Franz Wagner scored 21 points in one quarter and handed NBA champions a historic problem originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
For three quarters Sunday night, Franz Wagner looked like he might be headed for one of his most frustrating offensive performances. The Orlando Magic forward had scored only two points, struggled with his shooting and watched his team fall behind the defending NBA champion New York Knicks.
Then the fourth quarter began.
Wagner scored 21 points in the final period, helping Orlando erase a double-digit deficit and defeat New York 111-102 at Madison Square Garden. The remarkable turnaround gave the Magic their first victory of the season. It also left the Knicks facing an uncomfortable piece of NBA history.
New York became the first defending champion to open a season with three consecutive losses since the Dallas Mavericks in 2011-12.
From a difficult night to an incredible finish
Wagner wasn't finding much success offensively during the opening three quarters. He started the game making just one of his first 10 shots, struggling to generate the kind of production Orlando typically expects from one of its most important players.
Franz Wagner dropped 21 POINTS in Q4 🔥 He finished with 23 PTS, 13 REB (career-high), and 9 AST to lead the @OrlandoMagic to victory on the road! https://t.co/yFwG0wekJ3
— NBA (@NBA) October 26, 2026
The Magic also faced a difficult assignment without Paolo Banchero, their leading scorer.
New York appeared ready to take advantage. The Knicks jumped ahead 12-0 early and eventually built a 10-point lead during the fourth quarter. With 9:20 remaining, OG Anunoby scored to put New York ahead 86-76.
The defending champions seemed positioned to earn their first victory of the season. Instead, Wagner completely changed the game. He scored nine points during an 11-0 Orlando run, helping the Magic take an 87-86 lead with 7:25 remaining.
The momentum never fully returned to New York.
Orlando outscored the Knicks 40-27 in the fourth quarter, including a 35-16 advantage over the final nine-plus minutes. Wagner finished with 23 points, 13 rebounds and nine assists.
His final stat line was impressive, but the distribution of those points made the performance extraordinary. Twenty-one of his 23 points came in the final 12 minutes.
The defending champions have a real problem
New York entered the season with enormous expectations after winning the NBA championship. Three games later, the Knicks are still searching for their first victory.
Jalen Brunson scored 28 points against Orlando, while Karl-Anthony Towns contributed 22 points and 14 rebounds. Anunoby also finished with 22 points.
Those performances should have given New York a reasonable opportunity to win. But the Knicks struggled to protect the basketball when the game became uncomfortable. New York committed eight of its 14 turnovers in the fourth quarter, helping Orlando turn defensive stops into offensive opportunities.
The collapse was particularly frustrating because the Knicks had already established a significant advantage. Instead of finishing the game, New York allowed Wagner to take control. The Knicks haven't won since Game 5 of last season's NBA Finals, a difficult reality for a team trying to begin its title defense.
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Orlando needed someone to take charge
The victory was also significant for Orlando. The Magic entered the game without Banchero and lost Jalen Suggs to a knee injury during the fourth quarter.
Those circumstances could have made another defeat understandable. Instead, Wagner delivered the kind of individual performance that can change the direction of a team's early season.
Anthony Black added 18 points in his return from an ankle injury, while Orlando received important perimeter shooting from Tristan da Silva and Desmond Bane.
The win was the first for the Magic under head coach Sean Sweeney.
For New York, the challenge is avoiding a prolonged championship hangover. For Orlando, Sunday's result provided a reminder that one extraordinary quarter can completely change a game.
Wagner scored two points in the first three quarters. He scored 21 in the fourth. And by the final buzzer, the defending NBA champions were 0-3.