Desmond

Bane

Bane was one of the better Magic performers on Sunday, despite his counting stats not jumping off the page. On efficient shooting and solid production from the three-point line, he finished as Orlando’s second leading scorer and was one of only four players to reach double figures. Bane finished the series averaging fewer points per game and a much lower field goal percentage than he did during the regular season. His fantasy production dipped a bit during the 2025-26 campaign, but he should still be a reliable contributor next season.

One of the stars in Orlando’s home wins in Games 3 and 4, Bane has shot a combined 13-of-33 from the field over the last two games. While that isn’t necessarily a terrible percentage, Orlando’s margin for error is slim with Franz Wagner (calf) unavailable. And with the Magic scoring a total of 19 points in the second half of Game 6, they head back to Detroit to play Game 7 in a series that they once led by a 3-1 margin. Bane will have to be at his best on Sunday if Orlando is to avoid elimination.

After totaling 47 points and 12 three-pointers in Orlando’s home victories in Games 3 and 4, Bane was kept in check on Wednesday. The Magic wing, who made 12 of 19 three-point attempts in those wins, shot 4-of-10 from beyond the arc as Orlando failed to end the series. Bane and his teammates will look to end things on Friday night, with a loss sending the series back to Detroit for a decisive Game 7 on Sunday.

Bane had 22 points and five three-pointers in Game 4, which was one fewer three-pointer than the entire Pistons team. None of his threes were bigger than the bank shot Bane hit late in the fourth quarter to give the Magic a six-point lead. Bane and the Magic will look to complete their shocking upset by closing out the Pistons in Game 5 on Wednesday.

Bane helped the Magic build a lead in this game. He made his seventh three-pointer at the beginning of the fourth quarter to put the Magic up by 11. Orlando squandered what was a 15-point lead in the fourth quarter before coming back and winning anyway. Game 4 against the Pistons is on Monday.

Bane is good to go after being added to the Magic injury report late Sunday morning. He’ll occupy his usual place in the starting lineup.

Bane is a new addition to the Magic injury report, but the good news is that he’s still considered probable to play. If he can’t go, Anthony Black is the most likely replacement in the starting lineup, with Tristan da Silva’s minutes also receiving a boost.

The Magic gave up a haul of first-round picks last summer for Bane to provide this type of performance in the season. Unfortunately, the rest of this team was a mess, so it wasn’t enough for them to get the win and advance to the playoffs. Still, Bane was fantastic in this game, leading both teams in scoring. They’ll head back to Orlando to host the Hornets on Friday, with a chance to face the Pistons in the first round on the line. They’ll certainly have a good chance in that game if Bane is able to carry some of this production into that game.

Bane got the start and played the first six minutes to officially play in all 82 games. After that, he sat the rest of the game, which allowed Tristan da Silva to play a larger role and start the second half. Well, that was the plan at least. Orlando likely expected to beat the Celtics’ backups easily, but that didn’t end up happening. Bane played the entire fourth quarter to try to bring the Magic back, but it didn’t end up being enough, even if it was close. Bane has had a fantastic first season in Orlando, and he’ll be back to playing his usual role against the 76ers in the play-in tournament on Wednesday.

After scoring 25 points or more in three consecutive games, Bane was limited to 18 on Wednesday. However, he shot the ball efficiently and tied for the team lead in assists as part of a complete stat line. Bane has played consistently well recently, which is precisely what he and the Magic wanted heading into the postseason.