Beede’s Breakdown: Magic complete double-digit comeback against visiting Jazz

When the Magic traveled to Utah in late-December, Orlando needed a game-winning layup from Desmond Bane in the final moments of overtime to escape with a one-point win at Delta Center.

On Saturday night at Kia Center, however, Jamahl Mosley‘s squad needed to make a major comeback to capture a three-point win against the visiting Jazz, who led by as many as 17 points in the first half.

Paolo Banchero (23 points), Desmond Bane (22) and Anthony Black (21) combined for 66 points when Orlando overcame yet another double-digit deficit en route to a 120-117 victory in front of a sold-out crowd.

Knocking down three 3-pointers, backup center Moe Wagner added 13 points off the bench. Jalen Suggs (12) tied the game at 115 with two minutes remaining with a 3 of his own and later put the game on ice with a pair of free throws with 8.7 seconds left.

Three-time All-Defensive center Jaren Jackson Jr. made his debut for the Jazz after he was traded from Memphis, and he, along with 7-footer Lauri Markkanen (27 points), caused all sorts of problems for Orlando while notching 22 points in 25 minutes. Neither played in the fourth quarter.

Utah (16-37) faced little to no resistance near the rim when it outscored Orlando 58-40 in the paint.

The Magic (27-24) remain at home when they host the Bucks on Sunday at Kia Center on Peacock, NBC’s streaming service.

Banchero made his first four free throws and ended 9 for 12 at the charity stripe, which led all scorers.

The Magic forward attacked the paint and found his spots on the floor while distributing the ball early and often. Although he grabbed seven rebounds with eight assists, he struggled from distance where he shot 2 for 7.

Saturday’s game marked the 15th time this season and 70th contest in his career in which Banchero has tallied 20-plus points, five-plus rebounds and five-plus assists in the same game. That career total is the third-most in franchise history.

The Magic led by three points following the first quarter but found themselves down 11 at the half.

That’s because Utah outscored Orlando 35-21 in the second quarter.

In that 12-minute stretch, the Jazz held the Magic to 1-for-11 shooting from 3-point range while scoring 22 points in the paint on the other end.

New Magic guard Jevon Carter will have to wait at least one more game to see the Kia Center court.

Although he was available to play, the 6-foot-1 guard didn’t.

The first player off the Magic bench for a second game in a row, first-round pick Jase Richardson hit a wide-open triple from the top of the key late in the first quarter.

Despite picking up two fouls in his first five minutes on the floor, Richardson ended with five points and two assists in 14 minutes.

Second-round pick Noah Penda saw five minutes of first half action and played 10 total. The French forward scored four straight points near the end of the third quarter to finish with six and two rebounds.

The Magic hosted their “Black Business Summit” on Thursday in a “celebration the resilience, innovation, and leadership within the Black business community,” the team said.

The summit, which brought together prominent African-American entrepreneurs, non-profit leaders and corporate executives in Orlando, featured “impactful conversations, networking, and insights with influential leaders, while honoring the 100th anniversary of Black History Month,” according to the team.

Jason Beede can be reached at [email protected]