<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/nba/orlando-magic/magic-news-paolo-banchero-hit-brutal-josh-smith-comparison-amid-orlandos-slow-start');   ga('set', 'title', 'Paolo Banchero hit with brutal Josh Smith comparison amid Magic’s slow start');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/Banchero-drives.jpg"><figcaption>Bill Streicher-Imagn Images</figcaption></figure><h1>Paolo Banchero hit with brutal Josh Smith comparison amid Magic’s slow start</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2025-10-28T13:26:23-07:00">October 28th, 1:26pm</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2025-10-28T13:26:23-07:00">October 28th, 1:26pm</time><address><a>Jackson Stone</a>Jackson Stone is a Mercer University alum from Atlanta who graduated with a BA in communications. A lifelong sports lover, Jackson is a die-hard fan of all Atlanta teams. He joined ClutchPoints in 2023.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">NBA</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>On Monday evening, the Orlando Magic dropped to 1-3 on the 2025 NBA season with a disappointing road loss <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/philadelphia-76ers/76ers-news-vj-edgecombe-more-points-first-3-games-michael-jordan">against the Philadelphia 76ers.</a> The loss was another puzzlingly bad defensive performance from <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/orlando-magic/magic-news-franz-wagner-points-self-inflicted-errors-after-orlando-loss-to-hawks">a Magic team</a> that was supposed to be among the league’s elites in that department this year.</p><p>Not helping the cause has been Paolo Banchero, who has gotten off to a rough shooting start to the season and recently took a startlingly bad shot attempt late in a close game against the Atlanta Hawks.</p><p>Recently, NBA analyst Kirk Goldsberry stopped by The Ringer’s Zach Lowe’s podcast and <a href="https://x.com/MrBuckBuckNBA/status/1983243370429403634" rel="noopener">made a comparison</a> to a former NBA power forward.</p><p>“I’m going to raise the red flag over Paolo Banchero Island. This is such a key moment for him, and I hesitate to admit this — but at times, he reminds me of Josh Smith,” said Goldsberry, per MrBuckBuck on X, formerly Twitter. “He’s made just five of his 27 jump shots this year, and I’m not cherry-picking. I love Paolo — he’s a huge part of the future of American basketball — but last season, among the 62 most active jump shooters in the NBA, he ranked 60th in efficiency.”</p><p>“He has a jump-shooting problem, and as the team’s most active scorer, that’s an issue,” he concluded.</p><p>Josh Smith similarly was a supremely talented player for the Atlanta Hawks in the 2000s and early 2010s but struggled to shoot the ball from outside, to the point where fans in attendance would actively groan when he got ready to launch one up.</p><h2><b>A rough start for the Magic</b></h2><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/Magics-Paolo-Banchero-flexing.jpg"><figcaption>Bill Streicher-Imagn Images</figcaption></figure><p>Coming into this year, the Magic were expected to compete for one of the top seeds in the East after trading for Desmond Bane in the offseason. While four games is far too small a sample size to make any big declarations, the Magic have not looked great so far, particularly on defense, surrendering a 136-point effort to the 76ers on Monday.</p><p>Things will likely improve as this new-look roster continues to gel, so it’s too early for any fans to hit the panic button. However, if this is the version of Banchero that Orlando is going to get this year, there will be a hard ceiling on just how good they can be.</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

Paolo Banchero hit with brutal Josh Smith comparison amid Magic’s slow start

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/nba/philadelphia-76ers/76ers-news-vj-edgecombe-shows-off-athleticism-paolo-banchero-chasedown-block');   ga('set', 'title', '76ers’ VJ Edgecombe shows off insane athleticism with Paolo Banchero chasedown block');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/VJ-Edgecombe-shows-off-insane-athleticism-with-Paolo-Banchero-chasedown-block.jpg"><figcaption>Bill Streicher-Imagn Images</figcaption></figure><h1>76ers’ VJ Edgecombe shows off insane athleticism with Paolo Banchero chasedown block</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2025-10-27T20:09:24-07:00">October 27th, 8:09pm</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2025-10-27T20:13:13-07:00">October 27th, 8:13pm</time><address><a>Richard Pereira</a>Richard Pereira joined ClutchPoints in January 2025 as an Associate Editor. He earned his degree from Florida Atlantic University in 2023 and has been covering the school's athletic programs since 2020, having served as a Sports Editor at the FAU University Press. He was granted the unique opportunity to report on the men's basketball team's journey to the Final Four in Houston for FAU Owls Nest during March Madness, consistently striving to grow as a sports journalist.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">NBA</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>VJ Edgecombe had an impressive defensive highlight during the Philadelphia <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/philadelphia-76ers/76ers-news-joel-embiid-fed-up-minutes-restriction">76ers’ matchup against the Orlando Magic</a> on Monday night.</p><p>Going into the game, Edgecombe had an excellent start to his NBA career. He averaged 24.5 points, 6.5 rebounds and 5.5 assists throughout the first two games of the season, making early splashes as a start for Philadelphia.</p><p>The young guard continues to prove his talent not just on offense, but on the defensive side of the ball as well. He <a href="https://x.com/ClutchPoints/status/1982970769492848813" rel="noopener">showcased that with this highlight</a> in the third quarter, chasing down Paolo Banchero for the big block on the fastbreak.</p><figure class="op-interactive"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p dir="ltr" lang="en">WHAT A SEQUENCE BY THE SIXERS 🔥</p><p>VJ Edgecombe with a MEAN chasedown block on Paolo Banchero and Tyrese Maxey lays it up on the other end 😤<a href="https://t.co/w57hMvOY08">pic.twitter.com/w57hMvOY08</a></p><p>— ClutchPoints (@ClutchPoints) <a href="https://twitter.com/ClutchPoints/status/1982970769492848813?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 28, 2025</a></p></blockquote><p><script async="" src="https://instagram.com/embed.js"></script></p></figure><h2><b>How VJ Edgecombe, 76ers played against Magic</b></h2><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/VJ-Edgecombe-shows-off-insane-athleticism-with-Paolo-Banchero-chasedown-block-1.jpg"><figcaption>Bill Streicher-Imagn Images</figcaption></figure><p>It was a great highlight for VJ Edgecombe to pull off, helping the 76ers take down the Magic 136-124 to improve to 3-0 on the season.</p><p>Philadelphia was without Joel Embiid as the team remains cautious towards his health. Nonetheless, the squad adapted well enough to make big plays down the stretch to fend off any attempt at an upset on their homecourt.</p><p>Perimeter shooting and turnovers made the difference in this matchup. The 76ers prevailed in both categories as they made 14 3-pointers on a 42.4% clip while limiting their turnovers to six. It wasn’t the same for the Magic, only making eight triples on 32% accuracy and turning the ball over 13 times.</p><p>Four players scored in double-digits for Philadelphia, including Edgecombe. He finished with a stat line of 26 points, seven assists, four rebounds, a steal, and a block. He shot 10-of-17 from the field, including 2-of-4 from beyond the arc, and 4-of-4 from the free-throw line. Tyrese Maxey had an excellent display with 43 points, eight assists, four rebounds, and a steal. Kelly Oubre Jr. came next with 25 points and 10 rebounds, while Quentin Grimes provided 14 points and five rebounds.</p><p>The 76ers will look forward to their next matchup, being on the road. They face the Washington Wizards on Oct. 28 at 7 p.m. ET.</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

76ers’ VJ Edgecombe shows off insane athleticism with Paolo Banchero chasedown block

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/nba/orlando-magic/magics-paolo-banchero-desmond-bane-call-jalen-suggs-heart-and-soul-after-return-vs-heat');   ga('set', 'title', 'Magic’s Paolo Banchero, Desmond Bane call Jalen Suggs the ‘heart and soul’ after energetic return vs. Heat');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/Jalen-Suggs-4-reacts-after-a-basket-against-the-Miami-Heat-in-the-fourth-quarter.jpg"><figcaption>© Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images</figcaption></figure><h1>Magic’s Paolo Banchero, Desmond Bane call Jalen Suggs the ‘heart and soul’ after energetic return vs. Heat</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2025-10-23T10:42:35-07:00">October 23rd, 10:42am</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2025-10-23T10:42:35-07:00">October 23rd, 10:42am</time><address><a>Julian Ojeda</a>Julian Ojeda is an Orlando-based sports journalist with 3 years of professional writing under his belt, specializing in both NBA and NFL coverage. A devoted Orlando Magic fan, he deftly balances fervent fandom with insightful reporting, possessing a keen eye for compelling narratives.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">Mini-Editorials</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>The <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/orlando-magic/magic-news-paolo-banchero-jamahl-mosley-rave-desmond-bane-impact">Orlando Magic opened their 2025-26 season on a high note</a> Tuesday night, <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/nba-stories/what-we-know-about-terry-rozier-chauncey-billups-fbi-investigations">defeating the Miami Heat 125-121 at the Kia Center</a> in a fast-paced, physical matchup that marked the return of guard Jalen Suggs. Playing in his first game since January, Suggs quickly reminded teammates and fans alike why he’s considered the team’s emotional core.</p><p>Suggs finished with 14 points, four rebounds, three assists, and two blocks in just 17 minutes of action. He shot 6-for-7 from the field, including 2-for-3 from three-point range, and recorded a team-best plus/minus of +15. It was his first game since <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/orlando-magic/magic-news-orlando-president-provides-updates-jalen-suggs-moritz-wagner-injuries">undergoing arthroscopic surgery</a> in February to remove a cartilage fragment in his left knee — an injury that ended his 2024-25 season prematurely.</p><p>The former All-Defensive Team guard made an immediate impact on both ends of the floor, helping Orlando set the tone early against a veteran Miami squad. His return drew praise from teammates Paolo Banchero and Desmond Bane, who both described him as the “<a href="https://www.nba.com/magic/video" rel="noopener">heart and soul</a>” of the team.</p><p>“I mean everybody saw it… him starting the game hitting shots,” Banchero said. “Defensively, doing what he does – can’t say enough about what he does for our team and the player he is so it was great having him out there.”</p><h2><b>Desmond Bane calls Jalen Suggs the ‘heart and soul’ as Magic’s new core shines vs. Heat</b></h2><p>Bane, who made his Magic debut after <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/orlando-magic/magic-news-why-desmond-bane-no-limits-orlando-after-grizzlies-trade">being acquired from the Memphis Grizzlies this offseason</a>, echoed that sentiment and spoke about Suggs’ influence during key moments late in the game.</p><p>“He’s a game changer,” Bane said. “I mean he made a big shot on offense, a big steal on defense, charge – as soon as the crowd started getting into it we were in a timeout with like three minutes to go and he was like, ‘come out we get a stop or two and this place is gonna explode and just ride that momentum to the end.’ I tell him all the time, he’s the heart and soul of this thing. Without him we’d still be a good ball club but he’s really the guy that puts us over the top.”</p><p>Bane added that Suggs’ presence provides an energy boost that can’t be replicated.</p><p>“He’s an energizer bunny – every time something happens he’s pumping the crowd up,” Bane said. “He brings that much needed juice for sure.”</p><p>The game showcased the chemistry between the Magic’s newly constructed backcourt and its established core. Alongside Suggs’ efficient night, Banchero led Orlando with 24 points and 11 rebounds, while Bane contributed 23 points in his first regular-season game with the team. Franz Wagner matched their production with 24 points, six assists, and four rebounds in 36 minutes, further solidifying Orlando’s balanced attack.</p><h2><b>Franz Wagner praises Bane and Suggs as Magic eye deeper run with healthy roster</b></h2><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/Jalen-Suggs-4-reacts-with-guard-Desmond-Bane-3-after-a-play-against-the-Miami-Heat.jpg"><figcaption>© Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images</figcaption></figure><p>Wagner pointed out that both Bane and Suggs played pivotal roles in creating momentum late in the game, highlighting a moment that reflected their collective mindset.</p><p>“I just talked about Bane, not just as a player but that play shows his character – he’s a big time scorer but he really wants to win and does that type of play as well,” Wagner said. “And then J Suggs, pretty hard to find someone that I don’t know what it was, eight months off… six for seven, +15, it’s pretty impressive.”</p><p>Suggs’ return adds another dimension to Orlando’s guard rotation, which now features Bane’s outside shooting and veteran leadership alongside Suggs’ defensive intensity and emotional spark. The Magic finished last season 41-41 after a year riddled with injuries to Suggs, Franz Wagner, and Moritz Wagner. With a healthy roster and offseason additions, the team has set its sights on making a deeper postseason push.</p><p>The Magic will look to build on their opening-night win when they host the Atlanta Hawks (0-1) on Friday night at 7 p.m. ET as part of their three-game homestand.</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

Magic’s Paolo Banchero, Desmond Bane call Jalen Suggs the ‘heart and soul’ after energetic return vs. Heat

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/nba/orlando-magic/magic-news-paolo-banchero-jamahl-mosley-rave-desmond-bane-impact');   ga('set', 'title', 'Magic’s Paolo Banchero, Jamahl Mosley rave about Desmond Bane’s impact');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/Desmond-Bane-3-looks-on-against-the-Miami-Heat-in-the-third-quarter-at-Kia-Center.jpg"><figcaption>© Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images</figcaption></figure><h1>Magic’s Paolo Banchero, Jamahl Mosley rave about Desmond Bane’s impact</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2025-10-23T10:13:14-07:00">October 23rd, 10:13am</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2025-10-23T10:13:14-07:00">October 23rd, 10:13am</time><address><a>Julian Ojeda</a>Julian Ojeda is an Orlando-based sports journalist with 3 years of professional writing under his belt, specializing in both NBA and NFL coverage. A devoted Orlando Magic fan, he deftly balances fervent fandom with insightful reporting, possessing a keen eye for compelling narratives.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">Editorials</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>The<a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/nba-stories/what-we-know-about-terry-rozier-chauncey-billups-fbi-investigations"> Orlando Magic opened their 2025-26 season with a statement win</a> on Tuesday night, defeating the Miami Heat 125-121 at the Kia Center. The debut of veteran guard Desmond Bane stole much of the spotlight, earning immediate praise from star forward Paolo Banchero and head coach Jamahl Mosley following his first game in a Magic uniform.</p><p><a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/orlando-magic/magic-news-why-desmond-bane-no-limits-orlando-after-grizzlies-trade">Bane, acquired this offseason from the Memphis Grizzlies</a>, scored 23 points to go with four rebounds, three assists, and two blocks in 33 minutes. He shot 7-for-18 from the field, 3-for-6 from beyond the arc, and 6-for-6 from the free throw line, playing a key role in helping Orlando close out Miami in a high-scoring contest.</p><p>Banchero, who led the Magic with 24 points, 11 rebounds, an assist, a steal, and a block on 7-of-17 shooting, said Bane’s aggressive approach and confidence fit seamlessly into Orlando’s system.</p><p>“He was just being himself and that’s what we’ve asked him to do since the day he got here,” Banchero said. “Just hunt his shots, be aggressive and let it fly. We trust him with the ball in his hands [and] whatever he decides to do with it so I thought he played great.”</p><h2><b>Paolo Banchero and Jamahl Mosley praise Desmond Bane’s leadership</b></h2><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/Desmond-Bane-3-is-guarded-by-Miami-Heat-center-Bam-Adebayo-13-in-the-third-quarter.jpg"><figcaption>© Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images</figcaption></figure><p>Mosley <a href="https://www.nba.com/magic/video" rel="noopener">echoed that sentiment</a>, emphasizing Bane’s leadership and composure in key moments.</p><p>“Well he brings a calm but he also brings a toughness – his ability to get guys together in huddles,” Mosley said. “You saw him bringing the group together down the stretch, I think it was the 4:30 mark that he brought guys in. Jalen was over there getting the crowd going and Desmond brought everybody in and I think his ability to do that for this group says a lot. And also making the right play, putting the ball in his hands down the stretch – he can handle it, him and Paolo two man game, pick and roll… it’s a luxury to have these guys down the stretch to be able to make big time plays for one another.”</p><p>Bane’s debut performance capped off an all-around offensive showing for Orlando, as Franz Wagner matched Banchero’s 24 points while adding six assists, four rebounds, and two steals on 9-of-17 shooting. Wagner also reflected on Bane’s impact, praising his competitive edge and unselfishness.</p><p>“I just talked about Bane, not just as a player but that play shows his character – he’s a big time scorer but he really wants to win and does that type of play as well,” Wagner said, referencing Bane’s dive for a loose ball late in the game. “Like I said, you don’t know which play is gonna win the game.”</p><h2><b>Balanced scoring trio powers Magic past Heat, highlighting team’s depth and versatility</b></h2><p>The trio of Banchero, Bane, and Wagner combined for 71 points, marking just the second time in franchise history that three Magic players scored 20 or more points in an opening night game. The <a href="https://x.com/Magic_PR/status/1981177684257366450" rel="noopener">only other instance came on Oct. 19, 2022</a>, in Detroit, when Banchero, Jalen Suggs, and Wagner each topped 20 points.</p><p>For Mosley, the new scoring balance highlights Orlando’s growing depth and versatility.</p><p>“Those are very good problems,” Mosley said. “I mean, you see down the stretch we’re trying to find a matchup – we go to Paolo and Desmond in the pick and roll when we usually go to Franz and Paolo in the pick and roll. Jalen’s out there, he makes a big play. It says a lot about the guys that are not afraid of the moment and they trust each other enough to make the right play at the right time and they’re all capable of making big time plays and they celebrate each other. And that’s the beauty of this team — our depth, our togetherness, and the focus that we have to continue to work for one another.”</p><h2><b>Banchero says expectations are ‘exciting’ as Magic look to build on opening win</b></h2><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/Paolo-Banchero-5-looks-to-shoot-the-ball-against-the-Miami-Heat-in-the-third-quarter.jpg"><figcaption>© Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images</figcaption></figure><p>Banchero, now in his fourth NBA season, said the addition of Bane has elevated both the team’s confidence and expectations.</p><p>“The expectations are exciting, the pressure is exciting,” Banchero said. “It’s a privilege for people to think or have very high expectations for your team and I think we just wanna embrace that here. I wouldn’t say it was our best performance but we were able to still grind out the win and stay together. There was a lot of good as well so… going back to look at what we could work on and taking the good as well and just being better from it. But it was a very good first showing and I think the sky’s the limit for us.”</p><p>Wagner shared a similar perspective, noting that the offseason additions have sharpened the team’s mindset.</p><p>“Obviously with the moves we made this summer, our urgency is at an all-time high,” Wagner said. “A lot of guys that we added not just on the court with their playing style but with their demeanor, their character, I think fits us perfectly with what we needed. And add that to a really talented group that everybody got a lot better over the summer, I’m excited for what we can do.”</p><p>With the Magic’s home opener now behind them, the team will look to build on its early momentum when it hosts the Atlanta Hawks (0-1) on Friday night at 7 p.m. ET to continue their three-game homestand.</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

Magic’s Paolo Banchero, Jamahl Mosley rave about Desmond Bane’s impact

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/nba/orlando-magic/magics-paolo-banchero-fires-99-percent-claim-about-desmond-bane');   ga('set', 'title', 'Magic’s Paolo Banchero fires ’99 percent’ claim about Desmond Bane');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/Magic-news-Paolo-Banchero-fires-99-percent-claim-about-Desmond-Bane.jpg"><figcaption>Mike Watters-Imagn Images</figcaption></figure><h1>Magic’s Paolo Banchero fires ’99 percent’ claim about Desmond Bane</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2025-10-07T23:35:04-07:00">October 7th, 11:35pm</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2025-10-07T23:35:04-07:00">October 7th, 11:35pm</time><address><a>Paolo Mariano</a>Paolo Mariano is a freelance writer, editor, and producer based in Manila, Philippines. He is a journalism graduate from the University of Santo Tomas and the father of a young girl whose personality swings from Simone Biles to Dillon Brooks. A beacon of objectivity, he believes Penny Hardaway is the true NBA GOAT.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">NBA</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>Orlando Magic star Paolo Banchero is confident they have the tools to be a strong contender in the Eastern Conference. They have flirted with success in recent years, and it’s only a matter of time until they get over the hump.</p><p>For Banchero, guard Desmond Bane could be the missing piece. The <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/orlando-magic/move-orlando-magic-still-make-2025-nba-free-agency">Magic acquired Bane in a trade with the Memphis Grizzlies</a> in exchange for Cole Anthony, Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, and future first-round picks.</p><p>Many felt Orlando gave up way too much, but Banchero believes the front office made the right decision, describing the 27-year-old Bane <a href="https://andscape.com/features/orlando-magic-guard-desmond-bane-the-perfect-match-for-the-franchise/" rel="noopener">as a “great fit.”</a></p><p>“He adds what we’re missing, and he also adds to what we already have. It’s like the perfect match. We don’t have anybody who can make shots like him, who can kind of leverage the way he is able to make shots, then make plays for others and get downhill and create,” said Banchero in a report from Andscape’s Marc Spears.</p><p>Bane spent five years with the Grizzlies, blossoming into one of the more underrated two-way players in the league. Last season, he averaged 19.2 points, a career-high 6.1 rebounds, and 5.3 assists. He also shot a career-best 48.4% from the field.</p><p>The 22-year-old Banchero pointed out that Bane’s physique should bode well for them, even making a bold claim that might raise not a few eyebrows.</p><p>“He’s a Swiss Army knife as a player, as a guard. He is stronger than 99 percent of the guards in the league with how he’s built. He’s going to fit into what we do,” stressed the one-time All-Star.</p><p><a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/orlando-magic/magic-paolo-banchero-bold-predictions-2025-26-season">Banchero was limited to just 45 games last season</a> due to a torn oblique. He averaged career-highs of 25.9 points and 7.5 rebounds on top of 4.6 assists.</p><p>With Banchero, Bane, Franz Wagner, and Jalen Suggs forming the core, the Magic could abracadabra their way to a third straight appearance in the playoffs.</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

2025-26 SEASON STATS
PTS	REB	AST	BLK	STL
22.8	8.5	2.0	1.5	0.5

2025-26 SEASON STATS
PTS	REB	AST	BLK	STL
22.8	8.5	2.0	1.5	0.5

Paolo Banchero

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Magic’s Paolo Banchero fires ’99 percent’ claim about Desmond Bane

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