Luke Kennard helps Lakers narrowly defeat Magic: This is thanks to everyone's execution in crucial moments.
2026-03-23 07:47
Thanks to contributions from Luka Doncic, Austin Reeves, and Luke Kennard, the Los Angeles Lakers narrowly defeated the Orlando Magic 105-104 on the road in another key game of the 2025/26 NBA regular season. In an interview, Luke Kennard attributed the victory to his teammates' execution in crucial moments.
Trailing in the standings, the Los Angeles Lakers kept looking for opportunities to fight back in the fourth quarter. Marcus Smart assisted Luke Kennard to score a three-pointer in the final moments, and the Los Angeles Lakers defeated the Orlando Magic 105-104. Redick's team also achieved a nine-game winning streak.
Luka Doncic scored 33 points and had 8 assists for the Los Angeles Lakers, Austin Reeves added 26 points and 5 assists, and Luke Kennard contributed 13 points.
Los Angeles Lakers shooting guard Luke Kennard said, "It feels really good, thanks to everyone's execution in crucial moments. Marcus Smart made a great judgment, found an open teammate, and I made the shot."
“Austin Reeves set a screen for me first, and then I set a screen for Luka Doncic. LeBron James followed me, and the guys guarding me went to LeBron James, so I popped out. Marcus Smart found me in the end, which was the right decision. It’s hard to describe the feeling. When the ball went in, that moment was really great.”
Luke Kennard also said, "I also want to thank head coach Redick for keeping everyone calm and putting us in the right position, and the starting lineup has been performing very well in crucial moments recently."
"Joining a new team and building new relationships, as well as finding my role, they brought me here for a reason, and that is to shoot. The reactions from everyone made me feel good."
When talking about his teammates' excited celebration after scoring, Luke Kennard shared, "I didn't really know what was going on, I was just yelling, and then someone picked me up. Seeing everyone so excited meant a lot to me. When I bounced out to the right place, it was a perfect pass, but having the ball in that situation really takes a lot of courage."
"The coach told me to be myself and put the past behind me. They need me to be more aggressive on the field, and I found that conversation very helpful."
Image source: Internet
