Paolo Banchero, Jalen Johnson get heated at the end of season opener

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Paolo Banchero, Jalen Johnson get heated at the end of season opener

Originally posted on Larry Brown Sports
By Darryn Albert | Last updated Oct 21, 2026 10:29 PM ET

Two former Duke stars were going at it after Wednesday’s season opener.

The Atlanta Hawks faced off against the Orlando Magic on Wednesday to tip off their respective 2026-27 NBA seasons. In the end, it was the Hawks who earned the 132-125 victory at Kia Center in Orlando, Fla.

As the final seconds were ticking away, Magic star Paolo Banchero exchanged some heated words with Hawks counterpart Jalen Johnson. The two forwards had to be separated by both teammates and staffers as the final buzzer sounded.

Take a look at the video.

Paolo Banchero and Jalen Johnson exchange words at the end of the game. https://t.co/7rHhoRbuaM
— Hoop Central (@TheHoopCentral) October 22, 2026

It is unclear what exactly sparked the verbal spat other than a battle for a rebound at the end there. But Banchero and Johnson were going back and forth all night with the former putting up 35 points, seven rebounds, and 10 assists while the latter managed 20 points, 14 rebounds, and six assists along with the win.

We also know that the former All-Star Banchero in particular does not mind confrontation. After all, we saw multiple times last year when Banchero even started talking trash to fans during games.

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