ORLANDO — The Orlando Magic retook control of their first-round playoff series against the top-seeded Detroit Pistons with a 113-105 Game 3 win on Saturday. 

The win gives the Magic a 2-1 lead, and they demonstrated poise in the fourth quarter when they lost control of a 17-point lead. After the game, Desmond Bane reacted to the win and Orlando’s ability to withstand Detroit’s late run.

“I mean, I thought it was huge,” Bane said. “I mean, that's what the playoffs is about. You know, teams are going to make runs. They got great players on that side. You know, but we was able to regain the momentum, make the plays when they mattered, and find a way to get a win and protect home court.”

Bane’s performance is largely why Orlando was able to secure the win, as he went for 25 points on 50% shooting from the field while hitting seven of his nine 3-point attempts. The seven shots he made from beyond the arc tied Dennis Scott for the most threes made in a playoff game in franchise history. Scott achieved the feat on May 25, 1995.

“Yeah, I mean, it's super cool,” Bane said. “You know, my first year here, you know, so laying the foundation for hopefully a long, long time here in Orlando, but super cool. Hopefully, we go break it before this postseason's over with.”

It was Bane’s first playoff game at home as a member of the Magic, and he praised the crowd inside of the Kia Center for their enthusiasm.

“They brought it tonight,” Bane said. “I thought they were huge from the tip. I mean, even during the, you know, shoot-around when we were warming up, I was like, oh, wow, yeah, like, they're coming with it. So it was super dope. Get my first real playoff game here in Orlando, and I'm looking forward to Monday.”

After losing Game 2, Bane and his teammates knew not to overreact, and he broke down the mentality heading into Game 3.

“Yeah, I mean, I think that, you know, we talked about it,” Bane said. “We had a good practice yesterday. A lot of guys was in there getting work in, so, you know, I like our attitude, our resilience. I think I thought it was great. 

“We responded in the right way, and we got to understand what's coming for us in game four,” he added. “You know, they're going to come out swinging just like they did game two, up their physicality, so we got to be able to exceed that and protect home court.”

At 27 years old, Bane is in the prime of his career, but his experiences up to this point have made him a veteran presence. In that role, he has watched the team grow while being a part of that growth, and not just a witness to it.

“I think we've come so far, you know, throughout this season,” he said. “We've had moments where, you know, a run like that would derail us. You know, we go apart instead of come together. But that's the growth of this team. 

“You know, I think that we've taken huge strides in that area, and it's going to be important for us as we continue to move deeper in this postseason.”

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