Paolo Banchero 45 points vs Pistons (Apr 29, 2026): First round Game 5
45 PTS · 17-of-31 FG · 6-of-11 3P · 5-of-12 FT · 40:48 MIN
Usual: 2025-26 regular season, 69 games, Oct 22 – Apr 12 (22.2 PTS · 15.9 FGA · 34.7 MIN)
Game Score 30.9 against a usual 17.0 (+13.9)
above usual
Playoff game · against the 2025-26 regular season
No more than 4 in 100 games by players at this level finish this far above their usual: playoff games, each against the player's regular-season usual.
How the score worksWhy did Paolo Banchero score 45 points?
Paolo Banchero scored 45 points in 40:48 against the Pistons on Apr 29, 2026, Game 5 of the first round: 17-of-31 from the field (54.8%), 6-of-11 from three (54.5%), 5-of-12 on free throws (41.7%). Before this game, Banchero averaged 22.2 points on 15.9 shots in 34.7 minutes across 69 regular-season games. The shot count was 31, against a usual 15.9. The rate from the field was 54.8%, against a usual 46.0%. By shot type: threes 18 points (usual 3.4); two-pointers 22 points (usual 12.3); free throws 5 points (usual 6.5). Banchero played 40:48 against a usual 34.7 minutes; per 36 minutes the Game Score was 27.3, against a usual 17.7. Banchero had 6 turnovers and 2 fouls, against a usual 3.1 and 2.0. At the Pistons, the Magic lost 116-109. The box score records what changed, not why: it holds no injury, matchup or coaching information.
Generated from the box score and this season's game log. How the score works
What changed
Banchero in this game against the usual line
| Stat | This game | Usual (69 games) | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Minutes | 40:48 | 34.7 | +6.1 |
| Points | 45 | 22.2 | +22.8 |
| Shots (FGA) · FG% | 31 · 54.8% | 15.9 · 46.0% | +15.1 · +8.8 |
| 3PA · 3P% | 11 · 54.5% | 3.7 · 30.9% | +7.3 · +23.6 |
| FTA · FT% | 12 · 41.7% | 8.4 · 77.2% | +3.6 · -35.5 |
| Rebounds | 9 | 8.3 | +0.7 |
| Assists | 7 | 5.2 | +1.8 |
| Turnovers | 6 | 3.1 | +2.9 |
| UsageUsual: minutes-weighted average of per-game usage, 69 games | 45.6 | 27.8 | +17.8 |
| Game Score per 36 minutes | 27.3 | 17.7 | +9.6 |
Points by shot type
Twos, threes and free throws: the changes add up to the points change
| Shot type | This game | Usual (69 games) | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Threes | 18 (6-of-11) | 3.4 (1.1-of-3.7) | +14.6 |
| Twos | 22 (11-of-20) | 12.3 (6.1-of-12.2) | +9.7 |
| Free throws | 5 (5-of-12) | 6.5 (6.5-of-8.4) | -1.5 |
| Total | 45 | 22.2 | +22.8 |
Game Score
One measure of the whole box score line
30.9 against a usual 17.0 (+13.9)
Its five parts
| Part | Change |
|---|---|
| Scoring, net of shot attempts | +14.1 |
| Rebounds | +0.5 |
| Assists | +1.3 |
| Steals and blocks | +0.9 |
| Turnovers and fouls | -2.9 |
| Total | +13.9 |
This postseason so far
Playoff games in date order, this game last; no score
| Date | Round | Opp | MIN | PTS | REB | AST | Game Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Apr 19, 2026 | First round · Game 1 | @ DET | 37:00 | 23 | 9 | 4 | 18.4 |
| Apr 22, 2026 | First round · Game 2 | @ DET | 34:24 | 18 | 6 | 8 | 11.6 |
| Apr 25, 2026 | First round · Game 3 | vs DET | 38:12 | 25 | 12 | 9 | 25.2 |
| Apr 27, 2026 | First round · Game 4 | vs DET | 40:00 | 18 | 8 | 4 | 9.9 |
| Apr 29, 2026This game | First round · Game 5 | @ DET | 40:48 | 45 | 9 | 7 | 30.9 |
Context
From the rows this page already reads
- The Magic lost 116-109 at the Pistons.
- Previous appearance: Apr 27, 2026, 2 days earlier.
- Earlier in this series: 23 points (Game 1), 18 points (Game 2), 25 points (Game 3), 18 points (Game 4).
- The source holds fewer Magic regular-season games than the 2025-26 regular season had, so the usual line counts only the games it holds.
What this page cannot tell you
The same on every performance page
Box scores record what happened, not why: no injuries or health, defensive assignments, matchups, coaching decisions or play-by-play.
Game Score against the player's own regular-season usual line, never blended with last season. How rare a gap is comes from NBA playoff games of 2023-24, 2024-25 and 2025-26, each postseason checked on a table fit on the others; the top tier is Rare.