Orlando Magic Grades: Orlando Magic 111, Portland Trail Blazers 104
The Orlando Magic got a triple double performance from Elfrid Payton and controlled the tempo of the game to score a big win over a West power.
Elfrid Payton recorded his second consecutive triple double and dominated the pace of play driving the team forward and over the top against a very good Portland Trail Blazers team.
The Magic offense was not that efficient, but Payton and the Magic out-efforted the Blazers at every turn and withstood the final runs the Blazers sent at them in the third quarter. This was a game where the Magic might have crumbled. Instead they pulled through with their effort.
It helps having a guy like Payton and then Victor Oladipo, Nikola Vucevic and Channing Frye making big shots.
It was a well-deserved win and the Blazers knew it afterward.
A+. <p>It is hard to find any fault in Elfrid Payton’s game tonight. In fact, I dare you to. Maybe he was late getting around the screen on one play guarding <strong><a href=. PG. Orlando Magic. ELFRID PAYTON
B-. <p>Tonight was not Victor Oladipo’s best night. He still contributed 22 points and eight rebounds, but shot 7 for 23 from the floor. It was not the most efficient night and it was not his best offensive night.</p><p>But Oladipo would not stop attacking and never lost confidence in himself. And the Magic needed him and the rest of the team to keep attacking the basket to free everything up offensively. Oladipo took 10 field goals in the paint. He made only two, which is concerning. But the aggression in the face of bad shooting is a good sign.</p><p>Like the rest of his team, they withstood the punches and stuck to their game. That is important for a young team still looking for confidence in these situations. They were confident and finished the job tonight.</p>. SG. Orlando Magic. VICTOR OLADIPO
AARON GORDON. A. <p><strong><a href=. SF. Orlando Magic
C. Orlando Magic. NIKOLA VUCEVIC. C+. <p>Like Victor Oladipo, this was not the best game for Nikola Vucevic either.</p><p>He really struggled to make shots, at 10 for 22 for the game, and did not do a good job establishing deep post position. He was popping a lot rather than rolling to the basket. With Payton in the game and attacking aggressively though, it did not matter and popping was probably the right choice. Vucevic made his shots when it mattered though, making a few big ones in the fourth quarter.</p><p>Defensively, Vucevic drew the assignment on <strong><a href=
PORTLAND TRAIL BLAZERS. C-. <p>This was not the best game for the Playoff-bound Trail Blazers. Their defense was not good at all as Elfrid Payton got into the lane and did whatever he wanted to get his team shots. And offensively, Portland relied heavily on midrange jumpers. And the Trail Blazers let the Magic dominate and have life in a game the Blazers looked like they could pull out.</p><p>Portland has the offensive weapons and thought they had the defense to hold off the Magic. LaMarcus Aldridge destroyed the Magic in the second quarter to bring Portland back into the game.</p><p>Yet, at the end, Aldridge could not score and Damian Lillard only had two points in the second half. That will not get it done against any team playing well. Not when the defense cannot corral the point guard.</p>. .
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