02/25/26 12:21:00
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02/25 00:17 CST Wendell Carter Jr. scores late winner in Magic's 110-109
victory over slumping Lakers
Wendell Carter Jr. scores late winner in Magic's 110-109 victory over slumping
Lakers
By GREG BEACHAM
AP Sports Wrtier
LOS ANGELES (AP) --- Wendell Carter Jr. made a go-ahead putback with 6.7
seconds to play, Paolo Banchero scored 36 points and the Orlando Magic finished
a strong West Coast trip with a 110-109 victory over the Los Angeles Lakers on
Tuesday night.
LeBron James missed a fallaway 3-point attempt on the final shot by the Lakers,
who went 4-4 on a disappointing homestand spanning the All-Star break. Los
Angeles has lost four of six and fallen into sixth place in the West,
repeatedly failing to beat playoff-caliber teams.
Desmond Bane scored 22 points and Carter had 20 points and 12 rebounds for the
Magic, who have won six of eight overall after taking three of four on the road
out of the break. That surge --- capped by their fourth consecutive win over
the Lakers --- has moved the Magic within a half-game of sixth place in the
Eastern Conference.
Orlando rallied from an early double-digit deficit to take a five-point lead
with 5 1/2 minutes left, but Rui Hachimura hit a tiebreaking 3-pointer with
2:14 to play for the Lakers. Bane drilled a go-ahead 3 with 34.6 seconds left,
but Doncic found James under the basket for a dunk to reclaim the lead.
After Carter scored on the Magic's second offensive rebound of their final
possession, Luka Doncic belatedly got the ball to James, whose desperation shot
didn't go.
Doncic had 22 points and 15 assists, while James and Deandre Ayton scored 21
apiece for the Lakers. Austin Reaves scored all 18 of his points in the second
half.
The Lakers' turnovers and the Magic's poor 3-point shooting kept the game close
through three quarters.
Orlando starting guard Jalen Suggs missed his third straight game with a back
strain.
Lakers backup center Jaxson Hayes remained out with an ankle injury.
Up next
Magic: Host Houston on Thursday.
Lakers: At Phoenix on Thursday.
___
AP NBA: https://apnews.com/NBA
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