Sixers Spoil Paolo Banchero's Return, Beat Magic in Orlando

The Orlando Magic returned after their Thanksgiving break, but they were unable to plate a win Friday night against the Philadelphia 76ers.

Jeremy Brener | Nov 25, 2022

Sixers Spoil Paolo Banchero's Return, Beat Magic in Orlando /

The Orlando Magic (5-14) is still hungry for a win after its third straight loss by a score of 107-99 to the Philadelphia 76ers (10-9) Friday night at the Amway Center.

Orlando came out with a lot of energy with No. 1 overall pick Paolo Banchero making his return after a seven-game absence harbored by a sprained ankle, but Philadelphia succeeded in its plans to divert attention away from his comeback. Banchero scored 19 points in his return to the lineup, a solid showing from the rookie, but not on the level he has proven to be capable of in the past.

The Magic led at halftime thanks to a strong performance out of the gates from Bol Bol (who scored 15 of his 17 points in the first two quarters), but the lead was short-lived.

If you had to point towards a reason why Orlando fumbled the game, the finger would be in the direction of the third quarter. Philadelphia outscored Orlando by 10 and took the lead that it would never relinquish.

While the Magic shrunk that deficit to as few as five points, the Sixers' second-half defense stunted any come-from-behind heroics.

Franz Wagner had the most success out of any Magic player on offense, scoring a game-high 24 points. Shake Milton matched that total for the 76ers, starting for the injured James Harden.

While the Magic played without Wendell Carter Jr. (plantar fascia) and Chuma Okeke (knee), it's no excuse considering the 76ers played without James Harden, Joel Embiid and Tyrese Maxey, who are all dealing with foot injuries.

The Magic will seek revenge against the Sixers in a rematch Sunday in Orlando. Tipoff is scheduled for 6 p.m.

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Published Nov 25, 2022

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.