Any road win is a great win, especially the first one. The Blazers played a very mature game tonight in Orlando, and while they did go out there and win it…I can’t help but feel that they got a smidge of help from the Magic. I feel like we can be honest here and while the Blazers did win the game the Magic sure didn’t help themselves. Dwight Howard not touching the ball for a three minute stretch in the 4th quarter while Keith Bogans and Michael Pietrus jack up jumpers? Yeah. Rashard Lewis and Michael Pietrus were complete no-shows, combining to score 7 less points than Steve Blake. The Magic out-rebounded the Blazers 44-34 yet had 14 turnovers in their own building. They only had 15 assists and the Blazers had 5 turnovers Yeah.
Let me make this very clear though. This game was decided in the last 7 minutes of the third quarter and first 4 minutes of the fourth.
After a LaMarcus Aldridge 18-footer put the Blazers up 66-63 with 7:05 left in the third, things were looking good not great. Little did anyone know that would be the final field goal the Blazers would make for the rest of the quarter. Seven minutes without a field goal on the road? That’s the definition of a death sentence, right? Wrong. Either way you want to look at it whether it be a great job by Portland or a poor job by Orlando, the Blazers finding a way to win or the Magic’s inability to close the door…the fact of the matter is the Magic were unable to take advantage of a horrendous drought and ended up only outscoring the Blazers 10-6 in the last 7 minutes and taking a 73-72 lead into the fourth.
Orlando on the other hand did not hit a field goal in the fourth quarter until Hedo Turkoglu’s jumper with 5:24 left in the game. By then the Blazers were up 87-77. During that 7 minute stretch to start the 4th quarter, the Magic turned the ball over 5 times. You could actually say the Magic turned it over 7 times if you count Dwight’s two early trips to the line where he clanked both shots.
The Magic weren’t able to take advantage of the Blazers Third Quarter Collapse (wink wink) while the Blazers were able to take advantage of the Magic’s fourth quarter collapse. And that was what decided the game.
Major credit to the Blazers second unit. Outscored Orlando’s bench 40-12. Say what you want to say about Travis Outlaw, but he came up big today. Not just because of the 20 points no sir. He had 5 of the Blazers first 8 points in the 4th quarter including a big three-pointer to give the Blazers the lead and another jumper to put them up 7. Those were big points as the game was very much still in doubt. After the 7 minute streak without scoring and Rudy’s turnover to begin the 4th, this game had all the makings of a classic young-Blazers-on-the-road collapse. Take a lead, compete, squander a lead and lose. I was having flashbacks to the Utah game. But Outlaw’s buckets sparked that run that never seemed like it was going to stop. So kudos to Travis, who may always be Travis but I’ll take it. I wonder how all those ‘Trade Travis’ people feel? Rudy also played a major part. Games like this really make you salivate at the possibilities. Rudy’s playmaking and shooting ability on the road is going to be huge. His ability to create his own plays and also create for others gives the Blazers a second major weapon alongside B-Roy.
Great shooting by the Blazers from behind the arc (9-17, including that crazy 6-for-7 start. 52% on the road) and from the free throw line (27-32). Way to ice it from a 1:15 on from the line. Brandon Roy made sure the Blazers didn’t lose the lead with his play down the stretch, scoring and getting to the line.
Again have to give credit to the second unit. That 11-0 run with LMA in and Roy on the side was huge.
Other notes:
- Really bit a bullet surviving that major league offensive drought. The more I think about it the more I just shake my head. Dang.
- Another reason why I think the Magic helped? They were in the penalty with about 8 minutes left in the quarter but refused to attack the basket. Just crazy.
- I find it ridiculous that the Magic struggle to enter the ball to Dwight Howard. I mean the man lived at the foul line, Blazers had no answer for him and they weren’t even giving him the ball. Sure he missed a few free throws but he’s still Dwight Howard and Channing Frye was guarding him. Come on people.
- Also if Dwight could make free throws he would be much more hated in the league. He got a lot of touch fouls (ask Big Joel) especially early in the 4th but seeing as how he struggles mightily at the line it’s not a huge, huge deal.
- Sergio has got to, got to get that jumper going if he wants big playing time. That’s really my word and I’m sticking to it. He had a wide, wide, wide open look that could have broken the Magic’s back early in the 4th and he clanked it. Then when Roy came back in and Sergio was still in…I got nervous. He just makes me nervous for some reason. And sure enough he over-penetrated and turned the ball over and took a quick pullup jumper. Yeah.
- I liked the hustle on D, now just a little more communication. There were a couple times when two players closed out to one man and well….better teams will eat that for supper.
- The NBA TV song is awful. You know the one that they play going to commercial. So awful. Ten times worse than garbage time of a Division 2 Women’s Basketball game. If I never have to hear it again in my life I’ll be happy. Heidi Montag singing > NBA TV song.