Player Grades: Magic avoid playoff disaster, defeat Pistons in Game 3

· Yahoo Sports

ORLANDO, Fla. -- Franz Wagner and Paolo Banchero saved the Orlando Magic from catastrophe on Saturday after knocking down key shots late to seal a 113-105 victory and a 2-1 series lead in their first-round playoff series against the Detroit Pistons.

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After leading by as many as 17 points in the fourth quarter, the Pistons stormed back and eventually went ahead 105-104 with 2 minutes, 52 seconds left in regulation. From there, the two players the Magic call franchise cornerstones proved themselves.

First, Wagner converted a 16-foot step-back shot over Cade Cunningham to regain the lead and then followed on the ensuing possession with a 3-pointer from the wing. Then, Banchero knocked down a 3-pointer that required a bit of luck to drop.

Banchero finished with 25 points, 12 rebounds, nine assists, three steals and two blocks, while Desmond Bane tallied 25 points and seven rebounds and Wagner added 17 points, five rebounds and five assists to lead the Magic, who are 5-1 in home playoff games since 2023.

Cunningham led the Pistons with 27 points, including 12 in the fourth quarter, Tobias Harris recorded 23 points and Ausar Thompson added 17 points, eight assists and five blocks. The Pistons were held scoreless for the remainder of the game after regaining the lead late.

Orlando, which hasn't won a playoff series since 2010, will host Detroit in Game 4 of their first-round matchup on Monday at the Kia Center (8 p.m. EDT; NBC, Peacock).

Here are the Magic player grades following the win.

Franz Wagner: B+

Franz Wagner, who shot 7-for-18 from the field, only had five points in the fourth quarter, but they proved to put the Magic ahead for good late in regulation. He was among the Magic defenders tasked with guarding Cunningham, and Wagner responded by making things difficult for him for much of the contest as the group built its lead. Wagner finished a game-high plus-19 in 34 minutes, which further highlighted his overall impact on the game. Though it wasn't his most efficient performance of the year, Wagner made tough shots when it counted, and the effort resonated with the team.

"Franz and Paolo are two gifted players, just all around," Wendell Carter Jr. said. "We put ourselves in that situation, and those guys are very confident in what they do with the work that they've put in. I'm rockin' with whatever shot they decide to take. That's what they're here to do: Take the big shots and make the big shots."

Desmond Bane: A+

Pouring in 25 points, Desmond Bane made his first six 3-pointers of the game and eventually finished by shooting 7-for-9 from beyond the arc, tying the franchise record for the most in a playoff game (Dennis Scott, 1995). The effort encapsulated much of why the organization made the blockbuster trade to acquire him from the Memphis Grizzlies in the offseason as a sharp-shooting veteran who can help the group win. He labored through the contest after dealing with minor cramps late in the fourth quarter, though the 27-year-old assured everyone afterward that he is OK and will be ready for Monday.

"I could go on and on and on about Desmond Bane because he is such a professional, because he doesn't rattle, because he stays the course and just works every single day," coach Jamahl Mosley said. "Recovers his body, does it the right way; talks to his teammates, brings them together. He is about as professional as you can be and as great a teammate as you can be, so to see him rewarded in this way is big."

Wendell Carter Jr.: A-

Wendell Carter Jr. finished with 14 points, a playoff-career-high 17 rebounds, three assists and one blocked shot in nearly 37 minutes of work. Perhaps most impressive is the 6-foot-10, 252-pound center brought a level of physicality that bothered the Pistons, including Jalen Duren, who fouled out late in the fourth quarter. He hauled in eight rebounds on the offensive end of the court alone, helping the Magic hold a 19-17 advantage in second-chance points. Carter impacted the game at a high level, and the group believes he has helped change the course of the series.

"He has just been a monster this series on both sides of the ball, on the offensive and defensive glass," Banchero said. "And just being aggressive, too. He was making shots, getting to the line, stuff like that. When he is playing like that, we're a really good team, and we tell him that all of the time. He is a guy that I feel like you can count on in playoff moments and environments. As I've gotten to know him over the years as a teammate, he is really dependable in those situations. He has been playing great, and we're just going to need him to keep it up."

Paolo Banchero: B+

Paolo Banchero became the youngest player in history to record his stat line in a playoff game (25 points, 12 rebounds, nine assists, three steals and two blocks). Admittedly, he missed shots he is accustomed to making in the first half, but the former Rookie of the Year once again served as a tremendous playmaker for the Magic after flirting with a triple-double. He responded with 19 points in the second half, including 11 in the fourth quarter, and asserted himself down the stretch in a major way. He affected the game in multiple ways and will look to do so again on Monday.

"I can feel how they load up when I have the ball, so I just try to make the right play, right read -- guys are open," Banchero said. "I missed some shots that I usually make: I missed a couple of dunks, and a couple of other shots I'd like to have back. But in the playoffs, you can't worry about that. You got to stay with it and stay aggressive, not only scoring but playmaking as well."

Jamal Cain: A+

Jamal Cain, who began the season on a two-way contract, gave the Magic solid production off the bench, finishing with seven points and one rebound. He knocked down one 3-pointer and was an inch away from another one after his foot stepped on the line in the corner. Cain was a plus-12 in 14 minutes, providing swarming defense on Cunningham throughout his time on the court. The performance may not jump off the stat sheet, but the Magic likely don't win without his efforts.

"Cain has been elite," Jalen Suggs said. "Even down the stretch of the season, he has been elite for us. We get to shoot every day together, and he was straight all net today. He was on it today. I'm very proud of him. I'm so happy for him, not only does he deserve the opportunity, but he deserves a little love for what he has been doing on the glass and offense and defense."

This article originally appeared on Rookie Wire: Player Grades: Magic avoid playoff disaster, defeat Pistons in Game 3

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