Heat fall to 0-4 vs. Magic with 133-124 setback

Ira Winderman, South Florida Sun Sentinel on Jan 28, 2026

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MIAMI — Yes, the Orlando Magic have the Miami Heat’s number.

So make it 4-0 for the Magic against the Heat this season with their 133-124 victory Wednesday night at Kaseya Center, a run that also includes an NBA Cup victory.

Actually, make it 6-0 if you choose to add a couple of Heat preseason losses to the Magic.

As in the case of the previous regular-season losses to the Magic, there were moments of Heat dominance. As in those previous losses, there also were moments in the second half when the Magic simply brushed the Heat aside.

So the momentum of those weekend victories at the end of the five-game western swing lost, instead another miserable third quarter and precious few quality Heat performances on a night the Magic scored 62 points in the paint.

Bam Adebayo did his part for the Heat, with 21 points, 12 rebounds and seven assists, with Simone Fontecchio adding 23 points for the Heat and Norman Powell 20.

Otherwise, too many flat performances to produce anything tangible.

The Heat again played in the injury absences of Tyler Herro (ribs) and Davion Mitchell (shoulder), with the Magic without Franz Wagner (ankle).

The Heat meet one more time this season, March 14 at Kaseya Center.

Five Degrees of Heat from Wednesday night’s game:

— 1. Game flow: The Magic led 34-27 after the opening period, with the Heat then storming back to a 68-59 halftime lead. The Magic then reversed the momentum in the third, taking a 99-88 lead into the fourth.

The Heat then went down 13 early in the fourth, before closing within 107-104 with 8:27 to play on an Adebayo 3-pointer.

From there, the Magic pushed back to a 117-114 lead with 6:32 to play, with the Heat closing within 128-122 with 1:25 to play on a Powell 3-point play, points that ultimately prove too little too late.

— 2. Where’s Ware?: After Kel’el Ware missed the previous four games with a hamstring strain, returned to practice Tuesday, and then was cleared two hours prior to tipoff, he was utilized as a 10th man, not entering until 7:36 remained in the second period.

Instead, Nikola Jovic entered initially in place of Adebayo and later played alongside Adebayo. In addition to starting Adebayo, Norman Powell, Andrew Wiggins, Pelle Larsson and Kasparas Jakucionis, Heat coach Erik Spoelstra then played Jovic, Jaime Jaquez Jr., Dru Smith and Fontecchio off the bench ahead of Ware.

Ware played only 4:25 in the first half, then getting a three-minute stint in the third quarter.

He closed with four points and four rebounds in seven minutes.

— 3. Simone sizzle: Fontecchio scored 14 points in his opening 10-minute stint, shooting 3 of 4 on 3-pointers during that run.

Fontecchio also was active on the boards, as he has been recently, with four rebounds during that initial stint.

Fontecchio stood with 17 points at halftime.

He now has scored in double figures in six of last seven appearances, after failing to do so in his previous 11.

— 4. Bench boosts: With Powell showing the drain of being the sole wing-scoring focus for most of the season in Herro’s absence, the Heat got needed bench boosts from Jaime Jaquez Jr. and Dru Smith.

Jaquez again was solid in attack mode, while Smith outplayed Jakucionis, earning the late minutes at point guard.

Jaquez and Smith each closed with 13 points.

— 5. And now non-stop Bulls hit: The focus will be singular for the Heat the balance of this run of four games in five nights, with a Thursday night game in Chicago and then home games against the Bulls on Saturday and Sunday nights.

The Bulls also will be playing on the second night of a back-to-back set on Thursday night, after losing 113-110 Wednesday night in Indiana, a game that was over before the Heat began their fourth quarter against the Magic.