The Los Angeles Clippers led visiting Orlando by as many as 16 points and were up by seven with 2:39 to play, but the inspired Magic rallied for a 103-96 win Tuesday.
The Magic, who traded away three of their top players last week, never led in the game until Wendell Carter Jr.’s tip-in with 1:10 to play. The put-back was part of an 11-0 run that gave Orlando a 97-93 lead with 53.7 seconds left.
Chuma Okeke paced the Magic with 18 points. Terrence Ross, back from a seven-game absence caused by a knee injury, finished with 15 points in 26 minutes.
Kawhi Leonard scored 28 points to lead Los Angeles, which was without Paul George (foot), Marcus Morris Sr. (calf), Patrick Beverley (knee), Serge Ibaka (back) and newly acquired Rajon Rondo (groin).
Denver Nuggets 104 – Philadelphia 76ers 95
Jamal Murray scored 30 points, Michael Porter Jr. had 27 points and 12 rebounds, and host Denver beat Philadelphia.
Nikola Jokic finished with 21 points and 10 rebounds for the Nuggets. Denver scored 44 points in the first quarter, a season high for the period, and never trailed in winning its third straight.
Tyrese Maxey had 13 points, Tobias Harris added 12, Ben Simmons scored 11 and Dwight Howard and Shake Milton finished with 10 each for Philadelphia. The 76ers have lost two in a row after a 10-1 stretch.
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Phoenix Suns 117 – Atlanta Hawks 110
Jae Crowder’s four-point play with 23.4 seconds remaining helped Phoenix repel visiting Atlanta’s second-half comeback bid. Crowder scored 19 points and made five 3-pointers to prevent the Suns from blowing a 16-point advantage.
The Suns have won three straight and six of their past seven games. The Hawks have lost two straight and four of their past five.
Devin Booker led Phoenix with 21 points, and Dario Saric came off the bench to score 20 points. Deandre Ayton had 13 points and 14 rebounds. Atlanta was led by Bogdan Bogdanovic with 22 points and Trae Young with 19 points and 13 assists. Clint Capela had 16 points and 16 rebounds.
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Charlotte Hornets 114 – Washington Wizards 104
Terry Rozier racked up 27 points and Gordon Hayward poured in 26 points as Charlotte began a stretch of six straight road games by defeating Washington.
Devonte’ Graham added 17 points and Cody Zeller, coming off the bench, provided 16 points and 13 rebounds as the Hornets won for the fourth time in their last five games.
Wizards guard Russell Westbrook had another triple-double: 22 points, 15 assists and 15 rebounds. Rui Hachimura poured in 30 points on 12-for-25 shooting for Washington, which was denied its first three-game winning streak in more than a month.
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–Field Level Media