The Slumping Clippers get 37 points from Kawhi Leonard but fall to the Magic

Desmond Bane scored 36 points and Paolo Banchero added 16 points and eight assists as the Orlando Magic held on for a 111-109 victory over the Clippers on Sunday night at the Intuit Dome.

Wendell Carter Jr. had 15 points and 14 rebounds and Tristan da Silva scored 13 for the Magic, who improved to 5-2 since Feb. 5.

Announcement

Kawhi Leonard shook off an ankle injury to score 37 points and Bennedict Mathurin added 21 points and nine rebounds off the bench for the Clippers, who are 4-5 since Feb. 2. Mathurin missed a game-winning three-point attempt at the buzzer.

Jordan Miller scored 14 points for the Clippers (27-30).

Leonard exited Friday’s loss to the Lakers with a sprained ankle. Mathurin was playing his fifth game with the Clippers after being acquired at the trade deadline from the Indiana Pacers.

Orlando won despite going eight of 23 from three-point range, two games after setting a franchise record with 27 three-pointers in a win at Sacramento. Jalen Suggs missed his second straight game for the Magic due to back spasms.

Announcement

In a close game, Leonard gave the Clippers a 107-105 lead with 3:03 remaining on a shot from the top of the key. The Magic took the lead from there on out as Bane hit a shot to tie the score and then made a layup with 1:28 left for a 109-107 lead.

While the Clippers missed four consecutive shots, Orlando went up 111-107 thanks to a fast-break dunk by Banchero with 40 seconds left.

Bane tried to build on the Magic’s lead with eight seconds left, but his shot was blocked inside by rookie Yanic Konan Niederhauser. Mathurin then ran downfield only to miss a 25-footer as time expired.

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This story originally appeared in the Los Angeles Times.