By james art Orlando Magic All-Star power forward Paolo Banchero has been on a tear to start the season. On Monday, he unleashed the first 50-point masterpiece of the 2024-25 season to help his team beat the Indiana Pacers 119-115. The Magic have won three of four games to start their 2024-25 campaign thanks to Banchero’s exploits. On that note, the Gil’s Arena team predicts the Magic’s ceiling in the Eastern Conference standings.
Gilbert Arenas relayed that the Magic might not finish above fourth even if Banchero continues to play like this. Co-host Lexie Brown, meanwhile, had more faith in their trajectory, projecting their ceiling as high as the third seed.
However, Arenas was not convinced of their chances of finishing in the top three. He opined that the Boston Celtics and Philadelphia 76ers are pretty tough to finish in the top two.
Arenas believes that if the Magic play out of their skins, they may have a chance to finish above the New York Knicks. However, his expression suggests that he doesn’t believe the script. He wondered
“Do you think they played really really well, can they make it three? Boston, Philly, in between and New York?“
Banchero’s current form suggests the Magic have a great chance to finish in the top three in the East. He’s averaging 28.5 points, 9.2 rebounds, six assists and one block per game, showing the evolution of his versatile skills.
Banchero received great support from his frontcourt teammate Franz Wagner, who scored 20+ points in three of the four games, showing signs of a breakout season. The young Magic is up and running, with Banchero laying a solid foundation for the season.
The incredible ascent of Paolo Bancro
The first-round series of the 2024 playoffs played a huge role in Banchero’s rapid improvement. He learned how to play at his own pace instead of forcing things. This helped him improve as both a goalscorer and a playmaker. During an interaction with the First Take team in the offseason, Banchero said,
“I learned how to slow the game down in the playoffs… I started being really intentional (and) picking my spots on the floor to score and make plays.”
Banchero showed signs of MVP-level talent last season and has upgraded his game even more. Last season he made 1.5 threes per game on just 33.9% shooting, while this season he made 2.3 threes per game on 39.1% shooting.
He was also great at creating offense around the rim. He has taken 13 penalty kicks per game, compared to seven FTs per game last season. His rebounds and assists were also up from last season.
Banchero isn’t the only one who improved over the summer for the Magic. Jalen Suggs and Franz Wagner have also stepped up their shooting, and Lexie Brown’s prediction of them finishing in the top three in the East doesn’t seem so far-fetched.
However, it’s early days and the Magic will need to maintain their current pace to be considered a title contender. So far, they are moving in the right direction.