Now in his fifth NBA season, Paolo Banchero won’t see the floor for the Orlando Magic for some time. On Friday, he suffered a low-grade right high ankle sprain. The 2022 first overall pick is expected to miss about 4-6 weeks.
The New York Knicks face the Magic on Sunday night, looking for their first win after two close losses. Victory should be easier with the 2024 All-Star out of action.
The Knicks have actually lost to Orlando the last two times they have faced them with Banchero sidelined, though. New York needs to take the game seriously to secure its first win of the season.
Magic have had success against the Knicks without Banchero before
Since Banchero joined the league, the Knicks have faced the Magic four times without him. New York won the first two, but lost the last two meetings without Banchero.
Last season, the 6-foot-10 forward missed 10 straight games from mid-November to early December with a groin strain. One of those came on November 22—a 133-121 Orlando win over the Knicks. New York had no answer for Franz Wagner, who finished with 37 points and seven assists.
In the 2024-25 season, Banchero missed the most time, including three games against the Knicks. New York won the first two, but Orlando won 103-94 on January 6. Wagner also missed that contest, and Cole Anthony led the Magic with 24 points.
Banchero’s groin strain last season came in a game against the Knicks last season. It happened midway through the second quarter, with Orlando up 11, and they ultimately won by 17.
In 2025-26, the Magic went 7-3 in the 10 games Banchero missed. They not only beat the Knicks, but also defeated the Detroit Pistons, who finished as the top seed in the Eastern Conference. Banchero has missed 58 regular season games so far in his career, and Orlando holds a 31-27 record in those outings.
This is all to say don’t mark the Knicks first win of the season in pen for Sunday. They still have Wagner, who averaged 24.0 points on 57.8% shooting in three outings against New York last season. Desmond Bane also averaged 20.8 points and shot 47.6% from three in four games against the Knicks in 2025-26.
Currently, DraftKings Sportsbook lists the Knicks as 7.5-point favorites over the Magic. New York should win, but don’t assume that will happen just because Banchero won’t be playing.
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