and 4 for 7 from 3-point distance before fouling out in the final seconds.
Before Suggs’ outburst, Orlando had made only 7 of 27 3-point attempts and had not made one since Gary Harris connected with 4:38 left in the third quarter.
“I think we’re learning how to win and adapt to the way the game is flowing, and tonight is another example of that,” Suggs said. “We weren’t knocking down shots, but we were playing great defense and we were getting to the rim. He (Banchero) was crazy to start the fourth and keep us in the game, and that gave us a chance to win down the stretch.”
John Collins , Keyonte George and Collin Sexton each scored 19 points and Lauri Markkanen added 18 for the slumping Jazz, who lost their second straight and for the seventh time in eight games.
The Magic went more than 13 minutes without a 3-point field goal before Suggs made one with 2:49 remaining in the game. He made all three of his long shots in a 90-second span, extending Orlando's lead from 101-100 lead to 110-103.
Utah stayed in contention with 16-for-37 shooting from long distance. But, playing without Walker Kessler , the NBA's No. 3 shot blocker, the Jazz had just one block and were outrebounded 45-37. Walker is out with a right foot sprain.
“We put ourselves in a position to win the game. That’s where we want to be with two minutes left — one-point down,” Jazz coach Will Hardy said. “I felt like down the stretch, there were a couple of plays that just didn’t go our way. ... Jalen Suggs made some 3s late. That can happen in an NBA game.”
After Orlando built an early double-digit lead in the first half, Jordan Clarkson and Markkanen hit 3-pointers during an 11-0 run as Utah closed within 53-52 by the break.
A 3-pointer by Sexton pulled the Jazz ahead midway through the third quarter, and when Markkanen hit another 3-pointer a minute later, Utah was 13 for 26 from long range.
Utah was never able to get its short-lived lead beyond four points.
Banchero, who wasn’t cleared to play until just before tipoff, scored 12 of Orlando’s first 21 points in the final period, before Suggs took over.
“I couldn’t move. I couldn’t jump. I was very limited,” Banchero said of his two missed games. “I still have sniffles and stuff, but my body’s feeling a lot better.
“I felt pretty good. I was a little rusty in my decision-making, and I was a little tired at some points, but I got it going in the fourth. My teammates encouraged me to stay aggressive.”
Who is who
the initials in the Players column
ORLCA C. Anthony
CH C. Houstan
FW F. Wagner
GH G. Harris
JI J. Ingles
JS J. Suggs
MF M. Fultz
MW M. Wagner
PB P. Banchero
WC W. Carter Jr.
UTABS B. Sensabaugh
CS C. Sexton
JC J. Clarkson
JC J. Collins
KD K. Dunn
KG K. George
LM L. Markkanen
LS L. Samanic
TH T. Hendricks
ORL/UTA the team itself, not a player
-- the feed named nobody
What
What happened
the codes in the Events column
M2 / M3 made 2 / made 3
X2 / X3 missed 2 / missed 3
FT / X1 free throw made / missed
AST assist
OR / DR offensive / defensive rebound
STL steal
BLK block
TO turnover
FL foul
OF offensive foul — ends the possession
VIOL violation
JUMP jump ball
TM timeout
IR instant replay
HE heave at the buzzer, filed to the team
Where
Where a shot came from
the middle field of M3.LW.25
RM at the rim inside 4 ft
RC right corner
RW right wing
SO straight on
LW left wing
LC left corner
M3.LW.25 made 3, left wing, 25 ft
X2.RM.01 missed 2, at the rim, 1 ft
When
When it happened
the Offset column
one number per event, in the Events order:
whole seconds from the start of the
possession to that event
Events FL X3.RC.23 OR M2.RM.01
Offset 0 18 22 24
the foul opens the possession at 0s;
the putback ends it at 24s, which is
the possession's own Dur