Franz Wagner scored 21 of his 29 points in the first half as the red-hot Orlando Magic seized control late in the second quarter and pulled away in the third for a 123-100 NBA Cup victory over the Brooklyn Nets Friday night in New York.

Wagner’s offensive contributions are critical, especially for a Magic team that ranked 22nd in offensive efficiency last season and has dropped to 25th this season. It was ironic that the Magic beat the Lakers with 3-point shooting given that the Magic are the least accurate 3-point shooting team in the league this season at 30.9 percent.

The Orlando Magic often sound like a broken record when referencing the importance of protecting home court. Fresh off the emotional high of Fra