The Los Angeles Lakers had their six-game profitable streak snapped and misplaced their first house sport of the season on Thursday, and it occurred in gorgeous style. The Lakers led the Orlando Magic by two with 18.1 seconds to play, and had Anthony Davis going to the free-throw line with an opportunity to make it a two-possession sport.
Davis, who has made practically 80% of his free throws over the previous two-plus seasons, missed each, leaving the door open for Orlando. Franz Wagner, who has been on a scoring rampage of late, took benefit by hitting what proved to be the game-winning step-back 3-pointer with 3.1 seconds remaining. Davis had an opportunity to redeem himself on the opposite finish however failed to attract iron on a fallaway catch-and-shoot.
With the loss, the Lakers fell to 7-1 at house and 10-5 total, nonetheless ok for the No. 5 spot within the Western Convention getting into play on Friday. The 2 essential missed freebies however, Davis was sensational but once more for the Lakers with 39 factors, 9 rebounds and three blocks on 14-of-22 capturing. He had made 10 of his 11 free throws earlier than these final two.
LeBron James, but once more, was additionally stellar with 31 factors, 10 rebounds and 7 assists. Fourteen of his factors got here within the fourth quarter, as did three of his 5 3-pointers. Rookie Dalton Knecht, coming off an absolute heater on Tuesday when he rattled off 37 factors, together with 22 straight, and 9 3-pointers, had one other strong outing with 17 factors and three extra 3s.
But it surely wasn’t sufficient as Wagner not solely hit the winner however torched the Lakers all through the evening with 37 factors, together with 15 within the fourth quarter. Wagner has scored at the very least 31 factors in 4 of his final six video games as he continues to steer an Orlando workforce that has quietly gained seven of its final eight video games.
The Magic misplaced 4 straight after Paolo Banchero went out with a torn indirect on the finish of October, and the offense gave the impression to be sunk. Not a lot anymore. Over this eight-game stretch, Wagner has put up greater than 28 factors, six rebounds, six assists and two steals per sport. He has gotten tremendous aggressive in Banchero’s absence, taking at the very least 23 pictures in 5 of his final six video games.
