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Orlando Magic Grades: Portland Trail Blazers 128, Orlando Magic 114

By Philip Rossman-Reich

ORLANDO, FL - OCTOBER 25: Damian Lillard #0 of the Portland Trail Blazers goes to the basket against the Orlando Magic on October 25, 2018 at Amway Center in Orlando, Florida. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2018 NBAE (Photo by Fernando Medina/NBAE via Getty Images)
ORLANDO, FL - OCTOBER 25: Damian Lillard #0 of the Portland Trail Blazers goes to the basket against the Orlando Magic on October 25, 2018 at Amway Center in Orlando, Florida. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2018 NBAE (Photo by Fernando Medina/NBAE via Getty Images) /
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The Orlando Magic had no answer for Damian Lillard throughout the second half and had no defensive answers throughout the night in a loss.

34. 114. 38. Final. 128

The Orlando Magic probably had one last push in them if they could get a stop. The momentum and the energy within the Amway Center was turning their way. They had fought and clawed their way back into the game so many times and never gotten over the hump. This was their chance to do so.

And there it was. The stop they needed. A deflection from Jonathan Isaac that would seemingly start that fast break that turns the momentum and puts a game of frustrating effort behind them and still gives them a chance to win.

Except Damian Lillard was there. He was always there. Silencing that run, halting that momentum. It was over and over again.

And as Jusuf Nurkic beat Nikola Vucevic to the floor to tip the ball out to Damian Lillard, everyone knew exactly what was going to happen. The 3-pointer fell in with ease and the Portland Trail Blazers had re-opened a 15-point lead.

Any hopes of the Magic coming back in this one were silenced. This was Lillard’s night in every way — scoring 34 of his 41 points in the second half — as the Trail Blazers defeated the Magic 128-114 at Amway Center on Thursday.

It might be easy to chalk up the game to the random bounce of a ball on a failed hustle play from several players. But that seeming game-clinching play was the exception not the rule.

Throughout the game, Portland caught Orlando flat-footed and lacking aggression defensively. The Blazers took a double-digit lead early and seemingly never let go — even with Damian Lillard and CJ McCollum struggling to get going in the first half. It was Zach Collins getting the ball on reversals or Evan Turner beating the team in transition.

Orlando had the fight and resolve to keep battling back. The Magic snapped to attention enough to cut every lead down. But then the focus would wane and the Blazers would attack. Especially with Lillard who did whatever he wanted in the second half.

Orlando kept Portland within striking distance but never made that run to overtake the lead. The Blazers would always pull away and the Magic could not stop anything.

C-. <a href=. PG. Orlando Magic. D.J. AUGUSTIN

<a href=. G/F. Orlando Magic. TERRENCE ROSS. A-

B-. A quick look at <a href=. PF. Orlando Magic. AARON GORDON

B. What is there left to say about <a href=. C. Orlando Magic. NIKOLA VUCEVIC

B+. The Portland Trail Blazers are a team that relies heavily on Damian Lillard and CJ McCollum for scoring. And that works most of the time. That was certainly the case in this game — Lillard had 41 and McCollum 22. But that does not tell the whole story.<p>McCollum and Lillard were largely quiet in the first half. Yet Portland kept the offense coming. The Trail Blazers got a ton of solid bench contributions that seemed to keep the Magic in a deep hole. Zach Collins scored 17 and <a href=. 3-1. 4th West. PORTLAND TRAIL BLAZERS

Next. Jonathan Isaac may be the Orlando Magic's X-factor. dark

The Orlando Magic are next in action Saturday as they travel to the Fiserv Forum for the first time to take on the Milwaukee Bucks.