In a jaw-dropping finish, Paolo Banchero’s late-game heroics, sinking a fadeaway jumper with one second left, propelled the Orlando Magic (6-5) to a dramatic 96-94 victory over the Chicago Bulls (4-8).
Despite holding a 19-point lead in the third quarter and limiting the Bulls to their lowest first-half score of the season (33 points), the Magic faced a tied game after Zach LaVine’s clutch 3-pointer in the closing seconds.
Banchero, the reigning Rookie of the Year, seized the moment, receiving the inbounds pass and converting a challenging fadeaway over Alex Caruso for the game-winning basket.
While Caruso contested the shot, Banchero’s poise and skill secured the Magic’s triumph.
Goga Bitadze’s double-double with 15 points and 11 rebounds, along with solid contributions from Cole Anthony (16 points) and Franz Wagner (13 points), fueled the Magic’s victory despite a 39% shooting performance.
The Bulls, missing DeMar DeRozan, relied on Nikola Vucevic’s 17 points and Zach LaVine’s 19 points, including the game-tying 3-pointer.
Both teams struggled from beyond the arc, with the Magic shooting 8 of 28 from 3-point range and the Bulls making 9 of 33.
