How Lakers' Last Play uses LeBron and Luka to beat the Magic

The Lakers break the Magic’s heart with the game-winning shot just seconds before the buzzer.

Luke Kennard, one of the best catch-and-shoot 3pt shooters in the league, was left wide open for a catch-and-shoot three.

You might be asking yourself, 'how does a defense let a 48% 3pt shooter in C&S situations find himself open in C&S situation?'

A handful of things would have to go wrong; and, well, they all did.

Looks like the switch D tripped up Orlando on last play

LeBron pushes Paolo out of position,
with Lakers probably expecting switch, forcing confusion at top of key with 3 decoy 20+ppg scorers, only for play to go to 4th option, a money C&S 3pt threat

Good play call by JJ Redick https://t.co/JM6Uewv4XP
— Ryan Kaminski NBA (@beyondtheRK) March 22, 2026

Redick's play call beats the Magic's switching defense

Redick calls play — Mar 16, 2026; Houston, Texas, USA; Los Angeles Lakers head coach JJ Redick reacts during a play in the third quarter against the Houston Rockets at Toyota Center. Mandatory Credit: Troy Taormina-Imagn Images | Troy Taormina-Imagn Images

Perhaps knowing that the Magic were switching on defense, Lakers head coach JJ Redick called up a play to take advantage of the situation.

Redick later credited Lakers Assistant Coach Greg St. Jean for drawing up the game-winning set.

With three 20+ points per game scores on the court at once, the Lakers have a multitude of options they can go to for clutch shot taking duties at the end of the game.

Then, when you add a knockdown three-point shooter to the court for the last shot, a player who literally makes half of his off-ball 3pt shot, suddenly those big-time clutch scoring threats double as decoys against the defense.

The play before, LeBron was able to break free rolling to the rim in an ATO where he ended up blocked by Paolo Banchero; the refs gave the 50-50 call and ball back to the Lakers.

Maybe that downhill gravity of LeBron‘s was fresh on the Magic‘s mind, maybe Redick knew using that aspect as a decoy could sort of have the effect of running play-action after building the run in football, after seeing up close what LeBron running down the middle can do.

The play works against switching defenses because it forces multiple switches at once, confusing everyone involved.

By swarming four Lakers at once at the top of the key, the Magic defenders are left scrambling trying to pick up their new responsibility that changes with every switch and screen.

In this set, Reeves breaks free towards the ball before Jalen Suggs piledrives him, neutralizing that threat immediately.

The real confusion comes next, though, as Kennard is preparing to run around to screens, forcing switches from multiple defenders.

As LeBron sets the hard pick knowing he needs to break free to the rim, James breaks out the swim move over Banchero, slowing up Paolo’s recovery time for the switch just enough to leave Kennard wide open for the game winning jumper.

It seems like it was Banchero’s responsibility on that switch out onto the three, being thrown off half a step from the LeBron push off didn’t help, but who switches which screens in situations like these should be communicated ahead of time, and probably was, the Lakers just executed.

The Magic's plan was to switch; they were just too late.

JJ Redick's set took advantage of the switching defense and the players executed it with three decoys running in different directions as the fourth option and surefire open three-point shooter splashes the go ahead three-point shot.

If LeBron being a threat at the rim in the same game he passed Robert Parish for all-time games played doesn't underline his athletic gifts, what does?

We now have some conflicting reports; JJ says the play was for LeBron, Luke says the stars were decoys for him:

It was a decoy for the most part.

Set a screen, and then spaced out.

And then once two guys wen with LeBron, I knew I was wide open.

Smart made a good play, and I was able to knock it down.
Luke Kennard on final play

“It was a decoy for the most part set a screen. And then spaced out. And then once two guys went with Lebron, I knew I was wide open, Smart made a good play. And I was able to knock it down.”

Luke Kennard on the game winner pic.twitter.com/7U0HLcErID
— 𝐏𝐮𝐫𝐩𝑮𝒐𝒍𝒅 🏆 (@PurpGolded) March 22, 2026

"That’s a money shot for him," Redick said about his 3pt marksmen.

On the options for the final play, Redick says the play was to look for LeBron first, with Kennard as pretty killer knockdown third or even fourth option:

We were looking at LeBron sort of as a first option at the slip, maybe Luka coming off the double if they messed up.

LeBron did a great job drawing two for Smart.

(Smart) makes the first baseline out of bounds play, makes the right pass, perfect on the money to Lebron; and, then, on the baseline you have to go through your checkdowns, he recognizes that Luke was wide open.

As soon as he caught it and released it, we knew it was in; we all had that perfect angle.
JJ Redick

Maybe the defense dictated L.A.'s ATO; maybe Redick gives his team multiple options in that set, knowing a scrambling switching defense should leave someone open – Luka or Reaves swinging around right, Kennard curling up to the top of the key, LeBron cutting to the rack.

As Banchero stumbled to recover after the swim move from LeBron left him a half a step behind, that was all the space Kennard needed to break free for three – cash money, ball game.

With the win, the Lakers are on a nine-game winning streak, as the Magic falter to four losses in a row against highly competitive squads.

Orlando's played tough against playoff opponents as of late, but four losses after a seven-game winning streak still doesn't feel good.

Continuing to build communication in late-game situations will be key for the Magic in big games going forward.