Jalen Suggs scored 26 points, including 14 in the fourth quarter, to help the short-handed Orlando Magic defeat the Phoenix Suns 115-110 on Sunday night.
With this win, the Magic remain the only undefeated team at home in the NBA, now at 10-0. Orlando earned the victory despite being without star forwards Paolo Banchero, who has been out for over a month, and Franz Wagner, who suffered a torn oblique in Orlando’s loss to the Philadelphia 76ers on Friday.
The Magic relied on teamwork to cover for these absences, with four players scoring in double figures. Goga Bitadze added 21 points and 16 rebounds, Cole Anthony contributed 14 points, and Moritz Wagner chipped in 10 points. Orlando has now won two of its last three games.
For the Suns, Devin Booker led with 25 points, Tyus Jones added 21 points, Bradley Beal scored 18 points, Royce O’Neal finished with 16 points, and Grayson Allen had 13 points. The Suns have now lost three straight games.
The Magic led 109-106 with 2:20 left after Suggs made a layup. Suggs and Bitadze each made two free throws to extend Orlando’s lead to 113-106 with 1:05 remaining, and the Magic held on from there.
Phoenix had a strong start with a 14-0 run, taking a 23-13 lead with 4:40 left in the first quarter. The Suns pushed their lead to 34-22 after Allen’s three-point play with 1:29 remaining, but Orlando responded with a 7-0 run, finishing the quarter down 34-29.
Jones scored 16 points and Beal had 11 points, helping Phoenix take a 62-57 lead into halftime. Anthony led the Magic with 10 points in the first half, shooting 4-of-7 from the field.
The Suns played without star Kevin Durant, who missed the game due to an ankle injury. Phoenix is now 1-9 without Durant this season.
