Magic at Trail Blazers
It was going to be quite a chore for Orlando to win at Portland regardless but the task will be harder for the Magic with center Nikola Vucevic sidelined for Wednesday’s visit with the Trail Blazers. Vucevic suffered a concussion against the Los Angeles Clippers on Monday when he fell hard to the floor with the side of his head hitting first. Vucevic will have to pass the NBA’s concussion protocol before he will be cleared to return.
Portland is in the midst of its worst stretch of the season with four losses in six games. The Trail Blazers fell 123-119 to the Sacramento Kings on Tuesday and scored 46 fourth-quarter points to make the final margin look respectable. Damian Lillard scored 26 of his career-best 41 points in the final quarter. The Magic have lost four straight games after being soundly beaten 101-81 by the Clippers on Monday.
TV: 10 p.m. ET, FSN Florida (Orlando), CSN Northwest (Portland)
ABOUT THE MAGIC (10-24): Orlando is 0-6 this season when Vucevic sits out and is thin in the interior without him. Veteran Jason Maxiell may see his minutes increase or forward Glen Davis could be moved over to play as an undersized center. Guard Arron Afflalo struggled to 12 points in the loss to the Clippers, and he was the only Orlando starter to score in double digits. The other four starters combined for only 16 points on 6-of-34 shooting.
ABOUT THE TRAIL BLAZERS (26-9): Lillard single-handedly got Portland back into Tuesday’s loss as he went on a late-game rampage. Lillard scored 14 points in a span of 49 seconds to get the Trail Blazers back within two until Sacramento’s Isaiah Thomas made it a two-possession game with two late free throws. “He’s a competitor and at no time does he ever think he’s out of a game,” Portland coach Terry Stotts said afterward. “He’s done that a lot in the two years he’s been here. He’s a special player.”
BUZZER BEATERS
1. Portland has won four of the last six meetings.
2. Trail Blazers G Wesley Matthews is 7-of-24 from the field – including 1-of-12 from 3-point range – over the last two games.
3. Orlando is 3-13 on the road and winless in five away games against Western Conference foes.