Beede's Breakdown: Magic escape Portland with win behind Desmond Bane's 23

Jason Beede, Orlando Sentinel on Dec 24, 2025

By clicking submit, I authorize Arcamax and its affiliates to: (1) use, sell, and share my information for marketing purposes, including cross-context behavioral advertising, as described in our Privacy Policy , (2) add to information that I provide with other information like interests inferred from web page views, or data lawfully obtained from data brokers, such as past purchase or location data, or publicly available data, (3) contact me or enable others to contact me by email or other means with offers for different types of goods and services, and (4) retain my information while I am engaging with marketing messages that I receive and for a reasonable amount of time thereafter. I understand I can opt out at any time through an email that I receive, or by clicking here

The last time the Magic met the Trail Blazers on the court, Orlando needed a buzzer-beating 3-pointer from Desmond Bane in order to capture a Nov. 10 win at home.

As for Tuesday’s game when Jamahl Mosley‘s squad made its lone trip of the season to Portland?

Bane (23 points) delivered a crucial block on Trail Blazers center Donovan Clingan with 12.2 seconds left and sunk a pair of free throws to put help the Magic finish on top 110-106 late inside Moda Center.

With both sides playing on the second night of a back-to-back, Orlando led by as many as 17 points in the third quarter before Portland went on a 19-2 run between the end of the third and start of the fourth frames.

But it was the Magic, without Jalen Suggs (left hip bruise), Franz Wagner (left high ankle sprain), Tristan da Silva (right shoulder bruise) and Goga Bitadze (left knee strain), who outlasted the Trail Blazers on the road thanks to Bane’s late-game heroics, 22 points from Anthony Black and 16 added from Tyus Jones.

Portland (12-18) saw Deni Avdija (25 points) and Shaedon Sharpe (22) combine for 47 points but the Western Conference foe turned the ball over 17 times for 22 Orlando points.

With the four-point win, the Magic (17-13) split their four-game road trip on the West Coast and return to Kia Center to host the Hornets on Friday night.

Anthony in action

Black set the tone early for Orlando when he scored the team’s first 8 points and later 11 of the first 14 by hitting accurately from distance and driving to the basket.

In the first half alone, the third-year pro shot 4 for 6 from 3-point range to post 19 points in 17 minutes of action.

Black recorded a steal and slam early in the third quarter to cross 20-plus points for the seventh time this season, but slowed down in the second half. After the break, Black shot 1 for 6 from the floor.

Keeping up with the Joneses

Similar to Black, Jones also found success from beyond the arc in the first half when he hit all three of his long-range attempts.

Jones was the only other member of the Magic to score in double figures before the break when he posted a season-high 11 points by the half.

The veteran guard added his fourth three early in the final frame of the game and helped keep Orlando’s offense afloat when Portland made a run in the fourth quarter. Jones scored 5 of his 16 points in the fourth.

Rookie watch

Magic second-round pick Noah Penda missed his first six shots from the floor, which included three 3-pointers.

The French forward continued to battle, however, when he ended with 8 points, 6 rebounds and 2 assists with a key fourth-quarter block in 24 minutes.

First-round pick Jase Richardson played half as many minutes as Penda when he only took 2 shots from the floor for just 2 points with a pair of assists and rebounds.

________