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October 17, 2026 at 6:06 AM UTC

Postgame Report

Magic Rout Heat 136-115, but Penda's Hamstring Overshadows Preseason Finale

Orlando closed its preseason with a 21-point win over Miami, though Noah Penda's right hamstring injury after two minutes clouds the opener against Atlanta.

Giannis and Bam sit, as Heat closes preseason with loss to Magic. Takeaways and details — Miami Herald
Giannis and Bam sit, as Heat closes preseason with loss to Magic. Takeaways and details — Miami Herald

The score was the easy part of the night in Orlando. The Magic beat the Heat 136-115 in the preseason finale, and the thing people carried out of the building was Noah Penda's right hamstring. He played two minutes, did not score, and did not return. His availability for the season opener against Atlanta is now an open question, which is an unwelcome one for a second-year forward who was expected to see a bigger role this year.

Jamal Cain took Penda's place and made the most of it, finishing with 14 points and five rebounds in 16 minutes. If Penda is out for any stretch, Cain looks like the first man in line to absorb those minutes. Paolo Banchero led the Magic with 24 points, Desmond Bane added 23 in 24 minutes, and Nikola Vucevic had 13 points and seven rebounds. Franz Wagner stuffed the sheet with 11 points, six rebounds and six assists in 19 minutes.

As preseason games go, this one was about health and rotations more than the final number, and the 21-point margin said little beyond that Orlando's depth outscored Miami's. Ryan Conwell was the busiest player on the floor at 30 minutes, and he gave the Heat 21 points and seven assists. Nick Richards grabbed 11 rebounds, though he scored nine. Klay Thompson went scoreless in 15 minutes, a footnote on a night when Miami never got close.

Penda, for his part, sounded like someone who has already thought about how long a season runs. "It's 82 games, 82-plus games. Of course, there's going to be highs, there's going to be lows, and there's going to be injuries," he said. It is a sensible way to frame it. The Magic will find out soon enough how much of that talk they need to put into practice.

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