WASHINGTON (AP) — Franz Wagner scored 28 points, Paolo Banchero added 25 and the Orlando Magic rallied from a 21-point second-quarter deficit to beat Washington 119-109 on Wednesday night, handing the Wizards their 16th consecutive loss.
Washington (9-53) tied a team record for longest losing streak, matching a skid from the 2009-10 season. The Wizards looked on their way to ending this slide, but were done in by a 44-point second half against one of the league’s best defensive teams.
Orlando (37-26) has won eight of nine.
Jordan Poole scored 26 points for Washington, which hasn’t won since a victory at San Antonio on Jan. 29. Kyle Kuzma added 25 points for the Wizards, who haven’t won at home since Dec. 29 against Brooklyn.
Washington led by 11 after the first quarter and a 3-pointer by Johnny Davis made it 52-31 in the second. It was 65-53 at halftime before the Wizards were held to 18 points in the third quarter.
A layup by Banchero tied it at 72, and then neither team led by more than three for over 14 minutes, before a dunk by Moritz Wagner — Franz’s brother — made it 102-97.
Moritz Wagner added a three-point play to cap a 14-1 run, and the Magic led 107-97. He scored 14 of his 16 points in the fourth quarter.
It was the largest comeback of the season for the Magic, who last rallied from a 21-point deficit on Jan. 30, 2023, at Philadelphia. The last time Orlando had a bigger comeback was Nov. 21, 2014, at Charlotte, when the team overcame a 23-point deficit to win.
Banchero had 10 assists.
UP NEXT
Magic: At New York on Friday night.
Wizards: Host Charlotte on Friday night.
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AP NBA: https://apnews.com/hub/nba
