ORLANDO — Marreese Speights scored 21 points in his second start of the season, Evan Fournier added 19 and the Orlando Magic ran away from the Los Angeles Lakers in the third quarter Wednesday night for a 127-105 victory.
Winning for only the fourth time in 24 games, the Magic made a franchise-record nine 3s in a 43-point third period, their highest-scoring quarter of the season. They shot 18 for 32 (56 percent) from behind the arc in the game.
With 15 points and six assists, Elfrid Payton was one of seven players to score in double figures for the Magic (15-35).
Julius Randle and Jordan Clarkson scored 20 each for the Lakers, who never led after the first quarter.
When Payton's three-point play gave the Magic a 66-53 lead 93 seconds into the third, Lakers coach Luke Walton yanked all five of his starters out of the game. But the Lakers (19-31) never again got the margin under 11.
Mario Hezonja hit a 3-pointer, Fournier quickly followed with two more and Jonathon Simmons added two more 3s to help the Magic finish the period on a 22-13 run for a 20-point lead.
They led by 29 early in the fourth.
The Lakers, who had won eight of 11, were down by 12 when three straight baskets by Clarkson got them back in the game midway through the second.
Speights scored Orlando's final 10 points of the half, including a couple of 3-pointers, to leave the Magic with a 58-51 halftime lead.
Harden nets 60-point
triple-double vs. Magic
HOUSTON — All the stars aligned Tuesday night for Houston Rockets superstar James Harden to impose his will on the Orlando Magic.
Chris Paul, Harden’s All-Star teammate, sat out because of a sore groin.
And Aaron Gordon, the Magic’s most versatile defender, the player who would’ve spent much of the game guarding Harden, didn’t play because he has a strained hip flexor.
But Harden somehow surpassed expectations anyway.
Harden scored a career-high and franchise-record 60 points to lead the Rockets over the Magic 114-107 at Toyota Center Tuesday night.
Harden also recorded his third triple-double of the season, adding 10 rebounds and 11 assists to his stat line. It was the first 60-point triple-double in NBA history.
With the score tied at 107 with 2:43 remaining, the Magic committed a five-second inbounds violation.
On the Rockets’ next trip down the floor, Harden attempted a 31-foot jumper just before the shot clock expired. The shot rattled off the rim, but Harden gathered the offensive rebound. A short while later, Harden faked out Evan Fournier with fancy dribbling and drained a 20-foot stepback jumper with 1:50 left in the game.
Houston led 109-107 and never trailed again.