Sochan’s double-double leads Spurs past Magic 132-114
SAN ANTONIO (AP) — Jeremy Sochan had 29 points and 10 rebounds and the San Antonio Spurs had a franchise-high 22 3-pointers and season-high 39 assists in a 132-114 win over the Orlando Magic on Tuesday night.
San Antonio center Zach Collins added 25 points, six rebounds and five assists. The Spurs are 6-27 in 2023, but have now won four of seven.
Orlando rookie Paolo Banchero had 27 points and Wendell Carter Jr. added 16 points. The Magic have lost five of their last seven games in their push for a berth in the postseason play-in tournament.
Sochan returned from a one-game absence, but the Spurs were without Keldon Johnson, Malaki Branham, Tre Jones, Rome Langford.
San Antonio responded with its best shooting game of the season, making 57% of its shots from the field and going 22 fof 41 from 3-point range.
Collins was 3 for 3 on 3-pointers as he continues his career rejuvenation after playing just 29 games the previous three seasons. Collins, who had two surgeries on his left foot following another surgery to repair a torn left labrum, sat out all of 2021.
San Antonio had 19 assists in the first half, which was eight off their average per game.
Sandro Mamukelashvili had consecutive alley-oop passes to Sochan. The first led to a one-handed dunk by Sochan that gave the Spurs a 62-54 lead with 2:38 remaining in the first half. They teamed up for another alley-oop dunk 36 seconds later.
TIP-INS
Magic: Banchero was averaging 24 points in his previous five games. … Orlando’s last victory in San Antonio was 117-110 on Nov. 4, 2018. … F Franz Wagner made his 68th start this season after being listed as questionable with a sprained right ankle. Wagner had 11 points and two rebounds in 28 minutes.
Spurs: San Antonio’s previous high for 3-pointers was 18, set against the Los Angeles Lakers on Nov. 26. … Johnson has missed two straight games with sore left foot. … C Charles Bassey did not play in the second half after suffering a left knee injury. Bassey remained on his back for about 45 seconds after blocking Jalen Suggs’ attempted layup to the close of the first quarter. Bassey appeared to land awkwardly, but rose on his own and went to the bench to close the quarter. Bassey returned to play 3:42 in the second quarter, but did not play in the second half.
UP NEXT Magic: At Phoenix on Thursday.
Spurs: Host Dallas on Wednesday.
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