Paolo Banchero hands Magic win over Pistons in last second

By Eurohoops team / info@eurohoops.net

Paolo Banchero pulled off a 3-point play with less than a second left in the game to push the Orlando Magic past the Detroit Pistons 112 – 109.

With the score tied at 109 and 12 seconds remaining, Banchero received the ball at the baseline and then hit a tough jumper over Pistons center Jalen Duren, winning the foul and making the free throw to put his team up by three.

He had previously gone 0-2 from the line with 18 seconds left and the Magic up 109 – 107. “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.”

Banchero, who was battling an illness, finished with 15 points and five rebounds, leading eight (!) Magic players in double figures. Mo Wagner had 14 points and seven rebounds while Franz Wagner scored 14 as well.

Simone Fontecchio dropped 17 points and dished out five assists for the Pistons.

Kristaps Porzingis delivered 22 points, four rebounds and four assists as the Boston Celtics beat the New York Knicks 116  – 102 on the road. The Latvian big man, who began his NBA career with the Knicks, was booed by the crowd in Madison Square Garden.

“I prefer any kind of emotion over no emotion,” Porzingis said. “If it’s cheers or boos, I want them.”

Bojan Bogdanovic had an off night with eight points on 2-7 shots. Isaiah Hartenstein scored six and got seven rebounds.

The rest of Saturday’s NBA results and notable Euro performers: 

Minnesota Timberwolves – Brooklyn Nets 106 – 81 (Dennis Schroder nine points)

Standings (via NBA.com):

Eastern Conference