Paolo Banchero delivered a dominant performance with 30 points, leading the Orlando Magic to a 120-105 win over the Washington Wizards on Friday night. Orlando (33-38) secured its third victory over Washington this season, maintaining its position in the Eastern Conference play-in race.
Franz Wagner added 21 points, while Wendell Carter Jr. contributed 16 points and 12 rebounds for the Magic. Orlando pulled away with a 13-0 run early in the third quarter, extending its lead to 26 and never looking back.
Washington (15-54) remained at the bottom of the East standings with its third straight loss. Alex Sarr recorded 19 points and 10 rebounds, notching his ninth double-double of the season. Jordan Poole chipped in 18 points, but the Wizards failed to hold a lead beyond the first quarter.
Orlando dominated the glass, outrebounding Washington 55-41, which allowed the team to attempt nine more shots than its opponent. The Magic also shot 47.9% from the field and 40.5% from beyond the arc, with Cory Joseph and Carter Jr. each knocking down multiple threes.
The Magic have now alternated wins and losses over their last seven games as they continue to fight for a higher seed in the play-in tournament. With only a few weeks left in the regular season, Orlando remains 1.5 games behind Atlanta and two games ahead of Chicago in the standings.
