Following an up-and-down six-game road trip, the Portland Trail Blazers finally made their return to the Moda Center and got a gimme, fending off the decimated Orlando Magic 106-97 to improve their record to 13-10.
If the Blazers are hurting with injuries, the Magic are in tormented agony. Aside from Nikola Vucevic, who is having a terrific season, Orlando has been down most of its core rotation in one way or another all season. Aaron Gordon: ankle; Jonathan Isaac: knee; Markelle Fultz: knee; Evan Fournier: back; Michael Carter-Williams: foot. With an injury report that reads like a new game of Operation, the Magic are beyond trying to patch holes in the ship and have moved straight to inflating the life rafts.