Magic beat Timberwolves 132-120 as Paolo Banchero scores 20 and Orlando wins 4th straight

ORLANDO, Fla. (AP) — Paolo Banchero had 20 points and eight rebounds, Desmond Bane added 18 points and six assists and the Orlando Magic beat the Minnesota Timberwolves 132-120 on Wednesday night.

Franz Wagner scored 17 points and Goga Bitadze came off the bench with 14 points and 15 rebounds for the Magic, who have won four straight.

The win pulled the Magic (44-36) up to seventh place in the tight race for playoff/play-in positions. With two road games remaining (Chicago on Friday and Boston on Sunday), they could finish anywhere between six and ninth in the Eastern Conference.

Terrence Shannon Jr. led the Timberwolves with a career-high 33 points. Jaden McDaniels, back in the lineup after missing six games with a left knee injury, added 18 points in 19 minutes.

The Timberwolves, who have lost five of seven, played without Anthony Edwards (right knee injury) and four players who started Tuesday night’s win at Indiana that clinched their Western Conference playoff spot.

Julius Randle missed his first game of the season and Rudy Gobert missed his fifth.

Wagner scored twice to help Orlando break away from a 47-47 tie to a 63-53 halftime lead. Jalen Suggs hit a couple of 3-pointers and a layup on a 22-6 burst that broke the game open in the third quarter. The Magic led by 24 at one point.

Shannon scored 29 points in the second half, hitting five of seven 3-point shots. He made 11 of 14 shots overall and also had five assists.

The Magic shot 53.7% overall in their home finale.

Timberwolves: At Houston on Friday night.

Magic: At Chicago on Friday night.

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