Trail Blazers coach Chauncey Billups said Thursday that rookie Donovan Clingan is nearing a return from a mild left ankle sprain.

The Blazers’ win over the Magic exposes a major flaw in their rebuild strategy, with Chauncey Billups’ decisions negatively impacting their long-term outlook.

Portland Trail Blazers coach Chauncey Billups used an early timeout during Thursday night’s 101-79 win at the Orlando Magic to encourage his team to play through the physicality allowed by the officials.

The Portland Trail Blazers seemed to have the shorthanded Dallas Mavericks' number on Thursday night at American Airlines Center. At least, until late in the fourth quarter. Dallas went on a game-saving 16-0 run to close out the contest,

With Portland, the Hornets welcome a team that's in a very familiar spot to Spectrum Center. As many expected, the Trail Blazers have been one of the worst ball clubs in the Western Conference. But as of late, they are riding a three-game winning streak, including last night's impressive 101-79 victory in Orlando.

All-Star break about a month away, several NBA head coaches are sitting in the hot seat amid disappointing records,

Portland's reluctance to part with Billups is leading them closer to "no man's land" rather than a team fully embracing their rebuild, and it's setting the franchise back.

Deni Avdija #8 of the Portland Trail Blazers shoots the ball against Matas Buzelis (L) #14 and Jalen Smith #7 of the Chicago Bulls during the first half at Moda Center on January 19, 2025 in Portland, Oregon. (Photo by Soobum Im/Getty Images) Getty Images

Get real-time NBA basketball coverage and scores as Portland Trail Blazers takes on Charlotte Hornets. We bring you the latest game previews, live stats, and recaps on CBSSports.com

The Orlando Magic and Portland Trail Blazers square off for the first time this season on Thursday night in the Kia Center. Tipoff is at 7 p.m.

According to head coach Chauncey Billups, Clingan hurt his ankle. They don't know how bad it is yet, but any time missed is disappointing for him. Clingan had started to see an increase in minutes as of late. He had eclipsed 22 minutes of playing time in each of the last three games.