Banchero scored 50 with 37 in the 'magical first half'

Orlando, Fla. — Paulo Banchero had the best night of his career on Monday.

Banchero tied the Orlando Magic record for points in a half by scoring 37 in the first two quarters against the Indiana Pacers. He finished with a career-high 50 points — tied for the fifth-highest scoring effort in Magic history. Orlando won 119-115.

“Man, I'm tired; I'm tired as hell,” Banchero said after his first 50-point effort in the NBA this season. “But it was a hell of a game.”

Banchero, the league's rookie of the year two seasons ago and an All-Star last year, finished 13-of-17 from the half-court and 16-of-26 from the floor. He had 13 rebounds and nine assists.

“It was just in the zone,” Banchero said. “It felt like I was in an open gym, back home, just working on my game. Every shot felt like it was going in and it's a good feeling when you have a day like that. Not every game is going to be like that, but I Happy today.”

At 21 years and 351 days, Banchero became the youngest player in Magic history to record a 50-point game and the second-youngest player with 50 points, 10 rebounds and 5 assists in an NBA game, trailing only LeBron James (20) in 80 years. Day) against the Toronto Raptors in 2005.

Tracy McGrady still holds the franchise's single-game scoring record, scoring 62 against the Wizards on March 10, 2004. It was also the last time a Magic player hit 50, meaning the franchise had gone 20 years and 232 days between 50-point games. — Fifth-longest drought in NBA history.

Other 50-point games in Magic history: Shaquille O'Neal scored 53 against Minnesota on April 20, 1994; McGrady had 52 against Chicago on Feb. 21, 2003; McGrady had 51 against Denver on Nov. 14, 2003; Nick Anderson scored 50 against New Jersey on April 23, 1993; And on March 8, 2002, McGrady hit 50 again against Washington.

Banchero has the most assists (9) and the second-most rebounds (13, just behind O'Neal's 18) in a 50-point game in Magic history.

His 37 points tied McGrady's first-half mark for Orlando against Denver on March 9, 2003.

“That first half was a magical first half, for sure,” Banchero said.

By comparison, the Pacers combined for 37 points in the first half.

Banchero's career-high 43 points entered Monday, Jan. 3 against Sacramento. There were four first-half performances of 37 or more points last season — two by Phoenix's Devin Booker, one by Karl-Anthony Towns (then of Minnesota, now of New York) and one by Dallas' Luka Doncic.

ESPN Research and The Associated Press contributed to this report.