Magic beat Wizards 116-109 behind Paolo Banchero's 30 and 12

WASHINGTON --PaoloBanchero is finishing strong in his bid for Rookie of the Yearhonors.

Banchero had 30 points and 12rebounds, Markelle Fultz added 25 points and the Orlando Magicovercame a 16-point second half deficit to beat the WashingtonWizards 116-109 on Friday night.

The Wizards managed only 13points in the final quarter and fell to three games behind Chicagofor the final play-in spot in the Eastern Conference with fivegames remaining. Orlando remained four games behind the Bulls, whorouted Charlotte 121-91.

Banchero, the No. 1 pick inlast year's draft out of Duke, is the clear favorite to win Rookieof the Year, and Fultz gave him an endorsement.

“I think you just see it,playing both ends of the floor, being able to create, beingconfident and poised," Fultz said. "I don't really think it's anydiscussion about it, but of course people got to vote.”

Washington was without its topthree players — Bradley Beal (left knee), Kristaps Porzingis(illness) and Kyle Kuzma (right ankle).

Corey Kispert scored acareer-high 27 points for Washington but did not manage a shotattempt in the fourth until the final minute. He made nine of theWizards' 17 3-pointers.

Washington scored the first 13points of the third quarter and led 76-60. The Magic cut the leadto three later in the quarter but the Wizards were up 96-85entering the fourth.

In that final period, however,Orlando shut Washington down. The Wizards went 1 of 11 from longdistance in the fourth and 5 of 23 from the field.

“Some of the shots we werepassing up, we've got to just take them, make or miss,” Wizardsguard Delon Wright said. “I feel like that was the biggest thing —just not being confident in some of the shots we were taking.”

The Magic finally took a105-103 lead on a 3-pointer by Cole Anthony. That was part of a13-2 run that put Orlando up by eight.

Anthony scored seven of his 16points in the fourth.

“That midrange, I think wefound a time in the possessions that it was a clean look, it wasthe right look," Magic coach Jamahl Mosley said. "His ability towalk in there and step in there with confidence is what we've askedhim to do.”

ADJUSTMENT

Wright credited Orlando's zonedefense with helping to turn the tide, and Mosley said the Magicdefended well as a team.

“Our guys did a great jobcommunicating," Mosley said. "Our bench was doing a fantastic jobof communicating with those guys on the floor, knowing whereKispert was, finding shooters.”

TIP-INS

Magic: Kevon Harris (leftelbow) did not play. ... Fultz went 11 of 15 from the field. ...Franz Wagner had 20 points. ... Banchero went 13 of 14 on freethrows. The Wizards as a team were just 10 of 12. ... Orlando haswon four of five, including two victories over Washington.

Wizards: Kispert's previouscareer high was 26 points. ... Delon Wright had 21 points and ninerebounds, and Daniel Gafford contributed 18 points and 13 rebounds.... Rookie Johnny Davis scored 10 points but went 4 of 15 from thefield. ... Washington attempted a season-high 50 3-pointers. ...The Wizards used 11 players, although Kispert played 41:52.

UP NEXT

Magic: Host Detroit on Sundaynight.

Wizards: At New York on Sundaynight.