Paolo Banchero, Orlando Magic stay undefeated against the Miami Heat

As the winning streak sat at 7 for the Miami Heat heading into this game, the Orlando Magic were trying to put an end to it as these two teams battle for seeding in the Eastern Conference.

The Heat's two latest All-Stars, Norman Powell and Tyler Herro, both made their return in this game, as Herro walked back into the starting lineup and Powell came off the bench.

It was all Magic at the start of this one, and it spiraled from there as both Miami's defense and offense tried to recover. The size and physicality of this team just continues to be the difference maker in the match-up.

Miami made it interesting late with an impressive flurry in clutch time. The zone walled up Orlando, the downhill juice was peaking, and the Heat cut it to 2 with 11 seconds remaining.

But let's get into some takeaways tonight:

1. A telling first quarter.

Mar 14, 2026; Miami, Florida, USA; Orlando Magic forward Paolo Banchero (5) drives past Miami Heat guard Davion Mitchell (45) during the first half at Kaseya Center. Mandatory Credit: Jim Rassol-Imagn Images | Jim Rassol-Imagn Images

When trailing by 14 after the opening 12 minutes of basketball, it was clear the previous match-ups with the Magic this season were going to look pretty similar. The Heat's offense just can't convert inside against Orlando's size at an efficient level, which then bled into the defensive side of the ball. Jalen Suggs got a ton of open opportunities early with an immediate 9 points, but the entire nine man rotation scored by that point. Run-outs in transition, finding mismatches, and dominating the Heat 20-6 in the paint on 10 of 13 shooting. The battle of paint points told the early story.

2. Why do the Heat struggle with this Magic squad?

Mar 14, 2026; Miami, Florida, USA; Orlando Magic head coach Jamahl Mosley goes to gather his team during a timeout against the Miami Heat during the first half at Kaseya Center. Mandatory Credit: Jim Rassol-Imagn Images | Jim Rassol-Imagn Images

0-7. That's the Heat's record against the Magic this season if we include the two preseason match-ups. But what is the reason for these consistent struggles? It's just a bad overall match-up. They struggle with this type of size in the front-court, and it's honestly more-so on the offensive end. That inability to get inside hurts them, because that's how Miami's offense is generated on those drive and kicks. Combined with this Magic team being in the bottom 10 in three point attempts means they really attack you inside. In many ways they play Miami's game, except their size in that personnel allows them to find that advantage.

3. A Norman Powell push wasn't enough.

Feb 26, 2026; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Miami Heat guard Norman Powell (24) reaches for a loose ball against the Philadelphia 76ers during the second quarter at Xfinity Mobile Arena. Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-Imagn Images | Bill Streicher-Imagn Images

In a swing game against a familiar face in the standings, it was also a night where the Heat had to try and get their All Star back into a rhythm again. Powell returned off the bench and had an uneven start, but really picked it up late in that third quarter. A 7-0 run by himself got the building going in that second half, as he was focused on attacking to score instead of bait the foul. The Heat made a late run behind their press and zone, as the offense found openings in transition. Herro and Powell shared the floor for one of their best stretches of the night in the closing minutes, which is a good trend to take into Tuesday night.