Live from the Moda Center as the Portland Trail Blazers host the Orlando Magic.
Another year, another rebuild for the Magic as they search for an identity in a post-Dwight Howard world. There are pieces here—squint hard enough and you can see the rough outline of an athletic, defensive-minded squad—but they’re still a couple of years away from being any good. One more high draft pick, another year of development, and maybe they’ll be onto something.
Until then, this is still a bad team that got blown out by the lowly Lakers last night.
A Saturday game versus one of the worst teams in the league? While Paul Allen’s other franchise is playing in the NFL playoffs? Yep, it's going to be dead in here. Shoot, the WBC were supposed to protest until 6pm and even they bolted early.
PRE-GAME:
The Magic do have one exploitable matchup, and it’s not Elfrid Payton’s hair against everyone else. With all the injuries to Portland’s frontcourt, Orlando should be throwing the ball to Nikola Vucevic in the post on every single possession. Dude is easily their toughest cover, and he could have a field day against the likes of Chris Kaman and Meyers Leonard.
But, yep, this is still Portland’s second-best defense going against the second-worst offense in the league. Vucevic may have a big game, but points are going to be at a serious premium for Orlando. There’s a reason the Blazers are thirteen-point favorites coming into tonight’s contest.
The trade season is upon us, and it will be interesting to see if Neil Olshey gets involved. With the Western Conference seemingly open, other squads have gone all-in—Dallas traded for Rajon Rondo, Memphis traded for Jeff Green, and Houston signed Josh Smith off the scrapheap. Wilson Chandler has been the player frequently linked to the Blazers, and he’d fill an obvious need off the bench. If all it takes is the 29th pick in next year’s draft, that might be too good of a deal to pass up.
For the two of you not watching the Seahawks, they're up 14-10 at the half.
FIRST QUARTER:
11:39 - The Blazers went right to Chris Kaman in the post versus Channing Frye, and the current Blazer scored with ease over the former Blazer. 2-0 Blazers.
10:12 - The Magic started someone named Devyn Marble. I watch a ton of basketball, and this is the first time I have ever heard the name Devyn Marble. 4-4 Tie.
8:47 - Meyers Leonard three-pointer alert. He's in the game due to Chris Kaman picking up two quick fouls, and so far so good. 7-5 Blazers.
6:45 - Ten point lead? Already? Sinking three early threes has its perks, I guess. Timeout Orlando. 17-7 Blazers.
4:42 - Batum with back to back blocks at the rim, rejecting both Elfrid Payton and Victor Oladipo on consecutive possessions. The Magic are now shooting just 15% from the floor. 20-7 Blazers.
2:46 - Nicolas Batum is having himself a game. He has seven rebounds, three blocks, and an assist here early, and also just drew an offensive foul on Kyle O'Quinn. Is it possible for a game to be over this early? The Magic are on the second night of a back to back, and they done. 22-9 Blazers.
1:50 - I don't want to alarm anyone, but Meyers Leonard is the leading scorer in this game. 24-11 Blazers.
0:00 - Meyers Leonard heat-check three to end the quarter...and he barely drew iron. Whoops! 26-13 Blazers.
SECOND QUARTER:
10:33 - Not only is Will Barton getting some early run, Steve Blake just hit him with an alley oop from well beyond half court. 30-15 Blazers.
9:34 - Chris Kaman with his third foul already, and the Blazers are digging deep into their bench with Thomas Robinson, Dorell Wright, and Will Barton all on the court. I guess if you're going to get the bench guys some run, this would be the game to do it. 30-17 Blazers.
8:21 - Dorell Wright for three. This is getting ridiculous. 35-17 Blazers.
6:53 - Luke Ridnour with a DEEP three to beat the shot clock buzzer. With that make, the Magic just might get to 25 by the half after all. 39-23 Blazers.
5:15 - Thomas Robinson jump hook? Thomas Robinson jump hook. 41-27 Blazers.
4:39 - Aldridge for three! The Magic are missing a couple of rotation players in Tobias Harris and Evan Fournier, but man, this is one ugly game. The Magic are lucky they've been able to secure a few offensive rebounds and get some easy second-chance points. 44-29 Blazers.
2:48 - Right on cue, Vucevic with two offensive rebounds and put backs. His fifteen points and nine rebounds are carrying the Magic. 44-35 Blazers.
0:43 - The loudest the arena has been all night? When they showed a pick six the Seahawks had on the big screen. Yep. The crowd better get back into this game, because somehow the Magic have chipped their way back into it. 46-41 Blazers.
0:00 - Well, that was a terrible end to the quarter. The Blazers blew a nineteen point lead to a team that looked dead at the start. 46-41 Blazers.
THIRD QUARTER:
10:45 - This is a one-possession game. Unreal. 48-45 Blazers.
10:12 - Chris Kaman with his fourth foul in seven minutes of play, and it just isn't his night. On the plus side—it's now time for more Meyers. 48-46 Blazers.
9:55 - Tie game. Timeout Portland. Blurg. 48-48 Tie.
9:25 - Vucevic with 20/10, and the Magic officially have the lead. 50-48 Magic.
7:08 - Meyers and Matthews misfired on a pick and roll, with the pass missing its target and rolling into the back court. It was going to be a violation, so Meyers just didn't bother to track it down. Oladipo did, and was rewarded with a breakaway dunk. 57-55 Magic.
5:46 - Batum with his first bucket of the game, and it's of the three-point variety. Timeout Orlando. 62-59 Blazers.
4:13 - Kaman is back in the game, and the Magic are going at him on every possession. He had to avoid a foul on a Payton drive, and Vucevic was there to easily clean up the miss. 65-64 Magic.
3:00 - Channing Frye for three. How good would he look on this current Portland team? 68-66 Magic.
1:19 - Never mind. Frye just air balled a three by about two feet, then Kaman came back and hit a fifteen-foot jumper on the other end. Portland did okay with their big man acquisition this off-season. 70-70 Tie.
0:00 - Vucevic has a monster 28/12 line and is just killing it. Guess I called that one. He has corralled more offensive rebounds on his own than the Blazers have as a team. The Blazers need to box out and get Dame involved in the fourth, and they should cruise. 72-70 Blazers.
FOURTH QUARTER:
10:02 - Kaman missed a gimme at the rim on the offensive end, and McCollum picked up a foul contesting a Ben Gordon jumper on the other. Oof. 76-75 Magic.
9:35 - Chris Kaman with an offensive rebound and put back. Finally, giving Orlando a little bit of their own medicine. 77-76 Blazers.
7:56 - Maurice Harkless fell for a Dorell Wright pump fake. Ah, so that's why the Magic have had him buried on their bench this season. 79-78 Blazers.
6:50 - Aldridge stripped Vucevic in the post—a rare misstep for Nikola tonight—and Steve Blake picked up a foul as Portland ran out in transition. The Magic are in the penalty, so it will be free throws from here on out. 82-80 Blazers.
6:19 - Payton has been all over Dame tonight. He did a great job on denying Dame the ball, but Lillard fought through a couple of picks and found an ounce of daylight. Dame sunk the deep three, giving him just eleven for the night. 85-80 Blazers.
4:37 - Portland turnover, Orlando dunk. This crowd is getting a little nervous. 85-83 Blazers.
4:12 - Aldridge with a rough minute. He made a basket but it was called off due to an offensive foul, turned it over by traveling, then fouled Vucevic in the post. Just like that, it's all tied up once again. 85-85 Tie.
3:37 - Ugh. Dame drove the baseline, went up for the massive dunk, but Payton met him in the air. Dame was able to draw the foul (and hit the freebies), but he fell hard on his sore back. He's clutching it, clearly in a bit of pain. Please be okay. 89-85 Blazers.
3:03 - Portland forced a turnover, and Matthews and Batum played the two man game to perfection on the fast break—Wesley made the basket and drew the foul, and this place is going nuts. 91-85 Blazers.
2:56 - The Blazers forced another turnover. There we go. It'll be Portland ball after the timeout. 91-85 Blazers.
1:12 - Matthews with a step-back three! Everybody exhale. 96-89 Blazers.
0:50 - Oladipo missed a three by a mile, and Dame was able to grab the rebound. Frye fouled him to stop the break, and Lillard hit both free throws with ease. That should all but do it. 98-89 Blazers.
0:39 - An audible groan as Dame misses a free throw. It happens, but not when the game is all but over and the Blazers are sitting on 99 points. This crowd really wanted those free fries, damnit. 99-89 Blazers.
FINAL: 103-92 Blazers. Were the Blazers ever in danger of losing? No. Did they blow an early nineteen point lead and let the Magic make it a game? They sure did. It's the first night of a home-road back to back so hopefully the Portland players were just preserving that extra energy for tomorrow. Even though it was close late, the Blazers still won by eleven. That'll do.
