The Orlando Magic made a huge statement right from the get-go of their 2024-25 NBA campaign. With Paolo Banchero spearheading the attack, the Magic crushed Jimmy Butler and the Miami Heat in South Beach Wednesday night.
The former Duke Blue Devil paced Orlando with 33 points, 11 rebounds, three assists, and a block while shooting 12-for-24 from the field and hitting four of eight shots from behind the arc. And he did it all in just 31 minutes of action on the court.
Apart from his shooting, Banchero showed efficiency in terms of ball security.
Despite a high usage, Banchero did not commit a single turnover. Just to further underscore how great Banchero played in the season opener, his performance earned him a mention alongside Michael Jordan’s name.
Via StatMamba:
Paolo Banchero tonight:
33 PTS
11 REB
3 AST
0 TOV
Joins Michael Jordan as the only players in NBA history to reach these numbers in a season opener.
Orlando Magic star Paolo Banchero is getting scarier
Banchero is looking to take another big step forward in his progress in the NBA. He is coming off an All-Star campaign in the 2023-24 season where he averaged 22.6 points, 6.9 boards, and 5.4 assists per game while also making 45.5 percent of his attempts from the floor.
He shot just 33.9 percent from deep that season, but he can certainly still develop into a much more lethal 3-point shooter, as evidenced by his performance in the Miami game.
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