Blazers Battle Back Again, But Fall Short Late Against Orlando
For the second night in a row, the Portland Trail Blazers showed grit, heart, and a whole lot of fight-but once again, they came up just short. Tuesday night at the Moda Center felt like déjà vu: a double-digit second-half deficit, a furious fourth-quarter rally, a crowd ready to explode, and ultimately, another close loss-this time 110-106 to the Orlando Magic.
Make that two straight heartbreakers for a Blazers squad now sitting at 12-18 on the season, a record that doesn’t quite capture how competitive-and exhausting-these games have been.
“Keep Your Heads Up”
Interim head coach Tiago Splitter’s message to his team after the game was simple but meaningful: “Keep your heads up. You guys fought.
You guys were there. You guys competed.
I’m proud of them.”
And he should be. Despite playing without key rotation pieces and struggling from beyond the arc, Portland once again found itself in a dogfight down the stretch. The Blazers couldn’t overcome the final few possessions, but the effort was undeniable.
A Chippy, Physical Battle
Tuesday’s game wasn’t just a grind-it was a scrap. Bodies hit the floor, tempers flared, and the intensity never dipped.
Orlando’s Desmond Bane embraced the villain role, jawing at the Blazers bench, flexing after big plays, and finishing with 23 points, three steals, and three blocks. But Portland didn’t back down.
Sidy Cissoko and Toumani Camara brought the defensive fire, getting into Bane’s space and refusing to give him an inch. Down low, Donovan Clingan and Wendell Carter Jr. had their own private wrestling match, battling for position and exchanging shoves and complaints with the officials.
And then there was Caleb Love.
Love’s Breakout Moment
The rookie two-way guard, better known for his scoring flashes, made his biggest impact on the defensive end. Love was relentless chasing Bane through screens, sticking with him off the ball, and racking up a career-high three blocks-two of them coming in the fourth quarter, both against Bane. He also added 17 points on 7-of-13 shooting off the bench, and he wasn’t shy about letting the Magic know he was feeling it.
“That’s just competitive nature,” Love said after the game. “I’m gonna always compete every time I step on the floor.
He’s a competitor as well. That’s just two ball players competing.”
Splitter echoed the praise: “Caleb Love had a great game, defensively especially. Blocking shots, deflections, rebounds. Very active.”
Avdija Leads the Charge Again
Deni Avdija continues to be the engine that keeps Portland’s offense humming. The 6-foot-8 forward played 36 minutes just one night after logging 40, and still managed to post 25 points, eight assists, six rebounds, and two steals. He was everywhere-initiating offense, attacking the rim, and trying to will the Blazers to another comeback win.
Shaedon Sharpe stepped up as the secondary scorer, dropping 22 points on 8-of-18 shooting. Together, they helped Portland dominate the paint (58-36 advantage) and push the pace in transition (28-13 edge), despite a tough night from three-point range.
Sharpe’s mid-range jumper with 8:30 left gave the Blazers their first lead since early in the second quarter, capping off a 17-point comeback. But in crunch time, the execution just wasn’t there.
Missed Chances in the Final Minute
With 39 seconds left and the Blazers down one, Sharpe split a pair of free throws. After a defensive stop, Avdija drove and found Clingan under the rim, but the 7-footer’s shot was blocked from behind-Portland’s best chance to take the lead, gone.
Out of a timeout with 11 seconds to go and trailing 109-106, the Blazers drew up a look for Avdija, who launched a leaning three from 30 feet. It clanged off the backboard and rim, sealing the loss.
“I sensed they were gonna foul me,” Avdija said. “I didn’t really want to get fouled so I wanted to get a quick shot.
… Sometimes it’s gonna go in, sometimes it’s gonna go out. So I’ll just live with the results.”
Running on Fumes
The energy it took to mount back-to-back second-half comebacks is clearly taking its toll. Splitter admitted he’s been doing “math during the game” to manage minutes, with guys like Camara logging 39 minutes and Avdija playing heavy minutes on back-to-back nights.
“I would rather have them playing 32 minutes at most,” Splitter said. “But we’re short-handed. Guys are doing what they can.”
Avdija acknowledged the fatigue, too: “I won’t lie. But ain’t nobody care how tired I am, so I’ve gotta go out there and produce.”
Still Together, Still Fighting
Despite the losses, the locker room isn’t splintering. If anything, it’s galvanizing.
From Splitter to Avdija to Cissoko and Love, the message was consistent: this team isn’t folding. They believe in each other, and they’re learning from the close calls.
“We believe in each other. We believe in ourselves as a team,” Avdija said.
“It’s only gonna make us better, for real. Those losses, those are tough, but you really learn from them.
I’d rather lose tight games like that than get blown out.”
The Blazers now get a two-day break to rest and regroup before hosting the Clippers on December 26. And if the last two nights are any indication, this team may be young and banged up-but they’re not backing down from anyone.