Orlando Magic power forward Paolo Banchero of Seattle, Washington delivered one of the biggest shots of his National Basketball Association career on Wednesday in a 104-103 Magic overtime win over the Brooklyn Nets. Banchero made a three-point jump shot from 26 feet in a 104-103 Magic win.
Banchero was one of two NBA players to record a buzzer beater for a visiting team on Thursday. The other player to accomplish the feat was Immanuel Quickley of Havre de Grace, Maryland in a 97-96 Toronto Raptors win over the Charlotte Hornets.
Banchero has been with the Magic for four seasons and was a NBA All-Star in 2023-24. He made NBA headlines when he was the first overall pick in the 2022 NBA Draft.
In the Magic win over the Nets on Thursday, Banchero led all Magic players with 30 points. He also had a double-double as he had 14 rebounds. Banchero made 11 of 19 field goals, seven of eight free throws, and had six assists. Banchero’s only three point shot in four attempts during the contest was at the end of the game.
Three more Magic players reached double digits in scoring. Center Wendell Carter Jr. of Atlanta, Georgia had 20 points, small forward Tristan Da Silva of Munich, Germany had 14 points, and small forward Noah Penda of Paris, France had 13 points. It was a noteworthy game for Penda, as he recorded a double-double off the bench. In 31 minutes and 18 seconds worth of action, he had 11 rebounds. A third Magic player also reached double digits in rebounds as center Goga Bitadze from the country of Georgia (Sagarejo is the birthplace) had 10 rebounds.
For the season, Banchero is averaging 20.9 points per game, 8.7 rebounds per game and 4.9 assists per game. He has a field goal percentage of .453, three point percentage of .252. and free throw percentage of .755.
