In their second game without Wesley Matthews, lost for the season with a torn Achilles, the Portland Trail Blazers faced a dangerous Houston Rockets team playing in Portland for the first time since Damian Lillard hit a game- and series- winning shot in last year’s playoffs. It was close throughout, but the Trail Blazers built a lead that not even a 17-point tidal wave in 3:38 from Corey Brewer could overcome, and prevailed 105-100.
Recap
The Trail Blazers kicked it off looking to Robin Lopez in the post and some hustle plays early to take a slight lead. The Rockets were ice cold, but the Trail Blazers weren’t exactly taking advantage. Truth be told, neither team looked super sharp, and a late Houston three at the end of the quarter made it 30-26 Houston after one.
Partway through the second quarter, the Trail Blazers had 0 free throw attempts to the Rockets’ 10 before Lillard finally got to the line. The Trail Blazers pulled ahead, and the game remained disjointed for both teams. The Trail Blazers got their largest lead of the game so far at 54-49 with about a minute to go, but led by just one point at the half, 54-53.
The third is when things got interesting. LaMarcus Aldridge was called for three fouls in the first 90 seconds of the half, giving him four on the game and forcing him to the bench. The Blazers started 0-8 with two turnovers, and the game was looking sour.
Enter Meyers Leonard.
After playing exceptionally well before the All-Star break, Leonard had been mostly relegated to the bench of late, but he came into the game and played like his life, his mother’s life, and the life of everyone else he’d ever known and loved depended on it. He took a three. Swish. Another three. Swish. A runner. Swish. Sprinkle in a few boards and by the time the Trail Blazers had surged ahead and gotten their bearings back, Leonard was both fired up and completely gassed. He played less than nine minutes, but those were the most important minutes of the game, turning what was looking like a creeping loss into a rousing, competitive affair.
The Trail Blazers kept pushing as Aldridge was safe to check back in, and they turned what would have been a terrible third quarter into a huge one, leading 80-74 going into the fourth.
Chris Kaman took us on the Caveman roller coaster to start the final period, turning the ball over before getting a huge dunk, then turning it over again before hitting a jumper. The Trail Blazers lead crept further, and it was 96-85 with 3:20 to go. That’s when Corey Brewer went all Tracy McGrady and scored Houston’s last 17 points on an array of threes, twos, and free throws. Mixed in there was an egregious no-call when Brewer mugged Lillard at midcourt, with an official inches away, that led to a dunk and pulled the game within one.
Seriously, it was so bad that even the ESPN announcers agreed it was an obvious foul. Fortunately, Arron Afflalo hit a three and all four of his free throws in the final period, and the Trail Blazers did just enough to scoot away with the 105-100 win. By beating the Rockets, the Trail Blazers not only pulled even with them in the Western Conference standings, but won the season series, which may have serious playoff implications.
Players
Meyers Leonard gave possibly the best 9-minute performance of his career, not only in how he contributed stats-wise but in how he changed the energy of the game. We already talked about it at length, so suffice to say he deserves the game ball tonight.
Speaking of unexpected contributors (at least this year), Nicolas Batum may have once and for all broken his slump. 18-9-6 with a steal is vintage Batum, and he looked aggressive and confident as he shot 7-13 and 3-6 from downtown.
LaMarcus Aldridge deserves a game ball every night: 26 and 14 with a block, and he nabbed the ESPN postgame interview.
Damian Lillard “only” had 14 points, but also had five boards and eight dimes. Not a great game, and his shooting numbers don’t look that nice, but he trusts his jumper again after a prolonged slump.
Arron Afflalo may have only scored nine points on 2-13 shooting, but one of those field goals and all four of his free throws came at the best possible time. He also had five rebounds and did an excellent job containing James Harden for stretches.
Robin Lopez had a 16 and 10 double-double with a block. His offense was very much welcomed tonight, and his shove-hook is killer.
Chris Kaman also had 10 boards to supplement his 6 six points, but his turnovers were sloppy enough to merit a word from Head Coach Terry Stotts.
The Trail Blazers have one day off and then face the Detroit Pistons on Friday before gearing up for a 5-game road trip.