Orlando Magic Cast a Spell On Indiana Pacers: Paolo Banchero’s Late Heroics Seal the Deal In Indy

If you turned off your TV during the third quarter of the Magic-Pacers game on Wednesday, I don’t blame you. But I also feel sorry for you. Because what looked like another dreary night for a Pacers squad stuck in the mud turned into the kind of chaotic, heart-pounding finish that makes the NBA the best reality show on earth.

In a game that featured more swings than a playground set, it was Orlando’s Paolo Banchero who decided he was done playing nice. With 7.5 seconds left, Banchero backed down Aaron Nesmith before banking in an 11-footer that sucked the air right out of Gainbridge Fieldhouse. The final score: Magic 112, Pacers 110. And for Indiana? That’s 10 straight losses.

Paolo Banchero: The Closer We Didn’t Know We Needed

He put up 29 points and grabbed 10 boards, which is a solid Tuesday for him, but it was how he did it that mattered. The Magic have been hurting without Franz Wagner, who’s been nursing a high-ankle sprain since early December, and they desperately needed someone to wear the “Hero” cape.

Banchero shot 12-of-21 from the field, but that last bucket was pure, unfiltered confidence. It wasn’t a play drawn up by a committee; it was a star player deciding to be a star. You could see the resignation on the Pacers’ faces as the ball kissed the glass and dropped in. It was the basketball equivalent of a door slamming shut.

The Pacers’ S Nightmare Continues

Nobody likes kicking a team when they’re down, but the Pacers are making it really hard not to stare at the wreckage. They are currently sitting at 6-28, sporting the NBA’s worst record. That 10-game losing streak? It’s now tied for the fifth-longest in franchise history. That is not the kind of history you want to be making.

Pascal Siakam tried his best to stop the bleeding, dropping 26 points and looking like the only guy who remembered where the basket was for stretches of the game. Bennedict Mathurin chipped in 23, and Andrew Nembhard added 19, but it just wasn’t enough. It feels like every time the Pacers find a rhythm, the basketball gods pull the rug out from under them.

Nesmith had a chance to play hero himself with 3.1 seconds left, but his potential go-ahead 3-pointer clanked off the rim. It was a fitting end to a night—and a season—that has felt like one long “almost” for Indiana.

Magic Bench and Returning Faces

While Banchero will get the headlines, let’s give some love to the supporting cast. Desmond Bane dropped 18 points, and Anthony Black added 15, providing the kind of secondary scoring that keeps defenses honest.

But the feel-good story for Orlando has to be Jalen Suggs. Returning from a seven-game absence due to a hip issue, Suggs didn’t look rusty at all. He put up 11 points and dished out 3 assists, but his energy was the real difference-maker. He’s the kind of guy who plays like he drank three espressos before tip-off, and the Magic have missed that jolt.

Also, shoutout to former Pacer Goga Bitadze, who scored 14 points against his old team. There is always a little extra juice when you play the guys who signed your checks previously, and Bitadze clearly enjoyed his “revenge game” moment, even if he kept it professional.

The Fourth Quarter Chaos

The fourth quarter was less of a basketball clinic and more of a street fight. Both teams traded blows, leads, and turnovers. Every possession felt heavy. But Orlando, rallying from a 10-point deficit in the third, just had more composure down the stretch. They didn’t panic when the crowd got loud or when Siakam started heating up. They just kept feeding Banchero and trusting he’d make the right read. Spoiler alert: He did.

What’s Next For Both Squads?

The Magic (19-15) get to fly to Chicago feeling good about themselves before taking on the Bulls on Friday. A win like this, grinding it out on the road without your second-best player, builds character.

The Pacers? They host the San Antonio Spurs on Friday. If there was ever a “must-win” game for morale purposes in late December, this is it. Nobody wants to ring in the New Year on an 11-game skid. That’s just bad vibes for 2026.