The night Paolo Banchero suffered a torn right abdominal muscle, the Magic were fourth in the East. It was still early in the season and Jamahl Mosley‘s squad had played just five games. But 72 days and 35 games later?

Orlando Magic forward Paolo Banchero made his return from a 34-game absence lived up to the billing, but the Magic fell in a thriller 109-106.

The Magic — who have been dealing with a slew of other injuries, Franz Wagner's torn oblique and Moritz Wagner's season-ending torn ACL among them — entered Friday in the No. 4 spot in the Eastern Conference. They lost their first four without Banchero, then went 19-11 since.