To each their own series. The Orlando Magic saw their streak of six victories end on Wednesday at the Los Angeles Clippers. Remaining in LA, the Florida franchise beat the Lakers on Thursday (119-118) and thus ended the series of the Californians, who also remained on six wins in a row.
Orlando won 3”1 from the final buzzer, thanks to a three-point shot from Franz Wagner. Anthony Davis then missed the winning shot for his team.
Franz Wagner unleashed in the last quarter
After a balanced first quarter (38-36), Los Angeles signed the first gap of the match by returning to the locker room with a lead of seven units (67-60). A delay that the Magic however erased (77-77, 29th). In the last quarter, after a three-point shot from LeBron James, the Lakers moved forward again (105-98, 40th), but this breakaway was also recaptured.
Another long-distance shot from Franz Wagner put Orlando in front on the scoreboard (113-112, 45th), before a mano a mano that the Magic finally removed. Not content with scoring his team’s decisive shots, Wagner was also the Floridians’ top scorer with 37 points, including 15 in the last quarter, and a record completed by 11 assists. His brother Moritz, from the bench, scored 19 points in 18 minutes on the floor.
Davis and James above 30 points
In the ranks of the Los Angeles Lakers, Anthony Davis and LeBron James were once again the most impressive, with 39 points for the first named and 31 for the second. Dalton Knecht, the “surprising rookie”, scored 17 points. The Frenchman Armel Traoré did not come into play.
Following this defeat, the Californians fell in the standings. Here they are fourth. They will try to bounce back Saturday at home against the Denver Nuggets. Returning home, the Orlando Magic will play the same day against the Detroit Pistons.
