Orlando Magic Maul Knicks at MSG — Wagner Shines

The Knicks stumbled at MSG, falling 124-107 to the Orlando Magic, and coach Mike Brown didn’t soften the blow: “They kicked our ass; it’s as simple as that.” Orlando dominated the glass (49-37), held New York to 30.6% from three and absorbed a limited Paolo Banchero, while Franz Wagner and Desmond Bane filled the stat sheet. Jalen Brunson’s 31 wasn’t enough, and the loss highlights a worrying 0-3 road mark with a five-game road trip looming. Merlin sees a team built for Broadway struggling away from the bright lights. This was less a single bad night than a reminder New York needs more rebounding, interior toughness and scoring beyond Brunson to be a true top-seed threat. Fix those gaps on the road and the Knicks’ ceiling rises quickly.