In a nail-biting showdown, the Orlando Magic narrowly clinched victory over the Portland Trailblazers with a final score of 104-103.
The game was a rollercoaster of emotions, marked by intense plays and a heart-stopping finish.
Despite a sluggish start, typical of their recent performances, the Magic surged ahead with a dominant second quarter, securing a seven-point lead heading into halftime at 55-48.
Franz Wagner showcased his prowess on the court, contributing 20 points, 6 rebounds, and 1 assist, while Wendell Carter Jr. commanded the paint with an impressive stat line of 17 points, 13 rebounds, and 5 assists.
However, the Trailblazers refused to go down without a fight. Mounting a formidable defensive effort, they launched a strong comeback in the late third quarter, outscoring the Magic 30-21. Yet, despite their valiant efforts, it wasn’t enough to dethrone the home team.
The game ultimately came down to a thrilling finish, with both teams battling fiercely for every possession. In the end, it was the Magic who emerged victorious, clinching the win by the slimmest of margins, just one point ahead of the Trailblazers.
With this victory, the Orlando Magic demonstrated their resilience and determination, although at times it felt like this was their game to lose. They proved once again that they are a force to be reckoned with in the competitive landscape of the NBA. As they continue to build momentum towards the playoffs, fans eagerly anticipate what the future holds for this dynamic team.
Post Game Quotes
Magic Head Coach Jamahl Mosley
On not playing up to the Magic standard tonight…
“Before we start, [I] know you’re going to ask to talk about the Magic standard and how we play. That wasn’t it tonight. I’m just going to start that the right way. Portland, give them credit for how they battled and stayed in the game, but we have to be better. Very simple, we have to be a better style of basketball than where we just don’t play with the game. Respect the game of basketball and play the right way from the beginning to the end and that’s what we have to do to continue to grow and learn. We talked about learning from those three losses, this is a win where we’re going to learn from it and how we have torespect and approach every single night when we come out.”
On the areas that didn’t meet his standard tonight…
“It started you know, [we] got to the free throw line like we wanted to, [but] the energy level, our ability to just keep the ball moving and get the right shot, the ability to keep them off the glass which we talked about. They were a big-time offensive rebounding team, they had 23 second-chance points, 48 points in the paint. I think things like that, that we talk about, who we need to be on a consistent basis. And I think that’s what we’vetalked about with this group.”
On if he thought the team overlooked their opponent tonight…
“I think a combination of they played hard, they played free, and Chauncey’s done a great job of getting them to play hard at this point in the season with where they are. But again, I think us maybe not overlooking it, but just letting the rope go a little bit,and I think our ability to hold ourselves to a higher standard is what we have to continue to do as we move forward. But these are great games to learn from that you come away with a win, but you got to learn from it and understand who we need to be moving forward.”
On holding players accountable for keeping control of the ball and limiting turnovers…
“It comes down to spacing, it comes down to communication, our intentionality and what we’re doing, knowing that NBA guys are going to get their hands on the basketball. So, you’ve got to be intentional, that’s the fundamentals of a ball fake, being able to get to the paint and not take one more dribble, and just when you see the crowd there spray it and move it early. Those little,small things and just the little aspects of the game that we have to and will continue to grow and get better.”
Photos courtesy of Jakobe Petitdo (@kobestoowavy)
