Luke Kennard hit a 3-pointer with 0.6 seconds remaining to give the Los Angeles Lakers a 105-104 victory over the Orlando Magic at Kia Center on Saturday night, March 21. The win extended the Lakers' winning streak to nine games. Los Angeles improved to 46-25 on the season.
With the Lakers down two and 4.7 seconds on the clock, LeBron James stripped the inbound pass from Paolo Banchero, giving Los Angeles possession. After a timeout, coach JJ Redick drew up a play that left James open under the basket. Banchero contested and fouled James on the pump-fake, but no call was made. The ball went out of bounds and the Lakers retained possession. On the final inbound, Marcus Smart found Kennard open at the 3-point line. Kennard, acquired from the Atlanta Hawks at the trade deadline, hit the shot to win the game.
Kennard finished with 13 points on 3-of-4 shooting from 3. He had been held without a point in two of the Lakers' three previous games and had shot 21 percent from deep over the prior six contests. Luka Dončić led Los Angeles with 33 points, eight assists, and five rebounds. Austin Reaves added 26 points, seven rebounds, and five assists. James finished with 12 points, six rebounds, four assists, and three steals. Banchero led Orlando with 16 points. Seven Magic players finished in double figures.
The game also marked James' 1,612th regular-season appearance, breaking the all-time NBA record previously held by Robert Parish. Parish had held the mark for nearly 30 years. James, 41, is in his 23rd NBA season.
Dončić was assessed his 16th technical foul of the season late in the third quarter during an exchange with Magic center Goga Bitadze. Under NBA rules, 16 technical fouls trigger an automatic one-game suspension. Dončić is expected to miss Monday's game against the Detroit Pistons unless the league rescinds the technical.
The Lakers have won 12 of their last 13 games and sit third in the Western Conference. They travel to Detroit on Monday with tip-off at 4 p.m. PT.
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