Desmond Bane delivers on both ends as Magic top Blazers
Desmond Bane recorded 23 points and three steals and made a big defensive play late to lead the Orlando Magic to a 110-106 road victory over the Portland Trail Blazers on Tuesday night.
Anthony Black added 22 points, seven rebounds and six assists and Tyus Jones had 16 points and seven assists as the Magic completed a 2-2 road trip. Bane, Black and Jones each made four 3-pointers for Orlando.
Wendell Carter Jr. contributed 14 points and seven rebounds and Paolo Banchero scored 12 points for the Magic.
Deni Avdija had 25 points, eight assists and six rebounds and Shaedon Sharpe scored 22 points for the Trail Blazers, who lost their second straight after winning their previous three games.
Caleb Love scored 17 points off the bench, Kris Murray had 13 points and Toumani Camara added 10 for Portland.
Portland trailed by 17 early in the third quarter but Sharpe's three-point play pulled the Trail Blazers within 107-105 with 2:23 remaining in regulation.
Sharpe went to the free-throw line with 38.9 seconds and missed the first before making the second, leaving Portland down one.
The Trail Blazers were looking to move ahead but the 6-foot-6 Bane blocked 7-foot-2 Donovan's Clingan's shot at the rim. Bane was fouled and went to the line with 11 seconds left and made both to give Orlando a 109-106 lead.
Avdija missed a 3-pointer with 9.7 seconds remaining. Black split two free throws with 6.4 seconds left to sew up Orlando's win.
Orlando connected on 43.5% of its field-goal attempts and made 15 of 33 from 3-point range.
The Trail Blazers sank 47.1% of their shots and were 9 of 32 from behind the arc. Clingan collected 14 rebounds.
Black scored 19 first-half points as Orlando led 63-50 at the break.
Banchero converted back-to-back baskets to open the third quarter and boost the lead to 17.
The Magic led 89-75 later in the period before Portland scored 11 consecutive points and 17 of 19.
The Trail Blazers scored five straight to trail 89-80 at the end of the third and rattled off six more to open the fourth.
Two free throws by Sharpe capped the burst as Portland trailed by three. Bane then stole the ball from Sharpe and was fouled and made two free throws for Orlando.
However, Sharpe's layup and Love's mid-range jumper brought Portland within one with 9:10 remaining. Sharpe then hit a 14-foot jumper to give the Trail Blazers a 92-91 edge with 8:30 to play.

