The short-cut Portland Trail Blazers made a valiant effort in their 116-112 defeat to the Brooklyn Nets, but they too often missed the one stop or shot to keep themselves on top. Despite a balanced score with six players in double figures and 19 three-pointers, the Blazers again failed to achieve a victory.
The loss dropped the Blazers to 25-18 and the No. 6 spot in the Western Conference. Portland will now enter Thursday’s game nursing in a two-game losing streak. If you missed the immediate summary of Dave Deckard, check it out here.
Tonight’s “Extra Pass” winner
It’s ironic that in a game made up of so many isolation specialists – including the NBA’s top two one-on-one scorers in James Harden and Damian Lillard – that so much of the attack tonight centered around almost every other point until the end.
Because of the night-to-night fear that Harden and Lillard generate, the defensive goal was to send two defenders on their way and force a pass, or to send both defenders Lillard’s way on ball screens. The question then becomes: can Portland’s other players benefit from 4-on-3 situations?
The scenario was central at the end of the third quarter, when Portland relentlessly tried to take advantage of the setup with back-to-back cuts for Derrick Jones Jr. Seriously, you might have thought your TV was stuck. It is not surprising that Jones scored a season high in field goal attempts (14), Enes Kanter almost equaled his career high (6), and Lillard hoisted only 17 shots. The Blazers’ last offensive possession, under three, where Lillard passed out of the oncoming double path, was a final reminder of the action that preceded it.
There were situations where both teams went into post-season mode, chasing the games that create opportunities. There were plenty of traps and doubles. There’s a discussion about the 54 three-point attempts in this game, especially without certified knockouts in Portland’s non-starting rotations.
Nightmare Mode: Transitional Defense
The Blazers are constantly making observers yearn for more from half-court defense kits. These problems are further exacerbated when they are not defending in the halfway line and in transition. Unfortunately for the Blazers, tonight was one of those nights in which they could not slow down the Nets’ march in any situation – leading to 24 quick break points for Brooklyn.
In that context, the NBA’s worst transition defense belongs to the Philadelphia 76ers. They allow 15.7 fast points per game. James Harden could look far too often in front of the Blazers’ defense and sleeping places that made the teammates play out early in the shooting clock. This may be the Portland scheme, but the lack of effort should also be mentioned. This feels particularly problematic, as Portland does not have a bunch of reliable guys clashing the offensive glass, except for Enes Kanter, which means it can be difficult to find an excuse for the lack of resistance.
Since the Blazers are consuming the movie of tonight’s loss, it should be. This year, Portland is admitted as the sixth worst in the transition points.
Enes Kanter’s Marquee Night
For all the negative aspects that still have a loss, filled with missed opportunities, there are always some aspects that stand out positively. In tonight’s game, Enes Kanter fits that bill. Limited to an eight-man rotation and only one truly great man, Kanter led the Blazers within minutes (39) and filled the state sheet along the way. He flirts with a triple-double with 19 points, 19 rebounds, and six assists on a 6-out-of-8 shooting performance off the field.
As noted in the first takeaway, much of the things he did through his passing came from the extra pressure that sent Lillard’s path. But Kanter is as independent as they come. He slammed the glass hard and grabbed ten offensive rebounds – one less than the team record.
Following
Box count
The Blazers start again on Thursday against the Heat in Miami.