Magic rout of Kings overshadowed by Jonathan Isaac knee injury

ORLANDO, Fla. — The Orlando Magic rolled to another win in the NBA restart, but the victory was tempered by another Jonathan Isaac injury.

Terrence Ross finished with 25 points, Nikola Vucevic scored 23 and Aaron Gordon finished with 22 as the Magic continued their torrid offensive play with a 132-116 win over the Sacramento Kings on Sunday at HP Field House at ESPN Wide World of Sports.

Orlando (32-35) wound up shooting 52.4% from the field and the Magic recorded a number of offensive season-highs in what was arguably their best first half of the season.

Vucevic said the performance should serve as the standard for how the Magic should play.

“Tonight we played a good game from both ends of the floor from the beginning,” he said. “We’re trying to play for something bigger than this game. We have to make sure this is what we expect for ourselves.”

Markelle Fultz finished with 14 points, D.J. Augustin had 10 points and eight assists, and Michael Carter-Williams also had 12 points for the Magic, who never trailed and led by as many as 36 points.

Orlando, which tied a seaon-high with 18 3-pointers, is averaging 130.0 points through its first two seeding games.

Isaac’s injury, however, cast a somber mood over the Magic sideline. Some players held their hands on their head as they watched the training staff tend to Isaac as he lay on the floor.

“It was very difficult to see him go down like that again.” Vucevic said.

Isaac was driving to the basket early in the fourth quarter when his left knee — the same one he injured on Jan. 1 in Washington — buckled on the play. There did not appear to be contact from any Kings’ defenders.

Isaac immediately went down on the floor and clutched his left knee as he grimaced in pain. He eventually was taken off the floor in a wheelchair. He will be evaluated further but will not have to leave the Disney bubble, Magic coach Steve Clifford said.

“That was tough. That one brought me to tears instantly just because I know how good of a guy JI is and I know how hard he works and how hard he has worked to get back since hurting himself in D.C.,” Gordon said. “That was tough. I hope it’s just a tweak. I hope it’s nothing serious.”

ESPN’s Marc Spears reported the Magic fear Isaac has a torn ACL.

Isaac missed 31 games while working his way back from the original injury. He made his return in the team’s final scrimmage game of the restart, then played 16 minutes and 30 seconds in Friday’s win over the Nets in the first seeding game.

“I’m hopeful. It looked bad, obviously, but until you hear anything I’m just hopeful, that’s all,” Clifford said.

As was Fultz, who understands how easily the game can be taken away because of injuries. He essentially missed his first two NBA seasons after battling wrist and shoulder issues.

“It was tough seeing it, knowing what he’s been through and knowing the work he put in to get back out here. I immediately, when he went down, I just started to pray for him. We’re hoping everything works out the best for him,” Fultz said. “He’s such a good guy and worked extremely hard to get out there. The whole gym just went quiet when it happened so it was a lot of sadness and we’re praying for the best.”

The Magic moved to 2-0 in seeding games and maintained their half-game lead over the Nets for the seventh spot in the Eastern Conference. Brooklyn beat Washington earlier in the day.

Playing against a team that runs the floor as well as the Kings do, perhaps the most telling statistic was that the Magic didn’t allow a fast-break point until the fourth quarter. The Kings average 13.1 fast-break points a game.

Orlando’s 78 first-half points were a season-high and three off the franchise mark set April 5, 2019, against the Hawks. The Magic, led by a combined 28 points from Ross and Fultz, held a 36-23 edge in bench scoring. At one point, it was a 31-10 advantage.

Fultz knocked down three mid-range jumpers before hitting two 3-pointers as he went 5 of 5 from the field in the first half.

The Magic also tied a franchise record for the most points in the first quarter with 44 after Fultz heaved in a 3-pointer from 52 feet to beat the buzzer.

By that time, the Magic led by 18 points.

The Kings pulled within 47-33 with 10:00 left in the second quarter after a 3 by Kent Bazemore before the Magic reeled off 10 straight points, capped by a 3 from Ross.

Orlando led 78-54 at the half.

The lead reached 36 after two free throws by Khem Birch late in the third quarter.

As he did during Friday’s pregame, Isaac chose to stand for the national anthem as the players and coaches from both teams knelt.

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