Orlando Magic 111, New York Knicks 102: a 40-point fourth and 18 threes

The Knicks took a four-point lead into the fourth quarter at Madison Square Garden on Sunday and lost by nine. The Orlando Magic scored 40 in the final period, and the gap at the three-point line did the rest: Orlando made 18 threes, New York made nine. That is 27 points from deep, and the final margin was nine.

The loss dropped the New York Knicks to 0-3. Full prices and line history are on the game page.

How it was won

New York started well. A 28-21 first quarter and a 24-27 second left the Knicks up 52-48 at the half, and the teams split the third 23-23. New York's largest lead was 12; it entered the fourth ahead 75-71.

The fourth went 40-27 to Orlando. The Magic's largest lead, 11, came late, and the Knicks could not answer from outside.

The box score tells a clear story. New York owned the paint, 52 points to 32, and still lost because it shot 9-of-38 from three. Orlando went 18-of-42. Both teams made 38 field goals; the Knicks needed 93 attempts to Orlando's 88. Turnovers were level at 16 each. Free throws were close too, with each side making 17, though New York took three more attempts.

Orlando also won the glass, 49 rebounds to 45, and had 29 assists to the Knicks' 26.

Franz Wagner ran the game for the Magic with 23 points, 13 rebounds and nine assists. Desmond Bane added 22 points on 4-of-9 from three, and Tristan da Silva scored 19 on 5-of-9 from deep. Between them, Bane and da Silva made nine threes, as many as the entire Knicks roster.

Jalen Brunson led New York with 28 points but went 1-of-7 from three. OG Anunoby scored 22 and was the one Knick who found range, 3-of-6. Karl-Anthony Towns had 22 points and 14 rebounds, a lot of that work coming inside, where New York did its damage all night.

Against the number

The Knicks closed as 6.5-point favorites, and the Magic won outright. Orlando covered by 15.5, and anyone holding the Magic moneyline at +220 was paid. New York had been -270.

The total closed at 224.5 and the teams combined for 213, an under by 11.5. The first three quarters produced 146 points, well below the pace the market expected, and even Orlando's 40-point fourth only brought the game partway back. New York's 29 missed threes were the main reason the total never got close.

What's next

The Knicks have played once since this loss, beating the Detroit Pistons 111-97 at home for their first win. That brings them to 1-3, after defeats to the Philadelphia 76ers (106-100), the Boston Celtics (107-103) and Orlando.

New York goes to the Chicago Bulls on Wednesday, October 28, on NBA League Pass. After a 9-of-38 night from three against Orlando, the perimeter shooting is the thing to watch.

Orlando left New York at 2-2 after the win. Its next game was not part of the material we had for this recap; prices for upcoming Magic games will be on the team page.