On a busy 10-game slate, there was no shortage of headlines, action, and storylines but the Orlando Magic weren't interested in going down to the Los Angeles Lakers.
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Instead, they created more storylines of their own and provided plenty of highlights as they stunned the Lakers at home and snapped their nine-game win streak. The Magic also became the first sub .500 team to defeat the Lakers this season.
The Lakers' loss to the Magic is their first loss to an under .500 team this season.
— NBA on ESPN (@ESPNNBA) January 16, 2020
LA was the only team left without such a loss. pic.twitter.com/hsimO3dP7u
Here are the biggest takeaways from a game that the Magic led by as many as 21 points:
Fultz balls out
The Magic were three missing guards in this contest - D.J. Augustin, Michael Carter-Williams, and Evan Fournier.
So, former No. 1 overall pick Markelle Fultz made the most of his minutes, recording his second career triple-double - 21 points (9-19 FG's), 11 rebounds, and 10 assists. The numbers aside, he iced the game with two clutch layups:
Markelle Fultz went bucket for bucket with LeBron in crunch time and won the game for the Magic along with a 21-11-10 triple double. pic.twitter.com/m2TkTDDPi5
— Drew Corrigan (@Dcorrigan50) January 16, 2020
Aaron Gordon practices for the dunk contest
Aaron Gordon scored a team-high 21 points (7-12 FG's) and provided plenty of highlight-reel dunks that would make any fan in the Staples Center think that he was warming-up for next month's All-Star Weekend in Chicago.
😳 @NBAAllStar Slam Dunk Contest, you see this? 😳 pic.twitter.com/WJEqzF7Pfj
— Orlando Magic (@OrlandoMagic) January 16, 2020
🤯 HOW DID HE DO THAT????? 🤯
— Orlando Magic (@OrlandoMagic) January 16, 2020
A.G. is putting on his own Slam Dunk Contest in L.A.@Double0AG | #SCTop10 pic.twitter.com/6PdhiTdLkw
Gordon also recorded seven rebounds, three assists, two steals, and was a team-high +10 in his 38 minutes on the floor.
LeBron & bench mob spark comeback
Before tip-off, the Lakers already knew they were without Anthony Davis and Rajon Rondo. To make matters worse, they lost Alex Caruso to an inconclusive concussion evaluation after he took an elbow to the face.
Shorthanded, the Lakers fell behind by 20 or more twice in this game, but the bench mob answered the call and made a comeback led by James.
James tied his career-high tally of 19 assists as the Lakers rallied from being down 87-66 with 6:41 left in the third quarter to being down by just one (89-88) at the end of the third quarter.
🎥 LeBron on KCP, Troy Daniels, & Quinn Cook's contributions tonight: "Our bench is the reason there was a game at the end." pic.twitter.com/f6e0gHKVv1
— Los Angeles Lakers (@Lakers) January 16, 2020
The trio of Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, Troy Daniels, and Quinn Cook combined for 56 points (21-35 FG's; 11-20 3P).
Both teams went back-and-forth in the fourth quarter before Fultz's late buckets sealed the game.
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