Paolo

Banchero

After logging 47 minutes and recording one of his best stat lines of the season in Saturday’s double-overtime loss to the Suns, Banchero came back to earth against the Clippers. The rebounds and assists were good, but the Magic forward didn’t have a great night shooting the basketball, and his line didn’t include any defensive stats. Banchero has long been a player with greater value in points leagues than category leagues, so Sunday’s final line was unsurprising in that regard. The Magic play three games in Week 18, starting with the Lakers on Tuesday.

Banchero’s first game back from the All-Star break was a productive one. Offensively, he lit it up from beyond the arc and tallied his most made three-pointers in a single game this season. He was also a contributor as a facilitator, and him picking up a couple stocks was a nice cherry on top. Banchero will likely need to perform at this level to keep Orlando in a good spot in the Eastern Conference standings.

The Magic improved to 6-0 on the season when Banchero, Desmond Bane and Anthony Black all have at least 20 points. They needed every bit of it to squeak by a Jazz team that rested its starters in the fourth quarter. Banchero was excellent, though, with 23 points, a full stat line and two three-pointers. He’s provided fifth-round per game value over the last two weeks, according to Basketball Monster. The Magic have four games in Week 17, starting with a matchup against the Bucks on Monday.

After shooting 17-of-41 from the field in his three previous games, Banchero was more efficient on offense in Thursday’s win over the Nets. Add in the assists and blocks, and this was a solid night as far as his category league value is concerned. Banchero and the Magic end their Week 16 schedule on Saturday against the Jazz, which also appears to be an advantageous matchup for the forward.

Banchero had at least 20 points in 12 of his last 15 games entering play Sunday before settling for 19 points in the loss to the Spurs. The 23-year-old has provided fourth-round per game value over the last two weeks. The Magic have three games upcoming in Week 16, starting with a matchup against the Thunder on Monday.

The game was initially scheduled for a 4 PM Eastern tip. However, inclement weather has prevented the Spurs from leaving Charlotte following their loss to the Hornets on Saturday afternoon. The Spurs are supposed to return home on Sunday, but that isn’t guaranteed.

Banchero had scored a combined 68 points in his last two games entering play Friday, but took a backseat to Desmond Bane when it came to scoring against the Raptors. The 23-year-old power forward still had a full stat line and came just one rebound and four assists away from a triple-double. Banchero has provided sixth-round per game value over the last two weeks. He’ll have another chance for a big game this week Sunday against the Spurs.

Banchero was, once again, dominant on Wednesday. He logged a second straight 30-point double-double, mostly operating inside the arc to tally his points. The fourth-year forward led all scorers in the game and has slowly picked up his production in January following a rough December. If Banchero can continue playing at this level, he’ll have a chance to get the Magic back on track over the second half of the season. Fantasy managers should be excited about his recent progress.

Banchero did what he could to try to get the Magic back on track. Yet, his highest-scoring game of January wasn’t enough to end the Magic’s losing streak, which is now at four games. Banchero’s season high in points on Monday came on a blend of three-pointers, shots inside the arc, and production from the free-throw line. On top of his scoring outburst, he reached double figures in rebounds to secure his 14th double-double of the season. Regardless of whether Orlando can get back on track or not, it’s clear that Banchero will continue to deliver strong production from a fantasy basketball standpoint.

It’s been a frustrating season for Banchero and the Magic as they’ve consistently struggled to generate enough offense to turn things around. The 23-year-old playmaker has scored at least 20 points in seven of 10 games since Janaury 1, but the Magic are just 4-6 overall during that span. He’s dropped from 25.9 points per-game last season to just 21.1 through 34 contests this season. The Magic have a rematch against the Cavaliers on Monday before facing the Heat, Raptors and Spurs to close out a four-game week.