The Orlando Magic know that playoff games will be exactly like the way the game against the Cleveland Cavaliers ended.
What felt like a comfortable lead quickly dissipated behind a string of incredible shots from incredible players. Whether it was James Harden or Donovan Mitchell, the Cavs were coming whether the Magic were ready or not, even if they could hit some shots to keep pace and stay in front.
The game still seemingly came down to one moment. One dagger play the Magic needed to put the game away. This is the reason the Magic acquired Desmond Bane.
Orlando brought Bane around a screen coming toward the baseline where Jalen Suggs was inbounding the ball. Bane caught it with precious little time on the shot clock and was fading out of bounds as his momentum brought him back to the basket.
Bane has been on such a heater that there was no doubt that if he got the ball and got any halfway-decent, clean look, it was going in.
The basket gave the Magic a five-point lead and secured an emotional victory over the Cavs. It was another clear signal of why the Magic spent those first-round picks.
His 35-point, 12-for-19 showing was a Playoff-level performance from one of the Magic's key players.
"Winner. Whatever it takes, he is going to do," coach Jamahl Mosley described Desmond Bane after Wednesday's game. "That is about the best word that describes him. He embodies so much of a winner and leader."
That is one of the many ways Bane has changed this team. He has been a good veteran for the team, keeping a level head through all the chaos. Now that he has found his footing with the team, he is leading them with big shots and big moments throughout the season.
Bane is someone who is going to be incredibly valuable in the Playoffs as a spacer and secondary attacker. He has already won the team plenty of games this season.
Bane's breakout season
Everyone pegged Desmond Bane as one of the best players never to make an All-Star team before the Orlando Magic acquired him in the offseason.
It was a big reason why his arrival seemed to lift the team into the contender class and why so many people expected the Magic to take a leap this season.
It took a little while for Bane to reach that level of impact for the Magic. But he has proven to be a critical player as they climb the standings and sit in fifth in the standings.
Bane is averaging 20.6 points per game and shooting 38.9 percent from three on 5.2 attempts per game. Since the All-Star break (12 games), he is averaging 25.0 points per game and is shooting 46.2 percent from three on 5.4 attempts per game.
Bane's scoring and shooting impact have been on full display throughout the season. But what has been most impressive about him is that he has been such a steady presence on the court and in the locker room.
Orlando thought it was getting a player who would simply change the team's shooting gravity and spacing. Instead, he has proven an aggressive attacker and someone who can beat defenses no matter how they try to defend him.
"He's about all the right things," Tristan da Silva said after Wednesday's game. "Every time he says something or every time the things that he does or lays out on the court speak for themselves. He's a guy who works constantlya nd thinks the game. Super smart player, not afraid of big moments. We need him to make those plays and be in that position for us."
Bane has had his big moments. That shot against the Cavs was certianly not his only clutch shot.
He has game-winners against the Portland Trail Blazers, Utah Jazz and Detroit Pistons this year. His 30-point effort against the Minnesota Timberwolves was his second 30-point game without hitting a three.
That speaks to how dynamic Bane has become this season. And how much the Magic can trust him.
There is a lot of confidence about this team heading into the Playoffs no matter how much they need to rely on Bane. He can be whatever they need him to be.
"He took all great shots," Paolo Banchero said after Wednesday's win. "Took what the defense was giving him. He was ultra-efficient scoring the ball. Just really watch the show and watch him work. He's really good at picking and choosing when to go and when to be aggressive. He put on a clinic tonight, especially in the second half."
Bane has delivered for the Magic. He is a big reason the team has survived all of its injuries and still finds itself in the thick of the Playoff race, even above the Play-In line.
Bane has been a star in his own right. And the rewards will show itself in the Playoffs.
Playoff proving ground
Of course, Desmond Bane still has a lot to prove in the postseason. And that is ultimately where the Orlando Magic will see if this gambit fully works.
In last year's Playoffs against the Oklahoma City Thunder, Desmond Bane averaged 15.3 points per game and shot 21.9 percent from three for the injured Memphis Grizzlies. The Thunder's defense was obviously tough and could smother players who are not sharp with the ball or teams that are not in sync.
Bane averaged 23.5 points per game despite shooting 32.0 percent from three in the 2024 Playoff series against the Los Angeles Lakers. Bane has had strong playoff performances in the past.
But there is still a lot for him to prove.
Playing alongside Paolo Banchero and Franz Wagner should free him up more and take some attention off of him. But defenses will still shadow him and try to keep him from getting hot.
Bane has done everything he can to be ready for this moment. And how he finished Wednesday's game was a sign of his ability to answer the moment.
"I've been in the league six years. I feel confident everywhere on the floor and every opportunity," Bane said after Wednesday's game. "I'm thankful the coaches have trust in me, my teammates have trust in me to make those plays down the stretch. I'm extremely confident."
Bane's confidence should be flowing right now. He has been one of the key engines getting the Magic to the Playoffs. He has made the price the Magic paid to acquire him feel completely worth it.
What everyone wants to see is how it translates to the Playoffs. That is ultimately what the Magic paid for. And that is the last place Bane needs to prove himself.