Entering Tuesday’s game against the Wizards, the Magic knew they’d already be without Franz Wagner, who is managing an extended rehab of a left high ankle sprain.

Then, in the hours leading up to tip-off, Orlando learned it would also be without Anthony Black (right quad contusion) for the second game in a row and Wendell Carter Jr. (left ankle soreness) while hosting Washington inside Kia Center.

Those absences, however, weren’t a problem for Jamahl Mosley’s squad when it used a big third quarter to capture a 126-109 victory over the Southeast Division foe behind Paolo Banchero’s game-high 37 points.

Up three at the break, the Magic opened the third frame on a 12-2 run and ultimately outscored Washington 40-27 in the 12-minute stretch en route to the 17-point win.

“We challenged these guys after halftime to be ready to go,” Mosley said after the game. “We didn’t close out that second quarter the way we would have liked to. That was a great talking point at halftime. How did we want to respond?

“And they did a great job of responding in that third quarter with what we’ve been talking about,” he added. “The guys took on that challenge and it was great for them to be able to break the game open that way.”

Dealing with a plethora of injuries themselves, the Wizards only had nine players available while playing on the second night of a back-to-back.

Washington (16-45) had trouble taking care of the ball as Orlando scored 23 points off 14 takeaways.

The Magic (32-28) wrap up their four-game homestand Thursday against the Mavericks.

Banchero’s big night

After taking just 10 total shots from the floor against the Pistons, Banchero was more aggressive penetrating the paint early and often searching to attack the Wizards’ lack of size.

Scoring 13 of the team’s first 21 points, the Magic forward posted an efficient 18 points in the first half on 7 for 10 shooting from the field.

“I just wanted to be aggressive,” he said. “They were showing me single coverage so I thought I could just take advantage of that.”

And Banchero did just that when he kept it up in the second half, scoring 31 points in his first 27 minutes of action. Notching 30-plus points for eighth time this season, he added six assists and five rebounds.

Rest of starters

Without Wagner, Black and Carter, Mosley inserted Tristan da Silva and Goga Bitadze into the opening lineup alongside regulars Jalen Suggs, Desmond Bane and Banchero against Washington.

Bitadze, who had fallen out of Orlando’s rotation as of late, last played Feb. 21 at Phoenix. Starting for just the second time this season, the Magic center notched nine points, six rebounds and three assists in 21 minutes.

“That is the reason why Goga Bitadze is an absolute pro,” Mosely said about the reserve center. “He represents exactly what we need to have happen when your number is called, and he did that.”

Following a scoreless first quarter, Bane (25 points) got going in the second by attacking the basket and getting to the free throw line. Behind an 8 for 8 start at the charity stripe, he notched 14 first-half points.

Bane sunk two 3-pointers in the third quarter to help notch 20-plus points for the 32nd time in a Magic uniform.

In his third game back from a back injury, Suggs was more selective attacking his spots on the floor, scoring 10 points on 5 for 9 shooting with a team-high nine assists in 27 minutes.

Difference from distance

After shooting 10 for 36 (27.8%) from 3-point range against the Pistons, the Magic had an up-and-down night from distance.

Banchero made the team’s lone 3-pointer in the first half when Orlando opened 1 for 11 from beyond the arc. Behind triples from Bane and da Silva, the Magic rebounded with a 5 for 7 showing in the third quarter and 4 for 7 performance in the fourth to finish 10 for 25 (40%) on the night.

“We put our work in,” Bane said about the team’s 3-point shooting. “We were in the gym this morning. We were in the gym yesterday. It’s something Jevon talks about too, just trusting your shot, trusting your shot.

“We shot basically the same amount in both halves so I liked that we remained aggressive and continued to take the open ones,” he added.

Washington wasn’t much better from the start when it shot 3 for 14 before the break and it ended 7 for 32 (21.9%) on the road.

Rookie watch

First-round pick Jase Richardson entered the game halfway through the first quarter but missed his first pair of triples. He also fouled Washington’s Sharife Cooper on the perimeter in the closing moments of the opening quarter, gifting Cooper three free throws.

Richardson was scoreless in 13 minutes with two assists.

Second-round pick Noah Penda (five points, five rebounds) started the second quarter and played the opening five minutes of the frame. His night was highlighted by a tough finish around the basket when he converted an early and-one attempt.

Jason Beede can be reached at jbeede@orlandosentinel.com