A short week due to the NBA Cup playoffs led to only two games this week. Sadly, we split them 1-1 and didn’t sweep the week, something we haven’t done since week two. An abysmal loss to the Pelicans, fortunately, didn’t overshadow the win against the Warriors. Although the loss stings, being up 3-0 against the Warriors is something I didn’t think would happen after all these injuries. The offense is up-and-down, but the defense is still the focal point of this team. So much so that Coach Splitter introduced The Box after the dub over the Dubs. With the introduction of the NBA Cup, December has been a bizarre month for scheduling if you aren’t part of the playoffs. So the lack of games over the span of two weeks helps this injury-plagued team. Hopefully, we can get Jrue back next week as we ramp back up to 3-4 games per week. We’ll need him with our lack of guard depth.
Game #25 - 12/11 @ New Orleans (120-143 L)
An absolute yikes to not just lose to New Orleans, but lose by TWENTY-THREE POINTS. Back-to-back 20+ point losses aren’t what you want for a team that’s struggling. This game was competitive up until the fourth quarter. This has been a trend where we either turn it on in the final 12 minutes or decide to phone it in. Regardless, our consistency in play is lacking, resulting in these losses to teams we’re clearly better than. Shaedon was reintroduced into the starting lineup, which was the correct decision by Tiago. For a team that’s being reduced to calling guys back-and-forth from the Rip City Remix, Shaedon should start whenever he’s healthy. Tonight, he led the way in scoring (21) and shots made from the floor (8/14) and three-point range (4/6). Outside of only making 1/4 from the free throw line, he was the best shooter on the floor other than Sidy Cissoko. It’s great to see him get back on track after being out a bit and coming off the bench. Deni and Toumani are still doing the most with the least help on this team, but we got out-everything’d — New Orleans had more rebounds, assists, steals, blocks, created more turnovers, and shot better in every aspect. When you lose every significant metric, you will probably lose the game every single time. All you can do is pack it up and move on to the next game.
Game #26 - 12/14 vs Golden State (131-136 W)
If I were to tell you we’d be up 3-0 in the regular season series against the Warriors, you’d probably not believe me. Or think Steph Curry was either injured or subdued in scoring. None of that was the case in these wins. Steph scored 35, 38, and 48. Those aren’t just good games, they’re incredible games! Portland was playing the “we can let Steph beat us, but no one else” strategy, and it worked. In only one game did any other player score 20 points; it was in the second meeting during the NBA Cup group-play (probably because the NBA Cup just means more). But the Blazers finally had more balanced scoring — not leaning 100% on Deni. Sheadon and Jerami both scored 35 while making 5+ threes each, with Deni scoring 26 and shooting 12/13 from the free throw line. This is the third time this trio has all scored 25+, something no other team has achieved. Offensively, we were locked in. We shot 51% both from the floor and from deep. But at the end of the game, defense won the day. Toumani stole the ball from Steph, with help from Shaedon, to ultimately end the game and complete a 10-point comeback early in Q4. This is a massive win for the team, mostly for morale. The Warriors have been a thorn in Portland’s side the last decade+, so seeing the tide finally turn in our favor is a great sigh of relief. We have four days off with a home-and-home with Sacramento. Time to keep this momentum rolling into another short week!
Pinwheel of the Week
Shaedon Sharpe is back in the starting lineup, and it’s much warranted. He led the Blazers in scoring and shooting this week. He is still very much better on offense than defense, which needs to change ultimately. But his re-addition to the starting lineup is really helping this team, in my opinion. I think we get his best performances and mindset when he starts. This is more of a feeling than a statistical evaluation. Either way, having him back healthy is key to this team’s success.
Record: 1-1 (10-16)
Week 9 Games: Thu 12/18 vs Sacramento, Sat 12/20 @ Sacramento