Magic, Paolo Banchero have finally solved one major offensive issue

Paolo Banchero was feeling it.

It is easy to tell when he has that supreme confidence and look in his eye. It is in the way he moves, the way he picks out his defenders and the way he hunts for his spots. When Banchero is rolling, he plays with the air of confidence and swagger that says no one will stop me no matter what you throw at me.

It just becomes about where Banchero wants to shoot and how he chooses to torture his defender.

The truth is that when Banchero is dialed in and confident making his shots, there is very little defenders can do to stop him.

So when he got to the foul line, spun back and hit a one-legged Dirk Nowitzki fade? No doubt.

When he saw rookie Kyshawn George on him he drove toward him, getting the rookie to turn over the wrong shoulder. He stopped, stepped back and buried a three as the Magic started to pull away and the rookie looked around trying to figure out where Banchero went.

The reality is since the All-Star break, this kind of thing has become regular. Watching Banchero easily shoot over smaller defenders, bully his way to the basket and pace the team as one of the best scorers in the league has become commonplace.

Friday's 120-105 blowout win over the Washington Wizards was another masterpiece from Banchero. He scored 30 points in 31 minutes, sitting out the fourth quarter with the Magic leading by as much as 33 points. Banchero picked his spots and dominated completely once again.

"I think I'm just under control," Paolo Banchero said after Friday's win. "I'm feeling better physically. i think I'm just really confident. I'm going out there trying to play the right way, take what the defense gives me and any shot I shoot, shoot it with 100 percent confidence. That's been my mindset and I want to do whatever it takes. "

Banchero is back to his superstar form

Paolo Banchero has had a career season even with the struggles he faced when he returned from his oblique injury.

Banchero is averaging 25.4 points per game but shooting only 44.7 percent from the floor and 33.3 percent from three this season. Those shooting numbers are slightly lower than last year's.

Banchero started the season averaging 29.0 points per game and shooting 49.5 percent from the floor and 34.4 percent from three before his oblique injury. That included his 50-point game against the Indiana Pacers, the hallmark of the breakthrough he expected.

The oblique injury kept him out of action for two months. When he returned, he had an initial burst but struggled mightily afterward. Banchero admitted he was still getting his legs under him, and it was clear from watching him that he was avoiding contact and settling for mid-range jumpers.

From Jan. 10 until the All-Star break, Banchero averaged only 20.6 points per game on 40.6 percent shooting and 28.9 percent from three. He made only 39.2 percent of his 5.2 mid-range jumpers per game after hitting 53.3 percent of his 3.0 attempts per game before the injury.

It felt like the injury interrupted all the progress and confidence Banchero had gained.

Since the All-Star break, Banchero has looked refreshed. He is second in the league with 29.5 points per game while shooting 47.2 percent from the floor and 37.1 percent on 6.5 3-point attempts per game—most of them dribble pull-ups and self-created shots.

Banchero is hitting 37.5 percent of his 4.3 mid-range attempts. He is hitting them at a decent clip, but shooting fewer of them as he gets to the basket more—5.5 field goal attempts per game in the restricted area since the break and 9.5 free throw attempts per game, third most in the league.

He has returned to dominated his possessions. Making shots goes a long way.

Banchero's game Friday was his 13th 30-point game of the season. It was his seventh since the All-Star break in 15 games played. Banchero is scoring at this elite level regularly.

The Magic have obviously needed every point they can get—they are 6-9 since the break. Banchero as done his part and recovered those gains. He is back on his superstar track.

"I think it's his poise and his demeanor," coach Jamahl Mosley said after Friday's win. "The way the game just continues to slow down for him. The things he is seeing on the floor, the things he's communicating, how he understands what we need in these moments. He is providing that whether it's being able to knock down shots and score or just facilitating and finding teammates when they put double teams on him and just making the right play and the right pass."

Banchero's play opens the game for everyone

It is not just about him, of course for this win.

Franz Wagner had 21 points in 24 minutes, shooting 9 for 18 from the floor. Wendell Carter was aggressive early on as he went on to score 16 points and grab 12 rebounds, including six offensive rebounds.

Kentavious Caldwell-Pope and Cory Joseph each had 11 points, making three 3-pointers apiece. Anthony Black came off the bench to score 13 points.

Orlando made 40.5 percent of their threes, hitting 17 of 42 for the games. The Magic took control over the game early and slowly expanded the lead, putting their foot down with a 35-17 third quarter that put the game away and made the fourth quarter academic.

Orlando had 25 assists—five each from Banchero and Wagner—and forced 15 turnovers for 20 points. The Magic suffocated the Wizards to 30.4 percent shooting in the third quarter. They finally turned off the three-point shooting that kept the Wizards alive throughout the first half. The Magic had the answers.

This was the complete effort the Magic have not had as often as they would like. Banchero got more than enough offensive support.

"I think we were all locked in from the tip," Paolo Banchero said after Friday's win. "Coming in, we knew we couldn't play around with these guys because if you give these guys confidence, they can beat you. We just had to come in and be locked in from start to finish.

The help from the others only gave more space for Banchero and Wagner to attack. When there is confidence in trust for teammates to make shots and cut into the right spaces, it opens everything up for Banchero and Wagner.

The Wizards are the worst defensive team in the league. The Magic treated them as such, beating them into the paint and taking advantage of every mismatch. Making shots relieves a ton of pressure too—the Magic are in their best overall stretch of making shots for the season.

Banchero has found his groove. He looks like a superstar once again.

"Confidence is at an all-time high," Wendell Carter said after Friday's win. "From the first time we drafted him, we all kind of knew Paolo was going to be one of those special guys in this league. He has been proving that a lot this year. The sky is the limit for this kid. He's phenomenal. He's just scratching the surface which is the craziest part."

But that is what a player like Banchero has to do. Regardless of the quality of the opponent, Banchero made the plays the defense gave them and dominated the game. He continued to show how much he has grown and improved.

He has gotten his season back on track.