Magic Blow Late Lead in Loss to Heat
It was nip and tuck throughout, but the Orlando Magic couldn't hold onto a late lead against the Miami Heat, losing 99-96 on Friday at the Kaseya Center.
Orlando trailed for most of the second half before a Paolo Banchero turnaround jumper cut Miami's lead to 95-94 with just over a minute to play. After Orlando got a stop, Banchero made a go-ahead basket to put his team up 96-95 with 38 seconds left in the game.
After a Miami timeout, forward Bam Adebayo had a shot blocked by Anthony Black with 23.1 seconds left to play. After an Orlando timeout and review to determine who touched the ball last before it went out of bounds, Miami got possession and took the lead on an Adebayo jump shot over Moe Wagner with 18.5 seconds remaining.
The Magic took their final timeout down 97-96, and Banchero had two shots at the basket but missed both with eight seconds left in the game.
After Haywood Highsmith made both free throws, Banchero had one more chance to tie the game but missed the game-tying shot to end the game.
Paolo Banchero and Chuma Okeke.
Kim Klement Neitzel-USA TODAY Sports
Banchero had 25 points, seven rebounds and five assists, while Chuma Okeke put together one of the best games of his career with 16 points, four rebounds and two assists.
Wagner had 19 points with five assists and four rebounds. Joe Ingles, who returned after a 13-game absence with an ankle injury scored 14 points off the bench and had six assists.
Heat forward Duncan Robinson led the team with 23 points and had three assists and three rebounds. Adebayo had a double-double with 21 points and 11 assists, and he had seven assists, and rookie forward Jaime Jaquez Jr. had 19 points and seven rebounds, and Bam.
Orlando (21-17) struggled from the line, making 12 of 20 free throws. Miami made 17 of its 20 free throws. The Heat (22-16), who averages around 13 turnovers per game, had 16 against a stout Magic defense.
Orlando faces the Oklahoma City Thunder (26-11) in the second of a back-to-back on Saturday at 8 p.m. ET at the Paycom Center.
