ORLANDO, Fla. (AP) — Paolo Banchero scored a career-high 50 points, and the Orlando Magic beat the Indiana Pacers 119-115 on Monday night. Banchero also had 13 rebounds and nine assists in a terrific performance .
Jalen Suggs had 25 points and seven assists for Orlando, and reserve Mo Wagner finished with 14 points. Pascal Siakam had 26 points and nine rebounds for the Pacers, who wiped out a 13-point Magic lead in the third quarter but went cold in the final minutes. Tyrese Haliburton had 19 points, nine rebounds and 10 assists.
Banchero tied a franchise record with 37 points in the first half, matching Tracy McGrady on March 9, 2003. Pacers: Went 20 for 30 at the free-throw line while falling to 1-3 on the season. Magic: Banchero helped the Magic hold on after losing leading scorer Franz Wagner (illness) in the third quarter.
The game was slipping away from the Magic after Indiana’s 22-3 run in the third quarter. But Banchero came up with a backcourt steal and fed Mo Wagner for a dunk, cutting the Pacers’ lead to one and bringing the crowd back into the game. The Pacers shot 22 free throws in the third quarter and none in the fourth.
The Pacers host Boston on Wednesday night while the Magic open a five-game trip at Chicago. ___ AP NBA: https://apnews.com/hub/nba.