Paolo Banchero, Magic dismantle Giannis-less Bucks

Orlando is 10-4 recently, and mostly because of their franchise player

Mar 8, 2026; Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA; Orlando Magic forward Paolo Banchero (5) looks for a shot against Milwaukee Bucks forward Ousmane Dieng (21) in the second quarter at Fiserv Forum. Mandatory Credit: Benny Sieu-Imagn Images | Benny Sieu-Imagn Images

The final 20 games are very important for the Orlando Magic, who entered the day with the No. 6 seed in hand in the Eastern Conference. Barely 24 hours after demolishing the Minnesota Timberwolves, they did the same the Giannis Antetokounmpo-less Milwaukee Bucks inside Fiserv Forum, earning a 130-91 win.

The Bucks made it competitive in the second quarter. But Orlando led wire-to-wire, shooting 56.3 percent from the floor and 42.4 percent from 3-point range (14-42). What were a few of our takeaways? Let's examine!

Paolo Banchero continues torrid stretch:

Mar 3, 2026; Orlando, Florida, USA; Orlando Magic forward Paolo Banchero (5) takes a shot in the second half against the Washington Wizards at Kia Center. Mandatory Credit: Russell Lansford-Imagn Images | Russell Lansford-Imagn Images

The spectacle has been on Paolo Banchero all year. For the most part, it's been pretty rough -- relative to expectation. However, the fourth-year wing has found his groove and is playing his best basketball of the season post-All-Star break.

Coming off a 25-point, 15-rebound outing against the Minnesota Timberwolves, Banchero completely demolished the Giannis-less Bucks. He scored 33 points on a hyper-efficient 12-of-16 shooting and 3-of-6 from 3-point range, adding five boards and three assists in 29 minutes.

Banchero's continued to thrive off-ball, where he's excelled as a roller, dunker spot outlet and mid-post hub over this most recent stretch. He's not thinking as much either, consistently getting two feet in the paint and, most importantly, playing through contact and not shying away from it.

Keep going, Paolo!

It all starts with Magic defense:

Mar 8, 2026; Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA; Orlando Magic forward Paolo Banchero (5) reacts with forward Noah Penda (93) after scoring a basket against the Milwaukee Bucks at Fiserv Forum. Mandatory Credit: Benny Sieu-Imagn Images | Benny Sieu-Imagn Images

The Magic were dominant offensively. But they were able to jump out to a double-digit lead because of its defense. Orlando held Milwaukee to 15 points in the first and third quarters, completely walling off the paint while limiting the Bucks to just one shot.

The Bucks -- Bobby Portis, in particular -- did well against the Magic's zone in the second. Though whenever the Magic matched up in man, they were far more physical at the point-of-attack and crisp with their rotations.

Ultimately, everything was difficult for a Bucks offense that possesses essentially no shot creation without their two-time MVP.

Magic make franchise history with this feat:

Feb 11, 2026; Orlando, Florida, USA; Orlando Magic head coach Jamahl Mosley during the second half against the Milwaukee Bucks at Kia Center. Mandatory Credit: Mike Watters-Imagn Images | Mike Watters-Imagn Images

Only four times in Magic history have they beaten an opponent by 27+ points in consecutive games -- the first since 2024-25.

This win marked the fifth, although this is the first time in Orlando Magic history they have won two games by 27-plus on back-to-back days. Orlando is now 7-2 on the second leg of back-to-backs this season, the second-best record; only Detroit's 8-2 record is better.

This is also the first time in franchise history that they have won consecutive road games by 20-plus points.

The Magic have now won 11 of their last 15 games, and return home for two straight at home, beginning with the Cleveland Cavaliers on Wednesday at 7:30 p.m. EST.