Key Points
Bullet point summary by AI
- The Orlando Magic pulled off a stunning Game 1 upset against the top-seeded Detroit Pistons, defying expectations in the opening round of the NBA Playoffs.
- Paolo Banchero showcased a transformed approach, moving away from his notorious reliance on deep 2-pointers to drive the offense with precision and poise.
- The key to his performance was his newfound ability to read defenses and make smart decisions, which could fundamentally alter the Magic's playoff trajectory.
Paolo Banchero quieted the critics on Sunday night, at least for now. Banchero has been belittled all season because of poor shooting and shot selection — and rightfully so. He showed the Detroit Pistons how dangerous he is when his decision-making is on point.
The Orlando Magic got a Game 1 win over the No. 1 seed, 60-win Pistons. Orlando has a history of surprising Game 1 outings, but this may be sustainable if Bancehro continues to put his head down and come off the ball when needed. He abused his match-up and forced the Pistons to help over and over.
Paolo Banchero is a handful when he does not settle
"He shoots too many deep 2s." "Why is he shooting so much with a broke jumper?" Those types of remarks were the narrative around Banchero's game heading into the postseason.
He has been labeled as a poor shooting, ball-stopping, overrated No. 1 pick. Those critiques have not been without merit, even if the criticism goes overboard.
Banchero is highly skilled at 6-foot-10, 250 pounds. When he attacks the rim instead of settling for long 2s (87th percentile in long midrange frequency), he collapses the defense and gets to the free-throw line with the best of them. Banchero drew four fouls in Game 1, a Magic team-high (tied with Franz Wagner).
When Banchero was not drawing fouls, he was drawing a second defender and making the correct read.
The Pistons knew Tobias Harris needed assistance at this point. Banchero had 17 points in the first half. Harris has helped establish the new and improved culture in Detroit, but it was a challenge for him to stay in front of Banchero or Wagner on Sunday. Even if Banchero did not get all the way to the rim, the young lion was very comfortable getting any shot against the 15-year vet.
Jalen Duren came over to help Harris, but Banchero showed he was more than a one-on-one scorer who only knows how to take "bad" shots. Banchero whipped the ball right over Duren's fingertips for a Wendell Carter Jr. rim-rocker.
These are the type of passes Banchero has in his bag when motivated to swing the ball. He impacted Game 1 by consistently swinging the ball, driving while keeping the pass option open, taking jumpers in the flow of the offense, and recognizing mismatches. Â
Banchero's decision-making mirrored Magic's team-wide approach
With all the high-scoring playoff games in Banchero's young career (30-plus points six times), this was arguably his most impressive game. The totals were not mind-blowing — 23 points, 9 boards, and four assists on efficient shooting is not rare, but Banchero conducted himself like a floor general in the win.
Wagner had been an immovable object. He, too, is 6-foot-10 with tons of versatility. Wagner killed Detroit on cuts, post-ups, isos, and off-ball actions. When he muscled his way through Cade Cunningham for two points late in the fourth, Banchero noticed that and fed the hot hand.
Banchero directs traffic and hits Wagner with an entry pass that touched heaven. Two free throws for the hot Wagner. That is a floor general type play from Banchero. He noticed the mismatch and forced the ball to a player who was cooking.
Banchero is arguably the Magic's best player, but that does not mean you have to win every game solo. He took an out-of-sync long 2 as we approached the final minute of the fourth. Wagner had 11 points in the period. Instead of taking another hero ball "I'm the closer" shot, Banchero signaled for Wagner to come take the Magic home.
Not only is that unselfish from Banchero, who is the usual closer, but it was also the right basketball play. You feed the hot hand until something changes. Wagner made the right read, dropping it off to Carter, who was impactful as a rim deterrent as well.
These decisions from Banchero were a small part of the Magic's offensive approach. They played with a togetherness that could not have been more different than their regular-season approach. If they can play that cohesively offensively vs this elite Pistons D, then we are in for a series.
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