LOS ANGELES — Dennis Schröder scored 24 points, Kyle Kuzma added 21 and the Los Angeles Lakers rallied in the fourth quarter to defeat the Orlando Magic 96-93 Sunday night.
Montrezl Harrell added 18 for Los Angeles, which has won two in a row without LeBron James and Anthony Davis. However, the Lakers had a tough time trying to shake the Eastern Conference’s second-worst team.
Orlando’s Otto Porter Jr. had a clean look at a 3-pointer to send it to overtime, but the shot hit the rim.
Orlando had a 82-77 lead with 7:19 remaining after R.J. Hampton drilled a 3-pointer. The Lakers trailed 84-80 midway through the fourth quarter before going on a 12-1 run to seize control as Schröder and Kuzma each had five points.
Los Angeles had a seven-point lead with under three minutes remaining, but the Magic got within three going to the final possession.
Dwayne Bacon led the Magic with 26 points and Chuma Okeke scored 14. Orlando has dropped 13 of 15.
There were nine lead changes and three ties during the first 13 minutes before the Lakers went on a 17-3 run to go up 39-26 with under three minutes remaining in the second quarter. The Magic rallied to get it down to a five-point deficit at halftime (44-39) as Bacon had seven points down the stretch.
Markieff Morris’ 3-pointer gave the Lakers a 61-53 lead before Orlando scored eight straight to tie it at 61 with 2:12 remaining in the third quarter. There were three more ties in the quarter as it was 69-all going into the final 12 minutes.
MAGIC DEBUTS
Wendell Carter Jr., Hampton, and Porter played their first games for Orlando after being acquired in trades Thursday after the Magic traded five players — including their top three scorers — in three separate deals.
All three ended up coming off the bench. Hampton had 10 points in 17 minutes, while Carter scored eight points in 20 minutes. Porter had five points in 25 minutes, including a long 3-pointer at the end of the third quarter to tie it at 69.
TIP INS
Magic: G Michael Carter-Williams suffered a right knee contusion during the second quarter and did not return. He was scoreless in 13 minutes. … G Terrence Ross missed his seventh straight game due to a sore right knee.
Lakers: Announced before the game they signed C Andre Drummond.
UP NEXT
Magic: Remain in Southern California to face the LA Clippers on Tuesday.
Lakers: Host the Milwaukee Bucks on Wednesday. The Lakers won the first meeting 113-106 on Jan. 21.
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