If you’ve missed exciting basketball during this burr grinder that is the Portland Trail Blazers’s 2023-24 season, tonight was your night. The Orlando Magic messed around with an ugly loss, but eventually hold on in the final seconds for a 104-103 win. Deandre Ayton missed a mid-range jumper at the buzzer, after Scoot Henderson was both fouled and traveled without a whistle.
Don’t let the closeness of the score fool you into assuming the game was well-played. The “Leastern Conference” nickname was strongly reflected tonight.
A big night for the kids. The Blazers were led by Dalano Banton’s 26 points and 5 assists, Aytons’ 20 points and 12 rebounds, Jabari Walker’s 18 rebounds, 9 rebounds, and 5 assists, and Henderson’s 13 points, 9 rebounds, and 8 assists.