Fournier basket late seals victory
Evan Fournier hit a driving layup with 6.4 seconds left and Nikola Vucevic thwarted a last-second shot attempt by Devin Booker as the Orlando Magic beat the Phoenix Suns 112-111 on Wednesday night at Amway Center.
Vucevic recorded his 30th double-double of the season with 27 points and 14 rebounds to lead the Magic (15-29). Fournier finished with 21 points while Chuma Okeke scored a career-high 17 points on 6-for-6 shooting.
Aaron Gordon, who along with Fournier are the two Magic players most heavily connected to trade rumors, finished with 13 points.
The NBA trade deadline is Thursday at 3 p.m.
Shooting guard Terrence Ross, the team’s third-leading scorer, missed his fifth straight game because of a sore right knee.
Devin Booker scored 25 points and Chris Paul added 23 while Deandre Ayton had 21 and Jae Crowder had 17 for the Suns (29-14).
The Magic took a 107-102 lead after a Vucevic turnaround baseline jumper with 3:00 to play.
Fournier rattled in a fadeaway jumper from the baseline to make it 109-106 before a Crowder 3 tied it.
Vucevic made one of two free throws, leaving the Suns with 27.4 seconds to operate. Booker was fouled by Michael Carter-Williams on a drive to the basket and made both free throws to give the Suns the lead.
Fournier then dropped in a scooping layup over the 6-foot-11 Ayton to put Orlando back in front, 112-111.
The Suns got the ball to Booker on the baseline, despite a double team by the Magic, but Vucevic came over to help and forced Booker to try a reverse layup that was off.