Orlando Magic Grades: Portland Trail Blazers 95, Orlando Magic 88

The Orlando Magic never could find their offensive rhythm and could not make up for their lulls, failing to build the momentum to complete a late comeback.

Marreese Speights drained a 3-pointer, his lone make of the night, and looked upward with his hands outstretched. It felt like manna from heaven for him. The usually reliable flamethrower could not hit anything and his one shot brought the Amway Center crowd into the game and increased the energy in an otherwise anxious and sometimes dead building.

The Portland Trail Blazers seemingly had an answer for every big play. A big block or offensive rebound was followed by a miss. The Orlando Magic never could get over the hump. And the Blazers ran it right back at them to get the stops and hold the line.

Even as Nikola Vucevic and Jonathon Simmons tried feverishly to get the Magic back in it, at one point sneaking the lead to five, but it was all too late. And everyone knew it.

The 10-point deficit the Magic dug themselves at the beginning of the second quarter was not one they could get themselves out of. Portland had too much firepower and too much defense. The Magic were never quite in rhythm, no matter what their coach said.

Portland held on for a 95-88 victory at the Amway Center on Friday, sending Orlando to its 15th loss in 18 games.

Even with Aaron Gordon returning, the Magic could not get their offense moving. Aaron Gordon’s hot start quickly faded and he left the game in the fourth quarter with an apparent hamstring injury. He will get a MRI on Saturday and his status for Sunday’s game is unknown.

What is known is the Magic will continue to have to fight without several key players. Their bench will continue to be stretched thin, leaving the team’s second units vulnerable. And the team is going to need a lot more than a usual effort.

Coach Frank Vogel said after the game he was pleased with his team’s effort and how they fought throughout the game. It certainly was not easy. And those plays and that fight were a constant message for his team after the loss to the LA Clippers on Wednesday. The Magic largely did their job, holding the Blazers to 43.0 percent shooting. With better offensive execution and a bit more urgency, this was a game they certainly could have won.

But it was still not enough in this game.

Next: Orlando Magic Daily Roundtable: First Quarter Review

The Orlando Magic start a two-game road trip Sunday in Detroit against the Detroit Pistons.