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Orlando Magic Grades: Los Angeles Lakers 108, Orlando Magic 107

By Philip Rossman-Reich

LOS ANGELES, CA - MARCH 7: Kyle Kuzma #0 of the Los Angeles Lakers fights for position against Nikola Vucevic #9 of the Orlando Magic at STAPLES Center on March 7, 2017 in Los Angeles, California. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2017 NBAE (Photo by Andrew D. Bernstein/NBAE via Getty Images)
LOS ANGELES, CA - MARCH 7: Kyle Kuzma #0 of the Los Angeles Lakers fights for position against Nikola Vucevic #9 of the Orlando Magic at STAPLES Center on March 7, 2017 in Los Angeles, California. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2017 NBAE (Photo by Andrew D. Bernstein/NBAE via Getty Images) /
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The Orlando Magic were two free throws short of a comeback against the Los Angeles Lakers. Their frustration was directed on a controversial call.

The Orlando Magic were steaming as the clock ticked to zero. Actually, it was because it ticked to zero that they were steaming.

With 0.6 seconds left, Orlando had an inbound and a chance to win the game. But the officials started the clock early and every precious tenth of a second was gone before Aaron Gordon could even get a chance at the ball.

The breakneck comeback the Magic needed to take the lead was going up in smoke. Their effort and energy to turn what seemed like a disappointing effort into a potential defining win. The kind of win that teams have taken from the Magic for years from impossible deficits.

It did not matter. The Magic could point to their own miscues and mistakes — not the officials — for their 108-107 loss to the Los Angeles Lakers at Staples Center on Wednesday.

The team went on an incredible 12-2 run to erase a seven-point lead with 94 seconds to play.

Shelvin Mack hit a couple 3-pointers, Jonathon Simmons drove aggressively and got to the basket at will. All the while, the defense did its job to keep the Lakers from finishing the game. Los Angeles looked unable to shake Orlando free.

Aaron Gordon gave the Magic the stunning lead by corralling a long rebound off a Lonzo Ball missed 3-pointer and driving coast to coast to finish through traffic at the rim. He dominated the game for both good and bad reasons throughout. But he keyed the charge and gave the Magic the chance to win with five seconds left.

Orlando could not get that last stop they needed to steal the win.

The Lakers inbounded the ball directly to Brook Lopez. He drove on Nikola Vucevic and got Vucevic to reach, drawing a foul as Vucevic challenged a shot from behind. Lopez made both free throws to give the Lakers the lead with 0.6 left.

From there, it was up to chance.

Orlando was more than willing to play. The urgency picked up and the Magic were able to take it to the young Lakers team. They did everything they could to come back — with both Evan Fournier and D.J. Augustin sidelined with injuries at the end.

Orlando struggled to corral the Los Angeles bigs all night long. Julius Randle and Brook Lopez feasted inside. And that was at least partly because the guards struggled to keep Lonzo Ball, Isaiah Thomas and Kyle Kuzma in front of them. Orlando lost a 15-point first quarter lead with turnovers and inconsistent play off the bench.

Orlando shot just 11 for 19 from the foul line, including a killer from Jonathon Simmons late in the game.

The Magic gave themselves a chance to win at the end. They had to fight to get there. But there were plenty of moments they can look back to for improvement despite an overall solid game. And they can regret they did not have the ball in their hands to control the win.

Really, that put them in position to get beat on an arcane rule.

B+. Aaron Gordon seemed extremely determined not to have another poor shooting game. If there was a way for a player to respond to a poor offensive game this was it. From the start, Gordon was attacking the basket and getting going in cuts. He did not try to do too much — except for one run when the Lakers built their lead — and played within himself.<p>Gordon finished with 28 points on 11-for-20 shooting. He made four of six 3-pointers. His lone offensive blemish came out the foul line where he made just 2 of 7. Those are points the Magic desperately needed. He added 14 rebounds.</p><p>Aaron Gordon’s poor shot selection in one stretch of the game, though, could be the reason Orlando found itself in such a hole. Tied at 85, Gordon tried too hard to isolate on a smaller defender and failed to read the defense. He had a turnover and took some forced shots as the Lakers went on an 11-0 run to take control of the game. Orlando had to scramble from there.</p>. PF. Orlando Magic. AARON GORDON

<a href=. C. Orlando Magic. NIKOLA VUCEVIC. B-

F. Orlando Magic. JONATHAN ISAAC. B-. For the first time since <a href=

Orlando Magic. JONATHON SIMMONS. B-. Jonathon Simmons runs hot and cold. Sometimes even in the same game. That was the case Wednesday against the Los Angeles Lakers. He was the catalyst for the team in the fourth quarter comeback, attacking Lonzo Ball and getting all the way to the basket. That inner aggression came out of him late and was big for the team.<p>But overall, Simmons was a bit underwhelming. He scored only nine points and made two of his six shots. He kept the ball moving to get seven assists. And he took over the point guard duties late with <a href=. G/F

29-35. 11th West. LOS ANGELES LAKERS. B+. The Los Angeles Lakers lost a double-digit lead in Monday’s loss to the <a href=

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The Orlando Magic continue their road trip in Sacramento against the Sacramento Kings on Friday.