Magic snap Heat streak
The Orlando Magic beat the Miami Heat 121‑117, led by Paolo Banchero, snapping Miami’s seven‑game winning streak and heating up the late‑season East playoff picture . That result matters: both Florida franchises are jockeying for seeding and to avoid the Play‑In as the regular season enters its final month .
Paolo Banchero finished with 27 points, eight rebounds and seven assists while shooting 8‑for‑14 and a perfect 10‑for‑10 from the line espn.com. Desmond Bane added 21 points and Wendell Carter Jr. contributed 15 for Orlando, while Jaime Jaquez Jr. scored 22 and Miami’s Bam Adebayo and Norman Powell each finished with 20 points. espn.com Orlando improved to 38‑28 and moved a game clear of Miami, which fell to 38‑30, in the battle for fifth place in the Eastern Conference. espn.com The Magic completed an unusual season sweep of Miami, moving to 5‑0 against the Heat — only the second time in about 30 years a team has beaten the same opponent five times in one season. espn.com Orlando led by as many as 22 points in the game and survived two late Miami pushes, with Wendell Carter Jr. making two free throws with 11 seconds left and Banchero adding two free throws with 7.8 seconds remaining. sports.yahoo.com The victory was Orlando’s seventh straight and gave the club its first stretch at 10 games over.500 since the end of the 2023‑24 season, with the teams now turning to road matchups next on the schedule. espn.com
