Wagner’s 21-Point Fourth Quarter Stuns Champion Knicks as Magic Win 111–102

NEW YORK — October 25, 2026 (final). Franz Wagner scored 21 of his 23 points in the fourth quarter as the Orlando Magic beat the defending NBA champion New York Knicks 111–102 at Madison Square Garden. Orlando erased a ten-point deficit in the final nine-plus minutes to claim its first victory of the season.

From a 10-point hole to a nine-point win

The Knicks led 75–71 entering the fourth quarter and stretched their advantage to 86–76 with 9:20 left. Wagner then scored nine points during an 11–0 run that gave Orlando an 87–86 lead at 7:25. The Magic won the fourth quarter 40–27 and outscored New York 35–16 in the final nine-plus minutes. It was a sustained reversal, not a single last-second shot.

Wagner finished with 23 points, a career-high 13 rebounds and nine assists, narrowly missing a triple-double. Desmond Bane contributed 22 points, Tristan da Silva 19 and Anthony Black 18 on his return from an ankle injury. For New York, Jalen Brunson scored 28, Karl-Anthony Towns posted 22 points and 14 rebounds, and OG Anunoby added 22.

Why Orlando’s comeback worked

Wagner changed the pressure on New York’s defense. After scoring only two points across the first three quarters, he became an assertive scorer in the final period, while Orlando’s supporting cast supplied enough perimeter threat to prevent the Knicks from concentrating solely on him. Da Silva and Black each made five three-pointers; the Magic shot approximately 43% from beyond the arc.

New York compounded the problem with late turnovers. The Knicks committed eight of their 14 turnovers in the fourth quarter, according to Associated Press reporting. Losing possessions while Orlando was scoring efficiently made the earlier lead fragile. It is too early to label this a season-long flaw, but the late-game execution is a concrete concern for the defending champions.

Why this early-season result matters

Orlando improved to 1–2 despite the absence of Paolo Banchero. Jalen Suggs left the game with a knee injury; the immediate reports do not establish his recovery timetable. New York fell to 0–3, the first defending champion to open with three losses since the 2011–12 Dallas Mavericks, according to the Associated Press. That unusual historical parallel adds context, but three games are not a forecast for the full season.

Watch: Official NBA highlights — Magic 111, Knicks 102

Watch the NBA’s official October 25 game recap. The league identifies the exact Orlando–New York matchup, final score and Wagner’s fourth-quarter surge. We provide the original publisher’s watch link rather than an iframe because third-party embed authorization and regional player usability could not be independently verified. No third-party video or thumbnail has been downloaded or rehosted.

What to watch next

For New York, the immediate test is whether it can reduce late turnovers and protect leads under pressure. For Orlando, the questions are whether its balanced outside shooting can continue and what injury updates emerge for Suggs and Banchero. Those outcomes remain uncertain.

Sources: Orlando Magic official game report (October 25); NBA official video recap (October 25); Associated Press via CBS Sports (October 25); Reuters/Field Level Media (October 26). Score, date and status cross-checked. Original analysis. No unauthorized featured image used.

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