The Lakers appeared to be on their way to their seventh win in a row after an Anthony Davis free throw put them up by four with 27.1 seconds remaining — a win that would have kept Los Angeles’ home record perfect.
Then, Orlando’s Franz Wagner quickly got to the rim and made it a two-point game again. But with 20.7 seconds left on the clock, Wagner had no choice but to foul Davis and play the free throw game. With the chance to put a dagger in the Magic from the line, Davis missed them both. That opened the door for Wagner one more time.
Ballgame. Well, Davis missed a 15-footer, then it was ballgame. That game-winner capped off a 37-point night from Wagner, who has been on fire recently and taken on the leading scorer and shot-creator role in Orlando with Paolo Banchero out.
Orlando has now won 7-of-8, picking up this win on the second night of a back-to-back. It is using a combination of elite defense — third in the NBA — and enough scoring from Wagner and Jalen Suggs (22 against the Lakers) to rise up to a tie for third in the East, despite their star being out.
It was a tough loss for the Lakers, who missed four free throws in the final minute and beat themselves in a lot of ways. Davis had 39 points and nine rebounds, LeBron James added 31 points and 10 boards, rookie Dalton Knecht stayed hot with 17 points, but the Magic defense held Austin Reaves (3-of-12 shooting) and others in enough check to get the win. The Lakers had racked up their six straight wins against a soft patch of the schedule, but they get tested in some of the upcoming games, including the Nuggets on Saturday and Oklahoma City next week.
