The Orlando Magic's three-game homestand last week was one of pure celebration.
The Orlando Magic steamrolled past the Golden State Warriors, stymying the Stephen Curry in the second half as the team took over and pulled away; upended the LA Clippers, running the aging Clippers out of the building with the intensity and fervor of Jalen Suggs; and punked the New York Knicks again, using a devastating defensive showing in the second half to power their best offensive game of the season.
Everything seemed to be working in perfect harmony.
The ball moved from one side to the next for open shots. The defense stonewalled attacks to the basket and created fast-breaking opportunities. Franz Wagner and Desmond Bane continued to build chemistry as the two leading players on the team. Anthony Black was a devastating and impactful guard off the bench.
The Magic have gone 4-2 in their last six games, putting together some impressive performances and looking more and more like the team everyone imagined they could be when they jumped at the chance to acquire Bane this offseason.
After a slow start to the season, Orlando has begun to climb the standings and is tallying quality wins to continue building confidence.
It has been notable then that all of this has happened with Paolo Banchero on the sideline with a strained groin. That has only sparked conversations about Banchero's value and feeding into the cycle of debate about Banchero's worth.
Nobody on the Magic would entertain such a thing. They know how vital Banchero can be. And Banchero is inching closer to his return after two weeks injured.
Banchero told Jason Beede of the Orlando Sentinel that he feels he is getting close to a return. Banchero has been ruled OUT for Tuesday's game against the Philadelphia 76ers. His return will have to wait a little longer.
Banchero, though, is a player who will help the Magic improve and reach their potential. And the proof is in how the team was playing before Banchero's injury.
This has never been an either/or thing with Banchero. It was always both/and. And for the Magic to continue climbing the standings, they will need Banchero.
Banchero's season so far
Paolo Banchero's season so far has not been a disappointment, but it has not been the breakthrough everyone hoped for. At least through 12 games.
Banchero is averaging 21.7 points per game, the fewest since his rookie year, but averaging a career-high 8.7 rebounds per game. His 4.1 assists per game are in line with his career averages.
Banchero's jump shooting has struggled, making only 11 of 44 (25.0 percent) threes to open the season. But every other aspect of his game has taken a leap. He is shooting a career-best 53.0 percent on 2-point field goals and has a career-high 57.3 percent true shooting percentage.
Banchero is shooting 49.4 percent of his shots within 10 feet, the highest percentage of his career.
All the criticisms Banchero faced as an inefficient chucker have been quietly put to rest. He is taking fewer threes, attacking the basket with more ferocity and creating more assist opportunities.
And that was all while the Magic were still finding their rhythm.
For the first time in his career, the Magic were better with Banchero on the court.
The Magic had a 115.1 offensive rating with Banchero on the floor, leading into the game against the New York Knicks where he got hurt. That was a full point per 100 possessions better than the team's overall average. It trailed only Jalen Suggs and Tristan da Silva for the team.
Banchero had also taken some steps on defense, evidenced by the team's 113.3 defensive rating, nearly a point per 100 possessions better than the team's average.
Because everyone loves to use Franz Wagner's on/off numbers as a point against Paolo Banchero, the Magic have a +7.5 net rating with Banchero on the floor and Wagner off the floor (120.1 offensive rating and 112.5 defensive rating).
Some of that is certainly because the Magic were hunting for the right playing combinations. Franz Wagner ended up playing a lot with an inconsistent bench group with Jalen Suggs in and out of the lineup.
But Banchero put a lot of doubts to rest. Or he was in the process of doing so. That is where he left off. The team has changed a bit since then.
Since Paolo's injury
The team Paolo Banchero left when he got hurt feels a bit different than the team the Orlando Magic are now.
They were likely heading in this direction as they got more confidence and cohesion playing together. The injury forced the ball into Desmond Bane's hands more and likely expedited his getting comfortable.
When Banchero returns, he will be integrating into a team that is playing a lot better. And everyone will have to figure out how to fit together and keep working together as they have.
Since Banchero's injury (not including the game he got hurt), the Magic have a 120.9 offensive rating and 114.3 defensive rating. Orlando is tearing teams apart offensively and slowly improving on defense, with some notable hiccups.
More than that, it feels like the team is passing the ball around more. They have embraced their transition identity -- scoring 22.7 fastbreak points per game since Banchero's injury, up from 19.0 per game for the season.
There is no reason to think Banchero cannot fit into this dynamic. Banchero has been as good as anybody scoring in transition. Banchero is second on the team with 4.2 transition possessions per game and second on the team with 1.44 points per possession in transition, according to data from Synergy Sports.
The trick may be getting Banchero to move the ball quicker. Paolo Banchero averages 3.75 seconds per touch, trailing only the team's two point guards in Jalen Suggs and Tyus Jones. Franz Wagner is only at 3.16 seconds per touch.
That is the biggest difference between the two. Banchero can get sucked into overdribbling and taking too long to get into his moves, allowing defense to load up against him.
If he attacks quicker, he is as aggressive and devastating as any player. He commands a lot of attention and gravity on his drives.
There will undoubtedly be some adjustment as he returns to the court after more than two weeks injured. But Banchero should be able to fit in with what the Magic are doing. He will make this team better if he can pick up where he left off.