In the first quarter of today there are the Magic clinging to the usual Nikola Vucevic (9 points and 7 rebounds after 8 ‘), while the Knicks rely on Payton and Barrett. Then the situation is taken over by rookie Quickley, already at 11 points at the beginning of the second quarter.
Aaron Gordon wakes up and finds the way to the basket already close to the double double, but the Knicks first maintain and then extend the advantage in the middle of the race thanks to Bullock, Barrett and the bomb on Randle’s siren until then in the shade (38-47) .
Always these three push New York even at the beginning of recovery, Orlando continues to be kept afloat only by Vucevic. Payton stretches and brings him to +15, then rookie Bone gives hope and sets the score of the third quarter at 54-66.
At the most beautiful, however, the Knicks make a lot of mistakes and incredibly collapse under the blows of Aaron Gordon (in the smell of triple double), a reinvigorated Ross and the usual Montenegrin Vucevic. 4 ‘from the end the Orlando Magic reopen the game returning up to -1 (75-76), then Ross even drew. Barrett hits 20 + 10 but Ross again from the arc finds the Magic advantage! But it will be Orlando’s penultimate basket. Barrett and Randle close the match in the last two minutes, removing the bogey of Orlando’s mega comeback from -17. Ends with a score of 84-91, MVP an excellent RJ Barrett.
The New York Knicks thus win the first game of this MLK Day and surpass the Magic also in the standings.