In the Charlotte Hornets’ first round of the Play-In tournament, LaMelo Ball tripped Bam Adebayo. The young guard was punished for his dangerous play against the Heat star. However, what Miles Bridges just did with Desmond Bane wouldn’t need a delayed judgment. The announcers confidently termed it a “hostile act” multiple times. There was almost a punch.

The only reason to say almost is Bridges’ minimal contact with Bane. The Orlando Magic guard stole the ball from the Hornets star. With both fighting for the loose ball, they crashed to the ground. That’s where it looked like Miles Bridges balled up a fist and swung, making contact with Bane’s face.

Officials didn’t have to look hard at the play. Miles Bridges was given a technical foul for striking Bane while on the floor in the second quarter. Previously, the Hornets star was involved in a regular-season brawl, where he fought Pistons center Isaiah Stewart. Bridges served a suspension while also paying a fine.

However, the reasons for tonight’s act didn’t relate to Bane getting under his skin. The Hornets pushed themselves to the edge. The same young and exciting team that ended the Heat’s season just couldn’t bring themselves to repeat that performance. The Magic led the matchup by 30 at halftime. Charlotte scored just 37 first-half points.

Experience was clearly the separating factor. At the time of reporting, the Hornets have 16 turnovers against just 14 assists. Their only 20-point scorer for the night is LaMelo Ball, who added 23. Aside from him, Bridges followed with 15 points. Charlotte is also shooting 35.9% from three, their third-worst conversion rate of the season.

The Hornets will be disappointed at missing out on making the playoffs. However, this will still be remembered as an important season for the team. They not only switched to being competitive, but their stars showed ravishing developments as well. Going forward, Charlotte will be fully dialed in trying to win games. That’s a lot of progress for a team that won just 19 games last season.

Paolo Banchero bounces back from his awful display

Miles Bridges brought attention to himself for all the wrong reasons. Until tonight, that was also the case with the Magic’s cornerstone, Paolo Banchero. He was awful against the Philadelphia 76ers, scoring 18 on 7/22 shooting. It was a chance for the Magic to skip an additional game and get some rest before a first-round series.

And it didn’t have to be said that the onus was on Banchero. Fans ridiculed him, questioning the former number one pick’s ability to lead a franchise. Banchero halted those conversations momentarily after his redemption against the Hornets.

The 23-year-old scored a game-high 25 points while shooting 52.9% from the field in a contest for survival. His 16 points in the first half were crucial in setting the tone of Orlando’s dominance. Banchero also added six assists, two steals, and a block in the 90-121 win over the Charlotte Hornets. His brilliant night ensured the Magic starters could rest almost the entire fourth quarter.

Paolo Banchero appeared to be poised in the face of physicality. The Magic followed his lead. Their defense created chaos, causing a complete breakdown for the Hornets. Orlando scored 64 points in the paint and allowed just 28. That differential allowed them to offset a horrid three-point shooting performance and secure a comfortable win.

Going to the playoffs was the goal. And the Magic and Banchero have done their job. Now, the curiosity is how far their tenacity and grit can take them in the postseason? Let us know what you feel about that in the comments below.