Another Late Collapse Sinks Trail Blazers in Déjà Vu Loss to Magic
For the Trail Blazers, Tuesday night felt like a rerun they didn’t ask for.
Once again, Portland dug itself a double-digit hole. Once again, they clawed all the way back. And once again, it ended in heartbreak-this time a 110-106 loss to the Orlando Magic in front of 17,073 fans at the Moda Center.
If this script sounds familiar, it should. Just last month in Orlando, the Blazers erased a 13-point fourth-quarter deficit, only to watch Desmond Bane bury them with a buzzer-beating three. Tuesday’s version had a different finish, but the same gut-punch result.
Let’s break it down.
The Comeback That Almost Was
The Blazers were down by as many as 17 in the third quarter, looking flat and outpaced. But as they’ve done so many times this season, they flipped a switch late in the third and carried that surge into the fourth.
A 17-2 run capped by a smooth 15-footer from Shaedon Sharpe gave Portland a 92-91 lead with 8:30 to go. The building erupted.
The bench was fired up. Momentum had officially changed jerseys.
From that point on, it was a slugfest.
Trading Buckets, Trading Blows
The final minutes saw both teams land haymakers. Desmond Bane and Wendell Carter Jr. hit big-time jumpers for Orlando.
Sharpe responded with fearless drives to the rim. Caleb Love came off the bench firing, knocking down timely threes to keep Portland in it.
But this wasn’t just a shootout-it got chippy. Emotions boiled over on both sides, with flagrant fouls and plenty of jawing.
You could feel the tension. Both teams knew what was at stake, and neither was backing down.
The Final 60 Seconds
This time, the dagger didn’t come on a made shot-it came from the ones that didn’t fall.
With the game hanging in the balance and 38.9 seconds left, Sharpe stepped to the line. Down one.
A chance to tie. He missed.
The Blazers trailed 107-106.
Still, Portland had a chance. A strong defensive stand forced the Magic into scramble mode. Deni Avdija rotated over and found Donovan Clingan under the basket for what looked like a go-ahead layup.
But Bane had other plans.
Flying in from behind, he swatted the shot clean, grabbed the rebound, and then calmly sank two free throws with 11 seconds left to extend the Magic lead to 109-106.
Out of a timeout, the Blazers drew up a look for Avdija. He got free, caught the inbound, and let it fly from deep. It wasn’t close.
Anthony Black secured the rebound, hit one more free throw, and that was that.
Standout Performers
Despite the loss, there were bright spots for Portland.
- Deni Avdija was everywhere-scoring 25 points, dishing out eight assists, and grabbing six boards. He’s quietly becoming one of the Blazers’ most reliable playmakers.
- Shaedon Sharpe added 22 points and showed flashes of the explosive scoring that makes him such a tantalizing young talent.
- Caleb Love brought energy off the bench with 17 points and three blocks, giving the Blazers a much-needed spark during their comeback push.
For Orlando, Desmond Bane once again played the villain in Portland’s story, finishing with 23 points, five assists, four rebounds, three steals, and three blocks. His two-way impact was undeniable.
Anthony Black also turned in a strong performance with 22 points, six assists, and seven rebounds-another step forward for the young guard.
What’s Next
The Blazers, now 12-18, will have to regroup quickly. They’re back at it Friday night when they host the Los Angeles Clippers at the Moda Center.
If there’s one thing this team has shown, it’s resilience. But at some point, moral victories need to turn into actual ones. And for Portland, the clock’s ticking.