Paolo Banchero lifts Magic past Pacers in Jalen Suggs' return

Jason Beede, Orlando Sentinel on Dec 31, 2025

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Entering Wednesday’s game between the Magic and Pacers, Orlando coach Jamahl Mosley wanted his team to rebound the ball better and limit Indiana’s fast-break chances — two statistical categories that helped the Raptors take down Orlando two days prior.

Although the Magic allowed 15 fast-break points (half as many as they gave up at Toronto) and outrebounded Indiana 50-39, the sides went back and forth in a contest that was tied 12 times and featured 10 lead changes.

With the game tied at 110 with less than 30 seconds to play, Paolo Banchero (29 points) spun towards the basket and scored the go-ahead layup with 7.5 seconds left as Orlando outlasted host Indiana, 112-110, inside Gainbridge Fieldhouse.

“It’s a big lesson for our guys to battle through different versions of adversity,” Mosley said after the game. “You shoot 14 percent from three (and) you turn it over 19 times for 15 points.

“We have to be better but the resiliency and the poise down the stretch was much better,” he added.

Lacking defensive intensity at times throughout the game, the Magic made up for it on the other end, outscoring the Pacers 70-38 in the paint as Jalen Suggs made his return to the court on New Year’s Eve.

The loss was the 10th in a row for Indiana (6-28), which was led by Pascal Siakam’s 26 points. Aaron Nesmith missed a 3-point shot at the buzzer that would have won the game for the Pacers.

The Magic (19-15) wrap up their three-game road trip Friday at Chicago.

“It’s just a great feeling to get the win,” Banchero said. “Tough game. [The Pacers] weren’t going away and we just had to battle it out and just play to the final buzzer.”

Suggs’ return

After missing the last seven games because of a left hip bruise, Suggs returned to Orlando’s starting lineup alongside Banchero, Anthony Black, Desmond Bane and Wendell Carter Jr.

It was immediately clear the difference Suggs makes for Orlando when he’s on the floor because of his ability to help push the pace on offense and offer quality defense on the other end.

Suggs played shorter stints on a minutes restriction, but he made his presence felt on both sides of the ball.

Although his timing was off at times in his first game back from injury, Suggs ended with 11 points, three assists, three steals and three turnovers in 25 minutes.

“I thought he was trying to find his way in rhythm with the group,” Mosley said about the Magic guard. “He made some big time plays and obviously we’re going to go back and look at some of the film and see some of the differences we could have made there.

“But I thought he did a good job for being able to get himself back for not playing for such an extended period of time,” he added.

Rest of starters

Fresh off his fourth career triple-double at Toronto, Banchero looked more and more like himself as he attacked the basket, helped clean up the glass and denied multiple Pacers from scoring.

The Magic forward posted 13 points, seven rebounds and two blocks in the first half, and he didn’t slow down after the break. He finished with 10 boards and four assists.

Similarly, Bane penetrated the paint often after he hit first triple of the afternoon. An Indiana native playing in front of family and friends, the Magic guard did a little bit of everything, recording 18 points, seven rebounds and six assists in 33 minutes.

“He’s a winner,” Mosley said about Bane. “He’s doing whatever is necessary to help us win games.”

Second unit

After Tristan da Silva picked up his third foul at the 4:12 mark of the first quarter, Mosley turned to Jamal Cain in relief and the two-way forward took advantage of the opportunity.

Cain hit his first three shots, which included a corner 3 late in the second quarter. He notched a season-high nine points in his first five minutes of action before ending with 11 points in 12 minutes.

Reserve center Goga Bitadze also came up big for the Magic, especially near the end of the third quarter when he scored eight of his 14 points. Facing his former team, Bitadze came up one rebound short of a double-double.

Orlando was without forwards Jonathan Isaac (sore left knee) and Jett Howard (illness) against the Pacers.