Paolo Banchero had 31 points and 12 rebounds as the Orlando Magic defeated the Miami Heat 133-124 on Wednesday night at Kaseya Center, snapping a four-game losing streak.
Anthony Black added 26 points with efficient shooting, while Desmond Bane finished with 23 points on 10-of-16 shooting from the field as Orlando improved to 3-0 against Miami this season.
The game started with a seven-minute delay after the officials determined one of the edges was uneven, but the Magic quickly got into a rhythm and relied on ball movement all night.
Orlando trailed by nine at halftime before turning the game around in the third quarter, outscoring the Heat 40-20 and taking control. Banchero scored 13 points in the period, and Black contributed 10 as the visitors forced seven turnovers and dominated the offensive glass.
The Magic built a 121-104 lead midway through the fourth quarter after a decisive 14-0 run that stretched Miami’s defense and opened the floor for shooters.
The Heat responded with a late push to close within 128-122 on a three-point play by Norman Powell with 1:25 to go, but Banchero and Jalen Suggs combined to make four free throws in the final minute to secure the outcome.
Suggs finished with 16 points, while Orlando posted 36 assists on 52 made field goals and shot 16 of 38 from beyond the arc. The Magic also committed just seven turnovers in the win.
Franz Wagner missed his fourth straight game for Orlando due to a sprained left ankle, but the club’s depth helped compensate for his absence.
Simone Fontecchio led Miami with 23 points in 19 minutes off the bench, including six 3-pointers. Powell scored 22 points and Bam Adebayo had 21 points and 12 rebounds for the Heat.
Miami played without Tyler Herro because of a rib injury and Davion Mitchell because of a shoulder sprain, limiting the backcourt during key stretches.
The Heat erased a 14-point deficit late in the first quarter and outscored Orlando by 16 points in the second quarter to take a 68-59 lead at halftime. Fontecchio scored 14 points in that period to fuel the surge.
With the win, the Magic improved to 24-22 and remained seventh in the Eastern Conference standings. Miami fell to 25-23 and remained eighth, with both teams trailing Detroit by 10.5 games.
Orlando returns home to host the Toronto Raptors on Friday. Miami travels to Chicago on Thursday for a game rescheduled from Jan. 8, beginning a series of three meetings with the Bulls in four days.
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