The Portland Trail Blazers took on the Eastern Conference’s top team two games in a row, this time against the rising Atlanta Hawks, who pounded the paint and refused to let the Trail Blazers do the same. The Hawks led most of the way as the Trail Blazers fell 107-115.
More importantly, Trail Blazers backup center Joel Freeland left the game in the 4th quarter after cranking his shoulder back on a block attempt, and went to the locker room without returning. The Trail Blazers cannot afford an injury to Freeland, who himself was already filling in for injured starting center Robin Lopez.
Recap
Portland opened with an 8-0 lead and Atlanta was 0-5 from the field in what was, for a brief moment, looking like an easier game them expected. Unfortunately, the Trail Blazers must have developed a paint allergy over the last few days, as almost all of their shots were long jumpers or threes. Meanwhile, the Hawks had gotten almost all of their points from the paint, and with 10 points earned off Portland turnovers Atlanta was up 29-20 at the end of the first quarter.
The Hawks stretched their lead to double-digits as the Trail Blazers continued to bleed turnovers: by halftime, Steve Blake and Chris Kaman both had three turnovers, and LaMarcus Aldridge, Damian Lillard, and Nicolas Batum all had two. Three-point shooting keeping the Trail Blazers reasonably close in a period whose quirkiness was punctuated by Chris Kaman being called for a lane violation… on the first of two free throws. Despite precious little coming from the inside, the Trail Blazers went on a run to close the half which included their first two fast break points of the evening. They counted their lucky stars to be down just 49-52.
The third quarter opened with another sad trombone from Portland, who allowed the Hawks to rebuild a double-digit lead. The Hawks refused to let the Trail Blazers do anything that wasn’t a long jumper or a three, and it worked. Not even Aldridge was getting position down low, and very quickly it was a 20-point Atlanta lead. The Trail Blazers, as they had in the second, went on another mini-run at the end of the quarter, and Lillard hit a huge three as the clock expired to pull the lead down to 83-75 after three.
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The Trail Blazers needed to start reeling it in, but were unable to do so. Joel Freeland cranked his shoulder and headed right into the locker room. Every time the Blazers got a modicum of momentum, the Hawks laughed and snuffed it like a week-old cigarette.
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But like a movie script, the Trail Blazers chopped it to seven with 2:20 left on a Wesley Matthews three… then the Trail Blazers got a tip-in off two offensive rebounds to get it to five. Hope was springing eternal. Even when the Hawks pushed back, the Trail Blazers got it to six with time running out, and miraculously the Hawks missed two free throws (twice). The magic ran out as Lillard drove to the hoop and was blocked, Aldridge bobbled the rebound, the ball went to Atlanta, and that was the game: 115-107 Hawks.
Players
Damian Lillard feeds on clutch moments like no other being on Earth. He hit a huge three at the buzzer to close the third to cut the lead to single-digits, and took it right into the teeth of the Hawks’ defense late in the fourth when most of his teammates were unable to do the same. He only had 16 points, but he also had eight rebounds, seven assists, and a block, without a turnover in the second half. He wasn’t brilliant throughout, but when he shines, he really shines.
LaMarcus Aldridge had the most awkward-looking 30 points I’ve ever seen. He was bobbling passes, tripping up on his dribbles… he wasn’t in sync, but MAN did he hit a lot of bailout jumpers. He also chipped in 12 boards, 4 assists, and 2 blocks, but had 4 turnovers. Again, I would never have thought he had 30 points watching this game.
Wesley Matthews shot 4-11 from deep, managing 19 points and, along with Lillard, refusing to say die late in the game when the outcome seemed all but certain. Sometimes his energy rubs off on everyone else. Tonight it didn’t, but if everyone had been able to play they way he had, the game might have had a different tone.
Nicolas Batum had 16-4-3 with two steals and a block. He has now scored double-digits in four consecutive games; his first such streak of the year. It’s good to see him look for his shot more. The Trail Blazers need him scoring after a long slump to end 2014.
Joel Freeland injured his shoulder and went to the locker room in the fourth. An MRI confirmed that he suffered a right shoulder strain. He will be reevaluated in two weeks.
Dorell Wright was the surprise off the bench for 10 points, hitting three of his four threes. With Freeland out for the immediate future and the frontcourt particularly thin, it would be helpful if Wright could contribute in this way consistenty, as he is bound to see more of the court.
The Trail Blazers need to move past this one because their archenemies the Los Angeles Lakers will be in town Monday, January 5th at 7:00 p.m. PST.