Luka Doncic’s commanding play lifted the Dallas Mavericks (4-2) to a decisive 108-85 victory over the Orlando Magic (3-4) on Sunday night. Doncic filled the stat sheet with 32 points, nine rebounds, and seven assists.
Dallas took control in the second quarter, outscoring Orlando 30-9 in the first nine and a half minutes and securing a 65-40 lead by halftime. The Mavericks’ largest lead was 33 points.
Orlando struggled offensively without Paolo Banchero, the 2023 Rookie of the Year, who missed his second straight game due to a torn right oblique. Wendell Carter Jr., another key starter, played only nine minutes in the first half before exiting with a plantar fascia strain.
Franz Wagner led the Magic with 13 points, but it was far from enough to keep pace with Dallas. The Magic, who average 111.7 points per game, fell well short of their typical scoring output in the absence of two primary contributors.
Dallas’ supporting cast also delivered strong performances, with Daniel Gafford scoring a season-high 18 points and grabbing eight rebounds. Kyrie Irving contributed 17 points, while rookie Dereck Lively II added 11 points and 11 rebounds off the bench.
The Mavericks’ defense held Orlando to 19.5% shooting from three-point range, as the Magic made only 8 of their 41 attempts. Dallas also outperformed Orlando in the paint, scoring 52 points inside compared to the Magic’s 36.
Orlando’s reserves showed some resilience, with Jett Howard scoring 12 points and Moritz Wagner adding 10. However, their bench contributions weren’t enough to offset the scoring disparity caused by injuries to key players.
