Myron Gardner saved his best for the brightest stage.
The Osceola Magic forward exploded for a postseason career-high 30 points, including 21 in the second half, to power Osceola past the Stockton Kings 129-118 in Game 1 of the NBA G League Finals presented by YouTube TV on Tuesday night. With the win, the Magic take a commanding 1-0 series lead and head west with a chance to clinch their first-ever G League title on Friday in Stockton.
Gardner wasn’t just filling up the stat sheet—he was everywhere. In addition to his scoring outburst, he collected six steals and served as the emotional anchor in a game that saw both teams deadlocked at 60-60 at halftime.
“This group just understands when someone’s hot, you feed him,” said Head Coach Dylan Murphy. “Tonight, it was Myron. I was just standing there watching them call plays for each other. Even Mac [McClung] was saying, ‘We need to get it to Myron.’ That’s what we did.”
Mac McClung, no stranger to playoff heroics, poured in 29 points and added seven assists, serving as the perfect complement to Gardner’s hot hand. Ethan Thompson provided a crucial spark to open the third quarter, scoring eight of the team’s first 12 points after the break to help the Magic pull away for good.
On the other side, Terry Taylor led the Kings with 28 points on 11-of-18 shooting, while Skal Labissière contributed a strong 18-point, 10-rebound double-double. Despite the loss, Stockton will have a chance to even the series at home.
What’s Next:
The Finals shift to Adventist Health Arena in California on Friday, April 11, where the Magic can secure the title with a win in Game 2. Tipoff is set for 10 p.m. ET on ESPNews.
If needed, Game 3 will return to Osceola Heritage Park on Monday, April 14 at 8 p.m. ET, airing live on ESPN2. The first 1,000 fans in attendance will receive a limited-edition G League Finals t-shirt, courtesy of AdventHealth.
Tickets for Game 3 (if necessary) are available at OsceolaMagic.com/playoffs or by calling 407-447-2140.
With momentum on their side and a team-first mentality that’s clicked all postseason long, the Osceola Magic are just one win away from championship glory.
