Paolo Banchero delivered one of the best performances of his young career Thursday night, powering the Orlando Magic to a 109-97 win over the Washington Wizards at Capital One Arena.
The third-year forward recorded 33 points, a career-high 18 rebounds, and eight assists to lead Orlando (38-40) to its second straight win and sixth in its last eight games.
Franz Wagner added 27 points on 10-of-19 shooting, including three triples and a momentum-shifting sequence early in the fourth quarter.
Wagner’s seven straight points to open the final period helped Orlando rebuild a double-digit lead after Washington cut a 19-point deficit down to three.
The 23-year-old nailed a 3-pointer from the right wing, then followed it up with a steal and dunk that extended the Magic’s lead to 88-76.
Orlando’s win pushed the team one game ahead of Atlanta for seventh place in the Eastern Conference standings.
The Magic currently hold the top seed among play-in tournament teams, with four games remaining in the regular season.
They also benefited from a disciplined defensive effort, committing only 12 personal fouls while holding the Wizards to just 11 free throw attempts.
Two of those fouls were flagged as flagrants, but the overall edge helped the Magic earn a 25-11 advantage from the line.
On the other side, rookie Carlton “Bub” Carrington was a bright spot in an otherwise tough night for Washington (17-60), which remains in last place in the East.
The 14th overall pick erupted for a career-high 32 points and nine rebounds, going 12-of-18 from the field and 7-of-10 from beyond the arc.
Carrington’s seven made 3-pointers set a new franchise record for a Wizards rookie, giving fans a glimpse of his offensive upside late in the season.
Washington entered the fourth quarter trailing by just five after outscoring Orlando 31-20 in the third, but couldn’t carry that momentum into the final stretch.
The Wizards were once again without several rotation players, including Bilal Coulibaly, who has been out since March 10 with a hamstring injury.
The Magic shot 46.3% from the field and hit 11-of-30 from deep, while converting 88% of their free throw attempts.
They also shared the ball effectively, recording 27 assists to Washington’s 16, and outrebounded the home team 47-38.
