Despite Banchero's 43, Wolves Dominate 4th Quarter to Overcome Magic, 118-111

Paolo Banchero scored 43 points, but the Minnesota Timberwolves outscored the Orlando Magic 40-24 in the final 12 minutes Friday night to win 118-111. Orlando's road trip concludes Sunday at the East-leading Cleveland Cavaliers.

Orlando Magic forward Paolo Banchero attempts a three-pointer over Minnesota Timberwolves forward Jaden McDaniels. / David Sherman, Getty Images

MINNEAPOLIS – For the Orlando Magic, the second night of a road back-to-back would be difficult no matter the opponent. A rested and red-hot Minnesota Timberwolves team amplified the challenge.

With the aid of a 43-point, 10-rebound double-double from Paolo Banchero, the Magic traded body blows with their hosts for most of Friday night's bout. Yet, it wasn't enough to see the visitors over the finish line.

Tied 98-all with 3:32 to play, Minnesota closed the game on a 20-13 run to defeat Orlando 118-111.

After the Magic closed the final five-plus minutes of the third on a 17-3 run, Orlando led by nine heading into the fourth.

"I think we ended that quarter with seven stops in a row, and I think that was a big key for us to be able to get on a run," Magic coach Jamahl Mosley said.

Yet, Minnesota quickly responded with a 15-1 run of their own and seized control, finishing with a 40-24 advantage over the final 12 minutes.

"They jumped on us early in that fourth quarter," Mosley said. "We just ... finishing around the rim, taking some tough [shots] allowed them to get out on the break and get some easy baskets, started knocking some shots down, and then we were just playing uphill from there."

Minnesota's seventh straight win dropped Orlando to 31-37 this season and 2-2 on this current road trip. The Magic, now 2-2 on this current road trip with one game still to play, maintain eighth place in the Eastern Conference.

"I think we just came up short," Banchero said postgame. "We put up a good fight, made some good runs throughout the game, gave ourselves a chance to win the game. They just made more plays than we did."

Banchero's big night was the fourth time this season that he scored 40 or more points. Sparing his career-high 50 points in an October win over Indiana, though, the Magic have lost the three other instances in which Banchero's outbursts have occurred this year.

Regardless of result, Banchero has now scored at least 20 points in nine consecutive games – the longest such streak in the third-year pro's career.

Franz Wagner struggled through contact and a rough shooting night, going only 4-of-16 from the field to finish with 16 points.

"They're a great defensive team," Banchero said. "They have a lot of good defenders – perimeter and interior – so they put a lot of different bodies on him. A lot of teams and guys in the league aren't able to meet Franz at the rim when he goes to finish, [and] they had a few guys that are long and athletic enough to do that, so I think it just made it tough.

"I think it's indicative of how good of a defensive team they are."

As a whole, Orlando shot 44.9 percent from the field and 42.9 percent from three. It's just the eighth time the Magic have made more than 40 percent of their triples this season, but Orlando is 5-3 in those contests.

For Minnesota, Anthony Edwards had 28 points (nine in fourth quarter) and Julius Randle 22. Eight Timberwolves scored at least eight points, with six in double figures, as they shot 52.5 percent from the field and 14-of-33 from three.

Cole Anthony (left big toe strain) missed his second straight game, and Kentavious Caldwell-Pope (rest) also sat out.

In their places, Cory Joseph made his third start this season while Tristan da Silva made his 36th — part of Orlando's 24th different starting lineup this season.

Up Next

The Magic's road trip concludes Sunday with a 1 p.m. contest against the East-leading Cleveland Cavaliers on ABC.

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