And after an unbelievable back-and-forth video game, the Blazers clinched an area in the play-in series with a 134-133 win. Win, and the Blazers advanced to the play-in, lose, and the Suns would have been in. It was win or go home for the Blazers, and they got the task done– hardly, however they got it done. Even more essential than simply making the play-in, the Blazers leapt past the Grizzlies for the No. 8 seed in the process. The Blazers were intention on getting the ball out of his hands, trapping him early in the very first quarter when he came off pick-and-rolls, and going so far as to double-team him at midcourt by the 4th quarter.
Sports jackets control second-chance points.
Lillard was clearly the main story in this video game, as theres no opportunity the Blazers even come close to winning without him. However, there were other things going on down in Orlando, and one of the biggest was the Blazers dominance in terms of second-chance points..
The Nets got in the bubble missing out on a variety of key players, and among the most significant challenges for the group that did decrease to Orlando was an absence of size; Jarrett Allen was the only healthy player over 6-foot-9. While playing so little was an increase for their offense, it likewise made them vulnerable on the glass– in particular on the protective end, where Allens fondness for chasing blocks typically leaves him out of position for rebounds..
Portland benefited from that weak point in a significant way, grabbing 14 offensive rebounds. More significantly, they converted on those extra opportunities, scoring 29 big second-chance points, which wasnt just a season-high, however the most second-chance points theyve had in a game considering that 2014. When you allow a team to shoot 55 percent from the field as the Blazers did, you need to discover a way to keep up, and the Blazers did so on the glass..
After months of planning, and 2 weeks of seeding video games inside the NBAs Disney World bubble, everything boiled down to the Portland Trail Blazers match with the Brooklyn Nets on Thursday night. And after an unbelievable back-and-forth video game, the Blazers clinched an area in the play-in series with a 134-133 win. Portland will now meet Memphis, and the Grizzlies have to beat the Blazers two times to advance to the preliminary to take on the Lakers..
Win, and the Blazers advanced to the play-in, lose, and the Suns would have been in. Damian Lillard, after everything hes done in the bubble, wasnt letting the latter happen.
It was another extraordinary performance by Lillard, however Caris LeVert nearly broke the Blazers hearts. The young Brooklyn guard was excellent in his own right, choosing 37 points, 6 rebounds and 9 assists, but his possible game-winner clanged off the back of the rim– conserving Portland and ending Phoenixs season..
Here are some key takeaways from the video game:.
Blazers win, theyre in.
The seeding games really end on Friday, but Thursday was the last truly meaningful day, as the 4 groups defending 2 spots in the Western Conference were all in action. Early on, the Phoenix Suns beat the Dallas Mavericks to end up 8-0 in the bubble, but they still required assistance. They didnt get any from the Milwaukee Bucks, as the Memphis Grizzlies travelled past a Giannis Antetokounmpo-less squad to clinch an area in the play-in series..
With wins by the Suns and Grizzlies, the San Antonio Spurs were eliminated before they might even take the court, ending their exceptional 22-year playoff streak. And so, heading into the final video game of the night, the scenario that started quite made complex early in the day became extremely clear-cut..
It was go or win home for the Blazers, and they did the job– hardly, but they got it done. Much more essential than just making the play-in, the Blazers jumped past the Grizzlies for the No. 8 seed while doing so. Thats big, due to the fact that it implies the Blazers have to win just once to clinch the playoff berth, while the Grizzlies will now have to beat them two times in a row..
Dame does it once again.
They havent announced the Kia NBA Player of the Seeding Games– corporate branding on awards is so cool– yet, however theres no concern its going to be Damian Lillard. The guy was an outright force of nature over the past few weeks, quite much willing the Blazers into the play-in by himself..
Thursday night was no different. The Blazers were intention on getting the ball out of his hands, trapping him early in the first quarter when he came off pick-and-rolls, and going so far as to double-team him at midcourt by the 4th quarter. And it simply didnt matter. There were definitely stretches where he went peaceful, however when he turned it on there was absolutely nothing the Nets could do.
He finished with 42 points and 12 helps, on 13-for-22 from the field, and 8-for-14 from 3-point land, which is an amazing game in any situation, not to mention an elimination game where youre facing continuous double teams. Overall, he was responsible for 69 of the Blazers 134 points– majority of them..
On a night like that, there are a lot of things you can highlight, however nothing was more outstanding than his 3-point shooting. He hit some absurd shots from the corner, and at one point early in the fourth quarter pulled up with his heels on the NBA logo design at midcourt. It was just an incredible showing..
