October 25, 2026 | EST NBA Game Recap
The New York Knicks are officially in trouble to start the season.
After winning the NBA championship last season, New York has opened its title defense with three consecutive losses. The latest came Sunday night at Madison Square Garden, where the Orlando Magic erased an early 12-point deficit and delivered a 111–102 victory.
What makes this loss particularly concerning for New York is that Orlando was playing without Paolo Banchero, who missed the game with a right ankle injury.
Franz Wagner was the hero for the Magic, finishing with 23 points, 13 rebounds and nine assists. Remarkably, 21 of those 23 points came in the fourth quarter.
Orlando improves to 1–2, while the Knicks fall to 0–3.
First Quarter: Knicks Jump Out Early (NYK 28–21 ORL)
New York could not have asked for a better opening.
Jalen Brunson started the scoring with a turnaround jumper before Josh Hart and OG Anunoby knocked down three-pointers. Hart added a layup, and Brunson followed with another basket to give the Knicks a commanding 12–0 advantage.
Orlando struggled to generate offense, missing its early shots and committing turnovers.
The Magic finally got on the board through Wendell Carter Jr. at the free-throw line. Anthony Black then knocked down a three-pointer to help Orlando settle into the game.
Black provided a much-needed spark off the bench, hitting another three later in the quarter. Tristan da Silva also contributed as Orlando began finding its rhythm.
Despite the Magic’s recovery, the Knicks maintained control and finished the opening period ahead 28–21.
Second Quarter: Orlando Refuses to Go Away (NYK 52–48 ORL)
Orlando continued chipping away at New York’s advantage during the second quarter.
With Banchero unavailable, the Magic needed scoring contributions from several players. Desmond Bane, da Silva and Black helped provide them, while New York leaned on Brunson and Karl-Anthony Towns to keep its offense moving.
The Magic’s perimeter shooting became an important factor. Orlando found opportunities from beyond the arc and gradually reduced the deficit.
New York still entered halftime with a 52–48 lead, but the momentum was no longer entirely on the Knicks’ side.
What had looked like a potential comfortable victory early was becoming a competitive game.
Third Quarter: New York Holds On (NYK 75–71 ORL)
The third quarter was evenly matched, with both teams scoring 23 points.
Brunson attacked the basket early, while Towns contributed around the rim and helped New York maintain its advantage.
Orlando answered with timely outside shooting.
Bane connected from three-point range, and da Silva followed with important baskets of his own. Anthony Black then drilled a three-pointer to cut New York’s lead to 70–69 with just over three minutes remaining.
The Knicks responded through Towns and Hart, whose late three-pointer pushed New York’s advantage back to six.
Nikola Vučević scored just before the buzzer to bring Orlando within four points.
Entering the final quarter, New York led 75–71.
The Knicks were still in position to secure their first victory of the season. Unfortunately for them, Franz Wagner was about to take over.
Fourth Quarter: Franz Wagner Takes Over (ORL 40–27 NYK)
The final 12 minutes completely changed the game.
Wagner opened the quarter with a driving layup, but New York initially responded well. Towns converted a three-point play, and Anunoby scored seven early points in the period, including a three-pointer.
With 9:20 remaining, the Knicks led 86–76.
A 10-point fourth-quarter advantage at home should have been enough to put New York in a strong position.
Instead, Orlando came roaring back.
Wagner attacked the basket, drew fouls and scored repeatedly around the rim. Jalen Suggs added a floater before Wagner converted a putback to cut the deficit to two.
Then came the turning point.
With 7:25 remaining, Wagner scored through contact and completed the three-point play, giving Orlando an 87–86 lead.
Hart briefly put New York back in front with a three-pointer, but Wagner continued attacking. He converted a reverse layup to tie the game at 89 before scoring again to put Orlando ahead 91–89.
Towns answered with a dunk to tie the contest, but Bane responded with a three-pointer to restore Orlando’s lead.
The Knicks began unraveling offensively, committing costly turnovers and missing opportunities to regain control.
Anthony Black buried a huge three-pointer with 3:26 remaining to extend Orlando’s advantage to 98–91.
Brunson tried to keep New York alive, but Wagner continued making his presence felt, including another offensive rebound and putback with 2:30 remaining.
Orlando controlled the closing minutes, with Bane adding late free throws to secure the 111–102 victory.
The Magic outscored New York 40–27 in the fourth quarter, and Wagner personally scored 21 points in the period.
It was a remarkable turnaround from a player who had scored only two points through the first three quarters.
Key Takeaways
1. Franz Wagner Delivered When Orlando Needed Him Most
Wagner’s final numbers were impressive: 23 points, 13 rebounds and nine assists.
But the story was how he reached those totals.
After shooting just 1-for-10 through the first three quarters, Wagner completely transformed his performance in the fourth. He repeatedly attacked the basket, earned trips to the free-throw line and took advantage of second-chance opportunities.
His 21-point fourth quarter was the difference between Orlando leaving New York winless and securing its first victory.
2. New York’s Three-Point Shooting Was Terrible
The Knicks shot just 9-for-38 from beyond the arc, an abysmal 24%.
Orlando, meanwhile, connected on 18 of its 42 attempts, shooting 43%.
That is a nine-three-pointer difference.
New York actually dominated the paint, outscoring Orlando 52–32, but the Magic’s perimeter shooting more than compensated.
Brunson finished with 28 points but went 1-for-7 from three. Hart shot 3-for-9 from deep, while Towns missed all four of his attempts.
When a team shoots that poorly from outside, protecting a lead becomes much harder.
3. Orlando’s Supporting Cast Stepped Up Without Banchero
Orlando was missing its leading scorer, yet several players stepped forward.
Desmond Bane finished with 22 points and hit four three-pointers. Tristan da Silva contributed 19 points, while Anthony Black delivered 18 points and five assists in his return from an ankle injury.
Black’s shooting was particularly important, including his late fourth-quarter three that gave Orlando a seven-point advantage.
The Magic also overcame losing Jalen Suggs to a knee injury during the fourth quarter.
This was a complete team effort, even if Wagner deserved most of the headlines.
4. The Knicks Have a Serious Fourth-Quarter Problem
New York led by 10 points with fewer than 10 minutes remaining and still lost by nine.
That is unacceptable for a defending championship team.
The Knicks committed eight turnovers in the final quarter, repeatedly giving Orlando opportunities to get back into the game.
Brunson scored 28 points, Towns finished with 22 points and 14 rebounds, and Anunoby added another 22 points.
Those performances should have been enough to put New York in position to win.
Instead, poor execution and Orlando’s late offensive explosion sent the Knicks to another defeat.
5. New York’s Championship Defense Is Off to an Ugly Start
The Knicks are now the first defending NBA champions to lose their first three games since the 2011–12 Dallas Mavericks.
It is still October, and there is plenty of basketball remaining. However, New York cannot simply assume its championship pedigree will solve these problems.
The Knicks have lost to Philadelphia, Boston and now Orlando.
Their next opponent? The Detroit Pistons, who have looked impressive to begin the season.
A fourth consecutive defeat is a real possibility.
Final Thoughts
Orlando deserves tremendous credit for this victory.
Playing without Paolo Banchero, the Magic fell behind 12–0, trailed for much of the evening and still found a way to win on the road.
Franz Wagner’s fourth-quarter performance was outstanding, while the contributions from Bane, Black and da Silva demonstrated Orlando’s depth.
For New York, however, this result raises serious questions.
The defending champions are 0–3, their outside shooting has been unreliable, and their late-game execution continues to disappoint.
The Knicks have the talent to turn things around, but talent alone does not win basketball games.
If New York does not improve quickly, its championship defense could become an uphill battle much earlier than anyone anticipated.
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