Banchero stymied as Magic loss sets up elimination game vs. Charlotte

The last day of the regular season looks even worse now, eh?

The Orlando Magic couldn't overcome a double-digit second-half deficit to the Philadelphia 76ers inside the City of Brotherly Love, losing 109-97.

What were a few of our takeaways?! Let's examine!

Magic frontcourt doesn't impose will:

Magic 76ers — Apr 15, 2026; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Philadelphia 76ers guard Kelly Oubre Jr. (9) drives for a shot against Orlando Magic center Wendell Carter Jr. (34) during the first quarter during the play-in rounds of the 2026 NBA Playoffs at Xfinity Mobile Arena. Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-Imagn Images | Bill Streicher-Imagn Images

It wasn't one of our keys to the game, but one of my bigger questions entering this game would be how Wendell Carter Jr. and Co. would fare against a shorthanded 76ers frontcourt missing Joel Embiid.

Advantage: Sixers.

You could feel Andre Drummond and Adem Bona's impact the entire night. Drummond, one of the league's premier glass eaters, corralled 10 boards while adding 14 points and three blocks -- capped by a corner 3-pointer with 40.3 seconds left. Bona rejected three shots of his own as well, despite scoring just two points in 16 minutes.

In a one-game sample, shooting matters:

In a play-in setting, anything can happen, evidenced by the pair of wild finishes we saw between the Heat-Hornets and Trail Blazers-Suns.

Most importantly, shooting will matter. Any team or player can get hot in a single game that can tilt the result. The 3-point line has not been a very kind friend to the Magic this season, finishing No. 27 in 3-point percentage and No. 25 in 3-point makes per possession.

And it reared its ugly head in their most important game to date.

Orlando shot 7-of-27 from deep; Kelly Oubre Jr. nearly matched that by himself, burying five triples on 17 fewer attempts. Four of those made threes were from Desmond Bane (more on him later). To beat a dead horse: You need to make 3s to survive in today's NBA, especially in a one-game playoff.

Thankfully, it wasn't a do-or-die playoff game. But the pressure will mount even more on Friday against Charlotte.

Anthony Black, Desmond Bane lead comeback attempt, but it's not enough:

There were two reasons why the Magic were even in the game in the second half: Anthony Black and Desmond Bane.

Bane and Black, appearing in just his fifth game from injury, accounted for 25 of the Magic's 42 second-half points. Franz Wagner woke up in the second half as well, scoring 10 of his 12 points over the final 24 minutes.

Outside of Bane and Black, the Magic shot just 25.0 percent (6-24). You're not going to win many games when that's the case.

Paolo Banchero shut down in second half:

Banchero's largely performed under the bright lights in his brief NBA career. He did so again in the first half. But the Magic star was completely stonewalled in the second half, scoring just five points on 2-of-10 shooting. He looked uncomfortable in tight spaces and failed to convert on multiple open looks down the stretch.

If the Magic want to keep their season alive against Charlotte, this cannot happen again.

Magic frontcourt doesn't impose will:

In a one-game sample, shooting matters:

Anthony Black, Desmond Bane lead comeback attempt, but it's not enough:

Paolo Banchero shut down in second half:

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