Paolo Banchero explodes for 50 points as Magic top Pacers

Paolo Banchero became Orlando’s first player with a 50-point game in 20 years and flirted with a triple-double Monday night to lead the Magic past the visiting Indiana Pacers 119-115.

Banchero finished with 50 points and matched Tracy McGrady’s franchise record for points scored in a half, putting up 37 in the first.

While Banchero fell short of McGrady’s Magic record 62 points in a March 2004 game, the third-year forward joined McGrady, Shaquille O’Neal and Nick Anderson as Orlando’s only 50-point scorers.

Banchero shot 16-of-26 from the field and made 11 of 15 free throws. He added a game-high 13 rebounds and a team-best nine assists.

His heroics offset a balanced scoring effort from the Pacers, who lost their third straight game and were coming off an overtime defeat in the second leg of a back-to-back with Philadelphia on Sunday.

Pascal Siakam’s 26 points led six Indiana scorers in double-figures. Among them was Tyrese Haliburton, who posted his first double-double of the season with 19 points and 10 assists. Haliburton also had nine rebounds.

Haliburton helped ignite a 39-22 third quarter for Indiana to flip a 12-point halftime deficit into a 98-93 lead entering the fourth.

The Pacers built an eight-point cushion in the fourth before Orlando battled back. The Magic held Indiana to five points in the final five minutes while chipping away at the deficit.

After a slow third quarter, Banchero erupted for nine points in the final 6:56. Jalen Suggs played a big role down the stretch, hitting a free throw after Aaron Nesmith was whistled for a technical foul to put Orlando ahead 113-12 with 2:07 left.

After Haliburton made a game-tying 3-pointer with 53 seconds to go, Suggs dished the last of his seven assists to Anthony Black on a triple that gave Orlando the lead for good at 118-15.