NBA: Paolo Banchero last-second score gives Orlando Magic win over Detroit Pistons, Boston Celtics beat New York Knicks
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ByOli Gent
Updated 25/02/2024 at 10:51 GMT
There was late drama at the Little Caesars Arena as the Orlando Magic stole a 112-109 victory against the Detroit Pistons, with Paolo Banchero scoring a three-pointer in the final second of the game. The Magic sit top of the Southeast Division. Elsewhere, the Boston Celtics beat the New York Knicks 116-102 at Madison Square Garden, and the Minnesota Timberwolves defeated the Nets.
DETROIT, MI - FEBRUARY 24: Paolo Banchero #5 of the Orlando Magic celebrates during the game on February 24, 2024 at Little Caesars Arena in Detroit, Michigan.
Image credit: Getty Images
Paolo Banchero’s three-pointer with 0.8 seconds left on the clock stole victory for the Orlando Magic over the Detroit Pistons.
Tied at 109-109 going into the dying embers of the game, Banchero, the power forward, came up with the goods to snatch a 112-109 win for the visiting side, who lift themselves into sixth in the Eastern Conference and sit top of the Southeast Division.
The Magic, who earned their third win in a row, shared the points around, with none of their players scoring over 20.
Cade Cunningham, the Pistons point guard, will feel extremely hard done by to end up on the losing side after his 26 points, seven rebounds and one assist.
Banchero top-scored for the Magic on 15 points, with Franz Wagner and Jalen Suggs supplementing his tally with 14 points each.
“We wanted to get the last shot,” Banchero said. “When I got the ball, I was looking at the clock and wanted to get it down to the last possible second.”
“That’s what great players do,” Suggs added. “He's an All-Star for a reason.”
Celtics too strong for Knicks
The Boston Celtics brushed the New York Knicks aside 116-102 at Madison Square Garden, with Jaylen Brown scoring 30 points to help the Eastern Conference leaders secure their eighth victory in a row.
Kristaps Porzingis added 22 points, four rebounds and four assists, and Jayson Tatum had 19 points with six assists and six rebounds as the Celtics’ big hitters turned up when it mattered, as they condemned the Knicks to their fifth defeat in their last six games.
Joe Mazzulla praised Tatum’s stellar performance.
“I thought today was a beautiful display of basketball from Jayson,” the Celtics coach said.
“It won’t go into the most valuable category, but his ability to control the game with his pick-and-roll pace, his pick-and-roll passing, his defence.
“He put himself on [Jalen] Brunson, welcoming 2-on-1s and creating for others was great. My hat's off to him for knowing that's a way for us to win.”
Brunson, the home point guard, top-scored with 34 points, three rebounds and nine assists, but his efforts proved in vain as his side were easily defeated.
It was a similar story for the other New York outfit as the Brooklyn Nets fell to a 101-86 defeat to the Minnesota Timberwolves.
The Western Conference leaders were led by Anthony Edwards, who scored 29 points, including a last-minute dunk, and Karl-Anthony Towns, the centre, added 28 points to give Chris Finch’s side a victory that he believed his team needed "desperately”.
“We needed a win desperately,” he said post-match. “[We are] still not playing really sharp basketball, particularly on the offensive end. But defensively, we were really strong.”
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