The Orlando Magic fell 113-108 to the Houston Rockets on Thursday night after surrendering a 19-point second-half lead, but Desmond Bane’s historic February continued despite the defeat.
Bane scored 30 points, adding six rebounds, four assists and two steals in 38 minutes. He shot 12-for-19 from the field and 6-for-10 from 3-point range without attempting a free throw, finishing with a team-high plus-9 rating.
Following the game, Magic writer Josh Cohen noted on X, formerly known as Twitter, that Bane had entered rare statistical company.
“The @OrlandoMagic's Desmond Bane became the sixth player in @NBA history to score 250-plus points while shooting 59-plus percent from the field overall and 49-plus percent from 3-point range (min. 10 3-point attempts) in the month of February.”
The @OrlandoMagic‘s Desmond Bane became the sixth player in @NBA history to score 250-plus points while shooting 59-plus percent from the field overall and 49-plus percent from 3-point range (min. 10 3-point attempts) in the month of February. pic.twitter.com/LdpCQZ7eXZ
— Josh Cohen (@Josh_Cohen_NBA) February 27, 2026
Cohen added that Bane joins Kevin Johnson, LeBron James, Kevin Durant, Karl-Anthony Towns and John Collins as the only players to accomplish the feat in February.
Desmond Bane’s historic February places him alongside LeBron James, Kevin Durant
The milestone places the Orlando Magic guard alongside two of the most prolific scorers of the modern era in LeBron James and Kevin Durant, underscoring the efficiency of Bane’s month-long stretch. Durant, who powered Houston in Thursday’s matchup, scored 40 points with eight rebounds, three assists and two steals. He shot 14-for-28 from the field and converted all 10 of his free throws in 40 minutes.
Across 11 games in February, Bane has averaged 24.7 points, 3.4 rebounds, 3.1 assists and 1.6 steals per contest. He is shooting 59.1% from the field and 49.3% from 3-point range during that span while logging 33.9 minutes per game. His 84.3% mark from the free-throw line further reflects the scoring balance that has fueled Orlando’s offense throughout the month.
On the season, the 27-year-old guard is averaging 20.3 points, 4.2 rebounds and 4.1 assists while shooting 48.6% from the field and 39.1% from beyond the arc across 58 games. He is converting a career-high 91.4% of his free-throw attempts in 34.1 minutes per night.
Despite Bane’s efficiency, Orlando could not hold off Houston’s late push. The loss dropped the Magic to 31-27 as they continue a four-game homestand.
The Magic will look to regroup Sunday when they host the Detroit Pistons (43-14), the NBA’s top team, at 6:00 p.m. ET. While the setback against Houston stung, Bane’s historic February production has positioned him among elite company and provided a steady offensive anchor as Orlando navigates the final stretch of the regular season.
