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Pascal Siakam stuffs Paolo Banchero to send Magic to another loss
Indiana Pacers forward Pascal Siakam. Daniel Dunn-Imagn Images

Pacers' Pascal Siakam stuffs Paolo Banchero at buzzer to send Magic to fifth straight loss

The Orlando Magic came back from 12 points down in the final 3:36 Monday night and gave star Paolo Banchero a chance to tie it at the buzzer. Pascal Siakam's defensive heroics and Orlando's third-quarter defensive collapse sent the Magic to their fifth straight loss, 128-126.

The Indiana Pacers put up 44 points in the third quarter as Orlando's defense couldn't stop Aaron Nesmith (16 points in the third quarter) and Andrew Nembhard (seven assists). Banchero had seven points and an assist in the final 2:18 of regulation, carving through the Pacers defense — until Siakam blocked his final attempt.

Losing to Indiana Pacers is a crushing defeat for Orlando Magic

The Magic had lost four straight going into Monday's game, but they hoped they could end the skid against a Pacers team that had lost a franchise-record 16 straight games. Instead, Orlando dropped into 8th place, keeping their place only thanks to the Miami Heat also dropping their fifth straight.

But they let the Pacers score 16 points above their average, and shoot 55 percent from the field. Orlando was missing All-Defensive guard Jalen Suggs, but it was a remarkably poor defensive performance all the same.

The same can't be said for the Pacers on Banchero's final drive, though the All-Star clearly thought he got fouled on his way to the hoop.

Paolo Banchero almost did it all for Orlando

Banchero's 39 points were a season-high, and he went 4-of-9 from three-point range. He also delivered six assists for a team that's often struggled to share the ball, though he added five turnovers.

But with the Magic playing without Franz Wagner, Suggs and Anthony Black, Orlando didn't have a big margin for error. The game swung when Indiana scored three straight layups early in the fourth quarter, one resulting from T.J. McConnell's opportunistic steal of a lazy inbounds pass.

Overall, the Magic are getting sloppy at precisely the wrong time in the season. They have 11 games left and five are against Eastern Conference playoff rivals. For a team that traded multiple first-round picks in a win-now deal for Desmond Bane, it's a disappointing position to be in just ahead of the playoffs.

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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