The Orlando Magic dominated the Sacramento Kings with a 121-91 victory on Saturday night, fueled by a strong performance from Paolo Banchero.
Banchero scored 24 points in three quarters while adding six rebounds and six assists as Orlando (36-39) pulled even with Atlanta for seventh place in the Eastern Conference. The Magic have played two more games than the Hawks, making every remaining matchup crucial for postseason positioning.
Franz Wagner contributed 21 points on 8-of-12 shooting. Caleb Houstan provided a spark off the bench with 18 points, connecting on 6-of-7 from beyond the arc.
Sacramento (36-38) struggled to keep pace, failing to build on a recent win over Portland that snapped a four-game skid. DeMar DeRozan led the Kings with 21 points, while Domantas Sabonis recorded 14 points and 13 rebounds. Sacramento remains locked in a battle with Dallas and Phoenix for the final two play-in spots in the Western Conference.
Orlando set the tone early, jumping to a 38-21 lead in the first quarter by hitting 5-of-10 from three-point range. Sacramento, in contrast, missed all six of its attempts from deep in the opening period.
The Magic continued to control the game with ball movement, registering 31 assists compared to Sacramento’s 17. Wendell Carter Jr. added 12 points, drilling all three of his three-point attempts to stretch the Kings’ defense.
Sacramento’s backcourt struggled, with Keon Ellis going scoreless in 18 minutes while Zach LaVine managed just 10 points on 3-of-8 shooting. Malik Monk, a key bench scorer for the Kings, had nine points but turned the ball over six times.
Markelle Fultz provided an all-around effort for Orlando’s second unit, finishing with six points, four assists, and three steals. Goga Bitadze contributed 12 points and 10 rebounds, further solidifying Orlando’s dominance on the glass.
