After splitting a four-game homestand at Kia Center, the Magic understood the challenge they were facing when traveling to the No. 3 team in the West on Saturday afternoon.
Playing on the first night of a back-to-back, Orlando didn’t allow a slow start against the Timberwolves limit them by shifting the contest in their favor near the midpoint.
Thanks to a combined 69 points from Desmond Bane (30), Paolo Banchero (25) and Jalen Suggs (14), Jamahl Mosley‘s squad captured a 119-92 victory in front of a national TV audience at Target Center.
“Our guys just locked into the game plan,” Mosley said. “It was just a very big game-plan win for our guys and they played with a level of confidence … being able to come in here and get the win.”
Led by Bane, who shot 10-for-10 at the free-throw line, the Magic took advantage of their trips to the charity stripe, where they ended 26-for-31. Orlando also outscored Minnesota 60-38 in the paint.
Although two-time All-NBA guard Anthony Edwards scored 34 points, the 27-point loss snapped a five-game winning streak for Minnesota. The Timberwolves (40-24) had won eight of their last nine.
Winning their third straight, the Magic (34-28) have a quick turnaround when they travel to Milwaukee on Sunday night to face the Bucks on the second night of a back-to-back.
“It’s just one game at a time,” Banchero said. “Can’t get too high, can’t get too low. There’s still a lot of basketball to be played. So, (Saturday night) was a huge win … but we’ve got to be ready to go (Sunday) against Milwaukee.”
Banchero’s impact
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The Magic forward set the tone on the opening offensive possession with a two-handed slam off a quick assist from Suggs.
Banchero was effective throughout the afternoon in the paint where he shot 9-for-12 and scored 18 of the team’s 60 paint points. He added 15 rebounds and three assists, but turned the ball over five times.
“It allows us to finish the possession off and now we’re playing against an unset defense,” Mosley said about Banchero’s efforts on the glass. “Once he’s got the rebound, we can play with pace, play a little faster, continue to do a great job of throwing it ahead and keep challenging him to get down that floor easily so we can get some early, easy baskets, especially against great defensive teams.
“But he’s done a great job just honing in and locking in on rebounding the basketball because he knows that continues to help our defense every night,” Mosley added.
Saturday’s performance marked his 21st double-double of the season, which leads the team.
Second-quarter swing
The Magic took a 10-point lead into the break after ending the second quarter on a 22-4 run.
Orlando outscored Minnesota 33-20 in the second frame and took advantage with Edwards off the floor. The Timberwolves’ star, who picked up his third foul with the 5:02 mark of the quarter, was held scoreless in the second quarter after scoring 17 in the first.
Although the Magic shot 2-for-11 from 3-point range in the 12-minute stretch, they did a solid job of getting to the free-throw line (9-for-11 in the quarter) while not fouling the Timberwolves (attempted zero free throws in the frame).
Minnesota, which shot 2-for-13 from distance in the quarter, didn’t score from the 5:50 mark until the 1:03 mark of the frame.
Da Silva dynamic
Tristan da Silva did a little bit of everything while providing a boost off the bench.
In the first half alone, the German forward recorded seven points, four rebounds and three assists while adding two steals by making quick decisions with confidence on both ends of the floor.
After starting the second half, da Silva finished with 11 points, seven rebounds, four assists in 31 minutes of action. His plus-minus rating of plus-24 led the team.
Black injured
Magic guard Anthony Black came up favoring the left side of his lower back following a drive to the basket roughly three minutes into the game.
He exited the game immediately and early in the second quarter, the team said he was questionable due to a low back strain. Black was ruled out at halftime.
Mosley said after the game Black had his shoulder grabbed during the first-quarter drive and it turned his back differently. The Magic guard will be re-evaluated and the team will monitor his status moving forward, Mosley said.
In limited action, Black missed two free throws with one rebound and one steal.
Isaac update
Magic forward Jonathan Isaac (left knee soreness) missed his second game in a row Saturday.
“That’s just something that’s been kind of lingering,” Mosley said before tipoff about Isaac’s sore left knee. “We just continue to monitor it to make sure that it doesn’t continue to get worse over time, just being more careful than anything.”
Isaac previously missed 2 1/2 years (2020-22) due to various left knee injuries, including a torn ACL.
Rookie watch
First-round pick Jase Richardson was a late scratch from the contest due to low back spasms. Richardson wasn’t added to the team’s injury report until an hour before tipoff.
With Isaac out again, second-round pick Noah Penda saw 14 minutes of action. The French forward was held scoreless but recorded six rebounds with one assist, one steal and one block.
Jason Beede can be reached at jbeede@orlandosentinel.com