Desmond Bane delivered 36 points to lift the Orlando Magic to a 111-109 win over the Los Angeles Clippers on Sunday night at Intuit Dome in Inglewood, California.
The guard shot 13-of-19 from the field and 4-of-6 from 3-point range, carrying the offense in a game that featured 16 lead changes and tight execution in the final minutes.
Paolo Banchero added 16 points and eight assists, including a decisive fast-break dunk with 40 seconds remaining that pushed Orlando ahead by four.
Wendell Carter Jr. controlled the interior with 15 points and 14 rebounds, while Tristan da Silva contributed 13 points as the Magic improved to 5-2 since Feb. 5.
Orlando prevailed despite shooting 8-of-23 from beyond the arc, two games after setting a franchise record with 27 made 3-pointers in a win at Sacramento.
Kawhi Leonard led Los Angeles with 37 points on 14-of-25 shooting, overcoming an ankle sprain that forced him out of Friday’s loss to the Lakers.
Bennedict Mathurin added 21 points and nine rebounds off the bench in his fifth appearance with the Clippers since arriving at the trade deadline.
The contest remained within one possession for most of the fourth quarter. Leonard gave the home team a 107-105 edge with 3:03 left on a jumper from the top of the key.
Bane answered with a pull-up jumper to tie the score, then attacked the rim for a layup with 1:28 remaining to give Orlando a 109-107 lead.
After four consecutive misses by Los Angeles, Banchero finished in transition to make it 111-107 with 40 seconds to play.
Bane attempted to extend the margin in the closing seconds but had his shot blocked inside by rookie Yanic Konan Niederhauser.
Mathurin pushed the ball up the floor and launched a 25-foot attempt at the buzzer, which rimmed out as time expired.
Both teams shot 40-of-83 from the field, but the Magic converted 23-of-31 free throws compared to 24-of-28 for the Clippers.
Orlando, now 29-26 and eighth in the Eastern Conference, continues its road trip Tuesday against the Lakers.
Los Angeles dropped to 27-29 and sits ninth in the Western Conference, with a home matchup against Minnesota scheduled for Thursday.
