Photo courtesy Orlando Magic / Screenshot showing Wendell Carter Jr.'s layup and bucket with 6 seconds to go in the game to give the Orlando Magic the win in Los Angeles, Tuesday, Feb. 24, 2026.
By HENRY FREDERICK / Headline Surfer
LOS ANGELES -- The Magic defeated the Lakers, 110-109, Tuesday night in Los Angeles behind Paolo Banchero's team-high 36 points, along with 10 rebounds and 6 assists.
Desmond Bane tallied 22 points, 6 assists, and 2 three-pointers in the game for the Magic. The Lakers' Luka Dončić recorded 22 points, 15 assists, and 9 rebounds in a losing effort.
Wendell Carter Jr.'s Layup in the final seconds of the game lifted the Magic to a thrilling win.
LeBron James, who had put Los Angeles in front with a dunk before Carter’s layup, missed a fadeaway 3-point attempt from the left wing at the buzzer with Jonathan Isaac contesting.
“Get one more stop so it could be the game-winning bucket,” Carter said about what was mentioned during the timeout before that final Lakers possession. “They were hyping me up. Everybody was happy. But the game wasn’t over. We did a really good job of getting a great stop to end the game. Those guys have been encouraging me. With the offensive slump I’ve been in over the last couple games, those guys have been encouraging me to stay aggressive."
“Get one more stop so it could be the game-winning bucket,” Carter said about what was mentioned during the timeout before that final Lakers possession. “They were hyping me up. Everybody was happy. But the game wasn’t over. We did a really good job of getting a great stop to end the game. Those guys have been encouraging me. With the offensive slump I’ve been in over the last couple games, those guys have been encouraging me to stay aggressive."
Doncic finished one rebound shy of a triple-double with 22 points, nine rebounds and 15 assists, although he struggled with his shooting, going 8-for-24 from the field and 2-of-10 from beyond the arc. James and Ayton each scored 21 points and Austin Reaves had 18 points.
The Magic trailed by as much as 12 in the game and by one going into the fourth. It was the first time this season the Lakers lost after leading after three quarters. They were previously 25-0.
Orlando out-rebounded L.A. by eight and had 12 offensive boards, which led to 15 second-chance points. The Magic also turned it over just 11 times.
“We just stuck together,” Banchero said. “We knew we were coming into a tough environment against a good team. We’ve been in a lot of close games this year since the start of the season. I think just having that experience — winning some, losing some — it’s helped us a lot, just to stay poised. Everybody realizing that they can make a play at any moment in the game.”
Carter contributed 20 points overall in the Magic win in LA.
The Magic now head home after a 3-1 West Coast trip. They will host the Houston Rockets on Thursday at 7:30 p.m., which will air on Prime.
Orlando is now 10-3 this season in games decided by three points or less
The Magic improve their record to 31-26 with the win, while the Lakers fall to 34-23 for the season.
Orlando Magic vs. Los Angeles Lakers scoring summary/box scores.
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Editor's Note: Information from the Orlando Magic's website was used to supplement the game summary in this story reported from here in Central Florida.
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