The Orlando Magic squandered an opportunity to end their losing streak when they hosted the Indiana Pacers on Monday. Instead, they endured a shocking 128-126 loss.

The Pacers came to the Kia Center as losers of 16-straight games — a franchise record. Conversely, the Magic had lost four games in a row up to that point after winning seven in a row. The Magic were down by as many as 12 points late in the fourth quarter but clawed their way back within two with a chance for Paolo Banchero to tie the game with five seconds remaining. However, he was blocked from behind by Pascal Siakam at the rim.

After the game, Banchero provided his thoughts.

"Back and forth game," Banchero said. "We just let them be too comfortable on offense, you know, they're pretty much scoring all night, but that's the style they play. So, we kind of gave into their style."

Banchero led his team with a game-high 39 points, a season high for him, as he battled back and forth with Siakam, who had 37 points. On his layup attempt to tie the game in the waning seconds, Banchero was sandwiched between Pacers center Jay Huff and Siakam at the rim. He said that their bodies made contact, but ultimately no foul was called.

"Just made an aggressive move to the hoop and I thought both of them, you know, jumped into me with their body but they were both straight up," he said. "So, could have been a foul, but it wasn't and yeah, it's a tough one."

The Magic found themselves down in the fourth quarter largely because of a 44-point third quarter effort the Pacers were able to manufacture. It was a late-game situation that, according to Banchero, resulted from Indiana being too comfortable offensively.

"They were, like I said, pretty comfortable throughout the game offensively," Banchero repeated. "You know, they shot the ball, got in the paint; they were getting to the free throw line so, you know — I mean, listen — their record is terrible this year, but they got some talented guys out there and those guys came to play."

After their fifth loss in a row, Orlando’s position in the Eastern Conference standings is no longer as comfortable as it was when the winning streak was occurring. Now, the Magic sit at eighth place in the East and risk falling below the Miami Heat with only a half game lead over their Southeast Division rivals.

With another challenge presenting itself in the form of the Cleveland Cavaliers on the second night of a back-to-back, Banchero knows the team is not being afforded any time to sulk.

"Not great losing five in a row," he said. "But yeah, we don't really have time to hang our heads. Got to get back tomorrow in Cleveland; try to get a win there and get back in the winning column."

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