The Setup
Nobody saw this coming. With Franz Wagner and Jalen Suggs out for the sixth straight game, Orlando needed someone to step up. Anthony Black answered in the most spectacular way possible.
The second-year guard dropped a career-high 38 points (14-for-24 shooting, 7-for-11 from three) to lead the Magic past the Denver Nuggets 127-126 on Saturday night. The clutch moment? A steal on Jokić in the final seconds, followed by a layup that sealed the win.
"He set the tone early with 15 points in the first quarter. He was aggressive like we wanted," coach Jamahl Mosley said after the game.
Jokić Was Unstoppable—And It Didn't Matter
Nikola Jokić put up another absurd triple-double: 34 points, 21 rebounds, 12 assists. It was his 180th career triple-double, his 16th this season. Two days after Christmas when he dropped 56-16-15 against Minnesota, the Joker moved within one of Oscar Robertson for second all-time.
Even crazier? This was his eighth career 30-20-10 game. Only Wilt Chamberlain has more (16).
But Jamal Murray's long jumper at the buzzer rimmed out, and Denver absorbed its second straight road loss after winning 11 in a row away from home.
The Comeback
Orlando trailed by 17 in the third quarter. Then Desmond Bane (24 points, 15 in the fourth) and Black orchestrated a ridiculous second-half run.
The Magic shot 67.4% after halftime. Bane hit two clutch free throws with 6.9 seconds left, just after Wendell Carter Jr. (18 points) fouled out on a replay reversal that put Jokić on the line for Denver's final points.
"We played back-to-back and found a way to come back," Mosley said. "That's the mentality we need."
What It Means
Orlando improves to 18-14 and solidifies their sixth-place standing in the East. Denver (22-9) opens a seven-game road trip with a loss, a reminder that even Jokić can't do it alone.
As for Black? At 21 years old, he just announced himself as a legitimate option when the starters go down. This wasn't a fluke. This was a statement.