Date: November 11, 2024
The first bucket came quick.
Giannis spun through a double team and finished off glass, cutting the lead to 12. On the next trip down, Dame found Portis for a trailing three—clean release, splash.
Magic 80, Bucks 71.
Zoran checked in.
The crowd roared, but the noise couldn't cover the shift in energy. Milwaukee had momentum now. The Magic looked momentarily stunned. Franz Wagner missed a floater. Giannis bulldozed into the paint again, drew contact, hit one of two.
Magic 80, Bucks 72.
Coach Mosley called out the set from the sideline. "Double Drag! High side!"
Zoran brought the ball up.
He didn't force it. Didn't try to match Milwaukee shot-for-shot.
Instead, he slowed the pace. Used clock. Drew attention.
His first touch back resulted in a swing to Paolo, who buried a three from the top of the arc.
Magic 83, Bucks 72.
But Milwaukee answered—Lillard with a deep one over Suggs.
Magic 83, Bucks 75.
Then a stop. Then a Giannis transition dunk.
Suddenly it was 83–77.
Timeout Orlando.
The Kia Center buzzed with nervous energy.
Coach Mosley looked at the group. "Don't play scared. Don't play stall-ball. Run what got us here."
Then to Zoran: "Start moving the chess pieces."
Zoran nodded.
He walked back on the floor and called for a horns set.
Paolo flashed high, then slipped the screen.
Zoran hit him in stride.
Layup.
Magic 85, Bucks 77.
Next possession, they trapped Dame. He kicked to Portis—miss.
Zoran secured the rebound himself.
And now he pushed.
He wasn't fast, but he was precise.
He passed halfcourt, paused to bait the switch, then sliced left—crossover, spin, eurostep—two defenders trailing.
He dumped it to Wendell Carter Jr. at the last second.
Slam.
Magic 87, Bucks 77.
The crowd exhaled. Then it roared.
But the Bucks weren't done.
Lillard split a trap, got to the cup. And-one.
Magic 87, Bucks 80.
Zoran answered with a high pick-and-roll, this time taking it himself. Pull-up from the elbow—clean.
Magic 89, Bucks 80.
Giannis ran over Franz on the next possession—offensive foul.
Magic ball.
Four minutes left.
Zoran started milking clock now.
He held the ball until six on the shot clock, then initiated action.
This time, he drove, pivoted, and kicked to the corner.
Suggs for three.
Bang.
Magic 92, Bucks 80.
Now the roof shook.
Milwaukee's bench stood but didn't check in. Adrian Griffin hesitated. He'd seen this game slip.
One more possession.
Giannis attacked, kicked out—deflected by Zoran.
Paolo dived, recovered it. Back to Zoran.
Fast break. 2-on-1.
He kept it.
Went up.
Absorbed the contact from Lillard.
Banked it in.
And flexed.
Just once.
Magic 94, Bucks 80.
Timeout Milwaukee.
The crowd was in full chant mode now. Zoran didn't sit during the timeout. He walked to the baseline, took two deep breaths, and looked at the scoreboard.
94–80.
2:43 left.
They had it.
Now he just had to finish it.
The final stretch was control.
Zoran ran down the clock, fed the post, broke traps, and absorbed fouls.
He added two more points at the line.
Milwaukee pulled their starters with 40 seconds left.
Zoran checked out to a standing ovation.
Coach Mosley clapped him on the back.
"Welcome to the East."
Zoran nodded, chest heaving lightly. "Feels like home."
Final Score: Magic 98, Bucks 84
Zoran Vranes: 15 PTS, 7 AST, 2 STL, 5–8 FG, +18 in 24 minutes
Date: November 11, 2024