Paolo Banchero matched a season high with 37 points on 15-of-21 shooting, and Desmond Bane added 25 as the Orlando Magic rolled past the Washington Wizards 126-109 on Tuesday night.
Orlando shot 55.3% from the field and controlled the game with its starters, snapping a two-game skid. The Magic, currently seventh in the Eastern Conference, took command in the second half and steadily pulled away.
Jett Howard finished with 12 points, while Jalen Suggs, Jevon Carter and Moritz Wagner chipped in 10 apiece for an Orlando team playing without injured regulars Anthony Black (quad), Wendell Carter Jr. (ankle) and Franz Wagner (ankle).
Washington, which dressed just nine healthy players, dropped its sixth straight game. Rookie Will Riley led the Wizards with 19 points, and Jaden Hardy added 18. Juju Reese made his second career start and recorded nine points and eight rebounds in 32 minutes. He was cheered on from the stands by his sister, Angel Reese of the Chicago Sky.
The Wizards briefly grabbed the lead in the second quarter and stayed within single digits until early in the third. A layup by Suggs gave Orlando a 66-56 edge, igniting a decisive run. The Magic maintained a double-digit advantage the rest of the way and stretched the margin to as many as 25 in the fourth quarter.
Up Next: The Wizards host Utah on Thursday. The Magic host Dallas on Thursday.
