Magic Vs Lakers: Home struggles magnify after botched final play and missed buzzer-beater that cost L.A.

Emerson Raymont

Published: February 25, 2026 7:48 AM ET

Magic Vs Lakers: Home struggles magnify after botched final play and missed buzzer-beater that cost L.A.

What matters first is who is immediately affected: home fans, season-ticket holders and the Lakers' playoff positioning. The magic vs lakers result — a 110-109 loss sealed by a hurried pass from Luka Doncic and a missed buzzer-beater by LeBron James — sharpens pressure on the team’s fragile home identity and raises the stakes for internal roster fixes and ticket renewals. This is read by an automated voice. Please report any issues or inconsistencies here.

Immediate fallout: ticket-holder anxiety, shaken home form and a slide in the standings

The loss capped an eight-game homestand played over three weeks because of the weeklong All-Star break. That stretch was supposed to help the Lakers build connectivity; instead they went 4-4 at Crypto. com Arena and left more questions than answers. The defeat dropped the Lakers to 34-23 overall, with a home mark of 16-12, and cost them a second straight home game — a sequence that now sees them sitting sixth in the Western Conference. New front-office executive Lon Rosen said he hopes season ticket holders will "renew" them despite what he called an enormous increase for next season.

Critical moments that decided the 110-109 finish

2: 14 left — Rui Hachimura drilled a corner three off a pass from Luka Doncic, giving the Lakers a promising look late in the fourth.
1: 18 left — Paolo Banchero scored and was fouled by Deandre Ayton; Banchero missed the free throw, leaving the Lakers ahead 106-105.
Shortly after — LeBron James worked in the post against Anthony Black, drew a foul and made one of two free throws for a 107-105 lead.
34. 6 seconds left — Desmond Bane hit a three to put the Magic up 108-107, forcing a Lakers timeout.
Moments later — James scored on a dunk to make it 109-108 Lakers.
6. 7 seconds left — Paolo Banchero missed a jumper, but Wendell Carter Jr. grabbed the offensive rebound and scored to make it 110-109 for Orlando.
End — Luka Doncic passed up a shot and made a hurried pass to LeBron James, who missed a buzzer-beater attempt that would have flipped the outcome.

Magic Vs Lakers — the final possession and the players who decided it

That late sequence put key players under the spotlight. Paolo Banchero finished with 36 points and Wendell Carter Jr. added 20; Desmond Bane scored 22. For the Lakers, LeBron James finished with 21 points on eight-for-13 shooting, six rebounds and four assists. Deandre Ayton was involved in a pivotal defensive moment when he fouled Banchero on the drive; coaching staff are still searching for ways to maximize what Ayton can offer. The endgame unfolded play-by-play in a manner that left little margin for execution errors.

Box-score signals and the homestand ledger

The homestand results were mixed: the Lakers opened with wins over Philadelphia and Golden State, then lost back-to-back games to Oklahoma City and San Antonio, beat Dallas and the Clippers, and finished the stretch with losses to Boston and Orlando. The even 4-4 mark at home reinforced the broader point about inconsistent performance in Los Angeles this season.

Coaching and executive comments: tone and next steps

Coach JJ Redick summed up the club’s posture plainly: "We're a work in progress. " After the game, James was asked why the Lakers haven't been better at home and replied, "I don't know. Just haven't been a good home team. " Lon Rosen's public appeal for ticket renewals — despite what he framed as an enormous price increase next season — adds a commercial layer to the on-court urgency.

What's easy to miss is how much the homestand’s compressed schedule after the All-Star break was meant to be constructive; instead it highlighted execution gaps in high-leverage moments.

The Lakers are 34-23 overall and 16-12 at home.
Final score: Magic 110, Lakers 109.
Key individual lines: LeBron James 21 points (8-for-13), Paolo Banchero 36 points, Wendell Carter Jr. 20 points, Desmond Bane 22 points.
Homestand sequence: wins over Philadelphia and Golden State; losses to Oklahoma City and San Antonio; wins over Dallas and the Clippers; losses to Boston and Orlando.

Here’s the part that matters: season-ticket renewals and roster tweaks are likely to become immediate focus areas given the home inconsistencies.
The real question now is execution in late possessions — the hurried pass that led to the missed buzzer-beater will be studied as a coaching and decision-making moment.
Signs to watch for confirmation of a turnaround: improved home shooting splits, tighter defensive rebounding on late misses, and clearer usage of Deandre Ayton.
Fan impact is tangible — leadership has already referenced price changes and renewal expectations, making commercial outcomes part of the team's short-term priorities.