The Orlando Magic lost their qualifying game 97-109 against the Philadelphia 76ers in the play-in tournament. Paolo Banchero had an inefficient night where he struggled to score and visibly hesitated to shoot some open looks late in the game.
He finished the game with 18 points, five rebounds, and four assists while shooting 7-22 from the field (31.8 FG%) and did not make a single one of his five three-point shot attempts. Banchero also had six turnovers and a -17 net rating (+/-) for the game.
Clearly, this was a night to forget for Banchero, who also struggled similarly with a shooting slump in the Magic’s regular season finale against the Celtics. Following consecutive games where he shot poorly from the field, Banchero was asked during the postgame press conference about what he plans to do to bounce back from this slump.
“I think just to continue to try and make quick decisions and not hesitate. I think I had some looks at the start of the second half that I didn’t shoot, and when you do that, I think the basketball gods are not going to reward you. I had a couple of other shots that looked good, but didn’t go in, so it was a frustrating night for sure for me.”
“And coming in Friday, you’ve got to come in with a clear mind and go do what you’ve got to do to win the game. At the end of the day, I’ve been through slumps before, so you’ve just got to respond in a way that results in a win,” concluded Banchero.
Paolo Banchero has reached BEN SIMMONS levels of scared to shoot 😭 pic.twitter.com/CoYqdL8TUU
— BrickCenter (@BrickCenter_) April 16, 2026
The Magic are now set to face the Hornets on Friday, April 17, for the elimination game to decide which of the teams faces the Pistons as the eighth seed in the East. The Hornets dominated their regular season series against the Magic (3-1), and Banchero is fully aware of the upsurging form they are in.
He previewed the upcoming matchup against the Hornets with a simple message for his teammates.
“They’ve been playing really well. They even kicked our a– this year. So we’ve got to be ready, I’ve got to be ready. And we’ve got to be locked in from the jump,” Banchero said.
“I thought we played hard tonight, but it wasn’t enough. So it’ll take even more of an effort, and it’s going to take me playing better for us to get the win. It’s definitely a big game on Friday.”
With LaMelo Ball cleared to play against the Magic, the matchup between the two star players’ teams will be must-see TV. Considering the reported locker room tensions with the Magic, I do not anticipate things getting much better going into Friday. Only a miracle performance can save the Magic’s season from this point.
Will Banchero step up on Friday and lead the Magic to their third consecutive playoff appearance in three seasons? Or will LaMelo Ball and the Hornets go to the playoffs for the first time since the 2015-16 season? Let us know what you think in the comments section.
