Magic Vs Lakers: Magic 110-109 in Thriller at Crypto.com Arena

In the magic vs lakers matchup on Feb. 24, 2026, Wendell Carter Jr. 's go-ahead putback with 6. 7 seconds remaining lifted the Orlando Magic to a 110-109 victory over the Los Angeles Lakers at Crypto. com Arena. The loss ended a disappointing homestand for Los Angeles and swung momentum for Orlando late in the season.

Magic clinch the win with offensive rebound and late putback

Wendell Carter Jr. scored the decisive basket on Orlando's second offensive rebound of the final possession, converting a putback with 6. 7 seconds to play. The sequence followed a chaotic closing stretch in which Desmond Bane drilled a go-ahead 3 with 34. 6 seconds left and then Luka Doncic found LeBron James under the basket for a dunk that briefly reclaimed the lead for the Lakers.

Orlando finished the game with 12 offensive rebounds, and the Magic held on for the 110-109 final margin after the Lakers called a timeout and failed to get a good shot; LeBron James' off-balance turnaround three missed as time expired.

Magic Vs Lakers: how the final minute unfolded at Crypto. com Arena

The late sequence began when Rui Hachimura drilled a corner three off a pass from Luka Doncic for a 106-103 Lakers lead with 2: 14 remaining. Paolo Banchero scored in the paint and was fouled by Deandre Ayton, missing the free throw and leaving the Lakers ahead 106-105 with 1: 18 left.

James worked in the post over Anthony Black, drew a foul and made one of two free throws to push the Lakers to 107-105. Desmond Bane answered with a three for a 108-107 Magic edge, forcing a Lakers timeout at 34. 6 seconds. Hachimura's subsequent three missed, the Lakers kept possession and Doncic found James for the 109-108 dunk before Carter's offensive rebound and putback flipped the lead again.

Stat lines: Banchero's 36, Doncic's 22 and the Lakers' production

Paolo Banchero finished with a game-high 36 points. Desmond Bane scored 22 points for Orlando, and Carter added 20 points and 12 rebounds. Luka Doncic had 22 points and 15 assists while shooting 8-for-24 from the field and 2-for-10 from three-point range; he was also described as finishing the first quarter with 11 points on 4-for-8 shooting, four rebounds and four assists before briefly leaving for the locker room and returning early in the second quarter.

LeBron James finished with 21 points, six rebounds and four assists but missed the Lakers' final attempt. Deandre Ayton had 21 points and 13 rebounds, recording his first double-double since Jan. 30 after posting 17 points on six-for-eight shooting and six rebounds in the first half. Austin Reaves scored all 18 of his points in the second half for Los Angeles.

Injuries, incidents and rotation notes

Orlando starting guard Jalen Suggs missed his third straight game with a back strain. Lakers backup center Jaxson Hayes remained out with an ankle injury. Late in the first quarter, Doncic was poked in the eye by Orlando's Mo Wager, with a red mark appearing beneath his eye; he stayed down for a while, then on the next possession made a three-pointer.

Standings swing and team stretches after the game

The Magic's 110-109 victory capped a strong West Coast trip and extended a run that saw Orlando win six of eight overall after taking three of four on the road out of the break. The win marked Orlando's fourth consecutive victory over the Lakers and moved the Magic within a half-game of sixth place in the Eastern Conference.

For Los Angeles, the loss left the Lakers having gone 4-4 on a homestand that spanned the All-Star break; the team has lost four of six and dropped into sixth place in the Western Conference. The Lakers entered the game with a 34-23 record.