Desmond Bane delivered a critical performance to lead the Orlando Magic to a 111-109 victory over the Los Angeles Clippers on Sunday night at Intuit Dome. Coming off a tough double-overtime loss the previous night in Phoenix, Bane scored 36 points and made the go-ahead layup to help the Magic secure the win in their 56th game of the season.
Last season with the Memphis Grizzlies, Bane experienced the frustration that comes with narrow, emotionally taxing losses, as his former team lost three consecutive games by fewer than two points. Determined to prevent a similar setback with Orlando, Bane’s resilience fueled the Magic in a tight contest where every point mattered.
Bane’s consistent scoring lifts the Magic
Bane’s strong showing marked his second straight game scoring over 30 points, his third in the last four games, and ninth of the season overall. With his ongoing scoring contributions, Orlando has improved to 7-2 in games when Bane reaches the 30-point mark. This milestone also made him just the 10th player in franchise history to achieve nine 30-point games in a single season.
His efficiency was notable across all scoring zones, making 4 of 6 attempts from three-point range, 7 of 10 in the paint, 2 of 3 mid-range shots, and converting 6 of 10 free throws. Along with 36 points, Bane recorded five rebounds, two steals, and an assist during his 32 minutes on the floor.
Team effort highlighted by veteran praise
Magic center Wendell Carter Jr. praised Bane’s professional approach and steady progress this season.
“He reminds me of a lot of older guys in this league,”
Carter said.
“Guys who have established themselves and have a mindset of, he’s going to play his game no matter what. His process is going to remain the same. Early on (in the season), he was struggling a little bit but one thing about it, he stuck to what he knows he’s good at.”
“And now we’re seeing the benefits of what trading for a guy like that does,”
Carter continued.
“His continued elevation just shows he’s one of the best in this league in terms of his position, shooting the 3-ball, getting downhill, facilitating, playmaking … He’s exactly what we need.”
The Magic needed every point from Bane to hold off the Clippers, who nearly claimed victory at the buzzer. Unlike Saturday’s game when Clippers guard Jalen Green made a game-winning three-pointer, Los Angeles’ Bennedict Mathurin missed a potential game-winning shot at the final buzzer.
Orlando strengthens record in close contests and back-to-backs
Orlando’s win improved their record to 9-3 in games decided by three points or fewer, tying them for the NBA’s best mark in such tight finishes entering Monday’s schedule. The team also bounced back strongly in the second game of back-to-back matchups, moving from 1-7 to 6-2 in that scenario this season.
Head coach Jamahl Mosley acknowledged areas for growth despite the encouraging signs.
“We’ve got a lot to learn,”
Mosley said, citing the team’s performance in rebounding and finishing possessions as critical factors.
“You talk about giving up 22 offensive rebounds (Saturday) night, (Sunday night) they had nine. (Our) ability to finish the possessions out, that’s the difference in the game.”
“Obviously, Mathurin had a shot at the end similar to (Sunday) night, so our ability to continue to grow and learn from that is going to be key,”
Mosley added.
“We’ll sit down and watch these end-of-game scenarios because we’re going to be in a lot of these, and our guys, we’ve got to keep learning how we continue to improve in these scenarios.”
Key players missing but Magic maintain momentum
The Magic secured this vital road win despite missing key contributors Jalen Suggs (back spasms) and Franz Wagner (left high ankle sprain injury management) for their second consecutive game. With a 30-26 record, Orlando remained just half a game behind the No. 6 seed Philadelphia 76ers (31-26) and held a slim advantage over the No. 8 Miami Heat (31-27) as the regular season approaches its final third.
Upcoming challenge against the Lakers
Orlando heads into their last road game of a four-game Western trip set to face the Los Angeles Lakers on Tuesday night at Crypto.com Arena. The Lakers, currently 34-22 on the season, are 2-3 in their last five outings but have performed solidly at home with a 16-11 record.
Positive outlook from Magic leaders as season progresses
Bane and Mosley both expressed confidence in the team’s progress with 26 games remaining in the season.
“We’re trending in the right direction, we’re playing better basketball, playing together (and) playing physical, getting back to a little bit of our defensive identity,”
Bane said.
Soon, J-Suggs will be back in the fold, (and) we’ll be able to get (Franz) back in the fold. So, I like the way that we’re trending.”
Coach Mosley echoed that sentiment, describing the recent performances as foundational.
“This is a building block for our guys.”
