It’s a fact that the city of Portland and snow don’t mix. Anytime it snows, no matter how much drops from the sky, Portland is thrust into swirling chaos and oblivion. The roads are treacherous, neighborhood bars bulge, and everything else shuts down because everyone is either too scared, or too drunk/high to go to work. This time around the city looks like Superman's Fortress of Solitude, so you can rest assured nobody knows how to handle themselves. However, the Trail Blazers should feel right at home since they played like Supermen and toppled the defending NBA world champs on Wednesday. We can all be a slightly honest with ourselves and realize that the Cavaliers helped them win by shooting a clunky 34% from the field, but CJ McCullom’s 27 points, his seventh game in a row dropping 25+ or more, certainly helped. Also, Allen Crabbe dumping in 24 points was definitely a factor in the Blazers getting the win.

Last night the Blazers were looking to extend their winning streak (two games counts as a streak) against the Orlando Magic. All the Blazers needed to do was continue to up their defensive game, and shoot the ball as confidently as they did in the last two contests. From the starters to the bench, they all needed to produce and stay frosty.

Sadly, at the end of regulation, the Magic’s slight of hand proved to perplex the Blazers. Orlando walked with a 115-109 victory, and the Blazers were left to pick up the pieces yet again.

The first few minutes of the game the Blazers were as frigid as can be. With just under nine minutes left in the first they only had one point from an extra free throw Al-Farouq Aminu received after a Magic lane violation. They were zero for six from the field. The Magic were finding all the holes and making everything.

Damian Lillard finally broke the seal just over the seven minute mark with a dazzling cut to the hoop. After that, virtually all of the Blazers points came from Dame flying around in the paint like a gymnast. Unfortunately it wasn’t enough to take the lead away from the Magic. The Blazers shot a dismal 28% from the field while the Magic shot 70%.They took a 13 point advantage into the next quarter.

The second period didn’t look much different from the first. The Blazers could barely get any peaches into the basket. They didn't start swinging back until the five minute mark. Dame brought his point total up to 17, and Evan Turner had 11. They knocked the Magic’s lead back to five going into the second half.

The Blazers came out of the locker room looking slick, wide-eyed, and fiery on both ends of the court for the third quarter. They quickly took the lead in a proud fashion. A couple defensive stops from the Magic and a handful of triplets from Serge Ibaka kept the Blazers lead from getting too out of hand. Eventually the Magic took control again, leading 82-78 going into the final quarter.

The Blazers fought a nail-biting, uphill battle the entire fourth quarter. No matter how hard they tried, it was always two steps forward, three steps back. The top of the mountain was in sight so many times, but the Blazers just couldn’t plant their flag. It was an irksome end, indeed.

In his postgame press conference, coach Terry Stotts agreed.

“That was not the way we wanted it to go tonight. We got down early. Our offense was frustrating most of the night. I thought we had a lot of good looks inside and out, and did’t take advantage of it. In the end of the game, they made their shots, and we didn’t.”