Bane’s 37 powers Magic past Heat, sends Orlando to NBA Cup semifinals
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ORLANDO, Fla. — Desmond Bane poured in a season-best 37 points Tuesday night, lifting the Orlando Magic to a 119-108 victory over the Miami Heat and into the NBA Cup semifinals in Las Vegas.
The guard matched his season high with six three-pointers and scored 11 points in the first 2:15 of the fourth quarter, stretching Orlando’s lead from six to 13. Miami never cut the margin below nine until the final minute.
“I just lost $35,000, so I gotta go get it back somehow,” Bane said, referencing the fine he received in the previous game for throwing a ball at New York Knicks forward OG Anunoby. Advancing guarantees each Magic player a payout of a little more than $100,000.
Orlando will face the Knicks on Saturday in Las Vegas. Players on the tournament champion will earn roughly $530,000 apiece; the runners-up will collect about $213,000.
Supporting cast and key numbers
Jalen Suggs added 20 points, while Paolo Banchero finished with 18 points and seven rebounds. The Magic were without forward Franz Wagner, sidelined by a high ankle sprain that is expected to keep him out for several weeks.
Norman Powell led Miami with 21 points. Tyler Herro scored 20, and Bam Adebayo and Andrew Wiggins each had 19. The Heat shot 24.2% from beyond the arc (8-for-33); Herro missed all six of his attempts, including an open look that could have cut the deficit to four with 37 seconds left.
Fast start fizzles for Miami
Miami opened the game 15-0, hitting its first six shots. Orlando answered, and the Heat’s shooting cooled the rest of the night. “He had a very good game,” Heat coach Erik Spoelstra said of Bane. “That’s why you want to take away some of the open looks early on so a guy doesn’t get into a great rhythm.”
The loss was Miami’s third at Amway Center this season.
The semifinal meeting with New York in Las Vegas tips off Saturday; the championship game is scheduled for Monday.
Source: ESPN
