Orlando Magic pull away against San Antonio Spurs behind big Paolo Banchero night

The first overall pick from the past 2 drafts went up against each other tonight and they both showed out. Reigning Rookie of the Year Paolo Banchero ended up victorious, as he led the Orlando Magic to a 108-98 victory over the San Antonio Spurs at Frost Bank Center.

Although Victor Wembanyama and the Spurs lost, he proved why he was viewed as the best NBA draft prospect since LeBron James and he’s shown that he will dominate the league in years to come. He can dribble like a guard, shoot from distance with ease, and his rim protection is other-worldly. He truly is a unicorn and a special talent.

Paolo Banchero, the 1st overall pick in the 2022 NBA Draft, showed why he was the 1st overall pick as well. He created his shots with ease and set his teammates up for open looks, and he truly is a franchise player and cornerstone for the Orlando Magic. At only 21 years old, the ceiling is sky high for Banchero and the future is bright for Orlando.

The Magic were led by Paolo Banchero, who finished with 25 points, 9 rebounds, 7 assists, and 2 steals on 50% shooting. Franz Wagner also made his presence felt, scoring 20 points while adding 8 rebounds and 5 assists on 56% shooting. Big man Wendell Carter Jr. scored 14 points and grabbed 5 boards.

For the Spurs, Victor Wembanyama had 21 points, 8 rebounds, 3 assists, 2 steals, and a whopping 6 blocks. Devin Vassell led the team in scoring with 26 points, while Jeremy Sochan had a double-double recording 18 points and 12 rebounds.

This win improves Orlando to 25-23 on the season, which places them at 8th in the Eastern Conference. The Magic are 4-6 in their last 10 games and will look to build off this win in a matchup against the Minnesota Timberwolves on Friday night.

Meanwhile, this loss drops the Spurs to 10-38 on the season, which is 15th in the Western Conference. They are 3-7 in their last 10 games but on the bright side, Victor Wembanyama looks amazing. The Spurs will look to continue to develop Wembanyama and help him get more comfortable with the NBA playstyle, and their next chance to do so will be on Friday night against the New Orleans Pelicans.