Orlando Magic Recap: Elfrid Payton’s triple double helps Orlando Magic burst through Portland Trail Blazers
Elfrid Payton recorded his second consecutive triple double as the Orlando Magic rose up with him and defeated the Portland Trail Blazers.
111. 38. 104. 34. Final
Like the Orlando Magic for much of this season in close games, Elfrid Payton had been knocking on the door of a triple double for some time. He was a rebound shy in the loss to the Cavaliers on Sunday and achieved the feat in a loss to the Dallas Mavericks.
The always calm and humble Payton did not care about either of those. He did not even seem to care that he recorded his second straight triple double, the first rookie to do so since Antoine Walker in 1997 and the first player in the Magic’s 26-year history with back-to-back triple doubles.
What he cared about most in the Magic’s 111-104 win over the Portland Trail Blazers on Friday night at Amway Center was that he got the Magic into their sets and got the team off on the right foot. The things a veteran point guard is mostly worried about and looking to accomplish generally. Not someone on the verge of history.
Payton had things cooking early, cooking in the middle of the game and cooking late as the Magic withstood a run on their lead early in the game, a run that helped the Blazers get up by seven points in the third quarter and the Magic’s final run that sealed the game.
Payton’s career-high-tying 22 points, to go with his 10 assists and 10 rebounds mattered very little compared to the end result — the Magic’s 22nd win.
“It just means I’m playing an all-around game,” Payton said. “Obviously, I need help in order to get that. That means my teammates are playing well too. And we got the win tonight.”
Understated, but poignantly accurate.
The Magic withstood it all in finishing off the game. Orlando was there pulling each other up as Payton did everything, adding four steals and committing just one turnover. But so too was Nikola Vucevic and Victor Oladipo, making big shots and big plays when the team needed them. Channing Frye was hitting uncharacteristic pull up jumpers off the dribble and working the post.
The Magic flummoxed the Blazers defense throughout the night, getting into the paint for 54 points and 56 field goal attempts; beating the Blazers to the offensive glass for 18 offensive rebounds, including five from Payton himself; and getting out in transition.
Offensively, it was probably the kind of game the Magic always wanted.
So even with Oladipo making just 7 of 23 shots and Vucevic making only 10 of 22, the Magic just kept grinding away and making plays — big plays, little plays, hustle plays — they needed to secure the win.
“When everyone plays well, it has a trickling effect,” Oladipo said. “It becomes contagious. When he plays like that, everybody else follows.”
The aggressive mindset was present throughout, even as the Blazers cut into the Magic’s initial double-digit lead in the first half. This was a point in the game where the Magic sometimes crumble and sometimes wilt. Oladipo stayed confident in his shot, as he always does and kept shooting. He did not lose confidence or get afraid he was making the wrong move.
That aggression was rewarded in the fourth quarter as the Magic closed. Oladipo had seven points and got to the line twice. His only field goal make was a 3-pointer, his supposed weakness. Vucevic had six points. Frye had seven too.
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Pelican Debrief
It was not the most efficient night, but the Magic found a way to scratch out several key offensive boards, with Payton and Aaron Gordon coming up with several offensive boards or keeping them alive for teammates. The Magic took advantage of these chances and got to those 50/50 balls.
They have been knocking on the door of a win like this for sometime — one where they play solidly for 48 minutes. Maybe not perfectly, but play well. Orlando took it to its opponent and closed.
“We’ve been knocking on that door these last couple of games, we’ve been knocking on that door, and, today, we got through,” coach James Borrego said. “And I’m just really happy. I’m really proud of our group. It’s hard to win in the NBA. It’s hard to win a game in this league. And we’ve been knocking on that door against some very good opponents, and I’m really happy for them and proud of them that they get to absorb this win and carry this on to our next game.”
This is the exact kind of effort the Magic needed. With just 10 healthy players and missing two starters, the Magic knocked the door down and won the game. They got great efforts from everyone. The bench group came in for both the second and fourth quarters and helped maintain the lead.
Players stepped up and stepped into new roles, doing whatever the team asked of them.
When Orlando needed a key shot, no matter how the team was playing overall, they found the shot. They found the will to get to the ball and stay aggressive, pushing past a more than game Blazers team. This was a very good team the Magic defeated.
The belief has been there and the talent has been there to play like this when the team is not completely sharp or making jumpers at a high rate. The Magic dictated a faster tempo and attacked the paint with almost reckless abandon.
It is these nights that show the Magic can bust the door down an d put it all together with this group.
“We’re going to be really good,” Gordon said. “It’s just maturity, it’s all it is. We’ve got to grow together, understand our personalities on the floor and off the court, and just be comfortable. Once we’re comfortable with closing games out, once we’re comfortable with knowing where we’re going to be out on the floor, we’re going to be a very good team.”
For once, the Magic can say they gained confidence late in games and fulfilled their potential. And reached somewhat historic heights in the process. Together.