• Preview
• Recap
• Bleachers
• Game Tracker

Redick helps Magic end 12-game skid

Feb 11, 2013 - 4:32 AM Orlando, FL (Sports Network) - After a three-game absence, J.J. Redick made his return a meaningful one.

Coming off the bench, Redick battled through a sore shoulder to score 22 points and help prevent Orlando from matching its longest losing streak in nine seasons with a 110-104 win over the Portland Trail Blazers on Sunday.

Redick appeared to reinjure his shoulder at the end of the first half, but returned in the third quarter to finish 9-of-13 from the field and help put an end to the Magic's 12-game slide.

Jameer Nelson contributed 10 points with a career-high 15 assists, while Nikola Vucevic added 17 points and 19 rebounds in the victory, Orlando's first since Jan. 16.

"It was just a great team effort," said Vucevic. "We came out aggressive, played hard on both ends of the court. On the offensive end, we really shared the ball, looked for the extra pass, got great looks and knocked shots down."

Portland continued its struggles on the road, falling for the seventh time in its last eight games away from home. LaMarcus Aldridge saw his career-best seven consecutive double-doubles streak come to an end, finishing with 25 points and six rebounds.

Nicolas Batum contributed 19 points, eight rebounds and six assists in the Trail Blazers' third straight defeat.

"I thought the Magic played harder, they outplayed us at both ends," said Portland coach Terry Stotts. "They deserved to win, they executed well."

Led by Redick, the Magic bench proved to be a significant difference in the game, as they outscored Portland's reserves, 51-28.

The Magic overcame an 11-point first quarter deficit by shooting 59.1 percent in the second to grab a 55-49 lead at the break.

Orlando kept it rolling in the third, staying hot from the field to increase its advantage to as many as 13 before heading into the fourth with a 79-72 lead.

Luke Babbitt's triple early in the fourth brought the Blazers within four, but they never came any closer. Soon after, Vucevic had a pair of scores to push the Magic's advantage back up to eight and Andrew Nicholson's jumper following Nelson's triple gave Orlando a 101-88 edge with 4:02 remaining.

Gustavo Ayon, who added 16 points off the bench, finished consecutive layups to help the Magic keep a double-digit edge with under a minute remaining and they cruised to victory from there.

Game Notes

The last time the Magic lost 13 games in a row was March 13-April 10, 2004 ... Nine of Orlando's 15 wins have come against Western Conference opponents ... Portland came into the contest winners in four of the last five meetings with Orlando ... The Trail Blazers fell to 8-18 on the road this season.