The Magic Insider

Magic Star is On Fire the Last Five Games

Where would Orlando be without its flamethrower?
Kamil Krzaczynski-Imagn Images

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The Magic's last five games have been a whirlwind, but one steady presence has kept the team calm through the storm.

The newest star in Orlando's skyline has not only found his groove – he's found another level.

Does this development mean the Magic's offense as a whole is finally finding its rhythm to boot?

Let's look at the numbers.

Desmond Bane's gone berzerk

Bane taunts 'Bron
Feb 24, 2026; Los Angeles, California, USA; Orlando Magic guard Desmond Bane (3) reacts toward Los Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James (23) after scoring a three point basket during the second half at Crypto.com Arena. Mandatory Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images | Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images

Desmond Bane's last five games of basketball box scores take at least a triple take to take in:

Over his last five games...

Desmond Bane is scoring 28 PPG while shooting 76% eFG% from the field, 67% 2P% on nearly 9 2PA, and 57% 3P% on nearly 8 3PA per game!

Bane has logged three 30pt games in that span, featuring a 36pt game against the Clippers, a 34pt game against the Suns, and a 31pt game against the Bucks.

Dishing out 3.4 assists to just 1.6 turnovers gives him over a 2.0 AST/TO ratio, while racking up 1.8 steals and 0.6 blocks each night out is helping his team force turnovers left and right.

His impact is measuring at a staggering +10 BPM, while his scoring is at a wild 77% TS% overall.

Bane launching 8 threes per game in this stretch has taken this Magic offense to another level.

The shooting gravity he brings on and off the ball helps unlock more spacing, driving lanes, and cutting gaps for the rest of this halfcourt offense.

The Magic score nearly a point per possession in sets running Desmond Bane off screens, where his 0.97 PPP ranks 16th in efficiency and his 1.5 Off Screen possessions rates rates 28th in volume.

Orlando could run these sets even more frequently to see how high they can push Bane's volume, because Bane's efficiency as a shooter and overall scorer continues to rise off the charts.

After Bane's 7/10 3PT outpouring against Toronto before the All-Star Break, I asked Orlando Magic Head Coach Jamahl Mosley about Bane's quick trigger mentality and ideal volume; Jamahl answered, "He was shooting ~10 3PA last year in Memphis, I think that's when he's at his best clip."

Magic fans thought the team must be cursed after trading four first rounders for a 3pt sniper who walks in and shoots 32% 3P% on five over his first twenty games of the season.

Then, he started heating up from deep, hitting crazy clutch threes with 30pt explosions, upping his average the next twenty games to 36% 3P% on 5 3PA per game.

In the final third of these roughly sixty games so far, Bane's shooting efficiency has skyrocketed to 47% 3P% on 6 3PA over his last 17 games.

Move the numbers up to that fateful home game against Toronto on January 31st, 2026, where Desmond finally hit the 10 3PA mark for the first time, and Bane's 11-game sample since then jumps up to a 50% 3P% clip on a volume of 6.5 3PA.

To emphasize the stat from before and gradual development in efficiency rising with volume:

In his last five games, Bane's splashing in 57% 3P% of his three-pointers while launching just under EIGHT 3PA per game!

In their 4 games since the All-Star Break, the Magic have the 7th-best Point Differential, the 7th-best Defense, and the 13th-best Offense, with big effort by Bane, Paolo Banchero, and Wendell Carter Jr.

The more comfortable Bane becomes with the offense, the more open looks Orlando creates for Bane, and the more Bane hunts his own shot first realizing that's generally the best shot for the team, the more his shot confidence shines and the more efficient his shot becomes.

Magic fans already know Desmond Bane's quick trigger changes everything for the Magic offense; the team can only hope he continues to find it, and they continue to find him.

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Published
Ryan Kaminski
RYAN KAMINSKI

Ryan is a basketball scout data analyst who has been covering the Orlando Magic, NBA, and NBA Draft with a focus on roster building strategy, data analytics, film breakdowns, and player development since 2017. He is credentialed media for the Orlando Magic along with top high schools in Central Florida where he scouts talent in marquee matchups at Montverde Academy, IMG Academy, Oak Ridge, and the NBPA Top-100 Camp. He generates basketball data visualizations, formerly with The BBall Index. He has two B.A.s from Florida State University in Business Management and Business Marketing. Twitter/YouTube/Substack: @BeyondTheRK