Porzingis, Wizards beat Magic 119-100 for 4th straight win
ORLANDO, FLORIDA - DECEMBER 30: Paolo Banchero #5 of the Orlando Magic drives to the net against Kristaps Porzingis #6 and Kyle Kuzma #33 of the Washington Wizards in the first half of a game at Amway Center on December 30, 2022 in Orlando, Florida.
ORLANDO, Fla. (AP) - Kristaps Porzingis had 30 points and 13 rebounds and the Washington Wizards routed the short-handed Orlando Magic 119-100 on Friday night for their fourth straight victory.
Kyle Kuzma added 23 points and Rui Hachimura had 16 points and seven rebounds. The Wizards played without star guard Bradley Beal for the second straight game because of a strained hamstring.
Franz Wagner had 28 points and eight assists for Orlando, and Paolo Banchero added 21 points. The Magic had only eight players available after suspensions by the NBA in the wake of an incident in Detroit on Wednesday night.
The Wizards overcame 26 turnovers with 56% shooting and a 53-35 rebounding advantage.
"We’re winning games that we’re supposed to win," Porzingis said. "We had a tough schedule in December and now it’s getting a little bit easier. With this team, especially with all the guys they’re missing, we’re supposed to win this game. So we’re just doing what we’re getting paid for."
After losing at Brooklyn on the final day of November, the Wizards had opened December with nine more losses.
"After a 10-game losing streak, it’s good to see us on the other side of that," coach Wes Unseld Jr. said. "We’re finally starting get healthy, and it’s promising to see where we could go. I like where we are. We’re playing with a lot of confidence."
The Magic have lost three straight after winning eight of nine.
"We just couldn’t get shots to fall early and then we had to start playing from behind," said Banchero, who made only seven of 24 shots. "That’s pretty hard when you have eight players. You can’t get guys out. Guys have to stay in."
Wagner scored eight points on a 16-0 run that put the Magic up 32-27 early in the second quarter. Prorzingis scored 15 points in the final 8:39 of the period, leaving Washington with a 56-47 lead at the break.
Two 3-pointers by Corey Kispert and three-point plays by Porzingis and Daniel Gafford helped the Wizards expand their lead to 25 in the first six minutes of the second half.
TIP-INS
Wizards: F Taj Gibson sat out the game with a groin injury. ... The Wizards have won six straight against Orlando.
Magic: The Magic played without C Mo Wagner, G Cole Anthony, C Mo Bamba, C Wendell Carter Jr., G R.J. Hampton and G Gary Harris, all of whom were suspended for their participation in an altercation at Detroit. Wagner also will miss Orlando’s next game along with three other players. . . . The Magic shot 5 for 27 from 3-point range.
MOVING FORWARD
Franz Wagner, Kevon Harris and Admiral Schofield will join Mo Wagner on the sidelines for the Magic’s next game. Everyone except Mo Wagner was suspended for leaving the bench area.
"None of our guys were trying to escalate the situation," Magic coach Jamahl Mosley said. "The objective was more to get our guys away from (Detroit’s) bench, to get Mo away from that situation in front of their bench. The league made the decision that it made and I think we’re going to leave it at that. We take responsibility for whatever actions we played in that part, and now we have to learn from it and move forward."
UP NEXT
Wizards: At Milwaukee on Sunday night.
Magic: Host Oklahoma City on Wednesday night.