Desmond Bane Leads Magic to Win That May Save Season

Orlando, Fla. — The Orlando Magic are back in the win column after beating the Phoenix Suns 115-111 inside the Kia Center.

The Magic built a big lead early and led by 14 points at halftime, but the Suns erased that in the fourth quarter, setting up a fourth quarter that Orlando needed to come out of on top.

The crowd energy began to grow as the game went on, but it really showed up in the final 12 minutes of the game. The Suns took a one-point lead with 5:26 to go, but it was the final field goal the Suns would make until the final seconds. The Magic went on an 8-4 run to close out the game to seal the victory.

Paolo Banchero and Desmond Bane each had buckets on consecutive possessions to take a two-point lead. The Suns cut their deficit in half after Jordan Goodwin split a pair of free throws. Jalen Suggs responded by making both of his free throws, which made it a three-point game with 2:20 to go.

The score remained the same until Desmond Bane hit what felt like a dagger with 6.7 seconds to go. Booker's three-pointer made it a two-point game, but the Magic had given up a game in similar fashion to the Los Angeles Lakers a few weeks ago, so Orlando fans were still holding their breath.

Luckily for the Magic faithful, Tristan da Silva landed both of his free throws to make it a two-possession game once again, icing the contest.

Magic Get Much-Needed Victory

Orlando Magic forward Paolo Banchero handles the ball in front of Phoenix Suns forward Dillon Brooks. | Mike Watters-Imagn Images

In the win, Bane was the leading scorer with 21 points on 6 of 16 shooting from the field. Suggs added 20 of his own while Paolo Banchero was next on the list with 19. Wendell Carter Jr. had a double-double with 15 points and 12 rebounds. Jamal Cain and Jett Howard each had 12 points off the bench.

The Suns had Devin Booker as their leading scorer with 34 points. Royce O'Neale scored 14 points off the bench, while rookie Rasheer Fleming and Collin Gillespie each had 11. Grayson Allen joined them in double figures with 10 points.

What's Next For Magic?

The win keeps the Magic in eighth place in the Eastern Conference standings, which will be important for the grand scheme of things in the playoff picture. They are 40-35 with seven games left on the schedule.

The Magic are back in action tomorrow night as they take on the Atlanta Hawks in another crucial game for the standings. Tip-off is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. ET inside the Kia Center. Fans can watch the game on ESPN or stream it on the ESPN app.