Mavs ride third-quarter outburst to win over Magic


Mar 27, 2025; Orlando, Florida, USA; Orlando Magic forward Wendell Carter Jr. blocks the shot of Dallas Mavericks guard Spencer Dinwiddie (26) in the second quarter at Kia Center. Mandatory Credit: Jeremy Reper-Imagn Images

Jaden Hardy scored 22 points and Anthony Davis added 15 to go along with seven rebounds, fueling the visiting Dallas Mavericks to a 101-92 victory over the Orlando Magic on Thursday.

Hardy sank 7 of 12 shots from the floor — and 5 of 6 from 3-point range — to lift the Mavericks to their third win in their last four games and keep them in the thick of the Western Conference play-in race.

Davis made just 5 of 19 shots in his return from a one-game absence as he works his way back from an adductor issue.

Brandon Williams scored 14 points and Klay Thompson and Max Christie each had 12 for the Mavericks (36-38), who changed the complexion of the game by erupting for a 20-2 run to end the third quarter.

Orlando’s Paolo Banchero finished with 35 points to eclipse the 30-point plateau for the fifth straight game. He also had 10 rebounds as the Magic remained in the No. 8 spot in the Eastern Conference play-in race.

Franz Wagner recorded 20 points and nine rebounds and Anthony Black added 14 off the bench for the Magic (35-39), who saw their three-game winning streak come to a halt.

Banchero’s dunk gave Orlando a 68-57 lead in the third before Dallas scored 17 in a row and 20 of the final 22 points of the quarter. Hardy sank three 3-pointers during the spirited stretch and Davis connected from beyond the arc.

Wagner made a pair of baskets to draw the Magic to within three at 82-79 before the Mavericks went on a 10-1 run. Christie and Thompson each drained a 3-pointer during that run.

Hardy sank his fifth 3-pointer to stake Dallas to a 97-88 lead with 1:53 remaining in the fourth quarter to effectively seal the win.

Banchero scored 17 of Orlando’s 33 points in the second quarter to give his team a 50-43 lead at halftime. He exploited the interior for four quick buckets during the Magic’s 14-5 run to start the second, and he sank three foul shots to cap an 11-2 run to end the quarter.

Dallas center Kai Jones sustained a left hip contusion following a hard fall on an alley-oop in the first quarter. He did not return to the contest.

–Field Level Media

Chris Creamer

Related Posts

Reports: UNC lands Virginia Tech transfer Neoklis Avdalas

Feb 21, 2026; Blacksburg, Virginia, USA; Virginia Tech Hokies guard Neoklis Avdalas (17) celebrates with fans after the game at Cassell Coliseum. Mandatory Credit: Brian Bishop-Imagn Images North Carolina head…

Jannik Sinner tops rival Carlos Alcaraz for another Masters 1000 title

Mar 29, 2026; Miami Gardens, FL, USA; Jannik Sinner of Italy celebrates his victory over Jiri Lehecka of the Czech Republic in the final of the men’s singles at the…

You Missed

South African opposition figure sentenced to five years

  • By admin
  • April 16, 2026
  • 1 views
South African opposition figure sentenced to five years

How the Iran War, Then the U.S. Blockade, Has Changed the Strait of Hormuz: Maps

How the Iran War, Then the U.S. Blockade, Has Changed the Strait of Hormuz: Maps

Four killed in second Turkish school shooting in two days

  • By admin
  • April 15, 2026
  • 2 views
Four killed in second Turkish school shooting in two days

Goldman Sachs makes surprise jump into Bitcoin ETFs with a product one analyst dubs ‘boomer candy’

Goldman Sachs makes surprise jump into Bitcoin ETFs with a product one analyst dubs ‘boomer candy’

Sixteen injured after ex-student opens fire at high school in Turkey

  • By admin
  • April 14, 2026
  • 6 views
Sixteen injured after ex-student opens fire at high school in Turkey

Reports: UNC lands Virginia Tech transfer Neoklis Avdalas

Reports: UNC lands Virginia Tech transfer Neoklis Avdalas