The Magic Insider

Paolo Banchero's Heroics Lift Orlando Magic to Win vs. Utah Jazz

The Orlando Magic finished its road trip on the right note after beating the Utah Jazz.

Jeremy Brener

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ORLANDO - The Orlando Magic is heading back home happy after a 115-113 win against the Utah Jazz on Thursday night at the Delta Center.

After losing two straight coming into the game, the Magic made it a mission to get back in the win column, and it came on a hard-fought victory against the Jazz.

Momentum had gone up, down and to the side throughout the game. Each team led by double figures at one point, but Orlando held that lead early in the second half, forcing Utah to play catch up.

The Jazz stayed in and trailed by five with 90 seconds to go, but Lauri Markkanen knocked down a pair of threes in the game's final possessions to take a one-point lead against the Magic with 20 seconds to play.

Down by a point, Paolo Banchero came in the clutch and drove into the lane to re-take the lead.

Talen Horton-Tucker took a 3-point shot to try and grab the lead back from the Magic, but he wasn't able to find the bottom of the net, allowing Orlando to shoot free throws on the other end.

The Jazz had a final look, but a turnover finished the job for the Magic.

Orlando Magic forward Paolo Banchero (5) dunks the ball against the Utah Jazz in the second quarter at the Delta Center.
Orlando Magic forward Paolo Banchero (5) dunks the ball against the Utah Jazz in the second quarter at the Delta Center / Rob Gray-USA TODAY Sports

With Markelle Fultz sitting out with knee swelling, Banchero stepped up after struggling for the early part of the road trip. Banchero had his best game of the season, scoring a game-high 30 on 9 of 13 shooting. He bought real estate at the free throw line, sinking 11 of 15 from the charity stripe.

The injury bug also stung Gary Harris, who started in place of Fultz but left after 14 minutes of action with a groin injury. That opened the door for No. 6 overall pick Anthony Black to see some action, and he scored nine points on a perfect shooting night from the floor in 16 crucial minutes off the bench. Wendell Carter Jr. also left the game late with a hand injury.

The Magic returns home after a long four-game road trip when it hosts LeBron James and the Los Angeles Lakers on Saturday night. Tipoff is scheduled for 7:00 ET.

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Jeremy Brener
JEREMY BRENER

Jeremy Brener is an editor, writer and social media manager for several Fan Nation websites. His work has also been featured in 247 Sports and SB Nation as a writer and podcaster. Brener has been with Fan Nation since 2021. Brener grew up in Houston, going to Astros, Rockets and Texans games as a kid. He moved to Orlando in 2016 to go to college and pursue a degree. He hosts "The Dream Take" podcast covering the Rockets, which has produced over 350 episodes since March 2020. Brener graduated in May 2020 from the University of Central Florida with a Bachelor's degree in Broadcast Journalism minoring in Sport Business Management. While at UCF, Brener worked for the school's newspaper NSM.today and "Hitting the Field," a student-run sports talk show and network. He was the executive producer for "Hitting the Field" from 2019-20. During his professional career, Brener has covered a number of major sporting events including the Pro Bowl, March Madness and several NBA and NFL games. As a fan, Brener has been to the 2005 World Series, 2010 FIFA World Cup and the 2016 NCAA National Championship between the Villanova Wildcats and North Carolina Tar Heels. Now, Brener still resides in the Central Florida area and enjoys writing, watching TV, hanging out with friends and going to the gym. Brener can be followed on Twitter @JeremyBrener. For more inquiries, please email jeremybrenerchs@gmail.com.

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