The Magic Insider

Magic PF Paolo Banchero Makes History in Game 3 Win vs. Cavaliers

When the Orlando Magic needed Paolo Banchero to be at his best, he delivered in their 121-83 win in Game 3 of the 2024 NBA Playoffs.

Nathaniel Marrero

Apr 25, 2024; Orlando, Florida, USA; Orlando Magic forward Paolo Banchero (5) catches a pass.
Apr 25, 2024; Orlando, Florida, USA; Orlando Magic forward Paolo Banchero (5) catches a pass. / Mike Watters-USA TODAY Sports
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ORLANDO — When the Orlando Magic needed Paolo Banchero to be at his best for them to have a shot at making the series 2-1, he didn't just surpass expectations.

The All-Star forward turned in a historic performance, scoring 31 points with 14 rebounds in the Magic's 121-83 win over the Cleveland Cavaliers on Thursday in Game 3 of the first round of the Eastern Conference Playoffs at the Kia Center. With the performance, Banchero, 21, became the third-youngest player in NBA history with at least 30 points and 10 rebounds, only trailing NBA legend and Hall-of-Famer Magic Johnson and LeBron James.

“I would say when I made my first basket. I just threw it up, and it went in," Banchero said of when he knew he was capable of a special performance. "I missed the first five or six, and I knew that they were all pretty easy shots and that I was just too excited almost, too much energy. I shot a lot. Too strong left and right. So, I would say when the first one went in, and it wasn’t even supposed to go in. I was really trying to get a foul, but that’s when I was like, ‘OK, I’ve got it going from here.’"

Banchero was the youngest player to have at least 30 points and 10 rebounds without any turnovers and became the first to have that stat line plus five assists when playing under 30 minutes.

Turning the ball over was one of Banchero's deficiencies in Games 1 and 2 against Cleveland. Between the first two games of the series, he had 15 turnovers.

"The moment he stepped into his first shot, it didn’t go in, there was no hesitation to his next one and I think that’s the sign of a young man who’s continued to get better, continued to grow into who he’s becoming, that he does not let a make or a miss rattle what he’s doing," Magic head coach Jamahl Mosley said. "And then you saw the result down the stretch, he was fantastic.”

Franz Wagner, who had 16 points and eight assists for the Magic, echoed Mosley's praise of Banchero, noting the difficult shots he made and the impact his play had on their teammates.

"That was pretty special," Wagner said. "Extremely tough shots. Some against two defenders. It makes the game pretty easy for the rest of us.”

The ability to be at your best when it's necessary is what differentiates the good from the great in any sport. With a potential loss putting Orlando in a 3-0 hole, Game 3 was a must-win game for them, which epitomizes when you need your best player to show why they've earned that moniker. Banchero was that and then some for the Magic, and if he can continue to string together performances like the one he had in Game 3, he'll join the convo among the best young players in the NBA and Orlando will have a fighting shot to play beyond the first round of the playoffs.

Related stories on the Orlando Magic

  • GAME 3 RECAP: The Orlando Magic blew out the Cleveland Cavaliers in Game 3 of the 2024 NBA Playoffs. CLICK HERE
  • HOW MAGIC TURNED IT AROUND ON OFFENSE: The Orlando Magic's offense rebounded in their 121-83 win over the Cleveland Cavaliers on Thursday in Game 3 of the first round of the 2024 NBA Playoffs. CLICK HERE
  • JOB'S NOT FINISHED: The Orlando Magic have bigger goals in mind after winning Game 3 against the Cleveland Cavaliers. CLICK HERE
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Nathaniel Marrero
NATHANIEL MARRERO

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