The Magic Insider

Just the start? Desmond Bane's game-winner can open floodgates for Magic offense

Will Bane's first major marquee moment with the Orlando Magic unleash his 3pt superpowers?
Ryan Kaminski|
Nov 10, 2025; Orlando, Florida, USA; Orlando Magic guard Desmond Bane (3) shoots the ball at the buzzer against the Portland Trail Blazers in the fourth quarter at Kia Center. Mandatory Credit: Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images
Nov 10, 2025; Orlando, Florida, USA; Orlando Magic guard Desmond Bane (3) shoots the ball at the buzzer against the Portland Trail Blazers in the fourth quarter at Kia Center. Mandatory Credit: Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images | Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images

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Orlando Magic

He didn't hit a three all night.

Until he hit the one that made them forget the rest.

These are the moments you dream of when you send out four firsts for a proven 3pt sniper hired gun.

Desmond Bane's buzzer-beater immediately becomes an instant classic all-time great Orlando Magic moment in franchise history.

And it couldn't have come at a better time, for both the season hopes and the game itself –
after leading for most of the night, the Magic suddenly found themselves in a close contest after Banchero missed a few free throws and got beat on a tricky sidelines out of bounds lob play.

In the blink of an eye, the Trail Blazers had the last shot to win the game.

Paolo Banchero never wavered.

Banchero picked up Jrue Holiday, poked the ball away with active hands to grab a steal, and called timeout with two seconds left to give his team a chance to win.

Mosley draws up a play, Bane is originally the decoy, yet finds the ball, rises, and fires.

Ball game.

As Paul Pierce once famously said, "That's why they got me here!"


After a sluggish start to the season, Orlando desperately needed a moment like this to bring this new group together, to instill confidence that this unit works together, and build comradery overnight.

Could this be the tipping point that opens the floodgates for Bane's 3pt super powers and this Magic offense as a whole?

Starting the season hitting just 28% of 4 3PA per game, one could envision Bane's shooting percentages progressing to the mean for a career high-volume 41% 3PT shooter.

Now that Bane has his ice-breaking moment with Magic fans, hopefully he feels less pressure to single-handedly fix all shooting issues for the worst 3pt shooting team in recent memory.

3pt shooting is highly volatile, there may be stretches for weeks where shots aren't falling, but once a shot splashes through the net as meaningful as that one... who knows what ripple affects will come.

Desmond Bane game-winner and Magic team celebrating
Desmond Bane game-winner and Magic team celebrating | MANDATORY CREDIT: ESPN


After missing his first three-pointer and another four threes throughout the game, Bane stayed aggressive as a scorer, adjusting his mindset to getting downhill, while affecting the game in other ways – driving to the rack for fouls, stopping on a dime for the middy pull-up, maneuvering into the paint for floaters and rim finishes, while keeping his head up for the roll-man and 3pt kickouts.

When I asked Desmond Bane if his shot-hunting mentality changes due to missing a few threes to start the game and how he decides whether to drive or shoot the 3-ball:

"Just really trying to take what the defense was giving me. I never really predetermine whether I'm gonna shoot this, or do this, or do that, but just trying to remain aggressive all the way throughout"

5 Fun Fact Stats You Need To Know About Desmond Bane's Buzzer-Beating Game-Winner


1) This shot is the first game-winning buzzer-beater of Desmond Bane's career.

2) Bane's game-winner is the 4th buzzer-beating 3-pointer in Orlando Magic history and the 18th time the team has won the game on a buzzer-beater:

Hedo Turkoglu, Jan. 27, 2008 vs BOS
Jameer Nelson, Mar. 18, 2011 vs DEN
Cole Anthony, Jan. 20, 2021 at MIN
Desmond Bane, Nov. 10, 2025 vs POR

3) Launching from 27ft away, Desmond Bane's game-winner is the furthest buzzer beater in Orlando franchise history, surpassing Jameer Nelson's 26-ft shot against Denver in 2011 and Hedo Turkoglu's 25-ft shot against Boston in 2009, via Basketball Reference.

4) This shot marks Orlando's first game-winning buzzer-beater since Wendell Carter Jr. slammed home a putback dunk as time expired against Detroit on Feb. 23, 2023.

5) The Orlando Magic and Miami Heat both won their games on game-winning buzzer-beaters today. It's the first time in NBA history that multiple teams from the same state won via game-winning buzzer-beaters, via @ESPNInsights

Bonus Fun Fact Stat: The shot quality on Desmond Bane's game-winning 3pt attempt was 7%, or a 5% chance of making the shot, via Dean Oliver, inventor of basketball's Four Factors.

So, for those counting at home: Desmond Bane drills his first game-winning buzzer-beater of his career, the furthest buzzer-beater in Orlando Magic history and 4th overall, on a shot that had a 5% chance of going in.

Now that's Magic on a Monday night.

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

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