of portland trailblazers on a sunday matinee los angeles lakers One of the top teams in the Western Conference Phoenix Suns-On Friday. Opponents, on the other hand, were already facing doubts as to whether they had any pieces in their aging roster of veterans to hold together a winner, realizing they could not win.
Neither team delivered the performance the fans were probably hoping for, but they still put on a show and Portland managed to come out on top 106-104.
After a slow start, Damian Lillard was the man again, scoring 41 points for the second game in a row.
Here’s how the action went down.
first quarter
The Blazers wasted no time in going back to the recipe that saw them succeed against the Suns, giving the Lakers a healthy dose of Lillard early on. The drug didn’t have the same effect the second time around, as Dame struggled to connect to shots while taking the brunt of LA’s defense. The Lakers then took a page out of Portland’s book and shoved those mistakes into his face with Transition his bucket. LA took a 10-2 lead from him in just minutes, and the Blazers needed time to talk.
The confusion subsided once Portland succeeded in reducing self-harm. Lillard appeared to flip the switch from “air-conditioning unit” to “propane barbecue,” pouring in his 14 points in the quarter and attacking the Lakers’ defense at every level. The Blazers were still somewhat careless on the ball, but recovered enough on defense to keep those mistakes from taking their toll. It looked like The Bosnian’s strong low post Whether it was his presence or Russell he had another day at Westbrook, LA could go into the paint at will, but However Couldn’t convert when they got there. The Blazers were then forced to capitalize and race.
Portland took the lead midway through the period before ending the frame on a 23-8 run, holding a 32-24 advantage one later.
Second quarter
The second quarter wasn’t a big paradigm shift for either team, as both teams kept getting held back by the same mistakes. LA was a terrifying 1-16 over the first half arc, forcing them to completely “ride or die” by incorporating their offense into the teeth of the Blazer defense. Portland had a tough time when he was forced to guard James and Anthony Davis one-on-one, but the Lakers are practically his pre-3-point offense for a long time. The Blazers were able to provide help with little result.
Portland would have extended their lead were it not for the near misses and sloppy play. Shaedon Sharpe did not handle a one-handed tomahawk putback that easily constitutes the high point of his young career. Blazer missed enough rabbits near the rim to fill the rabbit colony. Not getting much ground when the dust settled, Portland maintained a 55-48 lead going into the break.
third quarter
As expected, LA didn’t just capsize and die. The Lakers started making shots. We could see their confidence grow as the inevitable terror creeping up on the Blazers. It was rough sailing for those who didn’t. Portland continued to attack the rim with reckless abandon, but repeatedly ran into a ready and waiting Davis. Davis often won battles. These hiatus led to a harder transition opportunity for LA and a more offensive stagnation from the Blazers. It was a vicious circle that blazer fans are familiar with.
Portland could do little more than watch as they only scored six points in the final five minutes of the quarter and the Lakers slowly chipped away to regain the lead. LA took an 83-78 advantage in the final frame.
4th quarter
Now playing from behind, the Blazers had to act urgently. To make matters worse, while LA’s offense was humming, the team had to essentially go back to the drawing board and find a way to effectively attack the now stifling Laker defense. is a tall order for his team on the road in the third game of the season. For better or worse, Portland decided to stick to their original game plan of attacking to the nose of the defense for some predictable results. The Blazer’s guard was even harder to get past the front line of defense and was stripped more often than splitting double teams. Theft auto.
Yet, even with the Blazers tied 102-95 with less than two minutes remaining, LA inexplicably went ice cold and Portland somehow managed to pull themselves apart and win the game. I was. It was all but a waste as Nurkic was initially pinned to Patrick Beverley’s illegal screen in the middle of the court before Lillard’s 3 led him 104-102 – it was a complete flop. Chauncey Billups quickly contested this decision and it was overturned. His official, Ed Malloy, said in the ruling that “Beverley dived.”
Lillard and Jerami Grant’s go-ahead baskets (and yet another Last Shot hero) put pressure on LA in the final minute to force extra time, and James’ 20-foot fader at the buzzer was short. Who was protecting LeBron on key possessions? Lillard, or of course.
Portland ran out the Staples Center with another impressive win.
next
Stay tuned for an extended summary coming soon from Conor Bergin.
The Blazers will return to the Moda Center tomorrow with Nikola Jokic Denver Nuggets, to start the 4-game homestand. The tip is set at 7:00 PM Pacific Time.
