Luke Kennard Beats Buzzer to Keep Lakers’ Streak Alive in Orlando
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The Los Angeles Lakers stretched their winning run to nine games on March 21, 2026, thanks to a last-second three-pointer from guard Luke Kennard that sealed a 107-104 victory over the Orlando Magic at Kia Center.
Kennard connected from the right wing with 0.6 seconds left after a broken play left him unguarded. The 24-year-old, acquired from the Atlanta Hawks at last month’s trade deadline, finished with 13 points on 5-of-7 shooting, including 3-of-4 from beyond the arc, and added three rebounds.
“They brought me here for a reason, and that was to shoot,” Kennard said postgame. “It feels good—especially the way everybody reacted.”
The decisive possession followed a turnover forced by Los Angeles moments after officials missed a foul on a LeBron James drive. Out of the timeout, the Lakers coaching staff drew up a set that required multiple reads; guard Marcus Smart ultimately found Kennard for the open look.
“Smart had to make a couple reads and ended up finding me,” Kennard noted. “Make or miss, we would have lived with the result because we executed.”
The Lakers, among the league’s poorest three-point shooting teams before the deadline, targeted Kennard to boost their perimeter accuracy. In 15 games with Los Angeles, he is averaging 8.6 points, 2.2 rebounds and 1.7 assists off the bench while converting 46.2 percent of his threes on 3.1 attempts per game. His overall 48.6 percent from deep this season leads the NBA.
Los Angeles improves to 43-25 and remains unbeaten in March; Orlando falls to 37-32.
Source: LakersNation.com
