WENDELL Carter Jr. scored on a go-ahead putback with 6.7 seconds remaining to lift the Orlando Magic to a 110-109 victory over the Los Angeles Lakers on Tuesday night (Wednesday, Feb. 25, 2026, PH time).
According to the Associated Press, the win capped a successful West Coast trip for the Magic, who were led by the dominant 36-point performace from Paolo Banchero.
LeBron James had a chance to win the game for Los Angeles, but his fallaway three-point attempt missed the mark as time expired. The defeat left the Lakers with a 4-4 record on their recent homestand and pushed them into sixth place in the Western Conference.
Desmond Bane scored 22 points, while Carter added 20 points and 12 rebounds for Orlando, which has won six of its last eight games. The Magic took three of four on the road after the break, including their fourth straight win over the Lakers, moving them within a half-game of sixth place in the Eastern Conference.
Orlando rallied from an early double-digit deficit and grabbed a five-point lead with 5 1/2 minutes left. Rui Hachimura hit a tiebreaking three-pointer with 2:14 remaining to put the Lakers ahead. Bane responded with a go-ahead triple with 34.6 seconds left, but Luka Doncic found James for a dunk to regain the lead.
After Carter scored on Orlando’s second offensive rebound of its final possession, Doncic got the ball to James for one last attempt, but the shot fell short.
Doncic finished with 22 points and 15 assists, while James and Deandre Ayton scored 21 points each for Los Angeles. Austin Reaves had all 18 of his points in the second half.
Turnovers by the Lakers and Orlando’s struggles from three-point range kept the contest tight through three quarters.
Timberwolves 124, Trail Blazers 121
Anthony Edwards scored 34 points, including five three-pointers to lead the Minnesota Timberwolves past the Portland Trail Blazers, 124-121, for their fourth win in five games.
Jaden McDaniels added 27 points, six rebounds, three assists, two steals, and five blocks. Donte DiVincenzo chipped in 19 points with five three-pointers, and Julius Randle had 13 points, seven rebounds, and six assists. Rudy Gobert scored 10 points but grabbed 19 rebounds and anchored Minnesota’s defense.
Jrue Holiday led Portland with 22 points, while Jerami Grant had 18. Donovan Clingan added 11 points and 15 rebounds, and Scoot Henderson finished with 19 points, six rebounds and five assists off the bench.
The game featured 15 lead changes in a physical back-and-forth battle, but Minnesota’s 17-of-35 shooting from beyond the arc proved decisive. Portland went 14 of 35 from deep.
Pelicans 113, Warriors 109
Zion Williamson scored 26 points and Dejounte Murray added 13 in his first game in nearly 13 months as the New Orleans Pelicans beat the short-handed Golden State Warriors, 113-109.
Saddiq Bey scored 18 points, including a spinning reverse layup while being fouled that gave New Orleans a 107-101 lead with 1:47 left. Former Warriors guard Jordan Poole contributed 12 points as the Pelicans won their second straight and fourth in six games.
The Warriors, playing without Stephen Curry, Kristaps Porzingis, and Al Horford, were led by De’Anthony Melton, who scored a season-high 28 points. Moses Moody added 24 points.
Elsewhere, Philadelphia defeated Indiana 135-114, Dallas beat Brooklyn 123-114, Oklahoma City topped Toronto 116-107, Atlanta routed Washington 119-98, Cleveland downed New York 109-94, Charlotte crushed Chicago 131-99, Milwaukee beat Miami 128-117, and Boston won 97-81 at Phoenix. / LBG