LeBron James breaks NBA mark for games played, Luke Kennard makes winning 3 in Lakers win vs Magic
At A Glance
- ORLANDO, Fla. (AP) — LeBron James set the NBA record by playing in his 1,612th regular-season game and Luke Kennard made a 3-pointer with 0.6 seconds left to send the Los Angeles Lakers to a 105-104 comeback victory over the Orlando Magic on Saturday night, March 21.
ORLANDO, Fla. (AP) — LeBron James set the NBA record by playing in his 1,612th regular-season game and Luke Kennard made a 3-pointer with 0.6 seconds left to send the Los Angeles Lakers to a 105-104 comeback victory over the Orlando Magic on Saturday night, March 21.
Luka Doncic scored 33 points in the Lakers' ninth straight win, but was called for his 16th technical foul — an automatic one-game suspension by the league if it's not rescinded.
James had 12 points, six rebounds, four assists and three steals on his record-breaking night, passing the mark Robert Parish held for nearly 30 years.
Paolo Banchero, who led seven Magic players in double figures with 16 points, blocked a shot by James out of bounds with 4.7 seconds left. After a replay review, it was determined that the ball had not caromed off James' foot out of bounds — and Los Angeles maintained possession. That set up Marcus Smart's pass to Kennard for the winning shot.
Austin Reaves had 26 points for the Lakers.
James scored six straight points midway through the the third quarter to help Los Angeles take an eight-point lead, but Orlando led by five going into the final minute. It was the Magic's fourth straight loss.
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander scored 40 points and the Oklahoma Thunder pulled away in the fourth quarter to beat the Washington Wizards 132-111 for their 11th straight win, a game during which four players were ejected following a scuffle in the first half.
Gilgeous-Alexander extended his NBA record of 63 consecutive road games with at least 20 points.
Oklahoma’s Jaylin Williams and Washington’s Justin Champagnie began shoving each other after a basket by the Wizards with 27 seconds left in the second quarter. Several players joined in and the scrum spilled into the stands behind the basket.
In addition to Williams and Champagnie, Ajay Mitchell and Cason Wallace of the Thunder each received a technical foul and were ejected.
Despite losing three players, the Thunder were able to send the Wizards to their season-worst 15th straight loss.
Isaiah Hartenstein had 20 rebounds, 10 assists and 9 points for Oklahoma City. Chet Holmgren had 18 points and 10 rebounds and Jared McCain added 18 points.
Bilal Coulibaly scored 21 points and Bub Carrington added 19 for the Wizards, who are one game from matching a franchise-worst skid of 16 consecutive losses, which happened most recently in March 2024.