Franz Wagner scored 21 of his 29 points in the first half as the red-hot Orlando Magic seized control late in the second quarter and pulled away in the third for a 123-100 NBA Cup victory over the Brooklyn Nets Friday night in New York.
Orlando improved to 3-0 in Group A and started a stretch of three straight games in New York by getting its fifth straight win and 11th in 12 games. Brooklyn finished 1-3 in NBA Cup games and was eliminated earlier in the day when the Atlanta Hawks beat the Cleveland Cavaliers.
Wagner scored 29 against the Nets for the second time this season and collected eight rebounds and eight assists. The forward shot 12-of-20 from the field and hit three 3-pointers.
Kentavious Caldwell-Pope sank four 3s and added 19 points as the Magic improved to 11-5 since losing Paolo Banchero to an oblique injury. Rookie Tristan da Silva contributed 13 while Jalen Suggs and Wendell Carter Jr. chipped in 12 apiece as Orlando shot 53 percent, matched a season best by hitting 18 3s and scored 34 points off 20 Brooklyn turnovers.
Already without Cam Thomas (hamstring), Brooklyn used its sixth different starting lineup in as many games and saw a three-game winning streak snapped. Dennis Schroder (personal) and Dorian Finney-Smith (ankle) also sat out.
Shake Milton scored 22 and Keon Johnson added 15 as Brooklyn’s bench accounted for 58 points. Cameron Johnson had 14 points, Trendon Watford contributed 13 and Jalen Wilson had 11 as the Nets shot 49.4 percent.
Wagner scored nine of his 13 first-quarter points during a 13-2 run that helped Orlando get a 33-29 lead after the first quarter, when it made 12 of 18 shots.
After Claxton blew a tying dunk with 3:11 remaining in the second quarter, Wagner added a layup and a 3-pointer as Orlando ended the half with a 13-3 run for a 61-49 lead by halftime.
The Magic took their first 20-point lead when Suggs hit a left corner 3 to make it 74-54 with 9:09 remaining. Carter’s hook shot with 6:29 pushed the lead 80-55 before the Magic took a 96-71 lead into the fourth.
After the Nets cut the deficit to 20 for the first time, Wagner hit three more baskets in the lane for a 105-84 edge with 5:15 remaining to essentially finish it off.
