In a thrilling matchup on Wednesday night, Paolo Banchero led the Orlando Magic to a 117-108 victory over the New Orleans Pelicans with an impressive 32-point performance. This win marks the Magic’s third consecutive victory and propels them half a game ahead of the New York Knicks for fourth place in the Eastern Conference.
Alongside Banchero, Franz Wagner contributed 24 points, and Moritz Wagner added 18 points to secure the win for Orlando. On the other side, CJ McCollum put up a strong effort for the Pelicans with 36 points and 10 rebounds, but it wasn’t enough to overcome the Magic’s offensive firepower.
The game took a scary turn in the third quarter when Zion Williamson had a frightening fall after his legs were cut out from under him by Gary Harris. Fortunately, Williamson avoided serious injury and was able to return to the game after a brief visit to the locker room. Despite his return, Williamson played limited minutes in the fourth quarter.
Orlando maintained control throughout the game, shooting an impressive 51.3% from the field and building a lead as large as 20 points in the fourth quarter. Although the Pelicans made a late push to narrow the gap, Banchero sealed the victory with a crucial dunk in the final minutes.
The game ended on a contentious note as three Pelicans players—Herb Jones, Trey Murphy III, and Dyson Daniels—were ejected for comments made to officials. Despite the drama, the Magic emerged victorious and now look ahead to their upcoming matchup against the Charlotte Hornets, while the Pelicans will face off against the San Antonio Spurs to close out their six-game home stand.