Anthony Davis turned a one-point halftime lead into Washington’s winning chapter Monday night. The veteran big man scored 27 points and controlled the paint as the Wizards beat the Magic 103-94 in Orlando. Washington arrived at 3-3, trying to show its new group could win tough road games. Orlando entered at 2-4, looking to build momentum at home. Instead, Davis and the Wizards found their strongest answer after the break.

The game began as a fast, back-and-forth race. Franz Wagner opened the scoring with a running layup, but Davis quickly answered from close range, then buried a three-pointer to tie it 5-5. Washington’s young forward AJ Dybantsa attacked the rim, while KyShawn George knocked down big jumpers. Orlando answered with sharp ball movement. Wagner hit a three, and forward Cain drilled another to tie the score 8-8.

Neither team could pull away in the first quarter. Orlando’s second unit gave the home team a lift when guard Carter hit a step-back three and center Vucevic later buried a three of his own. Wagner finished the quarter with a driving layup, then set up Carter for a layup at the buzzer. Orlando led 33-28 after one.

Washington punched back early in the second. Trae Young made two deep three-pointers, using his quick shot to help the Wizards erase the gap. Dybantsa added a tip-in dunk, showing why his hustle around the rim mattered. Still, Orlando kept answering. A Magic guard’s dunk pushed the lead to nine, and Bane’s three later tied it 51-51.

The final minutes before halftime became a tug-of-war. Wagner floated in a short shot, center Carter slammed an alley-oop dunk, and Davis answered with a smooth floater. Davis then made two free throws with 14.9 seconds left, but Wagner drove for a layup just before the horn. Washington carried only a 60-59 lead into the locker room.

Then Davis took over. He scored a pullup jumper to start the third-quarter push, grabbed rebounds, and made another basket inside as Washington’s defense squeezed Orlando. The Magic scored just nine points in the whole quarter. George hit a long three, center Ayton finished a dunk, and Washington’s lead grew to 71-63. A three by guard Carrington and a Young layup finished a 19-9 quarter that left the Wizards ahead 79-68.

Orlando fought back in the fourth. Forward da Silva made a three, Bane hit two from deep, and Wagner completed a three-point play to cut the lead to 85-82. But every time the Magic neared, Washington had a reply. George scored from 13 feet, Davis hit a pullup jumper, and Dybantsa sealed the push with a steal and dunk. Late alley-oop dunks by Coulibaly made the finish clear.

George scored 22 points, while Dybantsa added 21 and six free throws without a miss. Young supplied nine assists, helping Washington pile up 26 as a team. Wagner scored 24 and Bane had 20, but Orlando’s 17 turnovers gave the Wizards too many extra chances. Washington is now 4-3 and heads to face Atlanta. Orlando falls to 2-5 before meeting Phoenix, with this game showing how quickly a close contest can swing when a defense takes control.

Anthony Davis Powers Washington’s Third-Quarter Breakaway in Orlando