Desmond Bane's Magic moment lets Orlando bask in relief over grief

As Desmond Bane was mobbed by teammates he’s just starting to get to know following his first NBA buzzer-beater, the feeling things are going to turn out okay in Orlando had to register on some level.

A fallaway 3-pointer hoisted up at the last possible moment after an inbounds pass with 1.9 seconds remaining rescued the Magic in a 115-112 victory over the Portland Trail Blazers. For Bane, who has been the subject of well-earned criticism since he hasn’t been good over his 11 in Orlando, it could be the moment that changes everything.

DESMOND BANE GAME-WINNING TRIPLE FOR ORLANDO 🤯🤯🤯

🚨 @TISSOT BUZZER-BEATER 🚨
Everyone Gets 24 pic.twitter.com/KVpehbAEIN
— NBA (@NBA) November 11, 2025

Melodrama is lame, there are no NBA must-wins in November, and the Magic still have a lot to fix if they’re to meet expectations and emerge as a top contender in a wide open Eastern Conference. That said, Bane’s heroics prevented a potentially nasty scene.

“We needed that one, for sure,” Bane admitted. “I think it just brings teams together, you know. I mean, I was talking about out there like you need those moments throughout the season. You know, close games that you win, close games that you lose, they all matter, and, you know, lead to something bigger down the road.”

In an alternate universe, Bane comes nowhere close on his game-winner, the Magic lose in overtime, struggle over the next few weeks and wind up with a new head coach running the show. Jamahl Mosley’s job still doesn’t feel secure, but he also doesn’t have to take his team into Madison Square Garden on a losing streak come Wednesday.

WNBA star Angel Reese, a heavily invested Magic fan these days, tweeted immediately to celebrate.

whew that GAME. #dubsinthechatttttt
— Angel Reese (@Reese10Angel) November 11, 2025

Orlando is still a disappointing 5-6, but at least there’s no 4-7 in the 407. Wins can be band-aids, and this memorable one does have the potential to be one the Magic can build on and draw upon the rest of the way.

The post-game celebration was one that carried an air of relief.

“It’s already a close-knit group. We had a great film session before the game, talking about the things we need to do, the details we have to focus on,” Mosley said. “The celebration for Des, and what these guys feel about him, what he means to this team, who he is as a young man, and just his toughness, his resiliency, his leadership. All those pieces are represented, and you saw the celebration of our guys, not just because of the win, but because of who Desmond Bane is.”

Banchero "saved" after rollercoaster final minute

Paolo Banchero has to work on his free-throws and missed three clutch ones in the final minute. If Orlando loses to Portland because the guy who gets to the line nearly 10 times per game can’t be counted on to knock them down when it matters most, that’s something that can haunt you into the next week, next month, next calendar year.

It’s therefore no surprise the first person to hug Bane was the typically stoic Banchero.

“It was a rush of excitement for sure, especially for me, him saving my ass like that,” Banchero said of tackling Bane in celebration. “I didn’t want to make it that exciting, so, I was glad that he made that shot and saved me after missing those free throws. He’s a big-time player.”

Mosley’s defense couldn’t get stops down the stretch, which is how the Trail Blazers wound up in position to win after erasing a 108-100 in the final 2:49. Orlando shot 7-for-29 from 3-point range before Bane’s final look, which was his only make in six tries. What wound up being a jubilant locker room could have very easily been a despondent one. Jalen Suggs, clearly the team’s emotional leader, leapt off the bench, thrilled that being forced to sit out the back half of another back-to-back didn’t result in another loss.

Winning games like Tuesday’s makes it much easier to accentuate the positive. Banchero overcame his failures at the charity stripe and grabbed a huge steal on Portland’s final possession, keeping his head and calling a crucial timeout. Bane didn’t carry his 0-for-5 night into his final look, crediting “trusting the work” he puts in for having the confidence to fire up the clincher.

Mosley was happy the Magic protected the ball better, committing just 13 turnovers that led to 12 points on the heels of 17 miscues leading to 29 Celtics’ points in a frustrating loss. He was thrilled that in the face of adversity, heads didn’t hang and belief didn’t waver. That’s the biggest takeaway from Orlando’s most important win of the young season.

There have been four buzzer-beating 3-pointers in Magic history, the last of which came from Cole Anthony early in 2021. Hedo Turkoglu and Jameer Nelson, members of the last Magic team to reach the NBA Finals, knocked down the first two in ‘08 and ‘11.

What will Bane’s heroics lead to? If nothing else, it makes it easier to point out Orlando ranks ninth in the league in offensive rating (118.3) and defensive rating (110.5) over its last six games, leading to a 4-2 record that sounds a lot better than 3-3.

On to Game 12.

Banchero "saved" after rollercoaster final minute

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