The Spurs escaped the Kia Center with a two point victory after DeAaron Fox buried two free throws with 1.4 seconds left following a foul called on Jonathan Isaac at the rim.

Orlando trailed by as many as 15 in the second half but clawed back behind timely shooting from Franz Wagner and aggressive guard play to set up a frantic closing minute.​

Wagner trimmed the deficit with a late three and then converted free throws to pull the Magic within one, setting the stage for Fox to attack Isaac on a drive that produced both a blocked shot and a whistle from the officials. 

After Fox calmly sank both attempts, Wagner’s last look at the rim was denied by Luke Kornet at the buzzer, sealing the result and snapping Orlando’s three game win streak.​

The Isaac whistle under the microscope

Replays showed Isaac meeting Fox high at the glass, appearing to get the ball but also making contact with the guard’s wrist as he rose into his shooting motion. The officiating crew ruled that the contact affected the play, sending Fox to the line for his 30th and 31st points of the night and handing the Spurs their final margin.​

Magic players and fans argued that the contest looked clean enough to pass as a playoff calibre no call, especially given the stakes and the fact that Isaac’s initial timing on the block was impeccable.

Social media reaction split quickly, with some pointing to slow motion angles that highlighted arm contact and others insisting that Isaac had earned the block and that Fox initiated the collision.​

What it means for both teams

For Orlando, the loss stings not just because of the controversy but because a 33 point fourth quarter nearly delivered a signature comeback against one of the West’s early surprise packages. The Magic showed resilience, with Wagner, Jalen Suggs and Desmond Bane all contributing in a balanced attack that repeatedly tested San Antonio’s defense.​

San Antonio, meanwhile, continues to ride Fox’s late game shot creation, as he scored the Spurs final 10 points and once again proved comfortable living at the line in high leverage moments.

Kornet’s game saving block added another layer to a win that will be remembered less for clean execution and more for one whistle that shifted the entire night’s narrative.