The Orlando Magic fell to the Phoenix Suns 113-110 in a double-overtime thriller on Saturday night, with Jalen Green hitting a buzzer-beating three-pointer to seal the win. Paolo Banchero highlighted foul trouble, turnovers, and second-chance points as pivotal factors that ultimately cost Orlando the game.
Banchero was a dominant force, recording 26 points, 14 rebounds, eight assists, and four blocks in 47 minutes. He shot 11-for-28 from the field and was perfect from the free-throw line, converting all four attempts while carrying the Magic into two extra periods.
Reflecting on the final possession, Banchero shared his perspective on Green’s game-winning shot.
I wasn’t on the ball so I was focused on guarding the inbounder. I didn’t really see too much, just turned my head and the ball was in the air.
– Paolo Banchero, Forward
The final buzzer did not tell the whole story; Orlando struggled through the game with critical absences and challenges. Key players Desmond Bane and Wendell Carter Jr. fouled out, and the team was also missing Franz Wagner and Jalen Suggs due to injury, with Suggs confirmed out shortly before tip-off.
I mean not ideal, but [I] thought we played hard, I just didn’t think we made enough plays down the stretch they made – a couple more than we did and yeah, definitely stings a little bit. Just [a] tough game.
– Paolo Banchero, Forward
Turnovers and Offensive Rebounds Shift Advantage to Suns
Bane delivered a standout performance until his foul trouble sidelined him, amassing 34 points, four rebounds, three assists, two steals, and a block. He shot efficiently, going 12-for-18 overall, 5-for-9 from three-point range, and hitting all five free throws in 40 minutes. Carter contributed seven points and 11 rebounds while shooting 2-for-4 from the floor and 3-for-3 from the charity stripe over 34 minutes.
Beyond foul issues, Banchero stressed the Magic’s struggle with turnovers and controlling the boards, which the Suns exploited.
Definitely hurt us. We knew coming in that they were a big second chance points team and that they crashed the glass pretty hard. They did a pretty good job of that, you know, got themselves a lot of extra possessions, a lot of dagger threes off offensive rebounds, so [it] definitely hurt us.
– Paolo Banchero, Forward
The Magic turned the ball over 16 times, including six from Banchero, which translated into 22 Phoenix points. Orlando also allowed the Suns 22 offensive rebounds, giving up 23 second-chance points as Phoenix converted 8 out of 23 attempts on those extended possessions.
Coach Mosley Highlights Impact of Small Mistakes
Orlando head coach Jamahl Mosley agreed with Banchero’s observations, emphasizing how the accumulation of lost opportunities influenced the outcome.
We gave ourselves a chance. That happens within a game – guys are going to foul out, there’s going to be foul trouble. There are going to be injuries throughout the season. You’ve got to give Phoenix a ton of credit, but it was a back-and-forth battle. But in a game like this, it is about the little things and the little details. We can’t turn it over 16 times for 22 points as well as give up 22 offensive rebounds. Those are possessions you can’t get back. But our guys fought till the end, minus bodies, obviously the situation. But we’ve got to make sure we continue to do the little things. And the great part about the league is that you’ve got to turn around and do it again tomorrow.
– Jamahl Mosley, Head Coach
Mosley also acknowledged Jalen Green’s clutch shot to finish the game.
He had a helluva shot. I think got some separation on that baseline, maybe he got pushed off his route, he did a helluva job to come back and contest it, but Jalen Green hit a helluva shot. You got to give him credit for that one.
– Jamahl Mosley, Head Coach
Magic Prepare for Road Clash with Clippers
Turning the page quickly, the Magic focus on their next challenge: a Sunday night game against the Los Angeles Clippers at 9:00 p.m. ET, broadcast on NBA TV. Banchero stressed that lessons learned from the Suns game will inform their approach.
Yeah, the Clippers [are] a good team, they made some trades. They look a little different, but I think it’s going to be a lot of emphasis on a lot of the same stuff that killed us tonight, hitting the glass, they crash pretty hard, defending. Yeah, just gotta be ready for the challenge, they’re a good team, good guys over there so yeah, gotta turn it around quickly.
– Paolo Banchero, Forward
Los Angeles has rebounded from a slow start to the season, now holding a 27-29 record despite a recent loss to the Lakers. The Clippers transformed their roster at the trade deadline, sending James Harden to the Cleveland Cavaliers in exchange for Darius Garland. They also traded Ivica Zubac to the Indiana Pacers, receiving Bennedict Mathurin, Isaiah Jackson, and multiple draft picks in return.
For Orlando, maintaining vigilance and minimizing errors remain essential. As Banchero pointed out, the game’s outcome was determined by a combination of foul trouble, costly turnovers, and second-chance points — factors that will require close attention in upcoming contests.
