Franz Wagner went down awkwardly after being fouled by Ariel Hukporti in the first quarter, immediately writhing in pain on the ground and clutching his left knee. He stayed there for a few minutes before being helped – actually carried – to the dressing room, without being able to put any weight on his left leg. He was quickly excluded.
Just like that, this year’s biggest Knicks killer — and the Magic’s leading scorer of the year — was left out of the equation. Wagner scored 28 and 37 points against the Knicks in the two previous games between the teams this year, both Magic wins. Outside of those two games, he and the Magic looked like a potential playoff roadblock in the way for the Knicks in the Eastern Conference.
But with what could have been a serious injury, that dynamic quickly changed.
The Knicks (16-7) won 106-100 on Sunday afternoon at Madison Square Garden. They improved to a stellar 13-1 at MSG, one of only two teams in the NBA – along with the Thunder – with fewer than two home losses. The only game the Knicks dropped at home was against…the Magic.
They were shorthanded themselves and played without Karl-Anthony Towns due to left calf soreness and Miles McBride leaving early. Jalen Brunson, despite another poor shooting day from three-point range, led them with 30 points.
After trailing by one point at halftime, the Knicks scored the first 13 points of the third quarter to take control. They led the rest of the way. And they scored the first seven points of the fourth quarter, taking a 16-point lead.
Coach Mike Brown may have pulled his starters too early, as the Magic cut the deficit to six points with 10.3 seconds left. Brown redeployed his starters, who averted catastrophe.
Josh Hart continues to make Brown’s decision to put him in the starting lineup seem like the right one. He had a double-double and recorded 17 points and 12 rebounds. He drilled 3 of the 5 three-pointers he took.
OG Anunoby, playing in his second game after missing the previous nine with a hamstring injury, enjoyed a strong shooting night, going 5-for-7 from deep and finishing with 21 points. He also did well as a guard for Paolo Banchero, who scored only 16 points. Anunoby also had seven rebounds and three steals and was a team-best plus-20.
After the Magic cut their deficit to nine late in the fourth quarter, Anunoby scored five straight points to end any thoughts of a comeback.
Mitchell Robinson started in Towns’ place and recorded six points and 13 rebounds. Hukporti, who saw more action than usual with Towns out, gave the Knicks valuable minutes, especially on defense. He had six points, seven rebounds and three blocks. Notably, he made all four free throws he took.
Together with the Heat, Bulls and Bucks, the Knicks have now gotten revenge and defeated all the teams they previously lost to. Their only other loss was to the Celtics, who they defeated beforehand.
Sunday may not have been much of a statement game after Wagner went out, but it was the final step in being right on all the points they’ve been wronged.
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