Bryant tallied 18 in the fourth quarter where the Lakers came back from 10 points down before losing their third game in a row. It is the first time the Lakers (46-18) have dropped three in a row since January 2008.
Orlando [44-20] recorded their fifth consecutive win, with all five starters scoring in double figures.
“I’m glad that [Kobe] missed. We didn’t make free throws but we got the win and that’s all that matters,” Orlando’s Dwight Howard, who scored 15 points and grabbed 16 rebounds, told reporters.
“They beat us last year and we wanted to show them they’re not going to beat us anymore.”
The Magic led for nearly the entire game, taking a 74-64 advantage into the fourth before the defending NBA champions made scoring eight points to start the final quarter.
With Los Angeles down by three, Bryant made what he thought was his second successive three-pointer to tie the game with 12 seconds left, but his foot was on the line and the visitors were left still trailing by one.
Carter split a pair of free throws to put the Magic up by two and give the Lakers one last chance, but Bryant missed his shot.
Other NBA results: Philadelphia 114, Toronto 101; Detroit 110, Houston 107, OT; Boston 86, Washington 83; Oklahoma City 108, Sacramento 102; Denver 118, Portland 106.
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