Knicks stumble again as defending champs start 0-3 after loss to Orlando Magic

The New York Knicks led by eight points with 8:40 left Sunday night at Madison Square Garden. Then the defending NBA champions watched another one slip away.

The Orlando Magic closed on a 33-16 run to beat the Knicks, 111-102, dropping New York to 0-3. The Knicks are the first defending NBA champions to lose their first three games since the 2011-12 Dallas Mavericks.

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Those Mavericks lost their opener to the Miami Heat, the team they had beaten in the Finals six months earlier. Then they dropped games to Denver and Oklahoma City before beating Toronto.

Orlando did it without its best player. Paolo Banchero sat out with an ankle injury, and Jonathan Isaac was also out.

The Magic made 18 3-pointers. The Knicks made nine on 38 attempts.

Jalen Brunson finished with 28 points on 12-of-28 shooting. OG Anunoby added 22. Orlando’s bench outscored New York’s 47-11.

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New York Knicks honor their NBA title with banner and ring ceremony

A general view as the New York Knicks World Champions banner is raised during the Ring Ceremony prior to the game against the Philadelphia 76ers at Madison Square Garden on Oct. 20, 2026 in New York City. The NBA picked the right game to headline an opening night slate with the New York Knicks welcoming the Philadelphia 76ers to Madison Square Garden.LeBron James begins a new era as he suits up for a Sixers squad with high aspirations. Leaving behind Hollywood for the bright lights of Philadelphia also means a great big spotlight on championship expectations.The Knicks come in rare form, as the defending champions. While Tuesday will be a celebration of last year’s triumph, the first game will go a long way to answer if they are ready to go back-to-back since the Golden State Warriors did so in 2017 and 2018. (Sarah Stier, Getty Images)

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New York Knicks honor their NBA title with banner and ring ceremony

A general view as the New York Knicks World Champions banner is raised during the Ring Ceremony prior to the game against the Philadelphia 76ers at Madison Square Garden on Oct. 20, 2026 in New York City. The NBA picked the right game to headline an opening night slate with…


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Publish date : 2026-10-26 01:55:00

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