DENVER (AP) — Paolo Banchero was happy together with his first profession triple-double. What made it even higher was its central function in a stirring comeback.
Banchero hit a pair of go-ahead free throws with 9.7 seconds remaining and the short-handed Orlando Magic rallied Friday evening for a 122-120 win over the Denver Nuggets.
The younger Magic ahead completed with 32 factors, 10 rebounds and 11 assists. He hit 4 free throws within the final 34.6 seconds in a sport the place the Magic trailed by as many as 18 factors within the third quarter.
“Simply the facility of simply constructive power and simply pushing one another,” stated Banchero, who was 15 of 19 from the free throw line. “We simply instructed one another, ‘We’re all we obtained. We will reside with the consequence, no matter it’s, however we’re not simply going to roll over and let these guys blow us out.’”
With the sport tied at 120, the Nuggets had an opportunity to take the lead. However Moritz Wagner stole a move from Kentavious Caldwell-Pope and fed it to Banchero, who drew a foul and made the free throws.
The ultimate play of the sport was designed to go to both Jamal Murray or Nikola Jokic, however the Magic defended it properly. Murray’s 10-foot floater rimmed out on the buzzer.
“Generally, we miss,” Jokic defined. “Generally, we make.”
Just like the evening earlier than, when the Nuggets rallied from an 18-point deficit within the fourth quarter to beat the Golden State Warriors on Jokic’s buzzer-beating 40-foot jumper.
Trailing 78-60 halfway by way of the third, the Magic discovered their rhythm in opposition to a Nuggets group that confirmed indicators of fatigue down the stretch. Orlando hit 17 3-pointers and went 23 of 34 from the free-throw line.
“We misplaced this sport within the third quarter,” stated Nuggets coach Michael Malone, whose group was outscored 41-31 within the pivotal quarter. “It’s back-to-back nights the place our third-quarter protection has been simply fully nonexistent. … As I instructed our guys, no matter you’re doing at halftime, it’s not working — individually and collectively.
“Disappointing final result.”
Jalen Suggs had a career-high 27 factors for an Orlando group that went 1-3 in a four-game swing out West.
The Magic had a prolonged listing of gamers sitting out Friday, together with Markelle Fultz (left knee), Gary Harris (proper calf), Wendell Carter Jr. (proper knee), Joe Ingles (left ankle), Jonathan Isaac (proper hamstring), Goga Bitadze (sickness) and Franz Wagner (proper ankle).
“It speaks volumes to the character that now we have on this group,” stated Suggs, who was 7 of 9 from 3-point vary. “Not solely subsequent man up, however the confidence to belief and consider in one another. We weren’t strolling on the market like, ‘Oh, let’s simply get it over with and return dwelling.’ We wished to go win the sport.”
Jokic led Denver with 29 factors in a sport the place Malone utilized 11 gamers to unfold out the minutes. Michael Porter Jr. had 22 and Murray 20. They’re nonetheless engaged on getting everybody concerned inside the stream of the offense.
“It is robust, as a result of we do have plenty of guys who game-to-game, it might be a unique sizzling hand,” Porter stated. “That is a blessing and a curse, typically. Perhaps the reply is staggering a pair starters with the bench unit. I do not actually know the reply. I do really feel like there are occasions within the sport the place Aaron (Gordon) does not contact the ball for an prolonged time frame. Or myself … It is positively a tricky steadiness to seek out.
“That’s actually as much as the coaches. That’s their job. That’s not our job. So we simply do what we’re instructed, attempt to area the ground the proper means, play by way of massive fella. That’s all we are able to do. Because the season goes on, we’ll proceed to get higher and higher at discovering that steadiness.”
UP NEXT
Magic: Return dwelling to play Atlanta on Sunday evening.
Nuggets: Host the Detroit Pistons on Sunday evening.
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