Throughout last week’s three-game homestand, Orlando Magic coach Jamahl Mosley stressed the importance of a faster start required by his team.
The Magic failed to accomplish that goal during Tuesday’s NBA Cup quarterfinal matchup against the Heat when Miami jumped out to a 15-0 lead, but Orlando got the last laugh.
Playing in their first game of the season without Franz Wagner (left high ankle sprain), the Magic were led by Desmond Bane’s 37 points in a thrilling comeback victory, 117-108, against the Heat in front of national TV audience on Prime Network at Kia Center.
With the win, the Magic advance to the Cup semifinals, which will take place Saturday at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas. Orlando lost last season in the Cup quarterfinals when it fell on the road at Milwaukee, and believed playing at home would increase its chances of advancing further this season.
Although Norman Powell (21 points), Tyler Herro (20), Bam Adebayo (19), Andrew Wiggins (19) combined for 79 points, Miami (14-11) struggled from distance when it shot 24.2% (8 for 33).
On the other end, the Magic (15-10) shot 46.9% from beyond the arc (15 for 32) when they beat the Heat for the third time this season.
Orlando will face the winner of the Knicks-Raptors quarterfinal in the Cup semifinals on Saturday.
The Bane Event
Bane, who was held to below 20 points in the last three games, got going in the second quarter when he drove to the basket and hit a pair of triples to post 10 in the frame and reach 12 by half.
Bane, however, found himself in foul trouble when he picked up his fourth at the 8:53 mark of the third quarter.
That didn’t slow him down when he added 10 more in the third and 15 in the fourth to score 20-plus for the 11th time this season and 30-plus for the third time.
Orlando improved to 4-0 when Bane scores at least 27 points.
Rest of starters
Without Wagner, Mosley opted to start Anthony Black alongside regulars Paolo Banchero, Jalen Suggs, Bane and Wendell Carter Jr. against Miami.
Black scored the team’s first points of the night with a layup at the 9:05 mark of the first quarter. The Magic guard did a little bit of everything with 10 points, 3 rebounds and 7 assists.
Still playing on a minutes restriction in just his third game back from missing 10 with a left groin strain, Banchero was able to get to the free throw line where he shot 6 for 7 when he added 7 rebounds and 4 assists in 32 minutes.
Suggs, who was clearly comforting his groin area at points of the game (he previously missed one game in mid-Nov. due to a sore right groin), made his presence felt on both ends with three 3-pointers, 4 assists and 2 steals.
Carter provided a boost when he scored all of his 6 first-half points in the second frame, including a jumpshot that gave Orlando its first lead of the night with less than four minutes left in the quarter. He ended with a double-double by way of 14 points and 10 rebounds in 31 minutes.
Da Silva dynamic
Second-year pro Tristan da Silva hit Orlando’s first 3-pointer of the night midway through the first quarter and later added a second triple that put the Magic ahead 101-87 with under 9 minutes to play in the game.
He was aggressive on both ends of the court off the bench when he notched 11 points and 7 rebounds in 28 minutes.
Da Silva, however, was the lone member of the Magic bench to end in double figures.
Jason Beede can be reached at jbeede@orlandosentinel.com