Orlando Magic Survives Scare in Win vs. Portland Trail Blazers

The Portland Trail Blazers gave the Orlando Magic a run for its money, but ultimately the home team prevailed.

Jeremy Brener | Apr 1, 2024

Apr 1, 2024; Orlando, Florida, USA; Portland Trail Blazers forward Jabari Walker (34) shoots the / Mike Watters-USA TODAY Sports

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ORLANDO - The Orlando Magic is breathing a sigh of relief after a 104-103 win against the Portland Trail Blazers on Monday night inside the Kia Center.

The Magic entered the game as a massive favorite, but the Blazers fought tooth and nail with Orlando all night long. The Blazers even pulled ahead by a point with less than six minutes to go, giving them their first lead since the opening minutes. However, the Magic clutched up from there, going on a 15-4 run.

Apr 1, 2024; Orlando, Florida, USA; Portland Trail Blazers guard Dalano Banton (5) goes to the / Mike Watters-USA TODAY Sports

Portland pulled within a point with 30 seconds to go, and Paolo Banchero missed a 3-pointer that would have iced the game. On the Blazers' final possession, Scoot Henderson dished the ball out to Deandre Ayton for a potential game-tying shot, but he was short, giving the Magic the win.

All five Magic starters scored in double figures, including a team-high 20 points from Franz Wagner. Wendell Carter Jr. notched his second consecutive double-double with 17 points and 13 rebounds. The Blazers were led by Dalano Banton, who scored 26 points off the bench.

The Magic heads out on the road for its next game on Wednesday against the New Orleans Pelicans. Tipoff is scheduled for 8 p.m. ET from the Smoothie King Center.

Published Apr 1, 2024

JEREMY BRENER

Jeremy Brener is an editor, writer and social media manager for several Fan Nation websites. His work has also been featured in 247 Sports and SB Nation as a writer and podcaster. Brener has been with Fan Nation since 2021. Brener grew up in Houston, going to Astros, Rockets and Texans games as a kid. He moved to Orlando in 2016 to go to college and pursue a degree. He hosts "The Dream Take" podcast covering the Rockets, which has produced over 350 episodes since March 2020. Brener graduated in May 2020 from the University of Central Florida with a Bachelor's degree in Broadcast Journalism minoring in Sport Business Management. While at UCF, Brener worked for the school's newspaper NSM.today and "Hitting the Field," a student-run sports talk show and network. He was the executive producer for "Hitting the Field" from 2019-20. During his professional career, Brener has covered a number of major sporting events including the Pro Bowl, March Madness and several NBA and NFL games. As a fan, Brener has been to the 2005 World Series, 2010 FIFA World Cup and the 2016 NCAA National Championship between the Villanova Wildcats and North Carolina Tar Heels. Now, Brener still resides in the Central Florida area and enjoys writing, watching TV, hanging out with friends and going to the gym. Brener can be followed on Twitter @JeremyBrener. For more inquiries, please email jeremybrenerchs@gmail.com.