In a game that saw both teams lead by as many as 15 points, the Magic found themselves on the wrong side of a high-scoring loss Monday night against the Mavericks.
Despite a 22-point performance from forward Paolo Banchero, Orlando (4-3) was unable to hang around late as Dallas (6-1) pulled away 117-102 behind a combined 71 points from Luka Doncic, Kyrie Irving and Tim Hardaway Jr. at Amway Center.
The Magic, who took their first home loss of the season, travel to Mexico City on Tuesday ahead of a late Thursday matchup (Bally Sports Florida, 9:30) against Atlanta.
Starting 5
With guard Markelle Fultz sidelined for the third straight game and Wendell Carter Jr. undergoing surgery Monday to repair a fractured third metacarpal in his left hand, rookie Anthony Black and center Goga Bitadze made their second consecutive starts for Orlando.
They joined regular starters Jalen Suggs, Franz Wagner and Banchero against the Mavericks to complete the same starting five for coach Jamahl Mosley for the second game in a row.
Wagner, who started slow on offense, was asked to cover Doncic at times. The Magic forward scored 7 points in the second quarter to finish with 12 on 5 of 13 shooting.
Banchero put together a third-straight high-offensive showing as he played aggressively while pushing the pace to get to the rim. He was successful at the free-throw line, going 6 of 6.
The NBA Rookie of the Year, however, was ineffective in the fourth quarter and dribbled into traffic often. After 18 points in the first three quarters, Banchero scored just 4 in the final frame.
Suggs struggled to find his shot from beyond the arc, where finished 1 of 6 from 3. The team as a whole failed to convert 3-pointers (1 of 16) in the second half.
Banchero was the lone starter to score in the fourth quarter for Orlando while Doncic and Irving scored 12 points and 11, respectively, in the last 12 minutes.
Second Unit
Missing Gary Harris (right strained groin) and Jonathan Isaac (sore left hamstring) against Dallas, Orlando turned to Moe Wagner, Cole Anthony, Joe Ingles and Caleb Houstan in its 9-man rotation.
It was clear Orlando’s injuries began to take a toll on the team as Mosley searched for scoring from the second unit.
Although Wagner and Anthony each scored 19 points off the bench, Ingles (no 3s taken) and Houstan (only attempted 2 shots) combined to scored 5.
Dallas allowed the larger Wagner brother to shoot multiple 3s because he failed to convert the open looks. He finished 1 of 4 from deep but still provided energy and effort off the bench for the Magic.
Houstan, who saw his first meaningful minutes of his second season, hit his first 3-pointer of the game but Dallas hunted for him on offense throughout his 13 minutes on the court.
The second unit struggled on offense, especially in the third quarter when Dallas regained its lead. In the third frame, the Magic settled with poor shots and failed to the move the ball around.
Rookie Watch
Black made the first pair of 3s he attempted but missed his second pair to finish with 8 points on 3 of 7 shooting.
At times he bothered Doncic on defense by playing aggressively and using his length to his advantage. He remained on the court for a large portion of the night, seeing 32 minutes of action.
Defending without fouling throughout most of the night, Black looked comfortable in just his second NBA career start.
Email Jason Beede at jbeede@orlandosentinel.com or follow him on X, also known as Twitter, at @therealBeede.
![Magic rookie Anthony Black made his fourth start Tuesday night against the Nets. His teammates have noticed his confidence on the court. "I do like [that] he's got a little feistiness to him," Orlando center Moe Wagner said. "He talks a little smack sometimes which I like."](https://www.orlandosentinel.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/Magic-Nets-Basketball.jpg?w=525 "Magic rookie Anthony Black made his fourth start Tuesday night against the Nets. His teammates have noticed his confidence on the court. \"I do like [that] he's got a little feistiness to him,\" Orlando center Moe Wagner said. \"He talks a little smack sometimes which I like.\"")
