WASHINGTON \u2013 The Orlando Magic lost 120-112 against the Washington Wizards on Tuesday night after CJ McCollum scored 27 points and steadied the Wizards, who nearly blew a 26-point lead.<\/p>\n
Alex Sarr added 23 points for the young and suddenly competitive Wizards, who have won five of seven. Washington, in the midst of a yearslong rebuild, began the season 3-20 but has gone 7-5 since.<\/p>\n
The Wizards\u2019 inexperience showed after they took an 89-63 lead on Justin Champagnie\u2019s 3-pointer in the third quarter. Orlando cut the deficit to 14 points by the end of the period and continued its rally as Washington began the fourth quarter by going 2 of 10 from the field.<\/p>\n
Goga Bitadze\u2019s layup got the Magic within 107-105 with 5:03 left, and Orlando could sense the biggest comeback victory in franchise history. But McCollum found Sarr for an alley-oop, then followed with a midrange jumper and a 3-pointer to put Washington ahead by nine.<\/p>\n
Another 3 by McCollum made it 117-107 with 1:52 remaining.<\/p>\n
Reserve Jase Richardson led the Magic with 20 points and Desmond Bane scored 15.<\/p>\n
The Magic have not won consecutive games since winning three straight from Nov. 25-Dec. 1, before leading scorer Franz Wagner suffered a high ankle sprain that has sidelined him for the past month. Orlando still entered play leading the Southeast Division and was sixth in the Eastern Conference.<\/p>\n
Orlando was missing another starter in Jalen Suggs, who suffered an MCL contusion in his right knee in a loss at Chicago on Jan. 2. Suggs has not been cleared for on-court activity, coach Jamahl Mosley said before the game.<\/p>\n
Up next<\/p>\n
Magic: At Brooklyn on Wednesday night.<\/p>\n
Wizards: At Philadelphia on Wednesday night.<\/p>\n
___<\/p>\n