Lakers guard Russell Westbrook celebrates a play during the first half of their victory over the Orlando Magic on Tuesday night in Orlando. It is unclear how content Westbrook is in his current reserve role, but his ability to produce triple-double statistics off the bench – and in a win, no less – is an indication of how far he’s come this season. (Photo by Douglas P. DeFelice/Getty Images)
The Orlando Magic’s Bol Bol and the Lakers’ Thomas Bryant jump for the opening tip-off on Tuesday night in Orlando. (Photo by Douglas P. DeFelice/Getty Images)
Lakers forward Wenyen Gabriel, right, and the Orlando Magic’s Cole Anthony battle for a loose ball during the second half on Tuesday night in Orlando. (Photo by Douglas P. DeFelice/Getty Images)
Orlando Magic center Bol Bol drives as Lakers forward LeBron James defends during the first half on Tuesday night in Orlando, Fla. (AP Photo/Kevin Kolczynski)
Lakers star LeBron James handles the ball as the Orlando Magic’s Paolo Banchero defends during the first half on Tuesday night in Orlando. (Photo by Douglas P. DeFelice/Getty Images)
Orlando Magic center Moritz Wagner pulls down a rebound as Lakers guard Dennis Schroder defends during the first half on Tuesday night in Orlando, Fla. (AP Photo/Kevin Kolczynski)
Lakers guard Patrick Beverley gestures during the first half of their game against the Orlando Magic on Tuesday night in Orlando. (Photo by Douglas P. DeFelice/Getty Images)
Orlando Magic center Bol Bol shoots over Lakers forward LeBron James during the first half on Tuesday night in Orlando, Fla. (AP Photo/Kevin Kolczynski)
Lakers head coach signals his team during the first half of their game against the Orlando Magic on Tuesday night in Orlando, Fla. (AP Photo/Kevin Kolczynski)
Lakers forward LeBron James gets to the basket for a layup during the first half of their game against the Orlando Magic on Tuesday night in Orlando. (Photo by Douglas P. DeFelice/Getty Images)
Orlando Magic guard Markelle Fultz, right, sends Lakers guard Dennis Schroder to the floor via an offensive foul during the first half on Tuesday night in Orlando, Fla. (AP Photo/Kevin Kolczynski)
Orlando Magic head coach Jamahl Mosley signals his team during the first half of their game against the Lakers on Tuesday night in Orlando, Fla. (AP Photo/Kevin Kolczynski)
The Orlando Magic’s Paolo Banchero defends against Lakers star LeBron James during the first half on Tuesday night in Orlando. (Photo by Douglas P. DeFelice/Getty Images)
Lakers forward LeBron James shoots over Orlando Magic forward Paolo Banchero during the first half on Tuesday night in Orlando, Fla. (AP Photo/Kevin Kolczynski)
Orlando Magic center Wendell Carter Jr. pulls down a rebound as Lakers guard Max Christie defends during the first half on Tuesday night in Orlando, Fla. (AP Photo/Kevin Kolczynski)
Orlando Magic guard Gary Harris drives as Lakers guard Russell Westbrook defends during the first half on Tuesday night in Orlando, Fla. (AP Photo/Kevin Kolczynski)
Injured Lakers star Anthony Davis looks on from the bench during the second half of their game against the Orlando Magic on Tuesday night in Orlando. (Photo by Douglas P. DeFelice/Getty Images)
The Orlando Magic’s Paolo Banchero shoots as Lakers guard Russell Westbrook defends during the first half on Tuesday night in Orlando. (Photo by Douglas P. DeFelice/Getty Images)
Orlando Magic forward Franz Wagner passes the ball up the court as Lakers forward LeBron James follows behind during the first half on Tuesday night in Orlando, Fla. (AP Photo/Kevin Kolczynski)
Lakers guard Russell Westbrook drives as Orlando Magic forward Caleb Houstan defends during the second half on Tuesday night in Orlando, Fla. (AP Photo/Kevin Kolczynski)
Lakers guard Austin Reaves drives down the court after stealing the ball from Orlando Magic guard Gary Harris (14) and forward Franz Wagner (22) during the second half on Tuesday night in Orlando, Fla. (AP Photo/Kevin Kolczynski)
Lakers center Thomas Bryant defends Orlando Magic forward Franz Wagner during the second half on Tuesday night in Orlando, Fla. (AP Photo/Kevin Kolczynski)
Lakers forward LeBron James goes up for a layup in front of Orlando Magic center Wendell Carter Jr. (34) during the second half on Tuesday night in Orlando, Fla. (AP Photo/Kevin Kolczynski)
Lakers head coach Darvin Ham gestures during the second half of their game against the Orlando Magic on Tuesday night in Orlando, Fla. (AP Photo/Kevin Kolczynski)
Lakers forward LeBron James shoots as Orlando Magic guard Markelle Fultz defends during the second half on Tuesday night in Orlando, Fla. (AP Photo/Kevin Kolczynski)
The Orlando Magic’s Cole Anthony (50) is called for an offensive foul on the Lakers’ Austin Reaves, right, during the second half on Tuesday night in Orlando. (Photo by Douglas P. DeFelice/Getty Images)
Orlando Magic head coach Jamahl Mosley encourages team during the second half of their game against the Lakers on Tuesday night in Orlando, Fla. (AP Photo/Kevin Kolczynski)
Lakers guard Dennis Schroder drives with the ball as Orlando Magic guard Markelle Fultz defends during the second half on Tuesday night in Orlando, Fla. (AP Photo/Kevin Kolczynski)
Lakers center Thomas Bryant defends the basket against Orlando Magic forward Paolo Banchero during the first half on Tuesday night in Orlando, Fla. (AP Photo/Kevin Kolczynski)
Lakers forward LeBron James shoots from outside during the second half of their game against the Orlando Magic on Tuesday night in Orlando. (Photo by Douglas P. DeFelice/Getty Images)
Lakers center Thomas Bryant shoots during the second half of their game against the Orlando Magic on Tuesday night in Orlando. (Photo by Douglas P. DeFelice/Getty Images)
Lakers forward LeBron James drives around Orlando Magic guard Markelle Fultz during the second half on Tuesday night in Orlando, Fla. (AP Photo/Kevin Kolczynski)
Lakers forward LeBron James dunks during the second half of their game against the Orlando Magic on Tuesday night in Orlando. (Photo by Douglas P. DeFelice/Getty Images)
The Lakers’ LeBron James handles the ball as the Orlando Magic’ Paolo Banchero defends during the second half on Tuesday night in Orlando. (Photo by Douglas P. DeFelice/Getty Images)
Lakers star LeBron James warms up prior to their game against the Orlando Magic on Tuesday night in Orlando. (Photo by Douglas P. DeFelice/Getty Images)
ORLANDO, Fla. — After the week they’ve had, the Lakers needed anything to start going right.
About an hour-and-a-half before tip-off on Tuesday night, Coach Darvin Ham hoped that they would find something within themselves to end a four-game losing streak.
“We haven’t had a lot of success here recently,” he said. “But just coming out with that fire to want to get on that right side of the win-loss column I think just forces you to play with an edge.”
The Lakers (14-20) found some fire – and some shooting – against the Orlando Magic, who had won eight of their previous nine games and were one of the hottest teams in the league.
Eight Lakers combined to make 17 3-pointers – and none of them were LeBron James, who had a game-high 28 points – as the Lakers snapped their cold stretch with a 129-110 victory over the Magic.
For a team that is still bottom-five in the league in 3-point shooting, the perimeter baskets felt like rain in the desert. Patrick Beverley made four, Troy Brown Jr. hit three, and three other players finished with at least two.
It gave the Lakers an important edge against a Magic team that had a dramatic size advantage. The Lakers also passed the ball well with 32 assists – 13 from Russell Westbrook, who notched his third triple-double of the season (15 points, 13 rebounds). Thomas Bryant added 21 points and 10 rebounds for the visitors, who shot 54.4% overall.
The one player who couldn’t get any luck from outside was James, whose 0-for-7 night behind the arc means he now has missed 15 consecutive 3-point attempts in road games. But the 37-year-old adjusted by getting to the rim, hunting matchups on the post, and memorably throwing down a third-quarter lob from Austin Reaves over a helpless Mo Bamba.
James (seven rebounds, five assists) narrowly missed extending his streak of 30-point games to eight, but the four-time league MVP looked relieved all the same to finally win after four straight losses in which he had scored even more.
“We executed the game plan for as close to 48 minutes,” James said. “It’s been a little bit since we’ve done that.”
After giving up 51 points in a disastrous third quarter in Dallas on Christmas day, all eyes were on the Lakers coming out of the locker room with a 10-point lead. They wound up losing the third period by a point – they outscored Orlando in every other frame – but the biggest factor the team was proud of was not letting go of the rope.
Brown, who scored 15 points and was a plus-15 off the bench, said the key was halftime communication, which Beverley helped prompt.
“We’re sitting in there, it’s quiet, and Pat goes, ‘Hey ’Bron, it’s third quarter coming up. We gotta talk. What’s going? What adjustments are we making? What are we doing?’” Brown said. “So just having that dialogue to hold us accountable and be able to talk to each other, I think that’s really going to help us.”
The Lakers also helped their own cause on the offensive glass and even outscored the Magic on second-chance points (9-7). It was an achievement, given that the Magic start players like 7-foot-2 Bol Bol, 6-10 Paolo Banchero and 6-10 (former Laker) Moritz Wagner. The Lakers’ own star big man, Anthony Davis, missed his sixth straight game.
Banchero, however, was stuck in foul trouble nearly all night, picking up his fifth foul with nearly 10 minutes left in the third quarter. When he was on the floor, he was just 1 for 6 from the field with four points, an uncharacteristic showing from the Rookie of the Year favorite.
“He’s only going to get better and better,” James said of Banchero, the first overall pick in June. “Every game he’ll get better and better. Every film session he’ll get better and better. All these experiences are just really good for him on a game-to-game basis. They definitely got a really good one. A really good one.”
But the Lakers’ own star was in strong form on Tuesday night, and so was the supporting cast.
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