Clippers Beat Magic in Playoff-Like Defensive Slugfest, 96-87

The Orlando Magic and LA Clippers — the NBA's second- and third-ranked defenses — played four quarters Monday night that resembled a playoff atmosphere. The Clippers prevailed, 96-87.

Orlando Magic forward Franz Wagner (22) shoots against LA Clippers center Ivica Zubac (40) during the first quarter at Kia Center. | Mike Watters-Imagn Images

ORLANDO, Fla. –– Before tipoff Monday night between the Orlando Magic and Los Angeles Clippers, coaches Jamahl Mosley and Ty Lue each said every remaining contest would be treated like it was in the postseason.

The 48 minutes that followed lived up to that billing.

In a low-scoring, physical fight with 15 lead changes, the Clippers pulled away in the fourth quarter and earned a 96-87 victory.

"That was a playoff game," Mosley said after the loss. "The physicality ... the small things, tiny, little things matter in these games, because what turns out to be a four-point differential in the game feels like 10 because of the amount of possessions that are being had."

Orlando surrendered 11 offensive rebounds and conceded 19 points off 16 turnovers. While shotmaking was sparse for both teams all night, LA had timely, deflating buckets that made the difference.

"Those little moments are, in a two- or three-possession game, those are ones you cannot get back," Mosley said.

With the loss, which wrapped a three-game homestand, the Magic fell to 36-40 on the first night of a back-to-back.

They trail the Atlanta Hawks, who have two games in hand, by a full game for the No. 7 seed with six games to play.

Paolo Banchero, the freshly crowned Eastern Conference Player of the Week, led the Magic with 26 points — Banchero's 17th straight game of 20-plus points dating to Feb. 25.

In Magic history, only Tracy McGrady and Shaquille O'Neal have also accomplished the same feat.

Franz Wagner (21) notched his eighth straight game of 20-plus points. He and Banchero joined O'Neal and Anfernee "Penny" Hardaway as the only other set of Magic teammates to each score 20-plus in eight straight games.

Monday's bout featured the NBA's second- and third-ranked defenses and offense didn't come easily.

Orlando shot 39 percent from the field and 7-of-27 from three. LA's 43.9 percent from the field and 8-for-31 three-point accuracy weren't much better.

"They're kind of like us, honestly," Wagner said. "They want to blow a lot of stuff up, and they're really physical. I think in key moments today, they made some key shots but also got some offensive rebounds, stuff like that. I think that hurt us a lot."

Neither team's stars were efficient. Banchero went 8-for-24 from the field and had six turnovers. Wagner shot 8-for-19. They combined to go 2-of-15 from three. The Magic were held under 20 points in both the second and third quarters, including a stretch of eight-plus minutes in the second quarter where the Magic scored just three points on 1-of-12 shooting.

"They are really disciplined," Banchero said of the Clippers' defense. "I think they do a good job of shrinking the floor, making it hard for your better players to do the things they want to do, and they're good at trying to make others beat them."

Only Kentavious Caldwell-Pope (11 points) and Cory Joseph (10) finished in double figures alongside Orlando's two stars.

For the Clippers, Kawhi Leonard (21 points) and James Harden (20) were a combined 16-for-41.

But, an 18-point, 20-rebound double-double from Ivica Zubac and 21 points from Norman Powell helped on a night when both teams got little scoring from their reserves.

"It's a lesson we have to learn, and you have to go through this type of game against a playoff-type team ... to understand exactly the value of each possession of the game."

Up Next

The Magic travel to meet the San Antonio Spurs on the second night of a back-to-back on Tuesday, April 1, at 8 p.m.

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