ORLANDO, Dec. 8 (US): Rookie Pablo Panchero scored 10 of his 23 points in overtime as the Orlando Magic ended a nine-game losing streak with a 116-111 win over the Los Angeles Clippers on Wednesday night.
Panchero, the best overall pick in the NBA draft, made all six of his free throws in the final seven seconds of overtime, mustering magic from a 111-110 deficit, the Associated Press reports.
“I think the ball just found me later in the game. I think I was aggressive the whole game, but I was just letting it come to me. I was going to take my chances when they came,” the 20-year-old said of Panchero. “I don’t really go in the lane thinking I’m trying to get fouled. I’m just trying to score.”
The Clippers never shot in the final seconds due to two turnovers, one of which was a five-second violation in which they were unable to enter the ball.
Terrence Mann came off the bench to lead the Clippers with 19 points. Nicholas Batum scored 16 points and center Ivica Zupak scored 16 points and grabbed 13 rebounds before losing with seven seconds left in overtime.
Paul Paul and Mo Wagner each scored 20 points for the Magic, who trailed by 18 points in the first quarter and by 17 at the end of the third quarter.
“(The comeback) is really big for this group,” coach Jama Moseley said. “They connected at rallies, which I love, when we were down. We didn’t get too far. Staying in the moment. They understood exactly what they were doing in those moments.”
Paul George and Kawhi Leonard each combined for 17 points in the first quarter and the Clippers made five 3-pointers in the first seven minutes to take a 23-6 lead. The Magic shot 4-for-18 with seven turnovers in the first period and trailed 32-14.
“I thought once we got the lead, we didn’t do a good job of playing the same way that got us the lead,” Clippers coach Tyrone Law said. “We had 17 turnovers for 29 points.”
Cole Anthony’s 3-pointer started with a 12-2 lead late in the first half to get the Magic within three points. Leonard scored a 3-pointer late in the third period extending the Clippers’ lead to 17 points before Paul and Anthony led another drive to put Orlando back at it.
“Our energy helped us get a lot of stops down the stretch,” said the 7-foot-2 Paul, who shot nine rebounds and two blocks.
Franz Wagner scored seven points during a 17-1 inning that gave Orlando an 85-79 lead before George and Batum got back into the game with 8:36 left in the fourth, shooting the Clippers 18-4.
Leonard, Fultz and George missed two players in the final seconds of the fourth quarter and the two lowest-scoring teams in the NBA were tied at 99-99 at the end of regulation.
ZHB