The Orlando Magic secured their third straight victory Friday night, defeating the Brooklyn Nets 105–98 in their second NBA Cup matchup. While Orlando received major scoring contributions from Franz Wagner and Tristan da Silva, head coach Jamahl Mosley pointed to the impact of veteran guard Tyus Jones — despite Jones finishing scoreless in the win.
Mosley emphasized that Jones’ value goes well beyond his point total, noting the importance of the guard’s decision-making and steadiness in orchestrating the second unit.
“What I liked from Tyus tonight was that he was able to run that second unit in a good portion of it,” Mosley said. “It doesn’t have to be about scoring every time. It has to be about making the right play… that’s a winning play. Whether he scores 2, 10, 0, he’s trying to find ways to help this team win, and that experience and that leadership for our team is gonna be very important as we go down the stretch.”
Jones logged 13 minutes, attempted two shots, and finished with three steals, two assists, and one rebound. Though his offensive numbers remain well below his career averages, Mosley reiterated the guard’s reliability and understanding of game flow as critical components to Orlando’s bench structure.
Jamahl Mosley points to Tyus Jones’ leadership as key in Magic’s NBA Cup win over the Nets
The 29-year-old signed with the Magic on a one-year minimum deal during the offseason. Through 13 games, he is averaging 1.5 points and 1.4 assists while shooting 29% from the field and 11.8% from three — all career lows. Last season with the Phoenix Suns, Jones played a significantly larger role, averaging 10.2 points, 5.3 assists, and 2.4 rebounds across 81 games, including 58 starts.
Offensively, the Magic were carried by Wagner, who posted 25 points, six rebounds, and five assists on 7-for-17 shooting in 37 minutes. Da Silva added 22 points and nine rebounds while hitting five of his nine three-point attempts, continuing his recent stretch of efficient play.
The Magic overcame 19 turnovers by holding Brooklyn to 16 points in the fourth quarter, leaning on defensive execution to compensate for their uneven offensive performance.
With the win, Orlando improved to 7–6, climbing above .500 for the first time since opening night against the Miami Heat. The team now travels for a brief road matchup against the Houston Rockets (8–3) on Sunday at 7 p.m. ET before returning home Tuesday to begin a three-game homestand against the Golden State Warriors (8–6).
