The Magic Host Washington Tonight on No Rest, Down Five Players, Trying to End a Three-Game Home Losing Streak
Orlando (2-4) plays its second game in two nights at the Kia Center at 7:30 p.m., still without Banchero, Suggs, Isaac, Penda and Nelson, against a Washington team (3-3) that has had the weekend off since beating Charlotte 95-76 on Friday — and that brings Trae Young's 10.2 assists a night and Anthony Davis's 22.3 points into a building where the Magic have lost three straight.
The schedule is Washington's first advantage tonight, and it is not close. The Wizards arrive at the Kia Center rested, having had the weekend off since Friday's 95-76 home win over Charlotte, in which Anthony Davis put up 25 points and 13 rebounds, Trae Young added 21 points and nine assists, and AJ Dybantsa chipped in 17 points and seven rebounds. The Magic arrive at their own arena on zero days' rest, off Sunday's 108-97 home loss to Boston, carrying a three-game home losing streak and a 2-4 record that has them ninth in the Eastern Conference against Washington's 3-3 and sixth.
The injury report, filed by this desk this morning, remains the second advantage. Orlando is without Paolo Banchero (ankle), Jalen Suggs (knee), Jonathan Isaac (knee), Noah Penda (hamstring) and Izaiyah Nelson (ankle). What remains has been carried by Franz Wagner — 19.7 points, 7.8 assists and 6.7 rebounds a game — and by Wendell Carter Jr., whose 13.5 points and 8.8 rebounds come on 60.9 percent shooting, ninth-best in the league. Washington's list is shorter but real: Tristan Vukcevic (hip), Justin Champagnie (foot) and Jamir Watkins (ACL, out for the season) are out, with Anthony Gill (back) and Alex Sarr (knee) day to day.
The matchup's hinge is creation. Young averages 20.7 points and 10.2 assists for Washington, and Davis 22.3 points with 9.2 rebounds — a pick-and-roll pair that attacks exactly the spots a tired, short-handed defense defends worst in a game's second half. Orlando's counters are Wagner's all-around line, Carter's efficiency inside, and the one asset no injury report can remove: home court, even a wounded one. Tip is 7:30 p.m. Eastern at the Kia Center. The Magic cannot get their five players back tonight; what they can get back is their own building.
