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.
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