Paolo Banchero Struggles as Magic Fall: “They Kicked Our Ass”
Tough night for Paolo Banchero as the Orlando Magic collapse against the 76ers in the Play-In. A disappointing performance now sends Orlando into a win-or-go-home matchup with the Hornets.
A rough blow for Paolo Banchero and the Orlando Magic, who fall 109-97 to the Philadelphia 76ers in the first round of the NBA Play-In Tournament. Orlando never truly controlled the game: the Magic failed to win a single quarter, with their best stretch being a 31-31 tie in the second period.
The biggest issue was the underwhelming performances from the team’s two stars, Banchero and Franz Wagner, both of whom struggled. The Italian-American forward finished with 18 points but shot poorly (7-of-22 from the field and 0-of-5 from three), while Wagner had just 12 points and never connected from beyond the arc.
It wasn’t just the shooting numbers: Banchero also committed 6 turnovers and posted a minus-17 plus/minus, statistics that reflect just how difficult it was for him to make a real impact on the game.
After the loss, Banchero did not make excuses and offered a blunt assessment:
They were great – they kicked our ass. I think I had a couple good looks early in the second half that I passed up. When you do that, the basketball gods punish you. Then I had two more good shots that felt good but didn’t go in. It was definitely a frustrating night for me
Paolo Banchero
Now the Magic have no margin for error: a do-or-die game against the Charlotte Hornets, who are coming off a win over the Miami Heat and are one of the hottest teams in the league right now. The season series also favors Charlotte, with Orlando losing three of four meetings.
Banchero is already looking ahead with urgency:
I have to be ready, we all have to be ready. We need to go in with a clear mind and focus only on doing whatever it takes to win, no matter what
Paolo Banchero
On the line is the final spot in the NBA Playoffs, where the Detroit Pistons await.