Orlando Magic guard Desmond Bane shoots a technical foul shot. Mike Watters-Imagn Images

Desmond Bane, Anthony Black reflect on wild Magic comeback

Originally posted on Orlando Magic on SI
By Jeremy Brener | Last updated Dec 28, 2025 3:30 PM ET

The Orlando Magic are recovering after giving it their all in a 127-126 victory over the Denver Nuggets inside the Kia Center.

The Magic trailed by 14 points at halftime, but they were still able to come out on top with a win to send their fans home happy. They trailed by as much as 17 points, but they kept their composure throughout the contest, which led to the win.

Coming off of a disappointing loss against the Charlotte Hornets the night before, turning the page quickly and bouncing back against a top team in the NBA like the Nuggets is huge.

“I thought it was big time. We lost a game that, you know, we felt like we didn’t come out and have our best performance in. And come back the next night and play a team like this; that’s a championship caliber team. It says a lot about our group and, you know, how resilient we are, and how bad we want to win," Desmond Bane said.

Jaime Valdez-Imagn Images

Magic stay focused in big win

Anthony Black was also a major factor in the win. The third-year guard scored a career-high 38 points and did it all in style. He looked calm, cool and collected for all four quarters and the team relied on him heavily in the win.

“I think, you know, we just did a much better job of controlling what we can control. Like you said, keeping our composure. It was really calm in the timeouts, you know, when the game was going back and forth. That was just a good job by the coaches [of] having us ready and the players did a good job of staying poised and just winning a tough game down the stretch versus a good team," Black said.

Black and the Magic know how to stay in games that they would otherwise be out of if not for their resolve, so that's something they can lean on when times get tough. Knowing that they aren't out of games even when the odds and scoreboard is stacked against them should give the Magic a lot of fuel and ammunition for the final 50 games of the season.

The Magic will now head out on the road for a three-game trip that starts with the game against the Toronto Raptors. Tip-off is scheduled for tomorrow at 7:30 p.m. ET. Fans can watch the game on FanDuel Sports Network or stream it on NBA League Pass.