The Portland Trail Blazers dominated the Orlando Magic 100-79 on Thursday night, extending their winning streak to three games. Anfernee Simons led the charge with 21 points, while Toumani Camara added 16 points and six rebounds in the victory.
The Blazers improved to 16-28, maintaining their momentum despite missing key big men Deandre Ayton and Donovan Clingan due to injuries. Robert Williams filled the void with a game-high 12 rebounds and four blocks, anchoring a defense that tallied 12 blocks overall.
Orlando’s Franz Wagner returned from a 20-game absence caused by an oblique tear, leading the Magic with 20 points. However, his efforts weren’t enough to lift the team, which has now dropped five straight games and seven of its last eight. The Magic shot just 34.2% from the field, including 24% from three-point range.
Scoot Henderson fouled out after playing just 14 minutes but contributed four points and two assists before exiting. Jabari Walker made a significant defensive impact off the bench, recording six steals in 19 minutes.
The Magic, now 23-23, continued to struggle without Jalen Suggs, who has been sidelined with a back injury. The team has fallen from third in the Eastern Conference standings to eighth since Wagner’s injury in December. Orlando committed 22 turnovers during the game, leading to several easy baskets for Portland.
Despite Wagner’s solid return, Orlando’s frontcourt was unable to contain Portland’s balanced attack. Deni Avdija added 13 points, five rebounds, and five assists for the Blazers, while Dalano Banton chipped in 10 points off the bench.
Paolo Banchero endured a rough outing for the Magic, finishing with eight points and nine rebounds but shooting just 1-for-14 from the field. He also committed five turnovers, highlighting Orlando’s offensive struggles.
The Trail Blazers’ defense proved to be the difference-maker. In addition to Williams’ rim protection, the team forced 19 turnovers and limited the Magic to just six made three-pointers. Portland shot 48.8% from the floor and 32.1% from beyond the arc, converting their defensive stops into efficient offense.
The loss marked a tough night for Orlando’s bench as well, despite 16 points from Tristan Da Silva and 10 points from Jett Howard. Jonathan Isaac was held scoreless in 17 minutes, and the Magic bench combined to shoot 41.2%.
