An undefeated week and 1-0 in the NBA Cup? Sure, why not? Currently leading the standings in “the Group of Death” is incredible. Mainly, when it features Golden State, Houston, and San Antonio, this is going to be a gauntlet of a group, which will most likely produce the West half of the finals. Overall, the victory over Denver was an identity game for the Trail Blazers, and they passed the test that the defense will be there when it matters most. Clingan is proving that with rDRTG on/off swing (negative is better), being -16.2 is why he was the correct choice for Portland in the 2024 Draft.. His rookie season was to get his footing. This season, coupled with the defense-first mindset of the team, he’s showing why he won back-to-back NCAA championships with UConn. He’s part of this team’s foundation, and hopefully, he has a really long career.
Game #4 - 10/27 @ LA Lakers (122-108 W)
There really isn’t anything better than beating the Lakers. Does it matter that neither LeBron nor Luka was playing? No. This was a bit of a “get right” game for the Blazers, as the first week of the season was something. Splitting the LA trip felt a bit like the minimum, so seeing this team lead from midway through Q2 to the final buzzer, on the back-end of a back-to-back, was satisfying. Grant continued his dominance off the bench, Deni and Jrue led the starters in scoring, and Clingan is DOMINATING defensively. DeAndre Ayton was primed for a revenge game, and it just never fully came together. Probably because Clingan, ironically, had his number all night. Reaves continued his heater, scoring 41/4/5, but his 8 turnovers didn’t help. The Blazers forced 23 turnovers tonight and have the most by any team so far this season by a lot. They’re averaging 21.0, and the next-best is Cleveland at 17.3. This team is playing with a crazy pace and is rangy and long-armed. Anthony Edwards said it after Opening Night that the Portland Trail Blazers aren’t going to be the cupcake they used to be. The Lakers saw that first hand and are going to want to avoid us come April. We’ll get them again next Monday in Portland, assuming Luka will be on the court. This will be a bigger test, as Luka looks trim and eager to prove he’s the leader of the Lakers.
Game #5 - 10/29 @ Utah (136-134 W)
A 4th Quarter lead was almost squandered. Key word: almost. But fortunately, this team didn’t flinch when times got tough late. But we CANNOT be giving teams 49 free throw attempts… that is absolutely unbelievable. Is this a ref thing or a player thing? Tim Legler breaks it down as a little bit of both, but mostly players defending poorly and lacking discipline. Regardless of what the defense was doing, the offense went ice cold in Q4, which was ultimately why it got close late. We had a 21-point lead heading into the final quarter and were outscored 18-9 in the final 5 minutes. Fortunately, Jrue held it down at the free-throw line, making all four of his free throws in the last 10 seconds. Jrue was the best player, from top to bottom, for the Blazers tonight, and if it weren’t for some of his decision-making, we wouldn’t have come away with the win. Keyonte George had a career night from the line, making all 15 of his free throws with seven of them coming in the fourth quarter. Him and Lauri Markkanen carried the late push, which ultimately fell short. Utah has a ton of quality players, so it’s hard to say if this close game is more an indictment of Utah or Portland, but if this game had happened last season, we would’ve lost, especially with Chauncey at the helm.
Game #6 - 10/31 vs Denver (107-109 W)
We can’t keep doing this. These late-game pressure tests are going to be the end of my sanity. But man, oh man, does it feel good to beat Denver in a dog fight on Halloween night. Deni showed why he’s the leader of this team, coming up with big shot after big shot. Jerami is clearly in the 6MOY running, having scored 124 points through his first six games, especially when he’s making clutch late-game shots and free throws. Shaedon only hit three 3s, but they all felt massive, and he even had a crazy block late in the game. A man not known for his defense elevated when it mattered most. Same with Kris Murray. He doesn’t get a ton of minutes, but the minutes he played tonight had to have been the biggest of his young career. And Toumani… this man is unbelievable, and I keep asking myself, “How did we get this guy, again?” Whether it was the jump ball he forced against Jokic (the refs later confirmed this as the correct call) or a block against Cam Johnson, he is EVERYWHERE. Jamal Murray is no stranger to claiming the Mr. Big Shot moniker because he seems to feast on the Blazers whenever the Nuggets need a bucket late in the game. Denver worked Portland with fast-break points, which is interesting to see since Portland is playing so fast and forcing the most turnovers/game. What a win for this team. A statement for what’s to come for the rest of the season.
Pinwheel of the Week
Jrue Holiday is this week’s POW. This man is so calm and cool under pressure. He more or less got us the win in Utah and has exceeded expectations for his offense, especially given he’s an “older veteran.” Jrue is showcasing why he’s been on championship teams in Milwaukee and Boston, and his defense, lack of mistakes, and leadership are proving why trading for him was worth it.
Record: 3-0 (4-2)
Week 3 Games: Mon 11/3 vs LA Lakers, Wed 11/5 vs Oklahoma City, Sat 11/8 @ Miami