Nickeil Alexander-Walker’s 3-pointer with 1:27 remaining put Atlanta ahead 125-121. Wendell Carter Jr. answered 20 seconds later with an alley-oop dunk assisted by Paolo Banchero, cutting the deficit to two. Then Alexander-Walker made another 3-pointer with 51 seconds left, restoring Atlanta’s five-point cushion at 128-123.
That sequence captured Orlando’s 132-125 loss at Kia Center. The Magic had enough offense to recover from a 10-point halftime deficit and take a one-point lead after three quarters. They did not finish the game’s most important possessions defensively, while Atlanta’s late creation kept turning pressure into points.
Banchero gave Orlando precisely the kind of offensive control a difficult game demands. He scored 35 points on 10-of-12 shooting, made 12 of 16 free throws and added 10 assists. His third-quarter 3-point play with 1:49 left made it 98-95 Orlando, part of a 38-point period that put the Magic ahead 100-99 after three quarters.
That rally was substantial because Atlanta had seized the second quarter, scoring 44 points to Orlando’s 29 and taking a 72-62 halftime lead. Banchero’s efficiency kept the Magic from having to manufacture every basket the hard way. Carter contributed 22 points on 8-of-10 shooting, Franz Wagner scored 22 and added five assists, and Orlando’s offense recovered enough to make the finish meaningful.
The problem was that the comeback came with a possession bill attached. Orlando committed 20 turnovers while producing 30 assists. Banchero had six turnovers, a costly number even with his enormous workload.
His passing created opportunities, but every lost possession reduced the value of the next successful one. A team can have a superb primary creator and still hand an opponent too many chances to answer.
Atlanta’s closing work was led by Alexander-Walker, who scored 31 points, made 5 of 8 3-pointers and went 10 of 13 at the free-throw line. Jalen Johnson finished with 20 points, 14 rebounds and six assists, including the assists on both late Alexander-Walker 3-pointers. Atlanta could keep asking for points from a player who was already having an efficient night.
The late makes gave Alexander-Walker’s scoring a particularly valuable timing: Orlando had completed the hard work of recovering the lead, then still needed an answer to his final shots.
