The Portland Trail Blazers fought through a tough first half and pulled away in the second to defeat the Philadelphia 76ers on the road. It marked their eighth consecutive win and the first time a Blazer scored 30+ points this season (LaMarcus Aldridge: 33).
Recap
Turnovers plagued the Trail Blazers as the Sixers applied strong defensive pressure in the first half. Philadelphia guards Tony Wroten and Michael Carter-Williams feasted in the passing lanes, getting a finger tip on many crisp passes, and forcing lofty errant ones. It got to the point where Portland had as many turnovers as they did assists at halftime, with 14 apiece.
They also did not shoot particularly well from deep. This was a problem since wasted possessions were turning into fast break opportunities for the Sixers—opportunities on which the Sixers capitalized repeatedly. Nine points off the bench from Joel Freeland kept the gap manageable as the Trail Blazers finished the first 24 minutes at a two point deficit; 50-52.
As we have grown accustomed to, the third quarter was a turning point. The Trail Blazers started on a 13-2 run. Aldridge, who had 12 first half points, more than doubled his score, putting up 15 additional points in the period. The Sixers’ difficulty tracking him was the fatal defensive flaw in an otherwise outstanding effort from the winless team. It certainly helped that the Trail Blazers committed exactly zero turnovers after facing difficulties early on.
By the end of the third, the Trail Blazers led 89-80, but the Sixers were far from finished. Carter-Williams kept the game from getting out of hand, finishing with a season-high 24 points after a fourth quarter spurt. Yet, it was ultimately futile. The Trail Blazers started hitting the threes they had been missing previously and pulled away to win by double-digits, 114-104.
Players
LaMarcus Aldridge scored a season-high 33 points to go with 11 rebounds for his fifth double-double of the season. He also buried the only three he took, which puts him at 53.3 percent from deep (8-15).
Robin Lopez acted as a last line of defense in the paint, where the Sixers spent most of their time. His four blocks were a game-high for any player. He also finished with his standard 12 points and eight rebounds.
Wesley Matthews has not been the deep-shooting dynamo he has been in the past, but his interior game has kicked up a few notches, so the tradeoff has been pretty even. He went 2-8 from downtown, yet finished with 17 points, four rebounds, and three assists.
Damian Lillard did not underwhelm, but he did not impress either. He dealt with emphatic defensive harassment all night, so 16 points and four assists are fine by me. He paid the Sixers back for their pressure with two steals of his own.
Nicolas Batum helped facilitate the offense, but rarely looked to score. His six assists would have been a team-high if not for Steve Blake, who tallied eight but went scoreless.
Notes
- Turnovers were a team-wide problem. The only Trail Blazers to escape without one TO were Allen Crabbe and Freeland. Credit where credit is due, the Sixers were rabid on defense.
- The Sixers shot a better percentage, protected the ball better, stole the ball more, and blocked it more too, but lost the rebounding battle 29-52. The Trail Blazers won the game on the glass.
- Making both of his shots tonight, Will Barton is now 100 percent from the field when clean shaven. It’s a good look for him, but Meyers Leonard’s mustache is still the aesthetic highlight of this squad.
The Trail Blazers now have a day to rest before traveling to Charlotte for a rematch with the Hornets on Wednesday evening at 4:00 p.m. PST.