LeBron James misses the game-winning shot, and the Magic beat the Lakers

THE Lakers conceded a narrow loss to the Magic (110-109) after a suffocating final minute in which LeBron James gave the Lakers the lead again with 26 seconds left before finally missing the game-winning shot at the buzzer.

The match begins with an aggressive LeBron James, the author of 10 quick points, including two award-winning shots, to set the tone. Los Angeles jumped out to a seven-point lead, but Orlando responded behind Wendell Carter Jr., dominating near the circle. The Lakers have no solution to contain him and see their lead melt away. Led by Luka Dončić, already with 11 points, the Californians ended the first quarter with an eight-length lead (33-25).

Tristan da Silva stood out in the second quarter, while Carter Jr. continued to score (15 points at halftime). The two teams match up inside, with Deandre Ayton also finding easy positions. Austin Reeves, discreet at the start of the match, was silent for a good part of the first half. Despite everything, the Lakers took the lead at the break, with a short lead of three points (56-53).

Awakening Reaves and… Banchero

Returning from the locker room, Reaves finally starts his game: free throws, an ale-oop with LeBron, and then a 3-point shot allows the Lakers to extend the lead. Los Angeles leads by ten points and seems to be in control of the match. But Paolo Banchero got fired up. He made several baskets, scored 17 points in the third quarter and kept Orlando in touch. Despite a turnover scare at the end of the period, the Lakers held a brief one-point lead at the start of the final act (80-79).

The fourth quarter does not breathe. Desmond Bane connects to give the Magic their first lead since the first quarter. The two teams go blow for blow. Reaves multiplies aggressive actions to keep the Lakers afloat, while Banchero continues to attack the rim.

With 90 seconds to go, the Lakers led by three points, but Banchero closed the gap. Doncic thinks he’s getting three free throws, but Orlando’s challenge negates the foul and it turns into a jump ball. LeBron gave his team a two-point lead at the line, before Bain turned the game around with a game-winning shot with 34 seconds left. LeBron responded with a dunk on Doncic’s layup, but on the next possession, Carter Jr. collected a key offensive rebound and scored a “player’s win” 7 seconds from the buzzer.

The Lakers have one last chance on the last layup: Doncic finds himself unmarked in a nice system, but hesitates to make a 3-point shot. The result, the defense piles on him, and he serves LeBron in the corner, forced to attempt an off-balance shot at the buzzer, which fails. Orlando wins 110-109 to complete the doubleheader in Los Angeles.

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WHAT TO REMEMBER

Aiton forgotten? While he had a big game, Deandre Ayton was completely forgotten at the end of the game… This is one of the elements to correct among the Lakers who rely too much on the LeBron-Doncic tandem in “money time” while the team needs variety and substitution.

Single defeat. For the first time this season, the Lakers lost a game while leading after three quarters. It is also their 4th loss in six matches, and that against the big guns: OKC, San Antonio, Boston and Orlando.

Offensive rebound. Like this crumb scooped up by Wendell Carter Jr. for the game-winning basket, the Magic beat the Lakers on offensive rebounds with 12 grabs to go along with 15 second-chance points.

How to read statistics? Min = Minute; Shots = Shots Successful / Shots Attempted; 3 points = 3 points / 3 points in an attempt; LF = free throws made / free throws attempted; O = offensive rebound; D=defensive jump; T = Total number of jumps; Pd = assists; Fte: Personal mistakes; Int = intercepts; Bp = lost balls; Ct: Against; +/- = Difference of points when the player is on the field; Points = Points; Rating: player rating calculated based on positive actions – negative actions.