ORLANDO, Fla. — The Lakers took a break from playing on Saturday night, which was a change after a busy schedule.
It’s tough to pinpoint exactly what went wrong. Maybe it was the fatigue from their third game in four nights. Or perhaps it was the challenge of facing a young Magic team. Either way, the Lakers couldn’t keep up the intensity and accurate shooting they had shown early in the game.
Despite a rocky start, things turned around at the last moment when Luke Kennard nailed a critical 3-pointer. This clutch shot helped the Lakers secure a narrow 105-104 victory over the Magic at the Kia Center.
Luka Doncic initially pushed the Lakers ahead with 37 points in the first quarter, showcasing his skills early on. However, as the game continued, the team struggled, and their shooting percentage dropped significantly. They managed only 23 out of 64 shots (35.9%) in the last three quarters, with Doncic and Austin Reeves missing some crucial attempts.
Yet, there was Kennard, who had been dealing with shooting issues recently, stepping up to hit the game-winner from the baseline with less than a second left. A last-second shot by Jalen Suggs couldn’t bring the Magic back to victory.
Kennard’s contributions off the bench totaled 13 points, while Doncic had 33 points, eight assists, five rebounds, and four steals. Reeves added 26 points, along with seven rebounds and five assists. LeBron James contributed with a quieter performance, finishing with 12 points, six rebounds, four assists, and three steals.
What It Means
This win marks the Lakers’ ninth consecutive victory, making it their longest winning streak of the season, now standing at 46 wins against 25 losses.
Turning Point
Interestingly, the pivotal moment for the Lakers came after what seemed like a strong play when Reeves executed a one-handed dunk, pushing the lead to 37-23. But shortly after, the Magic mounted an impressive 22-2 run to take a brief lead, only to be thwarted by Kennard’s essential shot.
MVP: Luke Kennard
Not only did Kennard make the decisive shot, but he also shot 5 of 7 from the field and 3 of 4 from beyond the arc, playing a key role in keeping the Lakers in contention.
Game Status: 10
The Lakers were not effective at the free-throw line, missing 10 out of 29 attempts. This pattern of inconsistency has been evident, as they’ve struggled with free throws in alternating games. Previously, they made 17 of 26 attempts against the Nuggets but slipped to 17 of 27 against the Rockets.
To the Next
Looking ahead, the Lakers will face the Pistons on Monday. While the Pistons are the leaders in the East with a record of 51-19, they will be without All-Star guard Cade Cunningham due to a collapsed lung.
