The Orlando Magic lost to the Detroit Pistons in Game 5 but it wasn't at the fault of forward Paolo Banchero
The Orlando Magic had a chance to close out the top-seeded Detroit Pistons in Game 5 of their first-round series in the Eastern Conference playoffs.
Instead, they are now again under pressure to avoid collapsing. A loss Wednesday night pulled the Pistons within 3-2 in the best-of-seven series. The Pistons led throughout and held off a late Magic run in the fourth quarter.
The bright spot was forward Paolo Banchero, who finished with a team-high 45 points on 17 of 31 shooting. He also had nine rebounds and seven assists.
"I thought Paolo was aggressive as heck," Magic coach Jamahl Mosley said. "He was trying to make the right plays at the right time—getting downhill, attacking the basket, and putting pressure on the rim. With bodies down, his ability to attack and keep us in the game was big time."
It was by far Banchero's best game of this postseason. He played every bit of a No. 1 pick. With Banchero showing he can step up, the Magic turn their concerns to injured forward Franz Wagner. He did not play because of a strained calf. This has been an injury-filled season for Wagner, who only played 34 games during the season.
There is a chance the Magic could once again be without Wagner, who will likely be listed as questionable for Game 6 in Orlando. Still, Mosley said the team is more than capable of closing things out with Wagner sidelined.
If that is the case, the Magic will need another strong effort from Banchero if they are going to pull off the upset. The Magic are trying to become the seventh No. 8 seed to bounce a top-seed in the first round. The 2023 Miami Heat were the last team to accomplish the feat.
"I thought guys did a great job stepping up," Mosley said of playing without Wagner. "AB [Anthony Black] was good in his minutes—attacking the basket, getting downhill, and stepping into his shot with confidence while guarding Cade. They had guys step up and make big shots, but it comes back to us making free throws and cleaning up offensive rebounds."
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Shandel Richardson is the publisher of MagicRoundtable. He can be reached at shandelrich@gmail.com