When Desmond Bane hit a 3-point basket to deliver a knockout punch and help the Magic capture a 115-112 victory over the Trail Blazers on Monday night at Kia Center, the newly acquired Orlando guard handed Paolo Banchero perhaps the best birthday present he’ll receive this week.

The moments leading up to the shot, Banchero missed not one, not two, but three free throws over the course of two trips to the line in a contest that otherwise likely wouldn’t have required late-game heroics from Bane had they fallen.

Of course, Bane’s shot wouldn’t have happened at all if Banchero didn’t strip the ball away from Portland guard Jrue Holiday and then have the awareness to call timeout with 1.9 seconds remaining in the game.

But that’s the beauty of basketball.

“Probably the best game-

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