THE Magic fought in fourth position with the Jazz at the Kia Center Thursday evening before Paolo Banchero (29 points) and Jalen Suggs (15) carried Orlando to victory in the fourth quarter.
Jamahl Mosley’s team won its 34th game, 115-107, with 22 games remaining in the regular season, to match last season’s win total.
Orlando just missed the NBA Play-In tournament. This year, the Magic (34-26) positioned themselves for a playoff spot, something the franchise has not accomplished in an 82-game season since 2019.
The Magic dominated the Jazz (27-33) in the paint, outscoring them 56-30, and overcame high turnovers (15 to Utah’s 25 points).
After two days of rest, Orlando remains at the Kia Center for a Sunday meeting with the Pistons (Bally Sports Florida, 6).
Welcome to Banchero
The Magic forward missed his first three shots but made 10 of 13 the rest of the game.
In the fourth quarter alone, Banchero took control to score 14 of his 29 points by driving his way into the paint and getting to the free throw line. In the final frame he was 6 of 6 on the charity stripe to finish 8 of 11 to lead the team.
Banchero was attacked early and often by the Jazz, leading him to feed the ball to perimeter shooters for open looks. He totaled 6 assists and 9 rebounds.
“I feel a lot better, a lot better,” said Banchero, who has missed two straight games because of illness. “I have some sniffles and stuff, but my body feels a lot better. So that’s the most important thing.
Precise shot from Suggs
Although he ultimately fouled out in the final seconds, Suggs came into his own in the fourth when he hit three triples to finish 4 of 7 from distance with 15 points.
Suggs’ third 3 of the frame came when Banchero was doubled on the left elbow and he whipped the ball into the right corner for the open look.
Perhaps too aggressive at times, Suggs committed back-to-back fouls in a span of 9 seconds in the fourth before making two late 3s to help the Magic win.
Mosley wants to see more from Suggs, and that’s part of what makes him such a tenacious defender.
“He had been as aggressive and as tough as we needed him to be,” Mosley said. “We’re going to take some of that aggression and continue to learn from it, but that’s who he is. We’re not going to take that away from him. »
Harris’ hot start
Gary Harris stood out against the Jazz when he drilled his first pair of 3s to score Orlando’s first 6 points.
He then added a layup off a steal from Utah’s Collin Sexton to lead the Magic with 8 points in the opening period.
The veteran guard helped spread the floor and provided perimeter defense in the final minutes.
Wagner’s way
Moe Wagner repeatedly drove to the basket and made the correct cuts for continued points in the paint.
His only miss was a 3-pointer from the left wing late in the first quarter. All 6 of his made baskets came close to the basket, including a one-handed slam midway through the second frame.
Wagner notched a double-double with 10 rebounds and 14 points, including 10 in the second quarter when he was 5 of 5 from the field in 12 minutes.
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