No. 4 in the NBA in terms of his ability to get to the charity stripe, Paolo Banchero decided that on March 27, 2025, free throws would include a tax, at the expense of the Dallas Mavericks’ frontline. Overbaking his foul line shot attempt ever slightly, the Orlando Magic’s third-year dynamo works physics to his advantage, tracking down the misfired basketball with momentum rim-bound before Caleb Martin can react. Explosive in his elevation, Banchero finishes the sequence as expected by powering home a two-handed poster flush, immediately compensating for any previous inaccuracies. Launched into a different offensive stratosphere post-All-Star break, Banchero — again fourth-best with 29.0 points per game — helped Orlando fight valiantly in a back-and-forth battle between postseason hopefuls. Blending some of everything into his statistical column, Banchero dazzled through a 35-point, 10-rebound performance, accompanied by four rebounds, one steal, a 3-pointer, and superb efficiency from the field (13-of-21). · Mar 27, 2025