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Like so many of Lillards other impressive plays over the previous two weeks, the ball dropped gently through the hoop. And while the Blazers still tracked by four at that point, it felt inescapable that Lillard– the undisputed MVP of this NBA bubble at the Walt Disney World Resort– would discover a way to conserve Portland one more time.
,” Blazers coach Terry Stotts stated with a smile.
Were delighted to be in the play-in round. We know that we got a tough challenger in Memphis, so there was no genuine time to celebrate.”.
LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla.– Ninety-one seconds into the 4th quarter of a game that would choose the Portland Trail Blazers fate, Damian Lillard took one action over half court and introduced a 3-pointer that felt as though it traveled halfway to Oregon.
Thus many of Lillards other remarkable plays over the previous two weeks, the ball dropped softly through the hoop. In reaction, the Brooklyn Nets called timeout. And while the Blazers still tracked by 4 at that point, it felt unavoidable that Lillard– the undeniable MVP of this NBA bubble at the Walt Disney World Resort– would find a method to conserve Portland one more time.
In the end, he did simply that, ending up with 42 points– consisting of 12 in the fourth quarter– to raise Portland to a heart-stopping 134-133 success over the Nets, and with it making the Blazers the 8th seed in the Western Conference and an area this weekend in the NBAs first play-in competition.
” I simply didnt wish to be too passive,” Lillard said later. “So, as I was bringing the ball up, I stated, As quickly as I see an opportunity, Im gon na raise up.”.
It was a preposterous shot– much like numerous others Lillard has actually included over the past 2 weeks in leading Portland to a 6-2 record, permitting the Blazers to end up a half-game ahead of the Memphis Grizzlies, their challenger in the play-in round this weekend, and the Phoenix Suns. And Portland requires every one of them, as Lillard scored 51 points to beat the Philadelphia 76ers, 61 indicate beat the Dallas Mavericks and now 42 indicate beat the Nets– video games the Blazers won by a combined 7 points.
” We needed every one of [those points],” Blazers coach Terry Stotts stated with a smile.
He wasnt joking, as Lillard ended up being the very first gamer in NBA history to score a minimum of 40 points in 3 successive games his group won by 3 or fewer points, according to Elias Sports Bureau information.
2 RelatedBut when Stotts consulted with his team after Thursday nights video game, it wasnt Lillards 3 from half court that he showed the team, nor was it Gary Trent Jr.s big corner 3-pointer with over two minutes to play that provided Portland the lead or Jusuf Nurkics layup or CJ McCollums key midrange jumper that followed it.
Rather, he showed the team a pair of plays: Lillard diving on the flooring at half court for a loose ball, and Nurkic doing the same on the standard to protect a protective rebound.
” Those are the important things we have to do to win video games,” Stotts stated. “Those plays, those two plays, made a distinction.”.
As a result, Portland has actually found its way into the leagues inaugural play-in tournament, where, as the 8th seed, the Blazers have to win just among the 2 possible play-in games (Saturday at 2:30 p.m. ET on ABC and Sunday at 4:30 p.m. ET on ESPN) in order to deal with the Los Angeles Lakers in the first round of the NBA playoffs. The Grizzlies, on the other hand, need to win both video games to make the postseason.
While the 2 groups in the hunt for play-in berths that won earlier Thursday– the Grizzlies and Suns– scored success against depleted Milwaukee Bucks and Mavericks teams, respectively, that were getting ready for the playoffs, the Blazers got a full effort from the Nets.
Brooklyn will play the Toronto Raptors beginning Tuesday in the preliminary of the playoffs, but after the Nets have actually had men in and out of the lineup over the past numerous weeks, they selected to play their full rotation its typical allocation of minutes in order to get ready.
” Well have our beginning lineup that weve had the last couple video games and see how those people development,” Nets coach Jacque Vaughn said before the game. “Well keep track of those people– but its about us having a rhythm and sort of progression as we lead into the playoffs.
” So well assess the game, see what the game renders, but those guys have the psychological makeup right now that theyre playing a competitive basketball video game.”.
The Nets kept that focus throughout, as Caris LeVert (37 points on 16-for-29 shooting with 9 assists) led Brooklyn to a 10-point lead late in the third quarter. The Nets as a group shot a scorching 59.7% from the field through 3 quarters against Portlands flammable defense, which entered Thursdays game ranked 21st in protective effectiveness.
However Portland, as it did against both Philadelphia and Dallas, resisted and took the lead with 1 minute, 45 seconds staying on a layup by Nurkic that made it 132-130 Blazers, and McCollum doubled the lead with a free throw line jumper with 53.4 seconds left following a frantic sequence in which Nurkic and Lillard both dove on those loose balls.
The Blazers provided up a wide range of offensive rebounds in the fourth, however, and it appeared that would return to cost Portland a lot when LeVert scored over Nurkic, plus drew a nasty, with 37.7 seconds left, cutting Portlands lead to 134-133.
Portland had a chance to seal the game when Carmelo Anthony had a wide-open appearance in the corner that would have pushed the lead back to four, but Anthony missed. Brooklyn then came down and chose to play for the win, with LeVert isolated against McCollum– whom he had non-stop assaulted in the fourth quarter.
But though LeVert got off a quality shot, it went wanting, and Portland was able to breathe a huge sigh of relief.
” As far as the shot, I just attempt to read the defense,” LeVert stated. “I feel like they playing the drive, I got to watch it again, but these are all shots I practice each and every day so Ill live with that shot.”.
None of that will matter, however, to Portland. Rather, the focus for the Blazers will be just to attempt to recuperate and rest for Saturdays video game versus Memphis– and, possibly, the matchup with LeBron James, Anthony Davis and the Lakers waiting after it.
If anyone believes Portland is celebrating its accomplishment of reaching the play-in round, think again. The Blazers have bigger things in mind.
” I would state that we enjoyed [and] relieved. Were thrilled to be in the play-in round. [But] its not like we were leaping up and down,” Stotts stated.
” We are where we wished to be. I do not believe anyone is over the moon right now. We understand that we got a tough opponent in Memphis, so there was no actual time to commemorate.”.
Rather than commemorating, Lillard had something else in mind: a postgame ice bath to start preparing his body for Saturdays showdown with the Grizzlies. He stated his mind was already getting ready to go.
” Ill always be ready mentally,” Lillard said. “Im never ever worried about that.”.
Tim BontempsESPN
