Magic Beat Heat to Reach 2025 NBA Cup Semifinals as Fans Salute Desmond Bane
Led by a stellar performance from Desmond Bane, the Orlando Magic defeated the Miami Heat in the quarterfinals of the 2025 NBA Cup by the final score of 117-108 on Tuesday night.
Miami pulled to within nine points several times late in the fourth quarter, but couldn't cut into the deficit any further before the contest was out of reach.
Bane finished with a game-high 37 points while shooting 14-of-24 from the field, connecting on six of his nine attempts from behind the arc.
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He also grabbed six rebounds and dished out five assists compared to just one turnover. After the game, Bane joked about his motivation in the NBA Cup:
Bane was recently fined $35,000 for throwing a ball at OG Anunoby, but the payouts for the NBA Cup could help with that.
On the court, however, fans were impressed with his performance.
Miami opened Tuesday's matchup on a high note, taking a 15-0 lead to start the first quarter.
The Heat ended up holding a 30-17 advantage at the end of the first, but were outscored by the Magic 39-27 in the second.
Both teams traded baskets in the third quarter, but Miami continued to experience issues defensively. The Magic scored 100 points over the final three quarters of the game, routinely finding ways to get to the rim and finish.
Bane took over for Orlando to close out the contest, as he scored 15 of the team's 28 points during the final period.
Jalen Suggs also stepped up for the Magic by recording 20 points on 7-of-13 shooting, while Wendell Carter Jr. posted a double-double with his 14 points and 10 rebounds.
Paolo Banchero finished with 18 points, seven rebounds and four assists.
Four of Miami's five starters scored at least 19 points, but long-range shooting was an issue for the team throughout the game. The Heat shot just 24.2 percent from behind the arc overall.
The Magic will now travel to Las Vegas for the NBA Cup semifinals, awaiting the winner of the quarterfinal clash between the New York Knicks and Toronto Raptors.
