Duke basketball talent delivers sneaky game-winner

Paolo Banchero was the playmaker. But Wendell Carter Jr., the other Duke basketball product in the Orlando Magic starting frontcourt, served as the buzzer-beater in a 108-106 home win over the Atlanta Hawks in the teams' return from the All-Star break on Thursday night.

With 4.5 seconds to play and the score knotted at 106-106, Banchero caught the sideline inbounds pass, worked his way into the paint, and attempted a lefthanded running bank shot. It missed with under one tick remaining.

Fortunately for the Magic (25-35), Carter had snuck into the perfect position in front of the rim and was there for the game-winning, touch-in putback, timed perfectly to seal the deal.

Wendell Carter Jr. putback for the win! 💪🏾 pic.twitter.com/1n0HQmltOO
— NBA TV (@NBATV) February 24, 2023

"I didn't want to go into overtime," the 23-year-old former Duke basketball big man told the media afterward, "so I had to figure out something."

Carter, averaging a career-high 15.4 points in his third year in Orlando and sixth as a pro, recorded his 14th double-double of the season via 14 points and 14 rebounds against the Pistons. He added two blocks and a steal in 32 minutes on the floor.

Banchero, the top contender for NBA Rookie of the Year, also played 32 minutes on Thursday night, finishing with 11 points, six rebounds, and six assists on an off-shooting night (4-for-13 from the field).

Although the Magic sit No. 13 in the Eastern Conference standings, a Play-In Tournament bid remains within reach despite losing 20 of their first 25 games this season.

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