
Desmond Bane is no longer a member of the Memphis Grizzlies. But playing in front of former teammates Ja Morant and Jaren Jackson, Jr., Bane was the star in a "grit-n-grind" style game, complete with bleeding arms.
Bane led the Orlando Magic with 22 points, including a banked-in three-pointer with 1:16 to play as his team defeated the Detroit Pistons, 92-86. The Magic are one game away from their first playoff series win since 2010, thanks to a blockbuster deal that brought in Bane over the summer.
While Bane's late three-ball was his only made basket of the final quarter, that was more than enough against a Pistons team that didn't make a field goal after the 5:50 mark until a meaningless Isaiah Stewart putback with 3.4 seconds to go. The Magic forced 20 turnovers in the game and blocked six shots in a rock fight of a game where Detroit shot only 38 percent, and the Magic were 33 percent from the field.
That's why Bane was so critical. He went 5-for-10 from behind the arc, nearly matching the six threes made by Detroit's entire team (shooting 20 percent). His own teammates were even worse. Besides Bane, the Magic were 4-for-25 on three-pointers, with Jalen Suggs bricking his way to a 1-for-11 night.
Perhaps it was Bane's experience with the defensive-minded and often offensively-challenged Grizzlies that made him so ready for the moment. If he needed a reminder of that mindset, Morant sat courtside, celebrating every Bane three-pointer along with Jackson, who the Grizzlies traded to the Utah Jazz during the season.
Ja Morant and JJJ pic.twitter.com/IU2AHTaubl
— Shabazz (@ShowCaseShabazz) April 28, 2026
The Magic gave up two players and a bushel of draft picks to pry Bane away from the Grizzlies last summer, a move that acknowledged the team's need for another scorer alongside Paolo Banchero and Franz Wagner. Both needed a helping hand Monday night.
Wagner was fantastic with 19 points in 24 minutes, along with four steals, but left the game for good in the third quarter with a calf injury. Banchero grabbed eight rebounds and shot 10-for-13 from the foul line, but shot just 4-for-18 from the floor. They needed all of Bane's shots, including the late three, which he almost certainly didn't call "Bank!" before shooting.
The bank is open for Desmond Bane!!!
— NBA on NBC and Peacock (@NBAonNBC) April 28, 2026
He hits the CLUTCH triple for the Magic!
NBC and Peacock pic.twitter.com/uaaZqAg4fO
That didn't diminish the celebration from the Orlando crowd or from Bane's old teammates. After a slow start to the series, Bane has 47 points and 12 triples in the last two games, and the Magic are one win away from knocking off the No. 1 seed.
The Magic have been playing championship-caliber defense in this series. With Bane shooting this well, an average offense could be enough to complete their upset bid.
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