Cole Anthony (center) of the Orlando Magic makes a breakthrough during the 2023-2024 NBA regular season game between the Toronto Raptors and the Orlando Magic in Toronto, Canada on March 15, 2024. (Photo by Zou Zheng/Xinhua)
TORONTO, March 15 (Xinhua) — Franz Wagner scored a team-high 19 points and All-Star forward Paolo Banchero added 17 points, nine rebounds and eight assists to help the Orlando Magic to defeat the Toronto Raptors 113-103 on Friday night. .
Magic guard Jalen Suggs added 16 points and big man Wendell Carter Jr finished with 15 points and eight rebounds. Reserves Cole Anthony and Johnathan Isaac also contributed with 12 and 10 points, respectively.
With the win, Orlando improved to 39-28 on the season and has won 15 of its last 20 games since January 31. During that span, only Boston has a better record of 15-3.
“It’s hard to win in this league, so I think the fact that we’re finding ways to win games says a lot about our group,” Wagner said after the game. “For me, this is the first year we’ve really done this. This progress is really cool to see.”
After starting the season 24-23, the Magic have climbed all the way to fourth place in the Eastern Conference. Currently, they are 0.5 games behind the No. 4 Knicks and appear destined for their first playoff appearance in four years.
Since being drafted No. 8 in the 2021 draft, the 22-year-old German has yet to taste the playoffs in his first two seasons in the league.
In the win over Toronto, Orlando struggled for most of the first half, allowing the Raptors to take a nine-point lead into the second quarter. The Magic closed the half on a 22-11 run to enter intermission with a 50-48 lead.
In the third quarter, Banchero, 21, took over the game, scoring 11 points as part of a 29-8 run to end the quarter and put the game out of reach.
“Not putting your head down and getting discouraged, that’s growth,” Magic head coach Jamahl Mosley said of Banchero’s resiliency during a first half where he shot 2 on 8 from the field and only scored six points. “He knows how much we believe in him, he knows how much his teammates believe in him.”
After winning Rookie of the Year last season, Banchero upped his game with improvements in scoring (22.8), making percentage (46.2%), three-point shooting percentage points (36.1%) and assists (5.3). ■
Gradey Dick (front) of the Toronto Raptors makes a layup during the 2023-2024 NBA regular season game between the Toronto Raptors and the Orlando Magic in Toronto, Canada, March 15, 2024. (Photo by Zou Zheng/Xinhua)
Gary Trent Jr. (right) of the Toronto Raptors vies with Franz Wagner of the Orlando Magic during the 2023-2024 NBA regular season game in Toronto, Canada, March 15, 2024. (Photo by Zou Zheng/ Xinhua)
Paolo Banchero (front) of the Orlando Magic dunks during the 2023-2024 NBA regular season game between the Toronto Raptors and the Orlando Magic in Toronto, Canada, March 15, 2024. (Photo by Zou Zheng/ Xinhua)
Jonathan Isaac (right) of the Orlando Magic blocks Jordan Nwora of the Toronto Raptors during the 2023-2024 NBA regular season game between the Toronto Raptors and the Orlando Magic in Toronto, Canada, March 15, 2024. (Photo by Zou Zheng/Xinhua)
Gary Trent Jr. (right) of the Toronto Raptors makes a layup during the 2023-2024 NBA regular season game between the Toronto Raptors and the Orlando Magic in Toronto, Canada on March 15, 2024 (Photo by Zou Zheng/Xinhua)
Paolo Banchero (center) of the Orlando Magic makes a layup during the 2023-2024 NBA regular season game between the Toronto Raptors and the Orlando Magic in Toronto, Canada, March 15, 2024. ( Photo by Zou Zheng/Xinhua)
Markelle Fultz (center) of the Orlando Magic makes a layup during the 2023-2024 NBA regular season game between the Toronto Raptors and the Orlando Magic in Toronto, Canada, March 15, 2024. ( Photo by Zou Zheng/Xinhua)
