Lakers Loss Doesn't Faze Magic, Who March Forward to Pacers

The Orlando Magic's roller coaster season continues after a 105-104 loss against the Los Angeles Lakers inside the Kia Center.

The Magic had multiple chances to close out a victory during the game, but they couldn't put away the Lakers, who had Luke Kennard hit a go-ahead three-pointer just before the buzzer to beat the Magic. After winning a season-high seven games in a row, the Magic have now dropped four straight. It's been a demoralizing week for the team, but they aren't letting the losing affect them negatively.

“I don’t think it’s affecting us. That’s just the NBA. You know, it’s tough to win in this league. We went on our run. Now we’re on a losing streak right now. We’ve just got to lock back in and get the next one," Jevon Carter said postgame.

Magic Losing Streak Hurts Playoff Chances

Orlando Magic forward Paolo Banchero drives to the basket past Los Angeles Lakers guard Luka Doncic. | Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images

Going into the game against the Lakers, the Magic were in sixth place in the Eastern Conference standings. Following the loss, they are now in eighth place. Wins from the Atlanta Hawks over the Golden State Warriors and Philadelphia 76ers against the Utah Jazz pushed the Magic down to No. 8 in the Eastern Conference standings.

The margins are very tight in the East this year, with 5th and 10th place being separated by just three games.

Because everything can change on any given night in either direction, the Magic cannot dwell too much on the loss against the Lakers. They have to move forward because they could have a chance to slingshot right back up with a strong win in their next game.

“Figure out how to win. I mean, it’s simple words but that's all it is. That’s all it’s about right now. Get as many wins as possible. So, a night like tonight happens. You know, it’s a tough one, game winner, but we move on. We learn from it," Wendell Carter Jr. said postgame.

"We’ll look at it tomorrow as a team. I’m sure guys are going to look at it tonight and see what we could’ve done better. Not just even on the last play but just throughout the game, what all could have been done better. But at the end of the day, what is it, 12 (games) now left? We’ve got to just make the most out of every single game moving forward."

During the four-game losing streak, the Magic have played some really hot teams. The Hawks won their 10th game in a row when they beat them in Atlanta earlier this week, the Thunder also picked up their 10th straight win when they beat the Magic in Orlando. The Charlotte Hornets picked up their tenth win in 13 games in their meeting at the Spectrum Center earlier in the week, and now the Lakers have won nine in a row thanks to their victory in stunning fashion.

Perhaps the Magic will have some better luck when they play the Indiana Pacers in their next game, as they have lost their last 16 in a row. Tipoff is scheduled for 7 p.m. ET tomorrow. Fans can watch the game on FanDuel Sports Network or stream it on NBA League Pass.