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FILE – Paolo Banchero #5 and Markelle Fultz #20 of the Orlando Magic celebrate against the Chicago Bulls during the second round at the United Center on February 13, 2023 in Chicago, Illinois. Michael Reaves/Getty Images/AFP
Wendell Carter Jr. scored 27 points and grabbed 12 rebounds, Markelle Fultz added a team-high 28 points and the Orlando Magic dominated the fourth quarter in a 113-108 loss to the host Los Angeles Clippers on Saturday.
Orlando (29-42) comes after losing five of the last six, while the Clippers have a four-game winning streak. After sputtering through the third quarter 17-points in which Los Angeles surged ahead for an eight-point lead, Magic seems headed for the third straight loss.
However, a 39-26 quarter overturned the contest. Orlando shot 15 of 25 in the period, including knocking down four 3-pointers to Los Angeles’ only one in the final 12 minutes.
Carter shot 5 of 7 in the final period and Fultz made all four of his field goal attempts in the final quarter. Fultz effectively put the game away in the final 29 seconds with a layup to extend the Magic’s lead to five points, 111-106, then made a pair of free throws to close it out.
Markelle Fultz and Wendell Carter Jr. perform at Magic W 💪
Fultz:
28 PTS (career high), 6 REB, 4 AST, 4 STLCarter Jr:
27 PTS, 12 WEB, 3 STL, 4 3PM pic.twitter.com/qqugq29GbX— NBA (@NBA) March 18, 2023
Franz Wagner added 20 points in the win, while Cole Anthony came off the bench to score 18 points and grab eight rebounds.
Los Angeles (37-34) played without Kawhi Leonard for the first time since their last loss, a March 3 loss at Sacramento. Leonard had scored 30-plus points in three of the Clippers’ four straight wins before Saturday’s loss but sat out against Orlando with a right knee injury.
Paul George picked up the slack, scoring a game-high 30 points. Ivica Zubac added 16 points and 16 rebounds, while Russell Westbrook provided 14 points and nine assists.
However, one game removed from going without a turnover, Westbrook committed six of Los Angeles’ 15 giveaways in Saturday’s loss.
The Clippers made as many field goals as the Magic, going 42 of 90 to Orlando’s 42 of 84, but a poor 6-of-22 shooting performance from 3-point range compared to 10 of 31 for the visitors made the difference.
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