Desmond Bane scored 36 points and Paolo Banchero added 16 points with eight assists to lead the Orlando Magic to a 111-109 victory over the Los Angeles Clippers on Sunday night.
Wendell Carter Jr. contributed 15 points and 14 rebounds, while Tristan da Silva added 13 as Orlando improved to 5-2 since Feb. 5. The Magic won despite shooting just 8 of 23 from 3-point range and missing guard Jalen Suggs for the second straight game with back spasms.
For the Clippers, Kawhi Leonard scored 37 points after returning from an ankle injury, and Bennedict Mathurin added 21 points and nine rebounds off the bench. Mathurin’s 3-point attempt at the buzzer to win the game rattled out, and Jordan Miller had 14 points. Los Angeles has gone 4-5 since Feb. 2.
The Magic and Clippers battled tight through the fourth quarter. Leonard gave Los Angeles a 107-105 lead with 3:03 remaining, but Bane tied it with a jumper and then scored a layup with 1:28 left to put Orlando ahead 109-107. After the Clippers missed four straight shots, Banchero’s fast-break dunk with 40 seconds left extended the lead to 111-107. Bane’s final shot was blocked by rookie Yanic Konan Niederhauser, and Mathurin’s last-second 25-footer failed to drop.
Up next:
Orlando visits the Los Angeles Lakers on Tuesday, while the Clippers host the Minnesota Timberwolves on Thursday.
