Orlando Magic guard Desmond Bane (3) celebrates with forward Paolo Banchero (5) after making a game wing basket against the Portland Trail Blazers in the fourth quarter at Kia Center. Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images

Desmond Bane breaks out of shooting slump at the perfect moment

By Sean Keane | Last updated Nov 10, 2025 11:27 PM ET

Desmond Bane was 0-5 from three-point range for the first 47:59 of Monday's game and shooting 26% from deep on the season. He picked the perfect time to finally make one.

Bane sank a 27-footer at the buzzer to give the Orlando Magic a 115-112 win over the Portland Trail Blazers. It's Bane's best moment in a Magic uniform since an offseason trade sent him from the Memphis Grizzlies to Orlando.

Desmond Bane was supposed to give the Magic more shooting

Orlando gave up Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, Cole Anthony, four unprotected first-round picks and a pick swap to add Bane. A career 41% three-point shooter before this season, Bane was supposed to add outside shooting to a Magic team that finished last in the NBA in made threes last season.

But Bane hasn't been the answer in the first 10 games of the season. After hitting three triples in the season's first game, Bane had three games with zero three-pointers and went 9-for-40 for the next 10 games.

That is, until Paolo Banchero stole the ball from Jrue Holiday in the final seconds of a tie game and Bane hit Orlando's biggest shot of the season.

DESMOND BANE GAME-WINNING TRIPLE FOR ORLANDO

@TISSOT BUZZER-BEATER
Everyone Gets 24 pic.twitter.com/KVpehbAEIN
— NBA (@NBA) November 11, 2025

That may have been the most difficult shot of the season for Bane, and he absolutely drained it. He finished with 22 points and seven assists, going 1-for-6 from deep — but that one was huge.

Desmond Bane is making up for his slump in other ways

Bane isn't consistently hitting shots, though Monday's game might be what he needed to get back on track. He's leading the Magic in assists, despite playing shooting guard. Bane is shooting 51.6% on two-pointers, and making 87.1% of his free throws.

For the price Orlando paid for Bane, they need him to be an All-Star level player. He hasn't been as a shooter so far, but there's every reason to think he can get back to his old excellence. Banchero and Franz Wagner are great at getting to the rim, but Bane could provide the spacing and the outside game to keep opponents from doubling the star forwards.

Monday, he wasn't thinking about the threes he missed this year — just the game-winner that got his team a win on a tough back-to-back.

Sean Keane

Sean Keane is a sportswriter and a comedian based in Oakland, California, with experience covering the NBA, MLB, NFL and Ice Cube’s three-on-three basketball league, The Big 3. He’s written for Comedy Central’s “Another Period,” ESPN the Magazine, and Audible. com

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