ORLANDO, Fla. (Interstat) — Paolo Banchero had 26 points and 13 rebounds to lead the Orlando Magic to a 118-111 victory over the Memphis Grizzlies on Thursday afternoon at Kia Center. The Magic erased an early 16-point deficit with a dominant second quarter, outscoring Memphis 35-28, and held off a late Grizzlies rally. Anthony Black added 21 points and seven assists for Orlando. Jaren Jackson Jr. scored 30 points for Memphis, which shot just 12 points in the third quarter. Santi Aldama added 18 points. The Magic improved to 23-18, while the Grizzlies fell to 17-23. The teams meet again in Memphis on Sunday.

ORLANDO, Fla. (Interstat) — A dominant second-quarter surge and a clutch performance from Paolo Banchero propelled the Orlando Magic to a 118-111 victory over the Memphis Grizzlies on Thursday afternoon at Kia Center. The Magic, improving to 23-18, overcame a blistering start from the Grizzlies, who fell to 17-23. The game’s decisive shift came in the second period, where Orlando erased a 16-point deficit and seized control for good. Memphis exploded out of the gate, connecting on seven of its first nine 3-point attempts. Jaren Jackson Jr. was unstoppable early, scoring 17 of his game-high 30 points in the first quarter as the Grizzlies built a 39-23 lead. The margin grew to 45-29 early in the second after a Cedric Coward 3-pointer. Orlando’s response was immediate and overwhelming. Sparked by its defense and the playmaking of Anthony Black, the Magic closed the half on a staggering 29-7 run. The Grizzlies’ offense, so fluid in the opening frame, completely stalled, managing just two field goals over the final nine minutes of the quarter. Black, who finished with 21 points, seven assists and six rebounds, was the catalyst, scoring or assisting on 16 points during the burst. Banchero, the Magic’s All-Star forward, took over from there. He anchored the rally with 13 points in the quarter, including a step-back 3-pointer just before the halftime buzzer that capped the run and sent Orlando into the locker room with a 58-55 lead. The Magic outscored Memphis 35-28 in the period, a complete reversal from the opening 12 minutes. The third quarter solidified Orlando’s command. Memphis went ice cold, scoring a season-low 12 points on 4-of-21 shooting. The Magic defense tightened, forcing seven turnovers and holding the Grizzlies without a field goal for a stretch of over six minutes. A 10-0 Orlando run, featuring five points from Franz Wagner, extended the lead to 84-67. Wagner finished with 18 points and nine rebounds. Memphis mounted a final charge in the fourth quarter. Trailing by 17, the Grizzlies used a 15-2 spurt, fueled by 3-pointers from Jackson and Vince Williams Jr., to claw within 102-100 with just over five minutes remaining. The comeback bid was short-lived. On the ensuing possession, Banchero drove and kicked to Franz Wagner, who drained a critical 3-pointer from the wing. After a Jackson basket, Banchero stripped Jackson near midcourt, leading to a runaway dunk for Black that pushed the lead back to 109-105. Banchero then sealed the game at the free-throw line, scoring Orlando’s final seven points. He finished with 26 points, 13 rebounds and four assists. Beyond the star trio, the Magic received key contributions throughout. Wendell Carter Jr. provided nine points and six rebounds, while the bench, led by timely plays from Tristan da Silva and Moritz Wagner, helped maintain the lead during the second-half grind. For Memphis, Jackson’s 30-point effort was supported by 18 points from Santi Aldama and 17 from Coward. Rookie guard Cam Spencer dished out 11 assists but struggled with his shot, going 2 for 10 from the field. The Grizzlies’ offense, after the 39-point first quarter, managed just 72 points over the final three periods. The teams will meet again in Memphis on Sunday, completing the home-and-home set. The Magic will look to build on their winning momentum, while the Grizzlies aim to solve the defensive puzzles Orlando presented after the game’s opening minutes.

ORLANDO, Fla. (Interstat) — The Orlando Magic look to solidify their position above .500 when they host the struggling Memphis Grizzlies at Kia Center on Thursday night. Orlando (22-18) enters the matchup four games ahead of Memphis (17-22) in the overall standings and is coming off a 128-118 home victory over the New Orleans Pelicans on Sunday. The Magic have won three of their last five. The Grizzlies snapped a three-game skid with a 103-98 win over the Brooklyn Nets on Sunday. Memphis has lost seven of its last 10 games and remains five games below .500. A key matchup will feature two players in strong recent form: Orlando guard Anthony Black and Memphis center Jock Landale. Black is averaging 20.8 points and 5.9 assists over his last 10 games. He erupted for 38 points against Denver on Dec. 27 and followed with a 26-point, 7-assist performance in Sunday’s win. His backcourt partnership with Desmond Bane, who scored 27 points against New Orleans, provides Orlando’s offensive firepower alongside forward Paolo Banchero. Landale has been a bright spot for Memphis, recording four double-doubles in his last 10 contests. He is coming off a 16-point, 9-rebound effort in the win over Brooklyn and nearly averaged a double-double (13.4 points, 9.2 rebounds) over that stretch. He will need to anchor the interior against an Orlando team that scores 116.3 points per game. The Grizzlies have shown resilience in close games, with three of their last five losses decided by six points or fewer, including an overtime defeat to Philadelphia. However, defensive consistency has been an issue, allowing an average of 119.2 points over their last five. This is the first of two meetings between the teams in four days. They will play again in Memphis on Sunday.