How an NFL Legend Proves to the Magic They 'Haven't Done Anything' Yet

ORLANDO, Fla. – Paolo Banchero and Franz Wagner almost seemed bored.

Sat behind their respective microphones to meet reporters following a narrow Game 3 victory over the Boston Celtics Friday night, their expressions did not suggest they'd just combined for 61 points, 13 rebounds, nine assists and four steals to continue their historic start to their second playoff run together.

There was no visual evidence of the night that had concluded moments before, a night which consisted of a sold-out Kia Center crowd living and dying with every shot and big play, and waiting with baited breath at every whistle.

Those in the building witnessed Banchero and Wagner outduel a scorching-hot Jayson Tatum, lead a come-from-behind Orlando Magic victory that helped them crawl back into their first-round, best-of-seven series with the second-seeded defending champs and send the majority of fans home happy, and the more-than-considerable portion of ticket-holders donning Boston green home somber.

And yet, here were the night's two stars, still just 22 and 23 years old and plenty inspired when between the white lines, sitting beside one another with a sense of near-dull tranquility about them.

The mood was so subdued, in fact, that if the backdrop behind them didn't boldly remind you every few inches that this is the playoffs, you might mistake it for a Tuesday night in January or a Thursday in November – a night where the result would have mattered, but certainly not as much as Friday's did.

Why was there not more celebration?

"We haven't done anything," Magic coach Jamahl Mosley said Saturday when asked for the reasoning behind the calm, collected demeanor. "What are we, and I say this as nicely as possible – we're celebrating what we're supposed to be doing: taking care of home court.

"There's no real reason to celebrate when you're just doing the job that you're supposed to do."

Orlando Magic forward Paolo Banchero (5) drives around Boston Celtics guard Derrick White (9) during the second quarter of game three of first round for the 2024 NBA Playoffs at Kia Center. | Mike Watters-Imagn Images

It's a lesson learned from Barry Sanders. Yes, the Detroit Lions' decade-long halfback that built a Hall of Fame, accolade-laden career worthy of deliberation for the greatest of all time to play the position. Let's draw the connection.

Throughout Sanders' illustrious career in Motown, he scored 110 career rushing and receiving touchdowns in the regular season and playoffs. While Orlando certainly didn't have time to watch all of them during their Saturday film session before getting on to more pressing matters, like how they'll try to replicate their Game 3 performance in the later games to come this series, there was one thing Mosley wanted his team to notice.

Sanders rarely, if ever, celebrated his touchdowns. Instead, he'd hand the ball to the official and, outside of a few helmet taps and hugs for his blockers, would go about his business.

For Sanders, that's what reaching the endzone was: a matter of business.

That's what the Magic view winning at home as. No matter the circumstance, the opponent, or the stakes. If it's contested at home, it's business Orlando expects to take care of.

“Whenever he scored, he used to never celebrate because he expected to score,” veteran Magic guard Gary Harris said Saturday. “[We’re] expecting to win. We got one win. A lot of people can use it as a high to just say, ‘Oh, good job, you guys got a win,’ but we expect to win. That’s why we play the game."

"Now, when the team takes a road win, that's when it really starts," Mosley continued. "But us being able to take care of home is what's necessary. You don't want to celebrate what you're already supposed to do."

So far in this series, neither road team has prevailed. Orlando fell short twice in TD Garden for Games 1 and 2, but denied Boston from taking a commanding 3-0 lead Friday night in the first-to-four set. Boston will attempt to buck that trend at 7 p.m. Sunday on TNT.

The Magic have earned their high standard. Going back to last season and including the Play-In Tournament game versus Atlanta before earning the Boston matchup this year, Orlando is a perfect 5-0 at the Kia Center when the postseason comes calling.

"When you expect to do something, you're not surprised when it happens. So, our guys need to continue to keep that mentality of this is how we expect to play, this is what we expect to do, and if we play this way, the results – good, bad – we can understand what we need to do, and then we live with it from there."

To take care of business again Sunday evening, Mosley said his Magic will have to continue to clean up self-inflicted mistakes, keep the ball moving and defend with physicality but without fouling. There will be some repetition of Friday's principles, but being reactive – and in some cases proactive – to Boston's game-to-game adjustments will be just as pivotal.

Among the factors it'd like to repeat, Orlando will certainly rely on another strong showing from Banchero and Wagner.

If that happens, and it earns another result, one could count on the Magic's franchise cornerstone pieces to be about all business in the immediate aftermath.

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