As the NBA season enters its homestretch, it's safe to say that it's been a solid year for the Lakers. Are they the best team in the West? No. But, they've been in the top six of the conference and comfortably out of the play-in tournament for most of the year.
While good enough might be good enough for some teams, it's a bit more complicated for the Lakers, who saw a win turn into a loss on Tuesday night against the Magic.
Los Angeles led Orlando 80-79 after three quarters. Heading into the night, the Lakers had an NBA–best 25–0 record in games in which they led after three quarters. Whenever you see a stat like that, you have a pretty good idea of what's coming next.
The Magic gained the lead early in the fourth. It was a back-and-forth battle from that point on. With under a minute remaining, Magic guard Desmond Bane hit a three to put Orlando up 108–107. LeBron James responded with a dunk that nudged the Lakers back in front, and then Orlando center Wendell Carter Jr. emerged from a chaotic sequence with the ball and laid it in to give the Magic a 110–109 lead with 6.7 seconds left.
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