Several days after narrowly winning against the Orlando Magic on their home court, the Los Angeles Lakers failed to secure a victory during Saturday night’s game. Despite LeBron James, a 4x NBA champion, making clutch plays in the previous two games, the Lakers couldn’t avoid a humiliating defeat. Paolo Banchero and the Orlando Magic claimed their fourth win of the season with a substantial 19-point lead.

Owing to that, last year’s Rookie of the of Year paid tribute to his teammate. He singled out the 19-year-old for his exceptional performance against King James and company.

Paolo Banchero praises rookie teammate for fearlessly stopping LeBron James and the Lakers

In a post-game interview, Banchero hailed rookie Anthony Black for being successfully able to stop the Lakers. This game marked their second match-up against King James. Despite losing their first encounter, Magic held their own, this time around at Amway Center.

“These guys are ready. You could see it every day. I mean, (shoot) I’m looking right now,” said Banchero. He further added, “I mean, (shoot) I’m looking right now. Plus 32 for (Anthony Black) right here. That’s crazy. Plus 32 is nuts.” The Orlando Magic began the game with a rapid 14-point advantage and maintained pressure on the Lakers’ offense. Crucially, their lead grew to 25 points, stifling the Los Angeles team. Despite a comeback effort that reduced the lead by some points, it was already too late for the Lakers to stage a turnaround.

However, a number of key players were out for the Lakers during the game yesterday. Rui Hachimura, Gabe Vincent, and Jared Vanderbilt were among the ones listed for the game. This resulted in a weak showing from the Lakers’ second unit, ultimately contributing to their loss.

The poor performance of the Lakers’ second unit

Gabe Vincent’s absence in the latest game had a significant impact on the team. The bench players could not contribute much, adding to the miseries of the Lakers. The team also struggled with turnovers, committing 17 which the Magic gleefully converted into 22 points.

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D’Angelo Russell didn’t perform as well as in the previous game, where he scored 12 points in the last quarter with a perfect 3-point and free throw record. In this game, he had a poor shooting record. Thus, with their second unit looking shaky, do you think Lakers will win their upcoming matchups?

Let us know your thoughts in the comments below.

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