Magic Hold On, Beat Trail Blazers in 'Game of Runs'
ORLANDO - The Orlando Magic (16-26) bounced back from its 25-point defeat last night and beat the Portland Trail Blazers (19-21) in a 109-106 contest Tuesday Night at Moda Center.
It was a game of runs between the Magic and Blazers, and Orlando struck first out of the gates with a 26-10 lead in the first eight minutes of the contest.
However, Portland fought back, outscoring Orlando 30-17 in the second quarter, tying the game at 50 apiece going into the locker room.
Then, the Magic found a rhythm once again, racing out to a 15-0 run to start the second half, but the Blazers weren't going to go out quietly. Portland slowly but surely chipped away at Orlando's lead, which was cut to one point with 22 seconds to go.
However, the Magic held on, thanks to clutch free throws and several crucial stops in the Blazers' final possession.
Leading the way for Orlando was Franz Wagner, who dropped a game-high 29 points, 15 of which came in the fourth quarter. Wendell Carter Jr. and Paolo Banchero each recorded a double-double, while Markelle Fultz and Moe Wagner also ended up in the double-digit scoring department.
The win for Orlando shakes off the difficult loss on Monday in Sacramento and keeps the team afloat going into the second half of the road trip.
The Magic will get two days of rest before returning to the court Friday night against the Utah Jazz. Tipoff is scheduled for 9 p.m.
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