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2023-24 NBA Regular Season
New York Knicks v Orlando Magic
Madison Square Garden
New York, New York
Saturday 9 March 2024
Tip-off at 02:30
New York Knicks will be seeking their first victory in four attempts against Orlando Magic this season when they go head to head at Madison Square Garden on the morning of Saturday, March 9.
The Knicks have faced the Magic three times in the last three months, losing on each occasion to extend their winless run against the Southeast Division franchise to four games.
Tom Thibodeau's team didn't have a particularly good February as they won just four of their 11 games and a 116-110 defeat to Atlanta Hawks on March 6 left them fifth in the Eastern Conference.
Miami Heat (6th) and Philadelphia 76ers (7th) are breathing down their necks just 0.5 games back as the race to qualify for the playoffs remains tight.
Donte DiVincenzo led the scoring for the Knicks against the Hawks with 21 points, but they were disappointing from the 3-point line, hitting only 16 of their 52 shots from outside the D.
"It wasn't the game plan. It's just our offense of driving and kicking," DiVincenzo said. "When you look at the whole first half, we were getting good looks, everybody was getting open looks and they weren't falling.
"When they started falling, everyone started to gain confidence and we made those runs. And the fourth quarter just kinda tailed off."
The Magic were impressive last month as they won nine of their 12 games and a 101-89 victory over Charlotte Hornets on March 6 took them up to fourth in the East with an identical record to New York (36-26).
Paolo Banchero scored a game-high 22 points against the Hornets - a fourth straight win for Jamahl Mosley's team, who moved 10 games above .500 for the first time since 18 April 2012.
Mosley credited their recent success to a shift in mentality from his players as Cole Anthony (14), Jonathan Isaac (11), Moritz Wagner (11) and Anthony Black (10) all hit double figures in points off the bench.
"We are holding ourselves to a higher standard. These guys have communicated what that standard is on both sides of the basketball [court]," Mosley said.
"Offensively, we want to make sure we're moving it and sharing it, playing the right way... Defensively, we want to make sure we're communicating the right way and that we're physical without fouling."
New York Knicks v Orlando Magic - Head-to-head, Regular Season
Games played: 129
Knicks wins: 62
Magic wins: 67
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