Cole Anthony scored 23 points and the Orlando Magic beat the Portland Trail Blazers 113-95 on Tuesday, who hours earlier agreed to a trade that ended point guard CJ McCollum’s nearly nine-year stay with the team.
Wendell Carter Jr. added 18 points for Orlando, which snapped a two-game losing streak. The Magic led as many as 18 points before the Blazers closed in in the third quarter.
Anfernee Simons hit a free throw that pulled Portland within 95-90 with 6:07 remaining. However, Chuma Okele answered with a dunk and the Magic pulled away to get the win.
Simons finished with 19 points for the Blazers, who have lost six straight. A pair of multiple-player trades before Thursday’s deadline cut into Portland’s payroll.
The latest came Tuesday, when the Blazers traded McCollum, Larry Nance Jr. and Tony Snell to New Orleans for Josh Hart, Tomas Satoransky, Nickel Alexander-Walker and Didi Louzada, as well as draft picks.