Report Card: Trail Blazers Find Rhythm in Win Over Jazz

Player grades for the Trail Blazers huge 115-111 victory over the now 9th place Utah Jazz.

Starters

Damian Lillard: 30 points/5 assists/4 rebounds

It’s hard to look around the NBA right now and find a hotter player than Lillard. Following up his 51 point performance on Friday, Lillard put together another strong outing, scoring 30 points after a slow start to begin the game (0-3). It is now the fourth straight game that he has reached the 30 point mark, a streak not matched since Clyde Drexler was still on the roster. Earlier in the season, Lillard would have games where he looked for his teammates first, and ended up scoring a below average mark. Now though, it seems like he has found the balance. Over his last six games, Lillard is taking an average of 22.2 shots per game, while also dishing out 7.8 APG. Grade: A+

CJ McCollum: 31 points/3 assists/2 blocks

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After taking a backseat to Lillard on Friday, it was McCollum’s time to shine versus the Jazz. He had a game high 31 points that included some clutch drives to the hoop late in the game. McCollum also got to the line six times, which is an encouraging sign – considering he hadn’t made it to the free throw line in three straight games. What makes McCollum so effective is his highly proficient mid range game. In fact, only seven players have made more field goals than McCollum on the season. He has a chance to put up more big numbers against Brooklyn on Tuesday, as the Nets are second to last in field goals allowed. Grade: A+

Al-Farouq Aminu: 2 points/3 assists/6 rebounds

Aminu once again provided little on the offensive side of the ball, scoring just two points for Portland. Defensively though, it’s hard to ignore how much he has helped this team become one of the best in the league over the last few games. After sitting around 20th in defensive efficiency for most of the season, Portland has been the fourth best team defensively since their win over Memphis. While other players have certainly stepped up as of late, Aminu has always been a bright spot on the Trail Blazers on defense. Grade: C+

Noah Vonleh: 5 points/0 assists/8 rebounds

While Vonleh played just 16 minutes, his presence was absolutely felt. The young big man made a three pointer once again, making it two straight games with at least one make from downtown. His real impact came on the boards though, as Vonleh was able to snag seven offense rebounds – a career high. Even though Vonleh played less minutes than both Plumlee and Davis, he was behind only McCollum for the team lead in plus/minus (+14) Grade: B

Mason Plumlee: 9 points/6 assists/9 rebounds

Plumlee put up all-around numbers once again, and was the only player on either team to score 5+ points, 5+ assists, and 5+rebounds. In fact, he accounted for almost a third of all of Portland’s assists (20). He continues to be one of the best play-making big men in the NBA, as only four centers have more assists on the season than Plumlee. He will once again play against his former team on Tuesday, and hopefully the Nets will see first-hand what they are missing. Grade: B+

Sixth Man of the Game

Maurice Harkless: 17 points/1 assist/7 rebounds

The secret ingredient to the Trail Blazers recent success in undoubtedly Harkless. After being pushed to the end of the bench in January, Harkless has fought back this month to hold a prominent role in the rotation. The reason Harkless is playing so much and so well, is his ability to play the four in Terry Stotts small ball lineup. Last night was the perfect example, as he grabbed six offensive rebounds (some of which included clutch put backs). With 17 points against the Jazz, Harkless has now scored in double figures for five straight games. Grade: A