Fans blast Paolo Banchero haters after leading Magic past Hornets

Fans were over the moon with Paolo Banchero’s resounding performance in the Orlando Magic’s blowout win over the Charlotte Hornets on Friday night.

Banchero struggled in the 7-8 matchup against the Philadelphia 76ers on Wednesday night, garnering serious criticism. He needed to bounce back in this game against Charlotte, which he pulled off in convincing fashion.

In 33 minutes of action, Banchero filled up the stat sheet. He finished with 25 points, six assists, five rebounds, two steals, and a block. He shot 9-of-17 from the field, including 2-of-6 from beyond the arc, and 5-of-8 from the free-throw line.

Paolo Banchero highlights vs. CHA:

25 PTS
5 REB
6 AST
9-17 FG
+17 +/- pic.twitter.com/04Hm4qL7Nj

— Orlando Magic (@OrlandoMagic) April 18, 2026

It didn’t take long for fans to react to the performance, wanting to see more of those types of games out of Banchero. Here are some of their reactions.

“That all-around game from Paolo Banchero is why he’s the future of the Orlando Magic,” one fan said.

“This is what your star player is supposed to do. Great game P! That dunk had me jumping in the bedroom,” another remarked.

“A lot of people, myself included, were very critical of Paolo Banchero’s play-in performance on Wednesday, as well as his season as a whole. Paolo responded as best as you could hope. He now has the opportunity to write whatever perception he wants of himself in the playoffs,” one commented.

“Paolo Banchero was much better as a downhill scorer/playmaker tonight — 25 points on 53% shooting and six assists. We’ll see if it translates to the playoffs, but that’s a great sign for the Magic. Orlando needs Banchero to be the offensive engine,” one stated.

“I guess the criticism he received last time worked, because look at him today!” a fan said.

How Paolo Banchero, Magic played against Hornets

Paolo Banchero showed the high-level talent he possesses as a stat player, leading the Magic to the eighth and final seed in the East after dominating the Hornets.

Five players scored in double-digits for Orlando in the win, including Banchero. Franz Wagner delivered a solid performance of 18 points, seven rebounds, six assists, and a steal. He shot 5-of-10 overall and 8-of-10 from the charity stripe. Wendell Carter Jr. came next with 16 points and six rebounds, Desmond Bane had 13 points and seven rebounds, while Jalen Suggs provided 12 points and six assists.

Orlando ended the regular season with a 45-37 record, securing the eighth seed in the Eastern Conference playoff bracket. They are above the Hornets and the Miami Heat while trailing the Philadelphia 76ers and the Atlanta Hawks.

The Magic will look forward to their journey in the playoffs, being on the road to start the first round. They take on the 1-seed Detroit Pistons as Game 1 will commence on April 19 at 6:30 p.m. ET.

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