There was a major upset in Orlando today, as the 8th-seeded Magic picked up their second win of the series over the Detroit Pistons.
For two teams that were 15 games apart in the standings, nobody thought this matchup would be so competitive, but the Magic are exceeding all expectations. Following their latest showdown, a 113-105 win over the Pistons in Game 3, star forward Paolo Banchero (23) spoke up for his team, denying any sense of fear against a superior opponent. In 38 minutes, he finished with 25 points, 12 rebounds, nine assists, three steals, and two blocks on 35.3% shooting and 40.0% shooting from the field.
“I haven’t learned anything [about the team],” said Banchero after the game. “We got a lot of respect for those guys over there, but we know how we stack up, we know what we got in this locker room, and so we don’t fear them. But we have a lot of respect, and we can bring it on Monday.”
In the media press conference that followed, Banchero called out some of his teammates for a job well done. Specifically, he credited 6’10” swingman Franz Wagner for his late-game shot-making down the stretch. In 33 minutes, Franz finished with 17 points, five rebounds, six assists, one steal, and one block on 38.9% shooting and 50.0% shooting from three. He was the team’s third-leading scorer.
“Franz just gets going later in the games, that’s just kind of how he is,” said Paolo. “We all trust him to be aggressive, whether it’s driving to the rim or shooting the ball. You just gotta give him credit for staying with it and staying aggressive. Those two shots he hit were huge. He’s that guy for a reason.”
The Magic were considered one of the NBA’s most disappointing teams this season, but they’ve looked like a whole new unit in these playoffs. Playing with a level of aggression, cohesion, and consistency they’ve lacked for months, the Magic have looked over these past three games how many expected them to look from opening night.
Whatever was holding them back has seemingly been resolved, and it has put the entire NBA world on notice. Of course, for Banchero, he always knew what his teammates were capable of, and it’s why he’s not letting himself get too euphoric after Game 3. While his team may have a 2-1 lead in the series, the job is not done yet, and there’s still a long way to go.
To maintain their advantage and secure two more wins, the Magic will have to keep up their defensive pressure as they dial up the aggression. Size and strength have been Orlando’s advantage, and they must lean into that to keep the Pistons at bay. For his part, Banchero will have to continue elevating his game and prove that he’s the superstar who can take the Magic over the top.
With averages of 22.2 points, 8.4 rebounds, 5.2 assists, 0.7 steals, and 0.6 blocks per game on 45.9% shooting and 30.5% shooting from three this season, Paolo showed flashes of greatness, even if there was plenty of drama in between. Now, it’s coming together at the perfect time to give his team the opportunity they’ve been waiting for. Only time will tell how it ends, but the Magic are not scared of the moment, and they know better than to underestimate the competition.
