In one of the wildest finishes of the season, Paolo Banchero and the Orlando Magic had the final say, edging Egor Demin and the Brooklyn Nets in an overtime thriller.
The bank was open for Paolo Banchero when it mattered most.
Banchero drilled a banked-in game-winning triple at the buzzer, lifting the Orlando Magic to a thrilling 104-103 overtime win over the Brooklyn Nets on Thursday, January 8 (PH time).
The closing sequence was pure chaos as Egor Demin knocked down a heavily contested triple over the outstretched arms of Wendell Carter Jr. to give Brooklyn a 103-101 lead with 5.3 seconds remaining.
Orlando had one last answer.
Banchero took the inbound from Anthony Black, dribbled twice at the top of the arc, then rose for a deep three that kissed the glass and dropped through as time expired.
Earlier, Demin had forced overtime with another clutch triple with 4.9 seconds left in regulation, tying the game at 93-all.
Banchero finished with 30 points, 14 rebounds and six assists as the Magic improved to 21-17.
Demin scored 18 for Brooklyn, while Michael Porter Jr. led all scorers with 34 points for the Nets, who fell to 11-23.
Orlando returns home to face the Philadelphia 76ers (20-15), while Brooklyn looks to bounce back against the visiting LA Clippers (13-23).
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Pao Ambat earned his journalism degree from Cavite State University in 2022.
Passionate about sports from a young age, he primarily covers the NBA for One Sports, while also assisting in reporting on the PVL, PBA, UAAP, and other leagues.