Magic fight back to beat Nuggets behind Anthony Black's career game

Jason Beede, Orlando Sentinel on Dec 27, 2025

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ORLANDO, Fla. — After his team fell to the Hornets less than 24 hours earlier, coach Jamahl Mosley wanted the Magic to throw the first punch and play with more aggression against the Nuggets on Saturday inside Kia Center.

Playing on the second night of a back-to-back, Anthony Black provided that aggression as he notched a career-high 38 points to help power Orlando to a 127-126 comeback victory over Denver.

In a contest that featured 13 lead changes, the Magic trailed by as many as 17 points in the third quarter before they stormed back. They turned defense into offense and scored 27 points off 17 Denver turnovers.

Three-time league MVP Nikola Jokic recorded his 16th triple-double of the season, racking up 34 points, 21 rebounds and 12 assists.

Jokic’s free throws with 11.9 seconds left put the Nuggets ahead 126-125, but it was a pair of clutch free throws from Desmond Bane (24 points) that served as the go-ahead points with 6.9 seconds left.

Playing without Franz Wagner (left high ankle sprain) and Jalen Suggs (left hip bruise) for the sixth consecutiive game, Orlando allowed Denver (22-9) to have five other scorers end in double figures, including Jamal Murray, who finished with 24 points.

Murray, however, missed a fadeaway jumpshot that would have delivered the win for his team in the final moments.

The Magic (18-14) hit the road again for a three-game trip when they head to Toronto on Monday.

Black’s big night

Fresh off 24 points against the Hornets, Black scored 13 of Orlando’s first 17 points, starting 3 for 4 from beyond the arc and posting 15 points in the first quarter. The second-year pro slowed down in the second quarter, scoring one more point before the half and picking up his third foul at the 5:04 mark.

His fourth foul at the 9:50 mark of the third quarter didn’t slow him down from adding 13 points in the frame.

Black accounted for seven of Orlando’s 10 made 3-pointers. The team shot 10 for 29 (34%) from distance.

Bane and Banchero

The Nuggets made life difficult for Bane and Paolo Banchero by often throwing double teams and blitzes in their direction.

The pair combined for just nine points in the first half on 10 shots from the floor, but both were key to Orlando’s success after the break.

Bane continued to attack downhill, which helped him find a groove and get to free-throw line, where he shot 10 for 10. He scored 20-plus points for the 16th time this season.

Banchero ended with 12 points, six rebounds and six assists in 36 minutes.