PHILADELPHIA — It’s hard for anybody to go into the Wells Fargo Center and knock off the Philadelphia 76ers. The Sixers are such a good team at home not only due to their talent but also due to the passionate fans in the city and how loud it can get.
For a young team, the Orlando Magic’s win on Monday was impressive. Given they trailed by as many as 21 points, they had to dig deep to rally.
Orlando rookie Paolo Banchero spearheaded the comeback. The 2022 No. 1 overall pick had 14 points in the third quarter as the Magic outscored the Sixers, 42-28, to take control. Overall, Banchero had 29 points and 10 rebounds.
“He played well,” said James Harden. “He played well. He made shots. He made shots, big-time shots. He finished around the rim. He hit 3s. He did a little bit of everything.”
In the first half, PJ Tucker did a solid job against Banchero. The veteran bothered him into some tough shots and the talented rookie wasn’t able to find a rhythm.
That changed in the third quarter, though.
“Give him credit,” said coach Doc Rivers when asked what changed after halftime. “He’s a good player. He made some adjustments on his own. We didn’t change anything defensively, but we gave up 35 points in the second quarter, and we gave up 42 points in the third quarter.”
The Magic have a bright future led by their young talent. Players such as Banchero are going to be the ones who lead the way in the win column.
“I think we lost him in transition,” Matisse Thybulle added. “He got some easy and-1s, and that kind of allowed him to get a good feel for the game and get comfortable. When good players get comfortable, they tend to make plays.”
The Sixers look to bounce back against the Magic on Wednesday at home.
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