Inside The Heat

How Will Miami Heat Stop The Magic Duo Of Paolo Banchero And Franz Wagner?

Orlando has found their new magical duo in Paolo Banchero and Franz Wagner

Devin Brown

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The Orlando Magic have assembled an excellent young roster led by two matchup-nightmare forwards. 

Paolo Banchero and Franz Wagner are putting league on notice as the newest duo to hit the scene. The Magic (16-9) are fourth in the Eastern Conference standings.

In his second season, Banchero is averaging 21 points, 6.8 rebounds, and 4.4 assists. He is shooting 38 percent from three with a usage rate of 28 percent, taking nearly 80 percent of his field goal attempts inside the arc.

In three games versus the Miami Heat, Banchero has averaged 17 points and nine assists with a 1-2 record.

He puts a lot of pressure on the defense with a relentless pursuit to get into the paint. He handles the ball well and will force you to bring a double team if you leave him one-on-one in the post. 

In December, Banchero is averaging 26.1 points and eight rebounds on 55 percent shooting after a slow start to the season.  

Wagner is averaging 20 points, 5.8 rebounds, and three assists, similar to Banchero. The two are both 6-foot-10 forwards, but their play styles are different.

Wagner is very fluid, with the ability to score in various ways.

"Franz is between a mixture of Khris Middleton, Kawhi (Leonard), and Kevin Durant in the footwork," Magic coach Jamhal Mosley said.

Wagner is averaging 15.9 points and four rebounds in seven games against the Heat.

The Heat defense is in for another tough challenge; this time, they will be without Jimmy Butler.  

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Devin Brown is a contributing writer to Inside The Heat. He can be reached at dbrwnjr@gmail.com or Twitter @dbrwnjr.

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Devin Brown
DEVIN BROWN

Devin Brown is a sports writer who has contributed to FanNation's Inside the Heat since 2023. He has also covered the New Orleans Saints since 2020. He has experience in social media management, content creation, photography, and videography.

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