Giannis, Dame Spoil Banchero's Return, Bucks Beat Magic in Thriller

Orlando Magic forward Paolo Banchero looked like an All-Star in his first game since Oct. 30, but the Milwaukee Bucks have two All-Stars. Giannis Antetokounmpo and Damian Lillard combined for 70 points in the 109-106 victory.

Milwaukee Bucks forward Giannis Antetokounmpo (34) guards Orlando Magic forward Paolo Banchero (5) in the fourth quarter at Kia Center. / Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images

ORLANDO, Fla. – In a game that featured 12 lead changes, Orlando Magic coach Jamahl Mosley whittled down his team's 109-106 loss Friday to the Milwaukee Bucks to one word: details.

"Two first-half free-throw line box-outs for five points. Free-throw line, 18-for-26. Three-point game," Magic coach Jamahl Mosley said postgame. "The details. The little things matter. The margin of error."

The three-point loss was a letdown, especially given the inspiring performance of Paolo Banchero in his long-awaited return from injury.

In 27 minutes, the Magic's All-Star picked up where he left off in October, scoring 34 points on 11-of-21 shooting with five threes. Fifteen of his points came in the fourth quarter.

"I didn't see that one coming, I can tell you that," said Magic coach Jamahl Mosley. "But that's who he is. The kid's been working his tail off to get back in.

"Again, this tells you how much he wants to go get after it. ... I mean, he's a star for a reason. Coming back and getting 34 [points], seven [rebounds] and three [assists] is not a bad night for your first time back in over two months."

To be exact, 34 games had passed since Banchero last played. He admitted postgame that, like his coach, he didn't expect such a scoring outburst.

"I think the only way I really know how to go about it is just to try and be myself as best I can," Banchero said. "I just tried to go out there and act like I had been playing, even though I knew it wasn't going to be the same. I knew I was going to be playing less minutes, so I just wanted to give those minutes all I [had] and put forth great effort in my time playing."

Giannis Antetokounmpo and Damian Lillard spoiled the Magic's welcome-back party by combining for 70 points. A month ago, the two Bucks All-Stars scored 65 in an NBA Cup quarterfinal victory over Orlando.

How tough of a cover are they? "Big time," Mosley said. "They're All-Stars, Hall of Fame players for a reason."

The result dropped the Magic to 22-18 and ties the two teams in the East standings, 12.5 games back of first-place Cleveland. With a 2-0 season series lead, the Bucks took over the fourth seed.

Besides Banchero, Cole Anthony (18 points), Tristan da Silva (16 points, 10 rebounds for his first career double-double) and Anthony Black (15 points) also finished in double figures for the Magic. Orlando shot 43 percent from the field and 14-of-40 from three. As Mosley noted, his team gave itself a chance to go get the back-and-forth affair.

Milwaukee shot 51.8 percent from the field, outscoring Orlando 31-25 in the final 12 minutes to turn a three-point deficit into a three-point victory.

While the Magic got their No. 1 option back, new injury issues surfaced. Starting guard Kentavious Caldwell-Pope left the game in the second quarter with a sore left knee and did not return. And at the end of the third quarter, Jett Howard limped off with a left ankle sprain.

As for Banchero?

"I feel all right, a little sore."

Up Next

The Magic conclude their three-game homestand Sunday against the Philadelphia 76ers. Tipoff is 6 p.m. ET for the fourth and final regular-season matchup between the two teams.

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