Orlando, Florida — In a thrilling match on Saturday night, Cole Anthony showcased an impressive performance, scoring 27 of his total 35 points during the second half. His efforts propelled the Orlando Magic to achieve a remarkable comeback, defeating the Miami Heat 121-114 after facing a daunting 25-point deficit. This comeback matches the franchise’s largest in its history, initially set on November 8, 1989, against the Cleveland Cavaliers.

Entering the fourth quarter, the Magic were down by 22 points but managed to dominate that period, outscoring the Heat 37-8. Alongside Anthony’s standout contribution, he also recorded eight rebounds and nine assists. Kentavious Caldwell-Pope added 24 points while Goga Bitadze gathered 18 points and 13 rebounds for Orlando. The team had to navigate significant challenges, losing center Mo Wagner to a knee injury in the first quarter and having center Wendell Carter Jr. ejected before halftime.

For Miami, the duo of Bam Adebayo and Terry Rozier each contributed 23 points, with Tyler Herro adding another 22 to the tally. Wagner’s injury, a left knee issue, forced him out of the game, and guard Jalen Suggs was unable to play after spraining his ankle on Thursday.

Key observations from the match reveal that the Heat struggled offensively without their star player, Jimmy Butler, particularly in the fourth quarter where they relinquished their commanding lead. Meanwhile, after Carter’s ejection due to a goaltending dispute, the Magic had only one player from their season opener against Miami still on the court.

The turning point of the game came when, despite the need to rely on bench players, the Magic surged back from a 22-point deficit to take the lead. This turning point was marked by a pivotal jumper from Caldwell-Pope with just 2:41 left on the clock.

A significant statistic from the game worth noting is that the Heat initially hit eight of their first 17 three-point attempts but then faltered, managing to connect on only one of their next 15 attempts.

Looking ahead, the Miami Heat will host the Brooklyn Nets, while the Orlando Magic will take on the Boston Celtics on Monday night.