Exclusive Historical First! James Plays 1612 Games, Kennard's Three-Point Buzzer Beater, Lakers Narrowly Defeat Magic

On March 22 Beijing time, in an NBA regular season game, the Lakers narrowly defeated the Magic 105-104 on the road, extending their winning streak to nine games. In this game, James played his 1612th NBA career game, surpassing Parish (1611 games) to become the sole leader in NBA history for total games played.

Magic: Banchero 16 points 5 rebounds 6 assists 3 steals, Suggs 14 points 6 assists, Carter 13 points 9 rebounds, Jevon Carter 13 points, Bane 12 points 5 assists 3 steals, Silva 12 points, Cain 10 points 5 rebounds; Lakers: Doncic 33 points 5 rebounds 8 assists 4 steals, Reaves 26 points 7 rebounds 5 assists, Kennard 13 points, James 12 points 6 rebounds 4 assists 3 steals, Ayton 9 points 12 rebounds.

In the first quarter, Doncic showed good form, carrying the Lakers' offensive load and scoring 16 points with 4 assists in the quarter, making it difficult for the opponent to adapt. Although James' offensive desire was not strong in the first quarter, shooting only 2 of 3 for 4 points, the Lakers still played well and ended the quarter leading 37-30.

In the second quarter, Doncic continued to perform steadily with 8 points, and Reaves also contributed 6 points, both delivering commendable performances. However, with James attempting only one shot and missing it in this quarter, the Lakers did not see the trio collectively shine as before. The Magic, despite lacking superstar presence, played very rationally and with strong teamwork, unleashing a 35-25 run in the quarter. By halftime, the Magic had reversed the score to lead 65-62.

In the third quarter, Doncic actively attacked the basket but unfortunately had a cold shooting hand, making only 1 of 9 shots and scoring 7 points via free throws; fortunately, James finally began to provide firepower for the team, scoring 6 points in the quarter, which prevented the deficit from widening further. During this quarter, Doncic became heated and received a technical foul for arguing with Bitadze on the court. At the end of the quarter, the Magic led 87-82.

In the final quarter, Hayes and Reaves repeatedly attacked the basket. After Reaves' long-range shot went in, the Lakers surged ahead to lead 95-94. However, the Magic intensified their inside offense and reversed the score to lead 104-102. Then, James' crucial steal touched Banchero and went out of bounds; the Magic challenged the call, but ultimately failed, and the Lakers retained possession. James' layup was blocked by Banchero, but the Lakers still had the ball. Kennard's open three-pointer gave the Lakers a 105-104 lead, and the Lakers narrowly secured the victory.

Starting Lineups

Lakers: James, Smart, Ayton, Reaves, Doncic

Magic: Silva, Banchero, Carter, Bane, Suggs