It was just a foul in some people’s minds. But in my mind, it was the play that led the Magic to a come-from-behind-victory against the Philadelphia 76ers. It was like poetry in motion, a high-level IQ play that everyone needs to be taking notes from. Because with less than three minutes left in the game, Banchero took the pass from Anthony Black and drew Kelly Oubre Jr. on a mismatch.
Banchero could have easily raised up over Oubre Jr. and taken a 10-foot jumper, but he decided to pass the ball to Black under the basket because of his elite IQ. Black pump faked and drew Paul George in the air and went up for the shot to draw the foul.
76ers star Paul George finished the game with 25 points, 10 rebounds, and 6 assists. He looked like the best player on the court at times. But it was the minutes in the fourth quarter that he didn't play that ultimately tilted the slopes for the Magic.
With 2:49 left in the contest Banchero found Black under the basket for an easy layup before getting fouled by George. It was his sixth foul and the one that gave the Magic the momentum they needed to finish the 76ers off. When the foul happened, Philadelphia was up 94-91. They only scored five points from that point and ended up losing 104-99 to Orlando.
Banchero's decision to find Black under the basket showed how elite his on-court thinking process is and why he heard MVP chants at the end of the game during his free throw attempts. And rightfully so. These are the types of games in which Banchero could've been separating himself in an MVP debate if he had played enough games to qualify.
This was a game where the Magic rolled out one starter. It was pretty much Banchero and the Orlando Magic bench against Paul George, Tyrese Maxey, and the 76ers. Maxey finished the game with 29 points, 4 rebounds, and 5 assists. The two 76ers stars played to their averages, but the Magic were able to shut them down for the last three minutes for the most part.
Maxey's late and-one layup wasn't enough in the end, and the 76ers dropped their second straight loss to a Magic team missing four starters. And it all started with that high-level IQ play by Banchero.
These are the types of plays that make you wish for an update to the NBA rules that would allow you to count passes as an assist if the offensive player makes both free throws. Anthony Black went on to do just that.
Those two free throws cut the lead to one point, and the Magic had the momentum they needed to pull off the comeback victory. These are the type of wins that could bring a team closer—a total team victory as most starters cheered from the sidelines.