While the Lakers have been struggling after their shockingly impressive start to the regular season , there is a silver lining in the form of rookie forward Brandon Ingram . The rookie struggled to acquiesce to the speed and strength of the NBA to start his career , but since the start of the new year , Ingram has begun to produce on a consistent level . After his 11 - point performance Tuesday against the Trail Blazers , Ingram is now averaging 14 points over his last four games and has scored in double - digits in each of those contests . Additionally , he has now shot at least 50 percent from the field in five straight games . This stretch comes after Ingram reached double - digit scoring in just eight games all season , as it appears the rookie is growing more and more comfortable in the big leagues with every game played .

The Portland Trail Blazers defeated the Los Angeles Lakers , 108 - 87 , Tuesday at Staples Center . Tuesday 's outing for the Trail Blazers ( 17 - 23 ) was a lot closer than the final score would make it seem , as Portland actually found themselves down by two points heading into halftime . Then , a dominant third quarter completely opened the game up and they never looked back . C.J . McCollum led the way with an excellent shooting performance , scoring a game - high 25 points on 10 - of - 18 shooting from the field . His running mate in the backcourt , Damian Lillard , was not too far behind , scoring 20 points on top of eight rebounds and six assists . It was a great shooting night for the Trail Blazers overall , as the team shot an impressive 51 percent from the field . As for the Lakers ( 15 - 27 ) , things did not go as smoothly after they put together a great performance in the first half . In the end , Luol Deng ended up as the only Los Angeles starter to score in double figures with his team - high 14 points , with Brandon Ingram scoring 12 points off the bench and Lou Williams adding 10 of his own . As a team , the Lakers shot horridly from both the field and the free throw line with percentages of 39 and 54 , respectively . Up next , the Trail Blazers will head home Wednesday to play the Cavaliers , while the Lakers will head to San Antonio on Thursday to play the Spurs .


The visiting Detroit Pistons took down the Los Angeles Lakers on Sunday , 102 - 97 . Detroit ( 19 - 24 ) needed the win on Sunday after having lost three straight , including two consecutive blowouts . In Los Angeles , the Pistons looked as though they were in better form , as the team shot a respectable 43 percent with 24 assists . All-Star center Andre Drummond led the team with a whopping 17 rebounds and posted 15 points . Two starters , Marcus Morris and Tobias Harris , scored 23 points . The Pistons ' bench , however , remains one of the weakest in the NBA . The Detroit second unit combined for only 21 points and committed eight fouls . The Lakers ( 15 - 30 ) are now the owners of a four - game losing streak . Los Angeles had the opposite problem of Detroit , as many of the team 's starters struggled from the field . Only D'Angelo Russell scored in double figures for the Lakers ' starting five , and both Julius Randle and Luol Deng went 1 - of - 6 for two points . Off the bench , however , Lou Williams led the team with 26 points while Jordan Clarkson contributed 16 . The team also struggled from deep , though , shooting just 6 - of - 26 on three - pointers . The Lakers will host the Nuggets on Tuesday , while the Pistons will host the Hawks the Wednesday .

On Sunday , All-Star center Andre Drummond once again showcased his rebounding talent . Drummond came away with a team - high 17 boards to go along with 15 points and three steals . The team was led by Marcus Morris and Tobias Harris , who each scored 23 points . Harris added seven rebounds and three assists , while Morris added nine rebounds . The team as a whole shot around the same as its opponent , hitting 43 percent of its shots from the field . The Pistons finished with nine three - pointers . The Lakers , meanwhile , saw poor output from their starting five . While D'Angelo Russell scored 20 , the other four starters combined for only 20 themselves . Once again , however , the Lakers ' bench talent impressed . Sixth man Lou Williams scored a team - high 26 with five three - pointers . Guard Jordan Clarkson added 16 points of his own .


Sophomore big man Nikola Jokic has showed no sign of slowing down for the Denver Nuggets . Fresh off a career - high 30 points against Orlando , Jokic scored 29 to go with 15 rebounds and three blocks on Tuesday in Los Angeles . Denver 's offense was in top form on Tuesday , shooting a whopping 57 percent from the field and dishing out 29 assists . Eight of the assists came from versatile wing Will Barton , who stepped into the starting lineup in place of an injured Gary Harris . Barton added 26 points while shooting a perfect 5 - of - 5 on three - point attempts . For the Lakers , it was a big night for the bench . Four bench players scored in double digits , including 24 points from sixth man Lou Williams . Guard Jordan Clarkson added 19 points despite being questionable to play in the game due to an ankle injury . However , the starting five struggled . Forward Julius Randle shot only 2 - of - 8 and committed five turnovers , while point guard D'Angelo Russell had only 5 points and three assists while shooting 2 - of - 9 .

The Denver Nuggets took down the host Los Angeles Lakers on Tuesday , 127 - 121 . The Nuggets ( 17 - 23 ) have now won three straight games . One of the key components of Denver 's win streak has been the play of sophomore big man Nikola Jokic . Jokic came off a career - high 30 points against the Magic for 29 on Tuesday , also recording 15 rebounds and three blocks . Seven of Jokic 's rebounds came on the offensive end , as the young center made a major impact for the Nuggets ' offense . Although starting shooting guard Gary Harris ( ankle ) missed the tilt in Los Angeles , Denver seemingly had no trouble making up for his missing offensive output . Versatile wing Will Barton slid into the starting lineup in Harris 's place and contributed 26 points to go with eight assists . Barton was just one piece of a well - oiled Denver offense , as the team dished out 29 assists and shot over 56 percent on the night . The Lakers ( 15 - 31 ) very nearly came back from a double - digit deficit in the fourth quarter . Despite trailing by just two with under a minute to play , Los Angeles was unable to come away with a much - needed home win . One of Los Angeles 's main issues on Tuesday was one that has plagued the team throughout the season - disappointing play from the starting five . Four Lakers came off the bench for double digit points , including 24 for former Sixth Man of the Year Lou Williams and 19 for guard Jordan Clarkson , who was listed as questionable with an ankle injury prior to the game . Nevertheless , struggles from the starters ended up burying the Lakers . Big man Julius Randle shot just 2 - of - 8 for seven points and had five turnovers , while point guard D'Angelo Russell had only five points and three assists . The Nuggets will play in San Antonio on Thursday , while the Lakers will host the Pacers on Friday .


The host Los Angeles Lakers took down the Indiana Pacers on Friday , 108 - 96 . Los Angeles ( 16 - 31 ) snapped a five - game losing streak by taking down Indiana on Friday . One of the keys to the Lakers ' success was a strong performance on the glass , as Los Angeles finished with a 51 - 37 advantage in the rebounding column . As has often been the case for the Lakers this season , it was the bench , rather than the starters , that led the offensive charge for the team . Sixth man Lou Williams scored a team-high 27 points while knocking down four three - pointers . For the team , three - point shooting was a strength , as they knocked down 14 shots from deep . Indiana ( 22 - 20 ) had been 7 - 1 in its previous eight games before falling short in Los Angeles . The Pacers fell behind early in the second half after being unable to run with the Lakers ' strong three - point shooters . All-Star forward Paul George led the team with 21 points , also pulling down six rebounds . The team was unable to contend on the boards , however , with center Myles Turner pulling down only four rebounds on the night . Big man Al Jefferson , though , came through with 20 points off the bench . The Pacers will play in Utah on Saturday , while the Lakers will visit Dallas on Sunday .


The host Los Angeles Lakers beat the Denver Nuggets on Tuesday , 120 - 116 . For the Lakers ( 16 - 34 ) , three players scored at least 20 points en route to the high - offense win . Most notably , sophomore point guard D'Angelo Russell had one of his better games of the season , scoring 22 and dishing out 10 assists with only two turnovers . Russell was just one of the bevvy of Lakers guards who had a strong showing on Tuesday . Veteran Nick Young drained five three - pointers and scored a team - high 23 points . Off the bench , sixth man Lou Williams scored another 21 for the Lakers while dishing another seven assists . The Lakers were the beneficiaries of a cold Denver team , as the Nuggets shot just 41 percent and looked frozen in the third quarter . Denver ( 21 - 25 ) , meanwhile , had some key absences on Tuesday . Star center Nikola Jokic ( hip ) and point guard Emmanuel Mudiay ( hamstring ) both missed the contest . Jokic 's absence meant no shortage of rebounds for forward Kenneth Faried , who gobbled up 17 boards to lead the team . Thanks in large part to Faried 's effort , the Nuggets established a 51 - 44 advantage on the offensive glass . With Jokic out , however , the Nuggets saw some lackluster offense , particularly during stretches in the second half . The team shot only 41 percent , despite knocking down 15 - of - 27 from beyond the three - point line . Denver will host the Grizzlies on Wednesday , while the Lakers will visit Washington on Thurdsay .

It was a big night for the Lakers backcourt , as three guards scored at least 20 points . Sophomore D'Angelo Russell had a promising double - double , scoring 22 and dishing out 10 assists with only two turnovers . Veteran Nick Young poured in five three - pointers en route to a team - high 23 points . Sixth man Lou Williams added 21 off the bench and dished out another seven assists . As a team , the Lakers shot a highly impressive 52 percent from the floor and knocked down 12 threes . For Denver , meanwhile , forward Kenneth Faried put in work on the glass to come away with a team - high 17 rebounds . Six of Faried 's rebounds were offensive , and his tenacity on the offensive glass partially compensated for Denver 's poor 41 percent shooting . Off the bench , forward Wilson Chandler led the team with 26 points to go along with nine rebounds .


It was a big night for the Sacramento Kings as they earned their fourth straight win . Center DeMarcus Cousins in particular scored in droves , shooting 13 - of - 24 for 40 points on the night . Cousins added 12 rebounds and eight assists and went 12 - of - 19 at the free - throw line . An edge in free - throws made a big difference for the Kings . Sacramento shot 18 - of - 25 from the line , while LA was just 8 - of - 15 . The Kings also shot a stellar 49 percent from the field . Los Angeles , meanwhile , poured in a respectable 12 three - pointers . Four of those came from sixth man Lou Williams , who exploded for 29 points and five assists . Highly-touted rookie Brandon Ingram , meanwhile , struggled , scoring just seven points on 2 - of - 7 shooting and 1 - of - 4 at the free - throw line . The Lakers still managed to shoot 45 percent as a team .

The Sacramento Kings took down the host Los Angeles Lakers on Tuesday , 97 - 96 . Sacramento ( 24 - 32 ) has now won four games in a row , thanks in large part to All-Star center DeMarcus Cousins . On Tuesday , Cousins absolutely dominated the Lakers ' frontcourt , scoring 40 points to go along with 12 rebounds and eight assists . Cousins reached the line an astounding 19 times , but made just 12 of his free - throw attempts . Free-throws provided a major edge for the Kings , as the team hit 18 free - throws to Los Angeles 's 8 . The game proved to be very even , as rebounding and turnover totals for the two teams were nearly identical . Los Angeles ( 19 - 38 ) had trouble containing Cousins but saw excellent play from its guards and bench . In particular , sixth man Lou Williams exploded for 29 points and five assists . One of the more disappointing aspects of the night for the Lakers , though , were the struggles of second overall pick Brandon Ingram . Ingram had just seven points on 2 - of - 7 shooting and 1 - of - 4 from the free - throw line . One of those free - throw misses was an airball late in the tight game . Not every Lakers was as cold as Ingram , however , as the team hit an impressive 12 three - pointers . The Lakers will visit Phoenix on Wednesday , while the Kings will see Golden State .


The San Antonio Spurs defeated the Los Angeles Lakers , 119 - 98 , at Staples Center on Sunday afternoon . The Lakers ( 19 - 41 ) generated a renewed sense of optimism with the hiring of the legendary Magic Johnson to the President of Basketball Operations post at the All-Star break , but the harsh reality of an upstart squad has manifested itself since then . Los Angeles has now lost all three games of the Magic era following Sunday 's defeat , which saw them get dominated in all phases . The Spurs ( 45 - 13 ) shot 52 percent from the field and 48 percent from three - point range , while also eliciting 18 turnovers from their over - matched hosts . Kawhi Leonard led the way for San Antonio with 25 points , which he supplemented with three rebounds and one assist . LaMarcus Aldridge followed with 16 points , nine boards and one assist . Pau Gasol came off the bench to tally 15 points , seven rebounds , one steal and one block . Dewayne Dedmon continued to run with the first unit , supplying 11 points , nine boards , three assists and one steal . Tony Parker generated a near double - double with eight points , nine assists and three rebounds . Patty Mills and Kyle Anderson led the second unit with matching nine - point efforts . Brandon Ingram paced the Lakers with a career - high 22 points , which he supplemented with two rebounds and one block . Jordan Clarkson stepped up with a bench - leading 19 points , along with two rebounds and two assists . D'Angelo Russell was right behind him with 18 points , five boards , three assists and one steal . Julius Randle totaled a modest six points but he also hauled in 12 rebounds and dished out four dimes . Thomas Robinson turned in strong work off the bench with nine points , eight rebounds and four steals . The Spurs head back home to face the Indiana Pacers on Wednesday night , while the Lakers remain home and await the Charlotte Hornets for a Tuesday night showdown .

The Spurs shot 52 percent from the field and 48 percent from three - point range , while also eliciting 18 turnovers from their over - matched hosts . Kawhi Leonard 's 25 points led the Spurs . LaMarcus Aldridge followed with a near double - double of 16 points and nine rebounds , while Pau Gasol came off the bench to tally 15 points . Dewayne Dedmon supplied 11 points and nine boards . Tony Parker supplied eight points and nine assists . Patty Mills and Kyle Anderson led the second unit with matching nine - point efforts . Brandon Ingram 's career - high 22 points paced the Lakers . Jordan Clarkson generated a bench - leading 19 points . D'Angelo Russell was right behind him with 18 points , and Julius Randle totaled just six points but also hauled in 12 rebounds . Thomas Robinson turned in strong work off the bench with nine points and eight rebounds .


The visiting Charlotte Hornets took down the Los Angeles Lakers on Tuesday , 109 - 104 . Both teams entered the game struggling , but Charlotte ( 26 - 34 ) was able to pull out the win in the game 's final minute . The Hornets are just 3 - 8 in their last 11 games , but saw some life on Tuesday . All-Star point guard Kemba Walker led the team with a stellar 30 points while dishing out seven assists . One of those assists came on a three - pointer from Marvin Williams to seal the win . Sophomore big man Frank Kaminsky , meanwhile , scored an impressive 24 points and pulled down a team - high 12 rebounds . One of the major factors for Charlotte in the win was three - point shooting , as the team shot 41 percent from beyond the arc for 16 triples . Los Angeles ( 19 - 42 ) , meanwhile , is in the midst of a five - game losing streak . The loss was actually fairly promising for the Lakers , as five players scored in double figures including 23 apiece for sophomore point guard D'Angelo Russell and third - year big man Julius Randle . However , trading Sixth Man of the Year front - runner Lou Williams has left a vacancy in the Lakers ' bench production . While guard Jordan Clarkson saw 16 points , it was a fairly unproductive night for the remainder of LA 's second unit . As a team , LA shot 49 percent from the field but could not match Charlotte 's three - point shooting and reached the free - throw line just 13 times . The Hornets will visit the Suns on Thursday , while LA will visit their historic rival , the Boston Celtics on Friday .

It was a good night to be young on Tuesday , as up - and - coming players dazzled in the Hornets ' trip to Los Angeles . For Charlotte , sophomore big man Frank Kaminsky dominated , scoring 24 points on 8 - of - 15 shooting to go with 12 rebounds , three assists , and a block . On the other end of the floor , the Lakers saw astounding play from their own young big man . Former Kentucky Wildcat Julius Randle , a third - year power forward , scored 23 points to go with a whopping 18 rebounds and six assists . Randle added three steals and two blocks . His 23 was tied for the team high with sophomore point guard D'Angelo Russell , who shot 8 - of - 17 and dished out nine assists . Third-year guard Jordan Clarkson scored 16 points off the bench as well , shooting 50 percent from the field with three rebounds and three assists .


This game was over early and often , as Boston led by 23 headed into halftime . Rebounding was key , as the Celtics won that differential , 46 - 34 . In addition , Boston shot 51 percent from the field , while holding Los Angeles to under 43 percent shooting . Isaiah Thomas led Boston , as he accumulated 18 points and eight assists . Al Horford contributed 17 points , four rebounds and three assists . Jaylen Brown led the bench , as he provided 16 points and eight rebounds . Amir Johnson amassed 13 points , six rebounds and four assists . Jordan Clarkson was a bright spot for Los Angeles , as he tallied 20 points , four rebounds , three assists and three steals off the bench . D'Angelo Russell led the starters with 17 points , three rebounds and four assists . Julius Randle totaled 13 points , seven rebounds and three assists .

The Boston Celtics defeated the host Los Angeles Lakers , 115 - 95 , at Staples Center on Friday . This was a lopsided matchup on paper headed in and the Celtics left no doubt with this 20 - point win . It was over early , as Boston took a 23 - point lead into the half and led by 31 at times in the third quarter . Rebounding was a huge difference , as the Celtics won that differential , 46 - 34 . Boston ended up shooting 51 percent from the field , whole holding Los Angeles to under 43 percent shooting . The Celtics ( 40 - 22 ) have now won three of four , as they continue to battle Cleveland for the top - spot in the east . Isaiah Thomas led the way for Boston , as he tallied 18 points and eight assists . Al Horford finished second on the team with 17 points , four rebounds and three assists . Jaylen Brown led the bench with 16 points and eight rebounds . Amir Johnson provided 13 points , six rebounds and four assists , while Avery Bradley totaled 15 points , four rebounds and four assists . Boston 's next game will be on Sunday against the Phoenix Suns . The Lakers ( 19 - 43 ) now find themselves last in the west with this ugly blowout loss . Jordan Clarkson led the way for Los Angeles , as he contributed 20 points , four rebounds , three assists and three steals off the bench . D'Angelo Russell led the starters with 17 points , three rebounds and four assists . Julius Randle was the only other Laker in double figures , collecting 13 points , seven rebounds and three assists . On deck for Los Angeles is a home matchup against the New Orleans Pelicans on Sunday .


The Lakers turnovers ended up sinking them in the long run as they fell short of capturing their 20th win of the season . Los Angeles out rebounded the Pelicans , but the 25 turnovers compared to the 13 on New Orleans was instrumental . DeMarcus Cousins , Anthony Davis and Jrue Holiday were too much for the Lakers to handle in the long run , and the defensive effort in the third quarter holding the Lakers to just 14 points was key . Cousins finished with 26 points , 15 rebounds and two assists across 31 minutes , while Davis posted 31 points on 10 - of - 22 shooting . Davis added nine rebounds and two assists and led all scorers in the contest . Jrue Holiday scored 20 points , to go with 12 assists and five boards . Brandon Ingram scored 16 points , alongside six rebounds and two assists , while Nick Young buried four three - pointers on his way to 19 points .

The New Orleans Pelicans defeated the Los Angeles Lakers , 105 - 97 , at Staples Center on Sunday . The Pelicans ( 25 - 38 ) came back in the second half after a rough second quarter where they got outscored 39 - 29 and the revival came on the back of the premier offensive talents in Anthony Davis and DeMarcus Cousins . The third quarter marked a better defensive impact , as the Pelicans held the Lakers ( 19 - 44 ) to just 14 points . With 1:44 left in the fourth quarter , Julius Randle tied the game up at 97 points apiece , but Davis and Jrue Holiday responded with scoring possessions to topple the Lakers at home . Cousins finished with 26 points , 15 rebounds and two assists across 31 minutes , while Davis posted 31 points on 10 - of - 22 shooting . Davis added nine rebounds and two assists and led all scorers in the contest . Holiday scored 20 points , to go with 12 assists and five boards . The Lakers shot the ball much more efficiently than the Pelicans , but the costly 25 turnovers to just 13 mishaps from the Pelicans is what ended up sinking their chances at their 20th win of the season . Brandon Ingram scored 16 points , alongside six rebounds and two assists , while Nick Young buried four three - pointers on his way to 19 points . Next up , the Pelicans play the second game of a back - to - back when they host the Utah Jazz on Monday , while the Lakers visit the Dallas Mavericks on Tuesday .


The Philadelphia 76ers defeated the host Los Angeles Lakers , 118 - 116 , at Staples Center on Sunday . Rookie Dario Saric scored a career - high 29 points and Jahlil Okafor added 23 to lead the 76ers , who oddly might have been better off losing to the Lakers . Los Angeles ' No . 1 draft pick this summer will flip to the 76ers if the Lakers finish better than one of the three worst records in the league this season . With the loss , the Lakers have the league 's second - worst record at 20 - 46 . Jordan Clarkson scored a career - high 30 points for the Lakers , who rallied from a 12 - point second - half deficit to take the lead , 112 - 111 , with about a minute to play . After the 76ers took the lead back on a T.J. McConnell field goal , the Lakers ' D'Angelo Russell committed a shot - clock violation to hand the ball , and the game , back to Philadelphia . Timothe Luwawu-Cabarrot added 18 points for the 76ers , who were without forward Robert Covington because of a right knee injury . Julius Randle posted a double - double with 21 points and 12 rebounds for the Lakers . The 76ers end their three - game road trip Friday at the Golden State Warriors . The Lakers travel to Denver Monday to face the Nuggets .

Since center Joel Embiid was lost for the season with a torn meniscus in his left knee , Dario Saric has taken over in the middle for the 76ers . Saric entered Sunday averaging 19 points and 8 rebounds in his last 14 games . He then went off for a career - high 29 points in Philadelphia 's 118 - 116 win at the Lakers on Sunday . Embiid averaged 20 points and 8 rebounds in 31 games before his injury , and Saric has barely missed a beat in his place . Saric shot 10 of 20 from the field , including 3 of 7 from 3 - point range . He added seven rebounds , five assists , two steals and a blocked shot in a do - everything performance . Jordan Clarkson also had a huge game , posting a career - high 30 points off the bench for the Lakers . He added six rebounds , eight assists , a steal and a block in 34 minutes and scored 10 of his points from the foul line . The 76ers killed the Larkers at the 3 - point line . Whereas Philadelphia shot 10 of 24 ( 42 percent ) from beyond the arc , the Lakers finished 4 of 20 ( 20 percent ) .


The host Milwaukee Bucks took down the Los Angeles Lakers on Friday , 107 - 103 . Milwaukee ( 34 - 34 ) broke even in the win and loss columns with Friday 's victory . The star duo of wings , Khris Middleton and Giannis Antetokounmpo , combined for 56 points on the night , more than half of Milwaukee 's offensive output . Antetokounmpo added eight rebounds , five assists , and two blocks on the night . Middleton , meanwhile , was 11 - of - 18 from the field and 8 - of - 9 from the free - throw line . It was an impressive defensive night for the Bucks , as the team blocked nine shots in total . Los Angeles ( 20 - 49 ) continues to remain near the bottom of the league in terms of record . The team recently shut down veteran center Timofey Mozgov in order to give more play time to its young players . Julius Randle , the third - year forward , scored four points to go with 12 rebounds and eight assists in what was a nice night for the young star . As a team , LA functioned very well , as they dished out 24 assists on the night . They shot over 45 percent and made 11 three - pointers as well . The Bucks move up the coast to play at the Golden State Warriors on Saturday . The Lakers next play Sunday vs. the visiting Cleveland Cavaliers .

Two star wings dominated Friday 's game for the Milwaukee Bucks . Giannis Antetokounmpo , a first - time All-Star at 22 years old , scored 26 points on 11 - of - 16 shooting to go with eight rebounds , five assists , and two blocks . Antetokounmpo , known by many as 'The Greek Freak , ' is the first player ever to rank in the top 20 in the NBA in scoring , assists , rebounds , steals , and blocks in the same season . Friday only added to that , as Giannis helped build on career highs across all statistical categories . Meanwhile , wing man Khris Middleton scored a team - high 30 points . Middleton shot 11 - of - 18 from the field and 8 - of - 9 from the free - throw line . Though he did not hit a three , he scored incredibly efficiently and led the team on what was a stellar offensive night .


LeBron james and Kyrie Irving both made stand out performances on paper in the win over the Lakers on Sunday . Irving scored 46 points on 15 - of - 21 shooting , to with three assists and two rebounds . James went for 34 points , six rebounds and seven assists . Kevin Love was also effective with 21 points and 15 rebounds , which was good for his 33rd double - double of the season . J.R. Smith and Richard Jefferson saw 29 minutes and 27 minutes of play , respectively , but the four man bench was not all to efficient as they combined for 6 - of - 17 shooting from the field . D'Angelo Russell scored 40 points , which marks a career high , and added six assists and two rebounds . Jordan Clarkson led the remaining starters with 19 points , while Julius Randle pitched in 10 points , seven assists and seven rebounds .

The Cleveland Cavaliers defeated the Los Angeles Lakers 125 - 120 at Staples Center on Sunday . The Cavaliers ( 46 - 23 ) and Lakers ( 20 - 50 ) provided some showtime moments after LeBron James , Kyrie Irving and D'Angelo Russell put on a show at Staples Center . The competitive back - and - forth affair saw the Lakers up 10 points heading into the fourth quarter , but Irving proved too much to handle in crunch time as the Cavaliers dumped 43 fourth quarter points on Los Angeles . Irving knocked down a pair of free throws before hitting the step - back go ahead three pointer to extend a three point lead for Cleveland . LeBron James aided the close out for Cleveland throughout the leftover 4:0 minutes of action . Irving finished with a game high 46 points , to go with three assists and two rebounds on 15 - of - 21 shooting . James added 34 points , six boards and seven assists , while Kevin Love posted a double - double with 21 points and 15 rebounds . Cleveland opted to go four players deep on the bench , with both Richard Jefferson and J.R. Smith seeing 27 - plus minutes of play . Smith was unable to knock down a three - pointer in the contest where he finished 0 - of - 5 from deep . D'Angelo Russell scored 40 points , which marks a career high , and added six assists and two rebounds . All five Lakers starters finished in double figures scoring , with Jordan Clarkson leading the remainders with 19 points , while Julius Randle pitched in 10 points , seven assists and seven rebounds . Next up , the Lakers host the Los Angeles Clippers on Tuesday , while the Cavaliers visit the Denver Nuggets on Wednesday .


The Los Angeles Clippers took down the host Los Angeles Lakers on Tuesday , 133 - 109 . The Clippers ( 43 - 29 ) came off a convincing win on Monday by blowing out their hometown rival Lakers on Tuesday . The starting backcourt of Chris Paul and J.J. Redick was dominant , with Paul pouring in 27 points and Redick adding 24 . Perimeter play was the driving force of the dominant win , as the Clips shot over 53 percent from the field while sinking 15 three - pointers . Another area in which the Clippers thrived was free - throw shooting ; the team reached the line 32 times and hit a whopping 28 free - throws on the night . The Lakers ( 20 - 51 ) are on a six - game losing streak and appear to be right where they want to be , as the team shut down many of its veterans for the remainder of the season in part due to desire to keep their own draft pick . Tuesday 's loss at Staples Center was a particularly brutal one , however , as the team fell to its divisional rival on its home court . The team shot just 63 percent from the free - throw line and went an abysmal 5 - of - 19 from beyond the arc . One bright spot for the Lakers , however , was rookie Brandon Ingram , who led the team with 21 points on 8 - of - 14 shooting . The Clippers will visit Dallas on Thursday , while the Lakers will host the Timberwolves on Friday .

In a battle of the Los Angeles teams , the Clippers emerged as the clear victors . The key for LAC was strong guard play , as superstar Chris Paul delivered a stellar 27 points on 9 - of - 15 shooting . His starting backcourt partner , J.J. Redick , added another 24 points . Off the bench , the backcourt of Austin Rivers and Jamal Crawford excelled , as the duo were the only two Clippers to play at least 30 minutes . Rivers scored 18 points on 6 - of - 11 shooting , while Crawford added 15 on 6 - of - 10 . As a team , the Clips shot a stunning 53 percent from the field and drained 15 three - pointers while also going 28 - of - 32 from the free - throw line . For the Lakers , rookie Brandon Ingram was one of the only bright spots . Ingram scored a team - high 21 points on 8 - of - 14 shooting in one of the best outings of his young career . Despite this , the team was still blown out and only hit five three - pointers on the night .


Friday night was the first overtime game for the Lakers this season , and the team seemingly rose to the challenge . LA saw promising play from its youngsters , with third - year guard Jordan Clarkson setting a new career high of 35 points . Clarkson shot an outstanding 8 - of - 10 from three - point range . Third-year forward Julius Randle , meanwhile , had a double - double with 23 points and 12 rebounds . Randle , a University of Kentucky alum , added to Kentucky 's big night that included an NCAA Tournament win and a career - high 70 points from former Wildcat Devin Booker . The Timberwolves , meanwhile , saw strong play from their starters . Karl-Anthony Towns , another UK alum , scored 25 points to go with 13 rebounds for a stellar double - double . Meanwhile , third - year wing Andrew Wiggins dropped a game - high 36 points on 50 percent shooting from the field . To top it off , veteran point guard Ricky Rubio scored 19 points while dishing out 15 assists .

The host Los Angeles Lakers took down the Minnesota Timberwolves on Friday , 130 - 119 . Friday also marked the unveiling of Los Angeles 's new Shaquille O'Neal statue . Los Angeles ( 21 - 51 ) snapped a six - game losing streak on Friday , though it may not have been in their best interest . LA will lose its draft pick if it falls outside of the top three , and the Phoenix Suns remain on the Lakers ' tail for the second - worst record in the NBA . Still , there was a lot to like on Friday for Lakers fans . Guard Jordan Clarkson had a career - high 35 points while shooting 8 - of - 10 from three - point range . It was the team 's first overtime game of the season , and they seemed to respond well to the extra period . LA outscored Minnesota 21 - 10 in overtime , immediately establishing an eight - point advantage at the start of the OT . The team finished with staggering shooting splits of 52 percent from the field , 61 percent from three - point range , and 86 percent form the line . Minnesota ( 28 - 43 ) , meanwhile , extended its own losing streak to four games . While production from the starting five was solid , the Timberwolves struggled once again with finding points off the bench . The team saw just 23 bench points versus 39 from LA . There was no issue for Minny 's starters , though , as third - year forward Andrew Wiggins exploded for an efficient 36 points . Reigning Rookie of the Year Karl-Anthony Towns recorded a double - double with 25 points and 13 rebounds , and point guard Ricky Rubio had 19 points while dishing out a whopping 15 assists . The Timberwolves will visit Portland on Saturday , while LA will host the Blazers on Sunday .


The Portland Trail Blazers defeated the Los Angeles Lakers 97 - 81 at Staples Center on Sunday . The Trail Blazers ( 35 - 38 ) picked up a third win in a row and are heating up at the right time , given the Nuggets loss earlier Sunday , they are now tied for the eighth seed in the Western Conference . In addition , they host the Nuggets on Tuesday in an important game in the battle for the final playoff spot out West . Depth made the difference for Portland , as their bench ran seven players deep , while the Lakers ( 21 - 52 ) totaled nine players in rotation . Brandon Ingram ( knee ) was sidelined in the contest . Damian Lillard and C.J . McCollum were not spectacular , but did enough on the offensive end to keep the Blazers ahead , while the Lakers 39 percent shooting effort was far from enough to match that of Portland . Lillard finished with 22 points , five assists , seven rebounds and three steals and McCollum added 13 points on 5 - of - 13 shooting . Allen Crabbe totaled 28 minutes off the bench and pitched in 18 points and six boards , while Al-Farouq Aminu fell one points shy of a double - double and went for nine points and 10 rebounds across 26 minutes of action . D'Angelo Russell matched Lillard 's 22 points . Jordan Clarkson did not find a rhythm at any point and finished with just 10 points on 4 - of - 16 shooting , while Tyler Ennis led the bench with 14 points , five assists and three rebounds . Next up , the Blazers host the Denver Nuggets on Tuesday , while the Lakers play the same night and host the Washington Wizards .

Neither team was explosive on the scoring end , but the Trail Blazers edged the Lakers in a needed win to make it three in a row and tie the 8 - seed Nuggets in the Western Conference on Sunday . Damian Lillard scored 22 points , which matched D'Angelo Russell for the game high , and added five assists , seven rebounds and three steals . C.J . McCollum finished with 13 points on 5 - of - 13 shooting . Allen Crabbe and Al-Farouq Aminu were effective off the bench , which the Blazers ran eight players deep . Crabbe logged 28 minutes and scored 18 points , to go with six rebounds , while Aminu finished with nine points and 10 rebounds . Jordan Clarkson could not find a rhythm , and sank just four shots on 16 attempts to finish the game with 10 points , while Russell 's 22 points came on 7 - of - 20 shooting , including 4 - of - 10 from behind the arc .


The Wizards launched yet another comeback on Tuesday , this time feasting on the relatively inexperienced Los Angeles Lakers . Washington not only overcame a 13 - point fourth quarter deficit , but won by double digits as well . The team shot over 51 percent from the field on the night and outscored LA 37 - 13 in the fourth . At the crux of the win was All-Star point guard John Wall , who scored 34 points to go along with 14 assists and four steals . Wall was an excellent 14 - of - 25 from the field . LA , meanwhile , saw promising play from its own point guard . Sophomore D'Angelo Russell filled the stat sheet respectably , shooting 10 - of - 21 for 28 points to go along with nine assists and six rebounds . His backcourt partner , Jordan Clarkson , added another 22 points and shot 10 - of - 19 .

The visiting Washington Wizards took down the Los Angeles Lakers in a comeback win on Tuesday , 119 - 108 . Washington ( 46 - 28 ) won its fourth straight game despite entering the fourth quarter with a double - digit deficit . The Wizards came back quickly , thanks in large part to strong play from star point guard John Wall . Wall continued his dominant season with 34 points , 14 assists , and four steals . Largely due to his offense , the Wizards were able to shoot over 51 percent from the field and scored 37 fourth - quarter points . The fourth quarter seemed to be the Wizards ' territory on Tuesday , as they outscored LA 37 - 13 for the stunning comeback victory . Thanks to the win , Washington remains seated in third place in the Eastern Conference . Los Angeles ( 21 - 53 ) nearly pulled off a major upset but may be better off without it as they eye the upcoming draft lottery . The team simply fell apart late in the game , as their youthful lack of NBA experience began to show against one of the league 's top teams . The star of the night for LA was sophomore point guard D'Angelo Russell , who has had even more opportunity to flourish since the Lakers parted ways with sixth man Lou Williams at the trade deadline . Russell had a big night and showed the skill that made him the draft 's second pick , scoring 28 points and dishing out a team - high nine assists . The Wizards will stay in LA and play the Clippers on Wednesday , while the Lakers will visit Minnesota on Thursday .


The Los Angeles Lakers defeated the Memphis Grizzlies , 108 - 103 , at Staples Center on Sunday afternoon . Despite the fact that they were playing without frontcourt starters Marc Gasol and JaMychal Green , the Grizzlies ( 42 - 35 ) had to be feeling fairly confident about their chances against a Lakers ( 22 - 55 ) squad that had dropped 10 of their last 11 games . However , Sunday happened to be one of those afternoons when Los Angeles came to play , as they forged a 50 - 49 halftime lead and hung close throughout the second half . A 29 - 23 advantage in the fourth quarter led to the victory , one that saw the Lakers shoot a solid 47 percent from the field and six players hit double digits in the scoring column . Mike Conley and Troy Daniels paced the Grizzlies with matching 20 - point efforts , with the former adding 12 assists , three rebounds , one steal and one block and the latter registering three assists , two rebounds and one steal to lead the bench . Brandan Wright continued to start for Gasol and generated 16 points , three rebounds , two assists and one block . James Ennis III drew a spot start with Vince Carter resting and managed 14 points , eight boards , four assists , one steal and one block . Tony Allen contributed a near double - double with 13 points , nine boards , three assists , two steals and one block . Zach Randolph matched Allen 's scoring while leading the bench and added six rebounds , one assist and one steal . D'Angelo Russell led the way for the home team with 28 points , six rebounds and five assists . Julius Randle produced an 18 - point , 11 - rebound double - double that also included one steal and one block . Brandon Ingram contributed 13 points , three rebounds , one assist and one steal . Larry Nance , Jr. drew another start and tallied 12 points , 14 boards , one assist , three steals and one block . Thomas Robinson enjoyed his third consecutive solid game , posting a 12 - point , 10 - rebound double - double that also included one assist and two steals and led the second unit . Tyler Ennis was productive off the bench as well with 11 points , two boards , one assist and one steal . The Grizzlies next head to San Antonio to battle the Spurs on Tuesday evening , while the Lakers follow the Grizzlies into Texas and face off with the Spurs on Wednesday night .


The host Los Angeles Lakers took down the Sacramento Kings on Friday , 98 - 94 . Los Angeles ( 24 - 55 ) will lose its draft pick to Philadelphia if it does not land in the top three . However , the team is currently in the midst of an ill - timed three - game winning streak , its longest since November . It was a relatively modest night for the Lakers on both ends on Friday . as the win was far from a dominant one . However , four of the starting five managed to score in double figures , a positive sign for the young LA core . Third-year forward Julius Randle had a team - high 25 points to go along with six rebounds . The team as a whole shot 44 percent and forced 23 turnovers . The Kings ( 31 - 48 ) narrowly missed the win thanks to sloppy play on the offensive end . Though the team shot over 50 percent and made eight three - pointers while holding LA to just four , turnovers ended up hurting Sacramento 's chances . The team 's solid offensive effort included 27 team assists , but was offset by a whopping 23 turnovers on the night . Rookie big man Skal Labissiere led the team on the offensive end , scoring a team - high 19 points along with two blocked shots on defense . On Sunday , Sacramento will host the Rockets while LA will host the Timberwolves .


The Los Angeles Lakers defeated the Minnesota Timberwolves 110 - 109 at Staples Center on Sunday . The Lakes ( 24 - 55 ) held on for victory over the Timberwolves ( 31 - 48 ) despite Karl-Anthony Towns and Andrew Wiggins combined 81 points . The Minnesota duo both were shooting lights out and keeping their team in the game , one in which they opted to only run four players deep on the bench . Towns and Wiggins played 41 minutes and 38 minutes , respectively , which were the two highest totals for either team . The Lakers jumped out to an eight point lead at the end of the first quarter , but the efficient shooting and non - existent answer to stopping Towns on the block and in the paint made for a dramatic finish . With :32 remaining the in the fourth quarter , Julius Randle dunked home two points that brought the Lakers within two points of the leading Timberwolves , while Randle also rebounded the Metta-Wolrd Peace missed three and kicked it to D'Angelo Russell , who drained the game winning three - pointer with :2 left . Towns finished with 40 points , 21 rebounds , four assists , one steal and one block on 17 - of - 22 shooting . Wiggins totaled 41 points on 13 - of - 26 shooting , including 2 - of - 5 from behind the arc . D'Angelo Russell was not nearly as efficient as his opponents , but did finish with 16 points , four assists and four rebounds , while Randle added 13 points , eight boards , two assists , one steal and one block in his 28 minutes of work . Both teams play on Tuesday , as the Timberwolves host the Oklahoma City Thunder , while the Lakers host the New Orleans Pelicans .


The Los Angeles Lakers defeated the New Orleans Pelicans 108 - 96 Tuesday at Staples Center . The supposedly tanking Lakers ( 26 - 55 ) have now won five straight games following Tuesday nights 's wire - to - wire performance , as after the home team was losing for majority of the first quarter until Larry Nance hit a three - pointer at the buzzer that put them up 26 - 25 . From that point on , the Lakers never lost the lead and continued to build on the lead until the final buzzer . In what was likely his final game at Staples Center , Metta World Peace led the team in scoring with 18 points on 7 - of - 17 shooting in just 25 minutes . In all , Los Angeles had six different players score in double figures , as they have now scored at least 100 points in seven of their last eight games . The five game winning streak gives them plenty of momentum heading into their season finale against the Warriors on Wednesday . As for the Pelicans ( 33 - 48 ) , they 've been trending in the complete opposite direction and Tuesday 's performance was yet another example , as the loss was the team 's fifth straight . This is the second straight game they have played without both DeMarcus Cousins and Anthony Davis , and New Orleans has missed their production immensely . However , in their absence Tuesday , rookie Cheick Diallo emerged off the bench for a game - high 19 points and 11 rebounds in 27 points for what was his second double - double of the season . Jrue Holiday and Alexis Ajinca each added 14 points , but in the end , the Pelicans lacked the necessary star power to overcome the streaking Lakers . New Orleans will have one last opportunity Wednesday to end their losing streak when they take on the Trail Blazers in Portland .


The benches were thin Wednesday , but ended up playing a huge factor in the Miami Heat 's 108 - 96 win against the Orlando Magic . Four bench players for the Heat combined for 40 points , 17 rebounds and 10 assists , while the Magic 's three bench players accumulated just 17 points , seven rebounds and four assists . Despite going 0 - for - 4 from the free - throw line , Hassan Whiteside had a strong game , posting 18 points , 14 rebounds and four blocks . The 27 assists on 47 made baskets for Miami shows its new up - tempo offense , as eight of the nine players who played recorded a dime in the win . Serge Ibaka struggled in his debut with the Magic , tallying 14 points and seven rebounds on 6 - for - 17 shooting . In addition , his - 18 plus - minus was the worst in the game . All five starters for Orlando played at least 35 minutes , and this could end up being one of the shortest rotations in the NBA .

The Miami Heat defeated the host Orlando Magic , 108 - 96 , on Wednesday in the season opener for both teams at Amway Center . Orlando ( 0 - 1 ) was expected to be the more improved team while the Heat ( 10 ) were supposed to decline , but that did n't show in the opener . A 37 - 16 run in the second half is when the Heat really pulled away and the Magic simply could n't respond . Defense was key for Miami , as they held Orlando to 39 percent shooting and outrebounded them 53 - 44 . Points in the paint was a huge factor as well , with the Heat recording 74 paint points to the Magic 's 36 . Many people pegged the Heat as a subpar team , but they showed some resiliency in an impressive opener . Hassan Whiteside tallied a team - high 18 points , 14 rebounds and four blocks in the win . Justice Winslow played well too , accumulating 15 points , eight rebounds and four assists . Goran Dragic was in foul trouble all night , but still finished with 16 points , six rebounds and six assists . Orlando went with a short eight - man rotation in the opener and it simply did n't go well . All five starters did score in double figures , but none of them shot over 50 percent from the field . Evan Fournier led the team in scoring , totaling 20 points , four rebounds and four assists in the defeat . Nikola Vucevic recorded a double - double , amassing 17 points and 14 rebounds . Aaron Gordon played 35 minutes in the defeat , scoring 12 points , grabbing eight boards and dishing out four assists . Both teams return to action on Friday , as the Magic travel to Detroit to play the Pistons and the Heat host the Charlotte Hornets .


The Orlando Magic defeated the Sacramento Kings , 102 - 94 , at Amway Center on Thursday . The blueprints of the Magic ( 2 - 3 ) and Kings ( 2 - 4 ) were both on display Thursday , and Orlando showed why it 's sometimes better to have a collection of above - average players than a top - heavy attack heavily focused on one superstar talent . The Magic received a standout performance from Evan Fournier , who tallied a season - high 29 points , as well as double - digit scoring efforts from three other members of the first unit , and a double - digit assist performance from the one member of the group who did n't get there , Elfrid Payton . Meanwhile , the Kings received the lights - out production they are used to seeing from DeMarcus Cousins , while the rest of the starters struggled to maintain consistency through four quarters . The imbalance partially led to Sacramento progressively losing steam after winning the first period by a 29 - 23 margin , and despite a third - quarter resurgence , they produced only 16 points in the 12 minutes to fall short . Cousins ' final line consisted of 33 points , seven rebounds , four assists , two steals and a block . Rudy Gay was the next closest in terms of usage and scoring , tallying 16 points but adding only two rebounds , two assists and a steal . Ty Lawson was the only other member of the starters to log double - digit scoring , supplying 11 points , seven rebounds and five assists . Arron Afflalo registered three points on 1 - of - 6 shooting , while Kosta Koufos totaled two points but added seven boards , an assist and a steal . Ben McLemore helped make up for some of Afflalo 's shortfall with a 11 points off the bench , while Omri Casspi paced the reserves with a 12 - point tally . Fournier complemented his team - high scoring haul with an assist and a rebound . Serge Ibaka continued his recent stretch of solid play with 17 points , three boards and a block while frequently dealing with Cousins down low . Aaron Gordon registered a 13 - point , 10 - rebound double - double that also included three assists , a steal and a block . Nikola Vucevic came within a rebound of also accomplishing the feat , managing 10 points , nine boards , three assists and two steals . Elfrid Payton collected six points but added the aforementioned 11 dimes and hauled in three boards . Jeff Green paced the reserves with 15 points and also had three rebounds . Sacramento now heads to the Midwest for a showdown with the Milwaukee Bucks on Saturday , while the Magic await the Washington Wizards for a Saturday night tussle .

Evan Fournier continues to thrive in his new full - time shooting guard role , tallying a season - high 29 points to lead a balanced attack by the Magic . Three other members of the starting five - - Serge Ibaka , Nicola Vucevic and Aaron Gordon - - combined for another 40 points , while Elfrid Payton handed out 11 assists to along with six points . Jeff Green helped make up for some of the shortfall from the bench with 15 points , and Orlando shot a solid 45 percent from the field . The Kings ' featured a typically top - heavy attack , with DeMarcus Cousins and Rudy Gay accounting for over half of their scoring ( 49 points ) and 33 shot attempts . Cousins ' 33 points led all scorers , and the Kings ' bench , which combined for 29 points , nearly outscored the other four starters , who totaled just 32 overall .


Neither team could generate much offense on a night when both clubs shot under 40 percent from the field and the Wizards also rested John Wall . A pair of 18 - point efforts represented each team 's high score , and the Magic 's actually came from the bench in the person of Jeff Green . Evan Fournier and Serge Ibaka were the only two members of the first unit to hit double digits in the scoring column , but over half of the former 's points came from seven made free throws . The normally productive trio of Nicola Vucevic , Aaron Gordon and Elfrid Payton created a sizable scoring void with their struggles , as they managed a combined 21 points on 8 - of - 21 shooting . Meanwhile , Markieff Morris was the Wizards ' high scorer , while Otto Porter and Marcin Gorat combined to haul in 27 boards .

The Orlando Magic defeated the Washington Wizards , 88 - 86 , at Amway Center on Saturday . A strong fourth quarter by Orlando ( 3 - 3 ) helped them overcome a sluggish night on offense that saw the Magic shoot just 40 percent from the field . Both teams checked in well below their scoring averages , with the Wizards ( 1 - 4 ) managing a 40 percent success rate on their 86 shot attempts , and a total of only five players in the game posting double - digit scoring . A pair of 18 - point efforts served as each team 's high score , with Markieff Morris reaching the mark for the visitors and Jeff Green doing it for the Magic off the bench . Morris added eight rebounds , three assists and two blocks to his aforementioned scoring total , but missed a game - winning three - pointer at the buzzer . Bradley Beal supplied 15 points , three rebounds , three assists , a steal and a block . Otto Porter posted a 10 - point , 13 - rebound double - double , while Marcin Gortat complemented his eight - point output with 14 boards , two assists and a steal . Tomas Satoransky , starting at point guard for the resting John Wall , registered eight points , three assists , two rebounds and a steal . Green 's season - high 18 points were supplemented by five rebounds , three assists and a block . Evan Fournier tallied 13 points , two rebounds and two assists , but shot only 2 - of - 8 from the field . Serge Ibaka joined him in double digits , amassing 11 points while also hauling in seven rebounds . The normally productive trio of Elfrid Payton , Aaron Gordon and Nicola Vucevic underwhelmed , however , posting a combined 21 points on 8 - of - 21 shooting . The Wizards head back home to take on the Houston Rockets on Monday night , while the Magic hit the road to take on the Bulls in Chicago on Monday evening as well .


The Minnesota Timberwolves defeated the Orlando Magic , 123 - 107 , at Amway Center on Wednesday . Despite their subpar record coming in to the contest , the Timberwolves ( 2 - 5 ) have increasingly felt optimistic about the immediate and distant future due to their young core of Andrew Wiggins , Zach LaVine and Karl-Anthony Towns . While all have exhibited the inconsistent play typical of young players at times , they 've certainly flashed the considerable upside each brings to the table . Wiggins put together such an effort Tuesday , totaling 36 points against the Nets in a loss . It was LaVine 's turn Wednesday , as he posted a season - high 37 points that led Minnesota 's charge , and complemented the scoring total with four rebounds , three assists and a steal . His point tally partly consisted of a stellar 7 - of - 9 performance from three - point range . Wiggins and Towns combined for another 49 points , and the Timberwolves finished with 52 and 57 percent success rates from the field and three - point range , respectively , while only committing six turnovers . Wiggins ' full stat line consisted of 29 points , six assists and four rebounds . Towns put together a 20 - point , 11 - rebound double - double that also included an assist , two steals and a block . Gorgui Dieng contributed a 12 - point 11 - rebound double - double of his own , along with seven assists , two steals and a block . With rookie Kris Dunn once again struggling in a start at point guard ( two points in 17 minutes ) , Tyus Jones received 31 minutes off the bench and managed 10 points , five assists , four rebounds and a pair of steals . Shabazz Muhammad paced the reserves with 13 points . The Magic ( 3 - 5 ) were n't exactly offensive wallflowers themselves , but simply could n't keep up with their visitors ' firepower . They were led by a 24 - point effort from Nikola Vucevic , who also had 14 boards , six assists and a block . Elfrid Payton was next with 18 points , seven assists , three rebounds and a steal . Evan Fournier supplied 13 points on 4 - of - 11 shooting , while Serge Ibaka finished with 11 points , two rebounds and two blocks . Mario Hezonja and D.J . Augustin were both factors off the bench , notching 11 and 10 points , respectively . The Timberwolves head back home to take on the Los Angeles Clippers on Saturday night , while the Magic remain home to face the visiting Utah Jazz on Friday evening .

The young trio of Andrew Wiggins , Zach LaVine and Karl-Anthony Towns have been putting the league on notice with their stellar play . Their impressive talents were on display again Wednesday , with LaVine 's season - high 37 points leading the way . Wiggins and Towns went for another 49 combined points , while Tyus Jones and Shabazz Muhammad posted another 23 to lead the bench . The Timberwolves ' ball security was exceptional , as they committed only six turnovers , and they shot 52 percent from the field and 57 percent from three - point range . Nikola Vucevic paced the Magic with a 24 - point , 14 - rebound double - double , while Elfrid Payton ( 18 points ) , Evan Fournier ( 13 points ) and Serge Ibaka ( 11 points ) posted solid performances as well . However , the Magic 's 45 shooting percentage , while solid , still was n't enough to keep up with a red - hot Minnesota offense .


The Orlando Magic fell to the visiting Utah Jazz 87 - 74 on Friday night at Amway Center . The Magic ( 3 - 6 ) led by four after three quarters but only scored 10 points in the fourth quarter while the Jazz ( 6 - 4 ) surged ahead with 27 in the quarter . Gordon Hayward has led the Jazz in scoring each game since his return to action on Nov. 6 , resulting in three wins in four games for Utah . Their wins all came against sub - .500 teams but nonetheless they have been looking good . Hayward led the way for Utah in this one , finishing with 20 points , 10 rebounds and eight assists , in 39 minutes while Derrick Favors followed up with 18 points and nine rebounds in 36 minutes , the most he has played in a game this season . Rudy Gobert stood his ground versus the Orlando bigs , finishing with 13 points , 13 rebounds and three blocks . The Jazz struggled shooting from distance going 7 - of - 28 but were able to make - up for it on the defensive end . Meanwhile , George Hill missed his third - straight game with a thumb injury . This marks the third loss in a row for the Magic , who have been struggling to find ways to score . They average less than 95 points per game and tried to shake things up by inserting Jeff Green into the starting lineup in place of Aaron Gordon , however it did not make much difference as Orlando still came up short , finishing with only 74 in this one . Orlando hit only 33 percent of its shots and only managed 13 assists , in contrast to 12 turnovers , as their offensive lagged . Evan Fournier led the way with 21 points and D.J . Augustin added 19 off the bench , but only two other players scored more than five points for the Magic . Next up for the Magic is a trip Oklahoma City to take on the Thunder on Sunday . The Jazz will be in Miami on Saturday for the second of a back - to - back .

The Magic really struggled offensively , shooting 33 percent from the field , and only tallying 13 assists in contrast to 12 turnovers . Only two players were able to hit double digits ; D.J . Augustin with 19 points in 24 minutes off the bench and Evan Fournier who led they way with 21 points on 7 - of - 16 shooting , in 38 minutes . Only two other players scored more than four points . Elfrid Payton finished with only two points , on 1 - of - 5 shooting , in 24 minutes . Aaron Gordon was moved to the bench in favor of Jeff Green . Green finished with four points in 23 minutes , while Gordon added nine points , seven rebounds , two steals and two blocks , in 25 minutes . Gordon Hayward led the Jazz in scoring for the fourth game in a row , with 20 points on 6 - of - 17 shooting and neared a triple - double with 10 rebounds and eight assists . Rudy Gobert had a nice 13 - point and 13 - rebound double - double with three blocks .


These are two teams playing well below expectations and it was n't pretty on either side . Both teams shot below 40 percent from the field and below 37 percent from three - point range . Terrence Jones had one of his best games of the season , as he scored 26 points and grabbed nine boards , filling in for Anthony Davis . Without Davis in the lineup , New Orleans lost almost every game last season and it 's clear they have no offense with him out of the lineup . Nikola Vucevic was a beast down low , as he scored 10 points and grabbed 14 rebounds in the win . Elfrid Payton 's five points on 2 - of - 9 shooting looks ugly , but he stuffed the stat sheet by adding four rebounds , four assists , three steals and two blocks . There were only three ties and 10 lead changes , as the Magic led for the majority of the game .

The host Orlando Magic defeated the New Orleans Pelicans , 89 - 82 , at Amway Center on Wednesday . In a battle between two struggling teams , the Magic prevailed with a much needed win . Orlando held New Orleans to just 36 percent shooting from the field and forced them to commit 17 turnovers in their win . Orlando was n't much better though , as they shot 39 percent from the field and 58 percent from the free - throw line . The Magic also dominated in the lane , as they scored 38 paint points to the Pelicans ' 26 . The Pelicans ( 2 - 10 ) had to play this game without Anthony Davis ( thigh ) and it clearly hurt their offense . Terrence Jones started for Davis though and carried the load , as he scored a game - high 26 points on 9 - of - 20 shooting . The only other starter in double figures was E'Twaun Moore , who tallied 14 points , three rebounds and four assists . Langston Galloway was a nice spark off the bench , scoring 15 points on 6 - of - 12 shooting . Omer Asik had a strange line , as he grabbed 10 rebounds , but failed to record another stat . The Pelicans will return to action on Friday when they host the Portland Trail Blazers for their next game . The Magic ( 5 - 7 ) have gotten off to a historically bad start offensively this season , but they were able to pull out a win here , thanks to some elite defense . Six players scored in double figures for the Magic , with Serge Ibaka and Evan Fournier tying the team lead with 16 a piece . Ibaka added eight rebounds to his 16 points and Fournier dished out three assists . Elfird Payton scored just five points , but provided four rebounds , four assists , three steals and two blocks in the victory . Nikola Vucevic recorded a double - double , totaling 10 points and 14 rebounds . D.J . Augustin and Damjan Rudez each scored 11 points off the bench . Jeff Green had a game to forget , as he went scoreless on 0 - of - 9 shooting . Orlando will look to keep rolling against the Dallas Mavericks on Saturday .


These are two offenses that ca n't get anything going , so they decided to turn to their benches . In fact , Dallas had their bench score 44 points , while Orlando 's bench combined for 45 points of their own . The two leading scorers came off the bench too , as Jonathan Gibson dropped 26 points in his second game with the Mavs and D.J . Augustin scored 18 for the Magic . The backcourt of Wesley Matthews and Seth Curry scored 13 apiece , but they combined to go 8 - of - 23 from the field . Orlando 's stars were n't any better , as Nikola Vucevic and Evan Fournier combined to go 8 - of - 29 from the field . Amazingly , Dallas was 13 - of - 28 from three - point range , which was half of their makes for the evening ( 26 - of - 77 ) . Rebounding was the big difference in the game , with Orlando snatching down 50 boards to Dallas ' 34 .

The host Orlando Magic defeated the Dallas Mavericks , 97 - 87 , at Amway Center on Saturday . In a battle between two inept offenses , the Magic were able to prevail with a much - needed victory . They took care of business late , as the Magic outscored the Mavericks 31 - 18 in the fourth quarter . Defense was key for Orlando , as they held Dallas to 34 percent shooting from the field and dominated the rebounding , 50 - 34 . The Magic not only controlled the paint through rebounding , as they outscored Dallas 32 - 16 in the paint as well . No team led by more than nine points , as this was tightly - contested throughout . Dallas ( 2 - 10 ) is in a historically bad stretch offensively right now and a 34 percent night just adds to those struggles . Newly-acquired , Jonathan Gibson , was the Mavericks best player , as he tallied 26 points , six rebounds and three assists off the bench . Wesley Matthews and Seth Curry led the starters in scoring , as they scored 13 apiece . Harrison Barnes went just 3 - of - 13 from the field , en route to an 11 - point night . The offensive struggles are likely to continue , as they travel to San Antonio on Monday to face the Spurs for their next game . Orlando ( 6 - 7 ) has been just as bad on offense as Dallas , but they were able to win here thanks to some elite defense . D.J . Augustin led the team in scoring , totaling 18 points and six assists off the bench . Serge Ibaka was second in scoring , tallying 15 points , nine rebounds and three blocks in the win . Nikola Vucevic amassed 12 points and 12 rebounds , despite going 5 - of - 16 from the field . Bismack Biyombo recorded a double - double off the bench , accruing 13 points , 10 rebounds and three blocks in the win . Orlando will look to keep rolling , as they travel to Milwaukee on Monday to face the Bucks .


The Phoenix Suns defeated the host Orlando Magic , 92 - 87 , at Amway Center on Wednesday . Orlando had the second - worst offense in the league , while the Suns had the worst defense , so something had to give in this matchup . It was the Magic 's offense that proved to be more inept , as they were held to just 36 percent shooting on their way to 87 points . They also struggled from three - point range and from the free - throw line , going 7 - of - 25 from deep and 14 - of - 23 from the charity stripe . Both teams made just 33 shots , but the Magic took 18 more shots than the Suns , as they were far from efficient in their loss . Phoenix ( 5 - 11 ) have really struggled on the defensive end this season , but this was their best defensive performance of the year . All five starters scored in double figures for the Suns , with Alex Len leading the team with 17 points . Len also provided 12 rebounds and two blocks in the absence of Tyson Chandler . Eric Bledsoe accumulated 16 points , nine rebounds and five assists . Devin Booker and Brandon Knight combined for just 23 points , three rebounds and four assists , but played strong defense . P.J . Tucker was a nice spark off the bench , providing 10 points and seven rebounds . On deck for Phoenix is a home matchup against the Minnesota Timberwolves on Friday . Orlando ( 6 - 9 ) has struggled on offense all season and not being able to score against the Suns may be the low point . Evan Fournier carried the load in this defeat , as he tallied 25 points , four rebounds and three steals in the loss . Nikola Vucevic recorded a 21 - point , 13 - rebound double - double on 10 - of - 15 shooting . No other starter scored in double figures with Elfrid Payton accruing nine points , six rebounds and seven assists as the starting point guard . Orlando 's next game will be on Friday , when they host the Washington Wizards .

When one of the worst offenses faces one of the worst defenses , something has to give . It was the Orlando offense that proved to be more inefficient , as they hit just 36 percent of their shots on the way to 87 points . Both teams made 33 shots in the tight contest , but Orlando took 91 shots to Phoenix 's 73 shot attempts . There were six ties and eight lead changes , with no team leading by more than 12 points . Evan Fournier and Nikola Vucevic carried the load for Orlando , as they combined for 46 points , 17 rebounds and four steals . The Suns got a nice team effort , with all five starters scoring at least 10 points . Alex Len was Phoenix 's best player , as he totaled 17 points and 12 rebounds in the absence of Tyson Chandler .


The visiting Washington Wizards defeated the Orlando Magic , 94 - 91 , at Amway Center on Friday . The Wizards ( 5 - 9 ) rode another double - double from John Wall and a balanced and productive effort from their starting five overall to tally their first road win of the season . Wall led the way with 26 points , 10 assists , seven rebounds and three steals over 39 minutes , his third double - double in the last four games . The remaining four members of the first unit all managed double digits in the scoring column as well , leading to a solid 46 percent performance from the field . Meanwhile , on the defensive side of the ball , Washington elicited 19 turnovers from the Magic ( 6 - 10 ) , while only committing 11 of their own . The collective effort helped overcome a breakout performance by Orlando 's Nikola Vucevic , who posted a 17 - point , 17 - rebound double - double on 8 - of - 16 shooting . Otto Porter was second to Wall , turning in a solid 19 points , seven rebounds and a pair of assists . Bradley Beal checked in with 14 points , eight assists , two rebounds and a steal . Marcin Gortat was just short of a double - double , totaling 12 points , nine rebounds and two assists . Markieff Morris did a little bit of everything while rounding out the starting five 's productive night , posting 11 points , three rebounds , two assists , three steals and a block . Vucevic added two assists , three steals and three blocks to his superb all - around effort . Serge Ibaka actually led the Magic in scoring with 19 points , and he added eight rebounds , two assists , a steal and four blocks . Elfrid Payton supplied 15 points , five rebounds and five assists . Evan Fournier had a rough night from the field , going just 2 - of - 9 , and provided a modest 11 points , four assists , two rebounds and a steal . Former starter Aaron Gordon led the second unit with nine points , seven rebounds and an assist . The Wizards return home to face the San Antonio Spurs on Saturday night , while the Magic remain home to face off with the Milwaukee Bucks on Sunday evening .

John Wall spearheaded a balanced effort for the Wizards that saw all five members of their starting five tally double - digit scoring . The All-Star point guard posted 26 points , 10 assists , seven rebounds and three steals , his third double - double in the last four games . Otto Porter turned in a solid 19 points , while Bradley Beal checked in with 14 . Marcin Gortat totaled 12 points and nine rebounds , and Markieff Morris did a little bit of everything , posting 11 points , three rebounds , two assists , three steals and a block . The Wizards also forced 19 turnovers overall . Serge Ibaka paced Orlando with 19 points , while Nikola Vucevic was superb with a 17 - point , 17 - rebound double - double . The guard combo of Elfrid Payton and Evan Fournier supplied 26 points , but the latter could only muster a 2 - of - 9 tally from the field .


Giannis Antetokounmpo was the difference maker for the Milwaukee Bucks en route to their victory over the Orlando Magic on Sunday . The Greek Freak posted an all around stat line including 18 points , nine rebounds , four assists , three blocks and one steal on 7 - of - 11 shooting across 31 minutes . While both the Bucks and the Magic were equal in terms of assists ( 24 ) , one key to the game came from the rebounding battle . Milwaukee out - rebounded Orlando 53 - 46 , which is in part due to the depth of the Bucks bench compared to that of the Magic , who only went three players deep . Greg Monroe and Michael Beasley combined for 13 boards off the bench , which was enough to counteract the freak performance from Nikola Vucevic , who totaled 16 rebounds across 30 minutes in the loss for the Magic .

The Milwaukee Bucks defeated the Orlando Magic 104 - 96 at Amway Center on Sunday . The Bucks ( 7 - 8 ) pulled out a victory that was relatively close from end - to - end , but capitalized by a well rounded performance from point guard Giannis Antetokounmpo and three bench players scoring in double figures . The aforementioned point guard made a two - foot layup with just one second remaining at the end of the first quarter , which gave the Bucks a 36 - 29 lead . A pair of C.J . Watson free throws for the Magic ( 6 - 11 ) cut the Bucks lead to four points midway through the second period , but Milwaukee was able to stave off Orlando from tying the game until Evan Fournier 's two point jump shot in the third quarter , which tied the game at 60 point a piece . The Bucks played smart basketball down the stretch , working the shot clock in their favor and relied on efficient rotations from their bench players to come away with the road win . Antetokounmpo finished with 18 points , nine rebounds , four assists , three blocks and one steal on 7 - of - 11 shooting across 31 minutes . John Henson added 20 points and seven boards to lead the Bucks in scoring , while Michael Beasley , Greg Monroe Malcolm Brogdon finished double figures on the bench . Fournier led the Magic with 27 points , six rebounds , seven assists , two steals and just one turnover on 11 - of - 21 shooting . Orlando only went three players deep on the bench , requiring a lot of minutes from Nikola Vucevic , C.J . Watson and Elfrid Payton . All but Watson ( 0 - of - 6 shooting ) were effective in their play , but were unable to aid the starters in fueling a comeback down the stretch . Both teams have tough contests on Tuesday , as the Magic visit the San Antonio Spurs , while the Bucks host the Cleveland Cavaliers .


The Boston Celtics defeated the Orlando Magic , 117 - 87 , at Amway Center on Wednesday . While this game was expected to be close , the Celtics took it to the Magic in this lopsided victory . Boston really put their foot down in the second half , outscoring the Magic , 68 - 37 , after trailing by one headed into halftime . Shooting was the key difference , with Boston shooting 52 percent and Orlando shooting just 37 percent on their end . The Celtics dominated across the board , as they won the shooting , rebounding , assisting and turnover battles . Boston ( 13 - 9 ) had to play this game without Isaiah Thomas , but they did n't miss a beat . Avery Bradley stepped up in his absence , tallying 23 points , four rebounds and three assists . Al Horford scored just 10 points on 3 - of - 9 shooting , but added six rebounds and eight assists , as much of the offense was run through the big man . Jae Crowder recorded a double - double , accumulating 17 points and 10 rebounds . Terry Rozier and Marcus Smart took all the point guard minutes and combined for 29 points , eight rebounds , five assists and three steals in the win . The Celtics next game will be on Friday , when they host the Toronto Raptors . Orlando ( 10 - 13 ) has really struggled on offense this season and this 87 - point effort only adds to those deficiencies . Nikola Vucevic did record a double - double off the bench though , totaling 12 points and 10 rebounds on 5 - of - 14 shooting . D.J . Augustin led the team in scoring , dropping 15 points on 4 - of - 7 from the field . The forwards really struggled , as Serge Ibaka and Aaron Gordon combined for just 13 points and 11 rebounds on 5 - of - 19 shooting . Evan Fournier went just 4 - of - 14 from the field , but accrued 14 points , three rebounds and five assists . On deck for the Magic is a road matchup against the Charlotte Hornets on Friday .

While this game was tight throughout the first half , the Celtics really took it to the Magic in their 30 - point win . In fact , Orlando had a one - point lead at the half , but were outscored in the second half , 68 - 37 . Shooting was the big difference , with Boston shooting 52 percent and Orlando hitting just 37 percent of their shots . The rebounding and assisting numbers were lopsided as well , with the Celtics recording 48 rebounds and 29 assists , while the Magic grabbed just 37 rebounds and 20 assists . Seven players scored in double figures for Boston , as Avery Bradley leading the team with 23 points . Al Horford scored just 10 points on 3 - of - 9 shooting , but provided six rebounds and eight assists in the victory . Jae Crowder recorded a double - double for the Celtics , totaling 17 points and 10 rebounds . No player on the Magic had more than 15 points or five assists , as D.J . Augustin led the team with his 15 points . Nikola Vucevic came off the bench to record 12 points and 10 rebounds on 5 - of - 14 shooting .


The Denver Nuggets defeated the host Orlando Magic , 121 - 113 , at Amway Center on Saturday . In a game between two struggling teams , Orlando could n't quite keep up in their fourth game in five nights . That was clearly evident late , as the Nuggets ended the game on a 17 - 5 run to pull off the comeback . While the defense struggled all night , Denver held Orlando to just 18 points in the fourth quarter , while scoring 29 points on their end . The Nuggets offense was on point , as they shot 57 percent from the field and recorded 25 assists in the victory . Rebounding was key as well , with Denver winning that battle , 44 - 31 . Denver ( 9 - 15 ) rode one of their best offensive performances here to an impressive road win . While no player on the Nuggets had more than 21 points , they had six players score at least 14 . Danilo Gallinari led the team in scoring , tallying 21 points , six rebounds and three assists . Jusuf Nurkic scored 17 points and grabbed eight boards on 8 - of - 11 shooting in just 20 minutes of action . Kenneth Faried was huge off the bench , dropping 19 points and 10 rebounds on 9 - of - 10 from the field . Nikola Jokic and Juancho Hernangomez each scored 14 a piece off the bench . On deck for the Nuggets is a road matchup against the Dallas Mavericks on Monday . . Orlando ( 10 - 15 ) had to play this game without Nikola Vucevic and it clearly hurt their defense . Evan Fournier did all he could against his former team , as he led the Magic with 24 points , four rebounds and six assists . Serge Ibaka was n't far behind , accumulating 22 points , four rebounds and four blocks in the defeat . Jeff Green was questionable coming in to this game with an ankle injury , but provided 17 points off the bench . Orlando 's next game is on Tuesday in a road matchup against the Atlanta Hawks .

While these two teams have been struggling recently , they both had one of their best offensive games of the season . Denver shot 56 percent from the field , while Orlando shot 49 percent on their end . There were six ties and 12 lead changes , as no team led by more than 11 points . Rebounding was key for the Nuggets , as they won that battle , 44 - 31 . It was an all - around team effort for Denver , as they had six players score at least 14 points . Danilo Gallinari led the team with 21 points , six rebounds and three assists . All six of those players who scored at least 14 points shot at least 55 percent from the field as well . Kenneth Faried had one of his best games of the season , totaling 19 points and 10 rebounds on 9 - of - 10 from the field . Evan Fournier did all he could against his former team , tallying 24 points , four rebounds and six assists in the defeat .


Despite there being just seven ties and four lead changes , neither of these teams led by more than nine points for the entirety of this contest . The Clippers just kept the Magic at bay all game long , as they never trailed after the first quarter . Los Angeles was extremely efficient from the field , as they shot 50 percent from the free - throw line and from three - point range . All five starters scored in double figures for the Clippers , as Austin Rivers led the team with 25 points on 9 - of - 12 shooting . Blake Griffin tallied 23 points , seven rebounds and three assists . DeAndre Jordan went 12 - of - 18 from the free - throw line en route to a 22 - point , 12 - rebound evening . Aaron Gordon kept the Magic hanging around , as he scored a career - high 33 points in the defeat . Evan Fournier and Jeff Green were the only other Magic players in double figures , as Fournier scored 23 points , while Green dropped 19 of his own .

The Los Angeles Clippers defeated the host Orlando Magic , 113 - 108 , at Amway Center on Wednesday . While there were a lot of stars in this game , it 's some of the undervalued players who had career nights . Both Aaron Gordon and Austin Rivers led their teams in scoring , as these are two teams that desperately need more contributions from their role players . Shooting was the difference for the Clippers , as they shot 50 percent from both the field and from the free - throw line . Despite this game being close throughout , the Clippers led for every minute after the first quarter . In fact , neither team held a double - digit lead , as there were just seven ties and four lead changes . Los Angeles ( 19 - 7 ) is starting to recapture their early season form and road wins like this only add to their impressive resume ' . Austin Rivers was the star , as he scored a team - high 25 points on 9 - of - 12 shooting . Blake Griffin was n't far behind , as he tallied 23 points , seven rebounds and three assists . DeAndre Jordan had one of his best scoring games of the year , totaling 22 points , 12 rebounds and three blocks , while going 12 - of - 18 from the free - throw line . Chris Paul recorded a 16 - point , 10 - assist double - double . Los Angeles will return to action on Friday in a road matchup against the Miami Heat . Orlando ( 11 - 16 ) has now lost six - straight games at home , as they continue to disappoint . Aaron Gordon did all he could though , dropping a career - high 33 points on 13 - of - 21 shooting . Evan Fournier accumulated 23 points and eight assists as the primary ball - handler for Orlando . Jeff Green was the only other Magic player in double figures , as he scored 19 points off the bench . Serge Ibaka and Bismack Biyombo both fell just shy of double - doubles , as they combined for 17 points and 20 rebounds in the defeat . Orlando 's next game will be on Friday , when they host the Brooklyn Nets .


The host Orlando Magic defeated the Brooklyn Nets , 118 - 111 , at Amway Center on Friday . While these teams have struggled throughout the season , they left it all on the floor in this close fought battle . In fact , there were 15 lead changes and 15 ties , with no team leading by more than nine points . Orlando took advantage of their opportunities , as they took 14 more shots than Brooklyn . The reason for that were turnovers and offensive rebounding , as they won the turnover battle , 17 - 7 , and the offensive rebounding , 13 - 6 . Free-throws were also huge for Orlando , as they went 33 - of - 42 from the charity stripe , with Brooklyn committing 32 fouls . Brooklyn ( 7 - 18 ) has really struggled on the defensive end this season and a 118 - point outing to the 29th ranked offense shows just that . Brook Lopez once again led the team in scoring , as he tallied 22 points , six rebounds and five blocks before fouling out in the final seconds . Jeremy Lin was second on the team , as he accrued 17 points , three rebounds and three assists off the bench . While Trevor Booker did snatch down nine boards , he went 0 - of - 5 from the field to score just two points . On deck for the Nets is a road matchup with the Philadelphia 76ers on Sunday . Orlando ( 12 - 16 ) had lost six - straight home games coming into this matchup , so to say this win was needed would be a drastic understatement . Nikola Vucevic made his return from a back injury to drop 21 points , 10 rebounds , four assists and three blocks off the bench . Evan Fournier also scored 21 points , adding four rebounds to his tally . Serge Ibaka may have been the most valuable player though , as he accumulated 18 points , 10 rebounds and five blocks in the victory . D.J . Augustin recorded 17 points , six rebounds and four assists as the starting point guard . Orlando will host the Toronto Raptors on Sunday for their next game .

These are two teams that have struggled all season , but it 's not for a lack of effort . In this matchup , there were 15 ties and 15 lead changes in total , with no team leading by more than nine points . Despite Orlando barely cracking 40 percent , they took 14 more shots than Brooklyn . The reason for that was the offensive rebounding ( 13 - 6 ) and turnovers ( 17 - 7 ) , as they dominated both of those statistics . Jeremy Lin played just 19 minutes off the bench as he continues to recover from injury , but tallied 17 points , three rebounds and three assists in his second game off injury . Brook Lopez led the Nets in scoring , as he dropped 22 points , six rebounds and five blocks . Nikola Vucevic led the Magic in scoring , as he accrued 21 points , 10 rebounds and four assists off the bench . Evan Fournier also scored 21 points , adding four rebounds as well . Serge Ibaka recorded an 18 - point , 10 - rebound double - double , while adding five blocks in the victory .


The Toronto Raptors defeated the host Orlando Magic , 109 - 79 , at Amway Center on Sunday . These are two teams going in opposite directions and this result shows just which way . Despite the Magic leading for the majority of the first half , they really fell apart in the middle quarters . In fact , Toronto won the second and third quarters , 61 - 34 to eventually pull away and win by 30 . Defense was key for the Raptors , as they held the Magic to 41 percent from the field and 3 - of - 21 from three - point range . Toronto were very efficient on their end as well , shooting 49 percent from the field and assisting on 20 of their 43 made baskets . Toronto ( 19 - 8 ) have been scoring at will recently , but they got this win through dominant defense . DeMar DeRozan was the player of the game , as he tallied 31 points , five rebounds and four assists in just three quarters of action . Kyle Lowry also played just three quarters , but accumulated 16 points , three rebounds and 10 assists . Jonas Valanciunas recorded a double - double , totaling 16 points and 13 rebounds in the win . Toronto will look keep rolling on Tuesday , as they host the Brooklyn Nets for their next game . Orlando ( 12 - 17 ) have struggled offensively all season and games like this have become all too common . Evan Fournier led the team in scoring , as he dropped 15 points , three rebounds and three assists . Bismack Biyombo played well against his former team , as he accrued eight points , 12 rebounds and three blocks in the defeat . Nikola Vucevic came off the bench to provide 10 points and nine rebounds . Orlando 's next game is on Tuesday , as they play the Miami Heat on the road .

These are two teams that have been polar opposites on the offensive end and that proved to be the case yet again here . Orlando took the early lead , but it fell apart in the middle of the second quarter . In fact , the Raptors outscored the Magic by 37 points after the first quarter . Three-point shooting is what really killed Orlando , as they went 3 - of - 21 from long distance in their defeat . DeMar DeRozan carried the load , as he dropped 31 points , five rebounds and four assists in just three quarters of action . Kyle Lowry also played well , providing 16 points and 10 assists . Evan Fournier was the only Magic starter with at least 10 points , as he accrued 15 points , three rebounds and three assists . Bismack Biyombo played well against his former team , as he totaled eight points , 12 rebounds and three blocks .


In a battle between two struggling teams , Orlando really put it to Los Angeles in this matchup . This was a true wire - to - wire win , as Orlando started the game up 100 and never relinquished the lead after that . The Magic actually outscored the Lakers by 16 in the first quarter , while recording a franchise - record nine blocks . Shooting was the key difference , with Orlando shooting over 50 percent from the field , while Los Angeles failed to crack 36 percent . Jordan Clarkson was the lone bright spot for the Lakers , as he led the team with 18 points and five rebounds off the bench . Luol Deng recorded a double - double , totaling 11 points and 10 boards . Elfrid Payton was the Magic 's mist valuable player , as he accrued 25 points , three rebounds and nine assists off the bench . Serge Ibaka was equally as important , as he collected 19 points , 11 rebounds and five blocks .

The Orlando Magic defeated the Los Angeles Lakers , 109 - 90 , at Amway Center on Friday . The Magic wanted to get out to a hot start here and that carried them to an important wire - to - wire win . In fact , Orlando won the first quarter , 30 - 14 and recorded a franchise - record nine blocks in that 12 - minute period . Shooting was the difference in the game , with the Lakers hitting just 36 percent of their shots to the Magic 's 51 percent from the field . Los Angeles really struggled with their ball movement , as they matched their 16 assists with 16 turnovers , while Orlando recorded 25 assists to 14 turnovers . Los Angeles ( 11 - 22 ) has now lost 11 of their last 12 games , as they continue to fall down the standings . Every player on the roster struggled , as no on who took more than five shots could hit over 50 percent from the field . Jordan Clarkson led the team in scoring , as he tallied 18 points , five rebounds and two assists on 7 - of - 14 shooting off the bench . D'Angelo Russell led the starters in scoring , totaling 15 points , two rebounds , three assists and two steals in the defeat . Luol Deng recorded an 11 - point , 11 - rebound double - double . Thomas Robinson was the only player to shoot above 50 percent , as he amassed seven points and 11 rebounds on 3 - of - 5 shooting . The Lakers will look to get out of this slide in a rivalry game against the Los Angeles Clippers on Sunday . Orlando ( 14 - 18 ) have struggled this season , but wire - to - wire wins like this show their true potential . Serge Ibaka continues to emerge , as he led the starters with 19 points , 11 rebounds and five blocks in the victory . Elfrid Payton was their most valuable player though , as he accumulated 25 points , three rebounds and nine assists on 11 - of - 16 shooting off the bench . C.J . Watson , D.J . Augustin and Nikola Vucevic all scored 11 points a piece . Orlando is off until Monday , when they host the Memphis Grizzlies for their next fixture .


In a battle between two defensive - minded teams , offense was on display in this lopsided game . The Magic 's offense was especially good , as they shot 51 percent from the field and 50 percent from three - point range . This game was well out of hand early , as Orlando led by 25 at halftime in their wire - to - wire win . Mike Conley was the only starter to play well for the Grizzlies , as he tallied 17 points , two rebounds and four assists on 6 - of - 8 shooting . Troy Daniels led the bench in scoring , as he collected 16 points and four rebounds . Aaron Gordon was the player of the game , as he approached a career - high with 30 points on 11 - of - 15 shooting . Elfrid Payton was huge off the bench for Orlando , accumulating 16 points , four rebounds and seven assists in the win . All five starters scored in double figures for Orlando , as they outscored the Memphis starters , 79 - 48 .

The Orlando Magic defeated the Memphis Grizzlies , 112 - 102 , at Amway Center on Monday . While this scoreline looks moderately close , the Magic had this game well in hand early on . In fact , they led by 25 points at the half in a rare wire - to - wire win , as it took a 30 - 16 fourth quarter for Memphis to make the scoreline respectable . Orlando 's offense was extremely efficient , as they shot 51 percent from the field and 50 percent from three - point range , while committing just nine turnovers and 23 assists . Rebounding was also a huge factor , with Orlando winning that battle , 44 - 35 . Memphis ( 20 - 13 ) have thrived off their dominant defense all season , but they simply did n't have it tonight . Mike Conley had one of his best games since returning from injury though , as he tallied 17 points , twp rebounds and four assists . The bench was one of the only bright spots , as Zach Randolph , Troy Daniels and James Ennis III all scored in double figures . The Grizzlies will look to play better on Tuesday in a road matchup with the Boston Celtics . Orlando ( 15 - 18 ) have really struggled on the offensive end this season , but they had one of their best games here against a stifling Grizzlies defense . Aaron Gordon had one of the best games of his career , as he led the Magic with 30 points on 11 - of - 15 shooting . Bismack Biyombo recorded a double - double in the win , totaling 10 points and 12 boards in just 23 minutes . Elfrid Payton continued his great form off the bench , as he accumulated 16 points , four rebounds and seven assists . The Magic will look to keep rolling on Wednesday in a home matchup against the Charlotte Hornets .


The Charlotte Hornets defeated the Orlando Magic , 120 - 101 , at Amway Center on Wednesday . While this game was close in the first half , the Hornets stung the Magic in the third quarter to run away with this one . In fact , they outscored Orlando , 35 - 13 in the third quarter , as the Magic simply could n't recover from that blow . The Charlotte offense was on point , as they shot 55 percent from the field , 95 percent from the free - throw line and 42 percent from three - point range . Rebounding was also a huge factor , as the Hornets won that battle , 46 - 34 . Charlotte ( 18 - 14 ) has thrived in the third quarter all season and they rode that momentum once again here . Nicolas Batum continued his fantastic form , as he accumulated 20 points , nine rebounds and eight assists in the win . Kemba Walker led the team in scoring , as he accrued 21 points , three rebounds and five assists . Ramon Sessions and Jeremy Lamb combined for 27 points and seven rebounds off the bench . On deck for the Hornets is a home matchup against the Miami Heat on Thursday . Orlando ( 15 - 19 ) have really struggled at home this season and this tough defeat adds to those deficiencies . Serge Ibaka was the Magic 's best player , as he tallied 20 points , seven rebounds and three assists . The issue with that line is the fact that he went scoreless in the second half , going 0 - for - 4 from the field . The other four starters really struggled , as they combined for 25 points , nine rebounds and six assists . Nikola Vucevic led the team in scoring , as he provided 21 points , six rebounds and four assists on 10 - of - 13 shooting off the bench . Orlando will be off until Sunday , when they play the Indiana Pacers on the road for their next game .

The Hornets have one of the best plus - minus marks in the NBA in the third quarter and this performance only adds to that impressive tally . In fact , Charlotte won the third quarter , 35 - 13 , en route to a 19 - point win . Rebounding was the biggest difference for Charlotte , as they won that battle , 46 - 34 . In addition , they shot 55 percent from the field and 95 percent from the free - throw line . Serge Ibaka was the only Orlando starter to play well , as he scored all of his 20 points in the first half . Nikola Vucevic led the Magic in scoring , as he dropped 21 points on 10 - of - 13 shooting . Nicolas Batum was the catalyst for Charlotte , as he accumulated 20 points , nine rebounds and eight assists . Kemba Walker led the Hornets in scoring , collecting 21 points , five rebounds and three assists of his own .