(Basketball news) The Orlando Magic pulled off a major upset as they beat the Denver Nuggets 115-104. For the Magic, Reserves Cole Anthony and Bol Bol each scored 17 points as Wendell Carter Jr. led scoring with 19 points. For the Nuggets, Aaron Gordon had a season-high of 37 points and 14 rebounds against his former team while Nikola Jokic had 29 points, 11 rebounds and six assists, and combined well with Gordon to score all 29 of Denver’s points in the third quarter. Jamal Murray missed a third game with right knee inflammation, and coach Michael Malone indicated it is unlikely Murray will play again until after the All-Star break. After a shaky start to the season the  Magic currently stand 13th in the Eastern Conference with a record of  23-33.

”This second group is starting to really figure it out,” said Cole, who had seven rebounds and seven assists. ”As a unit we’re just really locking in on that defensive end and trying to let our defence spark our offence.”

”Our guys know and get that we can play with anybody in the league, and that’s what we’re going to continue to prove,” Magic coach Jamahn Mosley said. ”That’s how we’re going to continue to play on a nightly basis.”

”The message was simple at halftime – we’re not playing hard enough, we’re not playing physical enough,” said Denver coach Michael Malone. ”They’re outworking us, they’re diving on the floor for loose balls and we’re bending over, trying to pick them up.”

”I think Cole was fantastic tonight,” said Mosley. ”He did such a great job or us being able to push the pace … a big part is him just being himself, being aggressive early, attacking, and being able to break the defence down.”

The Los Angeles Lakers lost their second game in a row against the Milwaukee Bucks as they beat them 115-106. For the Bucks, Giannis Antetokounmpo had 38 points and 10 rebounds, as they rallied in the second half for their ninth consecutive victory as Khris Middleton scored 22 points and Jrue Holiday added 18 points. The Bucks matched their longest winning streak since their 9-0 start to this season as Milwaukee is favourite in the East during the postseason after adding veteran Jae Crowder to its talented core at the trade deadline. For the Lakers, Dennis Schroder had 25 points and 12 assists as did Anthony Davis had 23 points and 16 rebounds. 

”Our offense has been better for this stretch,” coach Mike Budenholzer said. ”Tonight we did not shoot it well, but I think generally speaking, we’ve been shooting the ball better. I think it’s been our unselfishness, the way the ball has moved, the pop that we’re playing with. Getting Khris healthy makes a big difference, so it’s a little bit of everything. It’s hard to keep a stretch like this going, but we want to keep pushing.”

”We’ve just got to put everything together,” said Anthony Davis, who had 23 points and 16 rebounds while battling foul trouble. ”Obviously we know what we have on paper. We’ve got to put it to the floor. We’re behind the 8-ball, so we’ve got to do it with some urgency. These guys coming in are ready to get going.”

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