Paolo Banchero secured a triple-double as the flourishing Orlando Magic managed to neutralize the visiting New Orleans Pelicans, emerging victorious with a score of 121-106 on Thursday night.

Banchero’s stat line showcased 20 points, 11 assists, and 10 rebounds, contributing significantly to the Magic’s triumph as they improved to a record of 42-28 after securing victory for the 13th time in their last 16 games. Accompanying Banchero’s stellar play were Jalen Suggs with 22 points, Franz Wagner scoring 18, Moritz Wagner adding 14, and Cole Anthony chipping in with 10 points.

The Pelicans (42-27) were led by Trey Murphy III with 21 points, followed by Zion Williamson‘s 20 points, CJ McCollum with 18 points, and Brandon Ingram adding 14 before exiting the game prematurely in the third quarter due to a left knee injury. Herbert Jones contributed 13 points for the Pelicans, who suffered only their second loss in nine games.

Orlando extended their nine-point halftime lead to 13 before Ingram’s unfortunate injury early in the third quarter, requiring assistance to leave for further evaluation.

The Magic’s lead reached 14 points on two occasions, but timely 3-pointers from McCollum and Murphy narrowed the gap to 76-69.

Franz Wagner and Suggs then combined for eight consecutive points, expanding the lead to 84-70. Banchero added seven points to Orlando’s tally, allowing them to finish the third quarter with a commanding 95-75 advantage.

Despite a strong start by New Orleans in the fourth quarter, scoring the first 10 points, the Magic responded swiftly with four points in succession, reestablishing a 99-85 lead and comfortably maintaining control until the final buzzer.

The Pelicans initially surged to a 21-9 lead with just under five minutes remaining in the first quarter, but a resilient effort from Suggs, including two clinch 3-pointers and two free throws, helped narrow the margin to 28-23 by the end of the quarter.

Orlando’s momentum carried into the second quarter, as they netted the first five points to draw level. Despite a brief resurgence from New Orleans led by Ingram, the Magic’s Moritz Wagner, Jonathan Isaac, and Anthony drained timely 3-pointers, propelling Orlando to a 47-36 advantage. Williamson’s contributions helped the Pelicans close the gap to 57-48 by halftime.