Could newcomer be the Magic's All-Star?

Orlando is relying on Bane as an offensive engine and playing like a contender on both sides of the ball

As Magic fans know, the floodgates opened for Bane the moment he saw the ball splash through the net on his fadeaway game-winning buzzer-beater on the second night of a back-to-back against Portland.

In the eighteen games including the night of Bane’s buzzer-beater, the Magic are 12-6 with wins over the Knicks (2x), Heat (2x), Pistons, Warriors, Sixers, playing contending-level basketball on both sides:

9th-best Point Differential
9th-best Offense
9th-best Defense

Every champion since Shaq and Kobe has ranked Top-12 in both offense and defense; remember kids, the game is about a bucket, but it's also about stopping the other team from getting buckets.

The Magic do both well and continue to improve at both as the season goes on.

As they trust the ball in Bane's hands more and more, the team continues to produce results it wants.

Facing injuries to stars, Orlando relies on Bane shouldering the load

With Banchero missing a month due to injury, and now Wagner expected out for another, it's been Bane's reliable scoring that this Magic offense has relied on.

Desmond Bane's been dependable as a handoff and pick-and-roll downhill driver who walks into full speed finger rolls and jumps into pump-fake wraparound passes to the roller while drawing fouls and kicking out to open shooters.

Primary Option Desmond Bane has worked so well for the Magic, Bane's been rewriting the record books in ways Orlando hasn't seen since Tracy McGrady.

Highlighting Bane's Top-5 Scoring Performances through his first 28 games in Orlando:

37 points, 8 rebounds, 2 assists, 2 blocks, 1 steals on 61% TS% in a Win in Detroit.
37 points, 6 rebounds, 5 assists, 1 steal, 3 threes on 86% TS% in a Win over the Bulls.
37 points, 6 rebounds, 5 assists, 1 steal, 6 threes on 73% TS% in a Win over the Heat.
32 points, 6 rebounds, 1 assist, 2 steals, 1 block, 3 threes on 70% TS% +1 Game-Winner in Utah.
27 points, 3 rebounds, 5 assists, 1 steals, 3 threes on 69% TS% in a Win over the Knicks.

Did I mention Desmond Bane's game-winning buzzer-beating contested fadeaway rise-and-fire pull-up three on the second night of a back-to-back over Portland, yet?

That was Bane's first three of the night after missing five attempts throughout the game, yet trusting his team-first process of looking for the best shot for the team, driving to the rack, hitting middy pull-ups, finding the roll-man and open shooters, finishing with 22 points, 7 assists, and 3 rebounds.

There's probably an even higher-usage level or amount of touches this offense could go when it comes to finding ways to set Bane up as an outside shooter and drawing fouls, as one of the most gifted shooters in the world from both distances.

Desmond and the team pride themselves on their ability to lower their shoulder, put the ball on the floor, and penetrate the paint to break down the defense, so Bane and crew will continue to do so as they carve out their drive-and-draw-foul-or-score-or-kick team identity.

What if Orlando ran Bane off stagger screens or post up pin down split screens like the Warriors? Could the team unlock 5-out lineups that revolve around the off-ball movement, cutting and relocation involving some mix of its floor-spacers in Bane, Jalen Suggs, Jase Richardson, Jett Howard, Anthony Black, Tristan da Silva, Franz Wagner, Paolo Banchero, Wendell Carter Jr.?

This Magic offense is just scratching the surface of what its capable of, still barely having all of its core rotation pieces healthy at the same time. Even if it stays as a drive-and-kick attack, that alone is already producing results.

Finding one of the most versatile tough shotmaking outsider shooters in the world more looks from deep and one of the most efficient free throw shooters in the game more attempts from the line should be a major prerogative for the Magic's coaching staff.

Unlocking Bane's gravity along with that of the other shooters with their movement off ball could be the final frontier that takes this Magic team from great to super.

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