The Los Angeles Clippers held off the Orlando Magic 96-87 on Monday night, fueled by strong performances from Kawhi Leonard and Norman Powell, who each scored 21 points. Ivica Zubac dominated the paint with 18 points and 20 rebounds, while James Harden contributed 20 points and six steals.
Los Angeles overcame a sluggish offensive night but still secured its 11th win in 14 contests. The victory moved the Clippers into a tie for seventh place in the Western Conference with the idle Minnesota Timberwolves, with seven games left in the regular season.
Paolo Banchero led the Magic with 26 points, but he struggled with efficiency, shooting 8-for-24 while committing six turnovers. Franz Wagner added 21 points for Orlando, which fell a game behind Atlanta in the race for the top play-in tournament spot in the East.
The Clippers leaned on their defense and rebounding advantage to take control late. With Orlando trailing 78-75 in the fourth quarter, Banchero had a chance to tie the game but lost the ball on a drive. Powell converted a layup, and Bogdan Bogdanovic followed with a three-pointer to push the lead to eight, sealing the victory.
Zubac’s dominance on the boards played a crucial role in the outcome, as the Clippers outrebounded the Magic 48-32. Despite their offensive struggles, Los Angeles capitalized on Orlando’s mistakes, turning 14 Magic turnovers into 18 points.
Leonard shot just 8-for-22 from the field, missing all six of his three-point attempts, but contributed eight rebounds and two assists. Harden struggled from deep as well, going 1-for-6 from beyond the arc, yet remained impactful with his defensive presence and playmaking.
Banchero, who had been a bright spot for Orlando, saw his offensive woes continue. He made just one of his eight three-point attempts, and his six turnovers proved costly in a low-scoring contest.
Orlando’s supporting cast struggled to step up, with Wendell Carter Jr. managing only nine points and Kentavious Caldwell-Pope adding 11. The Magic shot just 39.5% from the field and 26.9% from deep, failing to find offensive consistency against the Clippers’ disciplined defense.
With the win, Los Angeles improved to 43-32 and strengthened its positioning in the Western Conference standings.
Orlando, now 36-40, will have to regroup quickly to avoid slipping further down the standings as the regular season winds down.
