Game-winner pushes Magic past Cooper Flagg, Mavericks

This isn't Magic-related, but Dallas Mavericks rookie sensation Cooper Flagg returned from an eight-game absence against Orlando. He suffered a foot sprain before the All-Star break, visiting Kia Center for the first time in his pro career.

Flagg had to shake off some early rust. But he still played well, scoring 18 points with six rebounds and five assists. The shot wasn't quite falling, but he was most impactful on the defensive end, where he had four emphatic rejections, becoming the first rookie since Victor Wembanyama to record this stat line.

Even with his recent absence, the Mavericks rookie remains the favorite to win this year's Rookie of the Year award. You could feel his impact on both ends of the floor throughout the night, despite the result.

Magic avoid another late collapse:

The Magic's recent second half struggles are well-documented at this point.

This time, it arrived in the fourth quarter for Orlando, who missed 16 of its first 21 fourth-quarter attempts. Leading by as much as 11, Dallas crawled back and took a four-point lead courtesy of Flagg's three-point play with 37.3 seconds left.

However, Jalen Suggs was the team's hero. He knocked down a wide-open wing 3-pointer before dishing out a dime to Wendell Carter Jr., who flushed the game-winning two-handed slam to give Orlando the lead with 1.4 seconds left.

Magic fans can now exhale. You never apologize for a win -- ever! -- even if it makes you want to rip your desk into a million different pieces.

A strong finish to homestand:

Following two terrible losses to the Houston Rockets and Detroit Pistons, the Magic closed their four-game homestand on a high note with wins over Washington and Dallas.

At the end of the day, 2-2 looks a lot better than 1-3, even though it's just a one-game difference. Orlando has one of the league's tougher schedules down the stretch. So any chance it has to build momentum is important -- especially in Franz Wagner's absence.

Bonus: How did this shot go in?

I don't know what law of energy (or physics) this play applies to, but look at this dandy!

Every night, you see something new that you never thought you'd see. This fits that description!

More Orlando Magic OnSi Stories:

• Magic Spoil Cooper Flagg's Return in Stunning Finish
• Orlando Magic make two-way player decisions
• Latest report rekindles rumors regarding Paolo Banchero, head coach
• Dallas Mavs' star rookie Cooper Flagg expected to return vs. Orlando Magic