The Orlando Magic demonstrated their trademark resilience Sunday night, overcoming a 15-point third-quarter deficit to defeat the New Orleans Pelicans 112-108 at Smoothie King Center. This marked the 18th time this season Orlando has rallied from a double-digit deficit to win, the most such comebacks in the NBA.
The victory represented Orlando's largest road comeback of the season and their biggest since erasing a 19-point deficit against Atlanta on February 20, 2025. The Magic's bench players provided the initial spark before the starters closed out the game.
"We talked about finding a way to win the game and that's what these guys did," Orlando coach Jamahl Mosley told reporters after the game.
Guard Desmond Bane highlighted the collective effort, particularly praising Franz Wagner's late-game contributions after the German forward hit a crucial jumper down the stretch. "It was great to see what," Bane told reporters at New Orleans. "You can tell that his swag and his game is coming back quickly."
Bane specifically credited the bench unit for igniting the comeback before the starters finished the job. "And then late down the stretch, our starting group kind of came alive and found ways to make plays," Bane explained.
Star forward Paolo Banchero emphasized the team's cohesion during the challenging moments, simply stating, "We just stuck together."
The Magic improved their record with the victory while demonstrating the comeback mentality that has become their signature this season. Orlando's ability to overcome substantial deficits has made them one of the league's most resilient teams.
Orlando will look to continue their winning ways when they host the Detroit Pistons on Monday, April 6th at Kia Center. The matchup will feature two teams heading in different directions, with the Magic seeking to maintain momentum while the Pistons look to play spoiler.
