With a Los Angeles back-to-back set closing out the team’s current road trip, the Magic entered the first stage, an afternoon showdown against the Clippers, hoping to steal a win against a team missing both of their superstars. For much of the contest it looked a real possibility, a cruel make-or-miss sequence ultimately deciding the game in the final seconds as they went down 106-104 to their more fancied opponents.
The Magic made a fast start to the contest, hitting 6 of their first 10 shots (including 3 of 5 from deep) to open up an early 15-8 lead.