Brooklyn Nets forward Mikal Bridges, left, looks to pass the ball as Orlando Magic forward Paolo Banchero defends during the first half of an NBA basketball game, Wednesday, March 13, 2024, in Orlando, Fla. (AP Photo/John Raoux)
ORLANDO, Fla. (AP) — Paolo Banchero handled the finesse part and let his Orlando teammates handle the physicality.
He made all six of his shots and eight of nine free throws, finishing with 21 points, and had nine assists Wednesday night in the Magic’s 114-106 win over the Brooklyn Nets.
“I give a lot of credit to Paolo,” said Magic center Wendell Carter Jr., who had 15 points and eight rebounds. “I’ve seen him kind of set the tone for everyone else before, and that was his approach tonight. We were a lot more physical than they were tonight.”
Six other Orlando players scored in double figures including Jalen Suggs, who scored 11 of his 14 points in the first quarter to help the Magic take a 17-point lead. They would lead the remainder of the game.
After sitting out Sunday’s loss to Indiana with a right thigh contusion, Suggs established the Magic’s physicality from the start, especially on the defensive end.
“He’s willing to do what a lot of guards do not want to do, and that is pick up full court and be a pest,” said Jonathan Isaac, who hit three 3-pointers and had two of Orlando’s six blocks. “It definitely takes our team to a new level. We feed off that physicality, that energy.”
“That’s a physical team,” said Nets interim coach Kevin Ollie. “They just did a really good job of taking the physicality to us, and we just cannot allow a team to do that, especially a team that good.”
Cam Thomas led the Nets with 21 points and eight rebounds.
Mikal Bridges scored all 17 of his points in the second half for Brooklyn, and Dennis Schroeder and Cam Johnson added 13 points each.
Suggs hit three 3-pointers and Orlando shot 67% in the first quarter to grab a 33-16 lead.
Thomas and…
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