NBA

Houston Rockets at Orlando Magic

· National Basketball Association
45-25, 19-15 Away
Final
116 - 108

32-38, 18-17 Home

Green and Sengun lead Rockets to season-best 8th straight win, 116-108 over Magic

Paolo Banchero scores a no-look, off-balance and-1

Fred VanVleet added 19 points for the Rockets, who maintained their second-place position in the Western Conference, ahead of — among others — the surging Los Angeles Lakers and Golden State Warriors.

Paolo Banchero led Orlando with 31 points. Franz Wagner added 20 points, eight rebounds and seven assists for the Magic, and reserve Goga Bitadze had 19 points and eight rebounds.

Takeaways Rockets: Their streak included a six-game homestand. This was only their second road win since Jan. 28.

Magic: After nine losses in 13 games and six straight defeats at home, the Magic stand eighth in the East. Banchero has averaged 33 points over the last four games.

Key moment Green and VanVleet made 3-pointers to open and close a 12-0 run late in the third quarter that left the Rockets with an 80-65 lead.

Key stat The poorest free-throw shooting team in the NBA, the Rockets made 29 of 32 (90.6%) from the foul line.

Up next Rockets: At Miami on Friday.

Magic: At Washington on Friday.

Regular Season Series

HOU wins series 2-0

Recent Plays

4th 0.0 End of Game 116 - 108
4th 0.0 End of the 4th Quarter 116 - 108
4th 1.1 Goga Bitadze offensive rebound 116 - 108
4th 4.1 Franz Wagner misses 25-foot three point step back jumpshot 116 - 108
4th 13.1 Jabari Smith Jr. makes free throw 2 of 2 116 - 108

Statistics

https://a.espncdn.com/combiner/i?img=/i/teamlogos/nba/500/hou.png&h=100&scale=crop&w=100&location=originHOU https://a.espncdn.com/combiner/i?img=/i/teamlogos/nba/500/orl.png&h=100&scale=crop&w=100&location=originORL
38-81 FG 41-92
47 Field Goal % 45
11-35 3PT 9-35
31 Three Point % 26
29-32 FT 17-20
91 Free Throw % 85
46 Rebounds 41
12 Offensive Rebounds 14
34 Defensive Rebounds 27
18 Assists 23
10 Steals 7
5 Blocks 4
15 Turnovers 12
1 Team Turnovers 0
16 Total Turnovers 12
1 Technical Fouls 0
1 Total Technical Fouls 0
0 Flagrant Fouls 0
19 Points Conceded Off Turnovers 14
9 Fast Break Points 7
46 Points in Paint 60
18 Fouls 20
16 Largest Lead 8
Orlando Magic Orlando Magic Injuries
NAME, POS STATUS DATE
Goga Bitadze, C Day-To-Day Dec 23
Tristan da Silva, F Out Dec 23
Jalen Suggs, G Out Dec 23
Moritz Wagner, F Out Dec 19
Franz Wagner, F Out Dec 8
Houston Rockets Houston Rockets Injuries
NAME, POS STATUS DATE
Dorian Finney-Smith, F Out Dec 24
Alperen Sengun, C Day-To-Day Dec 24
Jae'Sean Tate, F Day-To-Day Dec 24
Fred VanVleet, G Out Sep 22

Game Information

Kia Center

Location: Orlando, FL
Attendance: 19,609 · Capacity:

2025-26 Southwest Standings

TEAM W L PCT GB STRK
San Antonio 22 7 .759 - W7
Houston 17 10 .630 4 L2
Memphis 14 16 .467 8.5 W1
Dallas 12 19 .387 11 W1
New Orleans 8 23 .258 15 L1

2025-26 Southeast Standings

TEAM W L PCT GB STRK
Orlando 17 13 .567 - W1
Miami 15 15 .500 2 L3
Atlanta 15 16 .484 2.5 L4
Charlotte 10 20 .333 7 W1
Washington 5 23 .179 11 L2
Full Standings

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