Evan Fournier hits game-winner to deliver Magic win over Suns
Evan Fournier #10 of the Orlando Magic dribbles in the first half against the Brooklyn Nets at Amway Center on March 19, 2021 in Orlando, Florida. Julio Aguilar/Getty Images/AFP
Evan Fournier scored the decisive basket with 6.4 seconds left to lift the Orlando Magic to a 112-111 victory over the visiting Phoenix Suns on Wednesday night.
Nikola Vucevic recorded 27 points and 14 rebounds and Fournier added 21 points as Orlando won for just the second time in the past 13 games.
EVAN FOURNIER WINS IT for the @OrlandoMagic! pic.twitter.com/TKyOzHEZPg
— NBA (@NBA) March 25, 2021
Vucevic split two free throws with 27.4 seconds remaining to give Orlando a 110-109 edge before Booker made two free throws with 19.4 seconds left to put the Suns ahead by one.
Fournier then drove down the lane and banked in his layup off the glass to give the Magic the lead. Booker missed a short shot just before time expired.
Rookie Chuma Okeke scored a season-best 17 points, Aaron Gordon added 13 and Dwayne Bacon tallied 11 for the Magic.
Devin Booker had 25 points, seven rebounds and seven assists and Chris Paul added 23 points, seven assists and six rebounds for the Suns, who had a seven-game road winning streak snapped.
Deandre Ayton registered 21 points and nine rebounds, Jae Crowder made four 3-pointers while scoring 17 points and Torrey Craig scored 10 for Phoenix, which lost for just the sixth time in the past 27 games.
Phoenix shot 44.4 percent from the field, including 11 of 33 from 3-point range. The Magic connected on 46.7 percent of their shots and were 13 of 37 from behind the arc.
Orlando rattled off 10 of the first 14 points in the fourth quarter to take a 96-95 lead on two free throws by Bacon with 8:53 left in the contest.
🎥Postgame Highlights vs. Suns 🎥 pic.twitter.com/zThJ5pa1si
— Orlando Magic (@OrlandoMagic) March 25, 2021
Craig followed with a layup and Booker drained a 3-pointer to give the Suns a 100-96 advantage with 7:12 remaining. But the Magic answered with an 11-2 run to hold a 107-102 lead with 2:58 left.
Paul scored four straight points to bring Phoenix within one before Fournier hit a 15-foot baseline jumper with 50.9 seconds left to give Orlando a 109-106 lead. Crowder buried a tying 3-pointer with 38.1 seconds to play.
The Magic trailed by as many as 12 in the first half before recovering to tie the score at 59 entering the break.
Phoenix opened the third quarter with a 13-2 surge to open up an 11-point lead. The Magic later moved within 82-79 on back-to-back baskets by Bacon before the Suns held a 91-86 entering the final stanza.
