The Orlando Magic traveled to Miami to face the Heat in a Friday night matchup. After a back-and-forth battle between the teams, the Heat came out on top with a 99-96 victory. Miami was leading for much of the contest, but Magic star Paolo Banchero was helping Orlando get back on top, which didn't prove to be enough. Banchero spoke on his performance and how the Magic should have performed, given the Heat were playing without three starters, Jimmy Butler, Tyler Herro, and Kyle Lowry.

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“I think that’s a game we shoulda won… they had some of their best players OUT too… I wasn’t able to make plays down the stretch for us to win,” per Fawzan Amer at Sixth Man Show.
Banchero carried a large load for Orlando with 25 points, eight rebounds, and six assists. While Banchero showed up making big plays for the Magic down the stretch, a few of Orlando's players were absent. Jalen Suggs finished the game with two points on 1-5 shooting, and Cole Anthony added just five points, shooting 2-8 from the field.
This should be a tough one to swallow for the Banchero and the Magic. They went on a road to play a depleted team that's right next to them in the standings. Orlando seemed to have urgency in clawing out the victory, but they were outmatched. The Magic had a chance to jump the Heat in the Eastern Conference standings from eight to seven. After the game, they stay put in the No. 8 slot, on the back end of back-to-back losses.