Desmond Bane delivered his most complete performance of the season, matching his season high with 37 points in the Orlando Magic’s 117-108 win over the Miami Heat in the NBA Cup quarterfinal on Tuesday night at Kia Center.
The victory moved Orlando to 15-10 and secured a semifinal matchup with the New York Knicks on Saturday in Las Vegas.
Bane set the tone early in the fourth quarter when he opened the period with two 3-pointers and a three-point play, turning a six-point edge into a 96-83 lead in just over two minutes.
Miami never brought the deficit under nine until the final minute.
The Magic were without Franz Wagner for the first time this season after he suffered a high ankle sprain that is expected to sideline him for several weeks.
Jalen Suggs added 20 points and provided needed perimeter creation, while Paolo Banchero contributed 18 points and seven rebounds in a steady interior performance.
Orlando shot 15-for-32 from 3-point range, reaching 46.9% from deep and finishing the night at 51% overall.
Miami opened the game with a 15-0 run after making its first six shots, but that early burst faded as the Heat struggled to regain their rhythm from outside.
The Heat shot just 8-for-33 (24.2%) from beyond the arc, and Tyler Herro was held without a made 3-pointer on six attempts.
An open look from Herro with 37 seconds remaining could have trimmed the deficit to four, but it bounced off the rim and allowed Orlando to close out the night at the line.
Norman Powell paced Miami with 21 points, while Bam Adebayo and Andrew Wiggins each added 19.
Herro finished with 20 points but faced consistent pressure from Orlando’s guards.
Davion Mitchell distributed nine assists for the Heat, but Miami’s bench was outscored 31-18, creating a gap the starters couldn’t erase.
Wendell Carter Jr. anchored Orlando’s interior with 14 points and 10 rebounds on efficient 6-for-8 shooting, while Anthony Black continued to provide stability with 10 points and seven assists.
Jonathan Isaac, Tristan da Silva and Goga Bitadze combined for 18 points off the bench, extending Orlando’s advantage on the glass to a 47-39 margin.
The Magic outscored Miami 33-26 in the third quarter, using Bane’s shot-making and Banchero’s work inside to build a cushion they protected throughout the fourth.
Miami dropped to 14-11 and has now lost three times in Orlando this season.
The Heat return home to host the Toronto Raptors on Monday in regular-season play.
Orlando shifts its attention to the semifinal round, where Bane enters Saturday’s matchup in peak form and the Magic seek their first championship appearance in the tournament’s brief history.
