Kings 136, Magic 111: Orlando allows Kings to set franchise-record in threes made

The Orlando Magic reached the midpoint of the season Monday.

But their defense was not in midseason form as they allowed the Sacramento Kings to make a franchise record 23 threes in a 136-111 win over the Magic. That dropped Orlando’s record to 15-26, which still leaves them on pace for their first 30-win season since 2019-2020.

The Magic entered looking to open their five-game West Coast road trip with a second-straight win, but it was clear early on that it was going to be a rough defensive night. They allowed the Kings to shoot just over 70 percent in the first quarter, as they scored inside (20 points in the paint) and outside (7 of 11 from three). The Kings dropped 41 points in the first quarter without attempting a single free throw and built a 12-point lead. Harrison Barnes and Domantas Sabonis each scored nine in the quarter while combining to shoot 8-for-9. The Magic shot 54.2 percent in the quarter, with Markelle Fultz going 4-for-4 from the field for eight points, but Orlando trailed 41-31 after the first.

A 7-2 Kings run to open the second increased the lead to 15 as the Magic were held to one field goal over the first four-plus minutes of the quarter. The Magic answered with a 9-2 run, capped by a Franz Wagner three, to trim the deficit to 48-40 with just under seven minutes left in the half. After Barnes scored six straight for the Kings, Banchero and Murray exchanged threes (one of three in the quarter for Murray). Malik Monk followed with a three-point play en route to the Kings building a 72-52 lead going into the break.

The Kings shot 12-for-26 from three in the half while the Magic went just 4-for-20. Barnes didn’t miss a shot, going 7-for-7 in the half for 17 points.

The lead reached as many as 24 early in the third before Gary Harris, Franz Wagner and Paolo Banchero each hit threes over a one-minute span to cut it to 81-63.

The Magic soon went on a 12-2 run, capped when Wendell Carter Jr. blocked a hook shot by Domantas Sabonis and then drained a three at the other end to bring Orlando within 89-77 with 4:40 left in the third. Out of a Kings timeout, Keegan Murray answered with a three and Davion Mitchell soon added another from the corner to push the Sacramento lead up to 92-77.

The Magic were then limited to just two field goals over the next four-plus minutes. The Kings closed the quarter on an 11-2 run, capped by back-to-back three-point plays, as the lead grew back to 23 at 107-84 by the end of the third.

The lead reached 31 points in the fourth.

The Kings shot 50 percent from three in the win, going 23 of 46.

That was led by Barnes, who finished with 30 points and went 6-for-7 from deep. Murray went 5 of 6 from three for 15 points. The Kings shot 53.6 percent overall, had seven players in double figures and assisted on 39 of 52 made field goals.

The Magic shot 45.6 percent, going just 14 for 44 from three. Banchero had a team-high 17 points. Fultz and Wagner each added 16. Suggs had 14 points off the bench.

The Magic complete a back-to-back Tuesday night against the Portland Trail Blazers.