Feb 24, 2026; Los Angeles, California, USA; Orlando Magic center Wendell Carter Jr. (34) shoots against the Los Angeles Lakers during the first half at Crypto.com Arena. Mandatory Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images

Magic top NBA in this key clutch stat

Originally posted on Orlando Magic on SI
By Matt Hanifan | Last updated Mar 7, 2026 3:20 PM ET

Lately, the Orlando Magic's second-half woes have been magnifieid, and rightfully so.

Exiting halftime, they are getting outscored by 9.6 points per 100 possessions (13th-worst), including 14.3 points post-All-Star break.

However, when the game gets tight, the Magic have oftentimes shown that they can win way more often than not. In games where the score differential is five points or fewer at any point within the final five minutes -- a stat the NBA defines as a "clutch" game -- the Magic are 20-11.

Orlando has played the 10th-most clutch games (31), with San Antonio (21) and Detroit (25) being the only teams with more "clutch" wins.

The catch is, however, that Orlando is No. 16 in NET Rating (-1.6) in clutch situations. Their record is largely due to some late-game Magic (pun intended), with the latest spell coming in their 115-114 win over the Dallas Mavericks

Magic own NBA lead in game-winners this season:

Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images

Orlando nearly choked away another double-digit second-half lead. IT led by 10 with 8:01 left. Within the blink of an eye, it saw itself down four with 33 seconds left.

Jalen Suggs buried a wide-open above-the-break 3-pointer (after hesitating) to make it a one-point game. The following possession, Suggs, who got blitzed in the pick-and-roll, linked up with the rolling Carter for a two-handed slam with 1.4 seconds left.

JALEN SUGGS TO WENDELL CARTER JR FOR THE WIN pic.twitter.com/xHwP208835
— Orlando Magic (@OrlandoMagic) March 6, 2026

“It started with the stop (on previous possession),” Carter said after the game. “We did a really good job of baiting them into a tough two. Got a good boxout and I knew [Daniel Gafford] was behind me on the way down the court, so I thought it was a good idea to go into a quick drag, put him in no man’s land and then, like [Jalen Suggs] said, he just found me on the roll and I finished the play."

As a result, Orlando has six game-winners in the final 10 seconds, which leads all teams. It also has an NBA-most 11 wins in games decided by three points or less.

The Orlando Magic have made 6⃣ game winners in the final 10 seconds of 4th or OT this season. This leads the ENTIRE NBA

per: @Josh_Cohen_NBA pic.twitter.com/s7ZVAqZiqi
— SleeperMagic (@SleeperOrlando) March 6, 2026

The @OrlandoMagic are now 11-3 this season in games decided by three points-or-less. The 11 wins are the most in the @NBA.

The most wins in games decided by three points-or-less in franchise history is 12, set back in 1995-96.
— Orlando Magic PR (@Magic_PR) March 6, 2026

In contrast, Philadelphia, who's a 0.5 game ahead of Philadelphia, is 6-8. Toronto and Miami have seven and six wins in one possession games, respectively.

Even the Oklahoma City Thunder is just a poultry 3-6, fewer than the Trail Blazers (6), Mavericks (5), Bucks (5) and Jazz (4), who are doing everything in their power to tank.

Ultimately, the postseason will tell more than any regular-season game. Orlando hasn't won a playoff series in 15 years. But no team has been more clutch than the Orlando Magic in the game's biggest moments, and their ability to win games they shouldn't with some extra luck -- which every team needs -- isn't the worst possible trait to have as the season winds down.