Everyone was taken aback at halftime of the Orlando Magic's 144-103 victory over the Philadelphia 76ers on Tuesday.
The Magic had just dismantled the 76ers in the second quarter, scoring a franchise-record 51 points in the second quarter and a franchise-record 86 points in the first half.
Orlando was a monster in transition, scoring 15 of their 25 fast-break points in the second quarter. The ball whipped around the perimeter for 15 assists on 20 field goals in the second quarter. The team ended with 38 assists on 54 field goals.
The national panel on NBC, featuring former Magic stars Tracy McGrady and Vince Carter, was impressed with the way the Magic played. This is not the Magic team anybody thought they would be -- they are ranked seventh in offensive rating, after all.
And they still have a missing piece eager to come back in Paolo Banchero.
But the Orlando Magic, and their 6-2 record since Banchero's injury, including the win over the New York Knicks where he got hurt, has a lot of national media and critics wondering how Banchero will integrate with a team that is rolling right now.
The Magic will undoubtedly need Banchero to succeed later in the season. But this inflection point, with Banchero nearing his return, was an opportunity for McGrady to make a public challenge to him as this team finds its groove.
"As a player who is the best player, the franchise player, when you have injuries, and you go out, and you sit back and watch your team, it kind of recalibrates you to look at them differently and come back a different type of player and what you can add," McGrady said at halftime on NBC.
"I'm hoping Paolo is sitting on that bench and watching you are surrounded with some talent. We can't have you come back and hold the ball and take long-contested 2s. We need to have you use the weapon that you have -- and that is a big body, 6-10, 6-11 -- to be able to get downhill and generate some fouls for your team and get to the free throw line."
The national media have been a bit slow to see how Banchero has evolved as a player and grown, even this year. Banchero is doing a lot of the things his critics have called on.
But coming back from this injury with how the Magic are rolling has everyone worried this team is about regress, even if they are getting their star back.
Paolo's up-and-down beginning
Paolo Banchero has had an up-and-down start to the season even in just 12 games.
He is averaging only 21.7 points per game. He has struggled with his shot, making only 25.0 percent of his threes. But he has turned in his most efficient season.
He is shooting a career-best 53.0 percent on 2-point field goals. His 57.3 percent true shooting percentage is the highest of his career.
Banchero has taken 49.4 percent of his field goals within 10 feet of the basket, the highest rate of his career (he averages 46.3 percent). Only 25.8 percent of his field goal attempts come from between 10 feet and the 3-point line, the lowest rate since his rookie season.
And Banchero is still seventh in the league averaging 9.3 free throw attempts per game. The Magic remain the league leaders in free-throw rate, but Banchero has been a pure free throw merchant throughout his career.
There is still plenty of work for Banchero to do. He still needs to be more efficient with the jumper she takes. And his 4.1 assists per game are the fewest since his rookie year.
But in the six games after the Magic's 1-4 start (so not including the game he got hurt), Banchero averaged 23.5 points per game, 9.2 rebounds per game and 5.3 assists per game while shooting 52.9 percent from the floor and 77.4 percent on 8.8 free throw attempts per game.
For the first time in his career, Banchero's impact was measurably positive.
The Magic have a +2.7 net rating with Banchero on the floor, which trailed only Jalen Suggs and Tristan da Silva at the time of Banchero's injury. Orlando's 115.3 offensive rating with Banchero on the floor was a point better than before Banchero's injury.
That only speaks to how much the Magic have improved offensively since Banchero's injury.
The offensive uptick
The Orlando Magic had a 114.8 offensive rating in the first 12 games through the game against the New York Knicks, where Banchero got hurt. The team has had a 123.3 offensive rating in the seven games since.
It is missing a lot of context to say this is solely because Banchero is out. That is convenient scapegoating. The Magic were rolling offensively with Banchero in the game. And the team certainly expects him to pick up the slack again.
"He's watching it, he's looking at it," coach Jamahl Mosley said after Tuesday's game. "He has been the number one guy talking about how we're defending, how we've been getting out and running. That allows him to get easier baskets just the same."
The biggest concern will be whether Banchero can keep the ball moving. That is where the uptick in assists will matter most.
As Tracy McGrady concluded the segment, he said Paolo Banchero cannot be a ball-stopper. The Magic have been most successful when they play fast this season.
And Banchero does have a tendency to slow things down.
Banchero averages 3.75 seconds per touch, according to data from Second Spectrum, the highest number outside of the team's three point guards.
Banchero averages 3.0 isolation possessions per game. Franz Wagner is second at 1.7 per game. Banchero scores only 0.778 points per possession in isolations, according to Synergy Sports. That is below the league average.
Banchero will need to continue to work to limit mid-range shots and keep the ball moving, avoiding these low-efficiency isolation possessions. He will need to fit in to what the team is doing.
"That is the question for me: Can they put it all together?" Vince Carter said during the pregame show. "And for me, I say to Paolo, I know you are sitting there watching the game. See how can you implement yourself and get yourself back into it without changing up the team. Everybody is playing great basketball. You walk in I'm going to do what I have to do but I'm not going to change things."
There are plenty of signs he can do that. And he is far too talented not to find a way to make this fit. Banchero has always been a willing passer and many of his and the team's early-season problems were about learning how to play together.
For the first time in his career, Banchero is joining an offense that is humming and among the best in the league. It will be on him to keep it working.