The Blazers will be looking to build off of their latest win in order to advance
The Trail Blazers were in prime position to seize control of their series against the L.A. Clippers entering Game 5. They wound up taking full advantage of the opportunities given to them, leaving the Staples Center with a 108-98 victory over the Clips. This win puts Portland ahead 3-2 in the series heading back to the Moda Center. The Blazers have now won three consecutive games and have all the momentum moving forward. Portland is the second youngest team in the playoffs; however, they’re showing the entire NBA that they are not a team to be counted out.
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Damian Lillard couldn’t find his rhythm in the first 24 minutes, but he flipped a switch in the second half making 6 of his last 9 shot attempts. He finished with 22 in total to go along with a few deep contested shots for good measure. His backcourt-mate, C.J. McCollum was on a rampage for all 37 minutes that he played, ending the contest with 27 points, 4 rebounds, and 4 assists. While the Clippers still dominated Portland in the paint, the duo of Austin Rivers and J.J. Redick couldn’t match the intensity of Lillard and McCollum. The Blazers were firing on all on cylinders coming out of halftime, which resulted in them outscoring Doc Rivers’ squad 63-48 after the break.
It was assumed that the Clippers would struggle without their superstars, but struggle wasn’t even the half of it. Rivers has developed into a capable defender, but Lillard was able to navigate his pressure throughout the night. Reddick has never been regarded as an elite defender, which McCollum has recognized and exploited. In their last three meetings, McCollum has crossed the 19 point threshold each time. He has showcased his array of flashy dribble moves and step-back jumpers in the process.
In the Clippers defense, they played a superb first half. They were forcing turnovers, locking up Lillard, controlling the paint, and led 50-45 going into halftime. The second half is where the problems began to arise for the not so “Lob City” Clips. Chris Paul makes it his duty to manage the tempo of the offense, make the right decisions, and takeover when necessary. Blake Griffin bullies opposing power forwards in the paint and stretches out to hit mid range and three-point jump shots.
Sidelining these two important pieces of the puzzle left the Clippers toothless on the offensive end of the court. Since these two superstars will also be unable to participate in Game 6, more of the same offensive issues are bound to emerge once again.
There are two games left in the series to decide who will move on to the Conference Semifinals. The Clippers don’t have the ability to draw up a Paul isolation play or a Griffin post move to bail out their offense during crutch time. On the other hand, the Trail Blazers strut out the Most Improved Player of the Year and a player who is used to pressure in a Game 6 situation.
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As long as the Blazers continue to score down the stretch, then they’ll be meeting the Golden State Warriors next round. That series could prove to be an interesting one, as Portland will continue to play with house money in the postseason. Before that talk begins, they must take care of the Clippers.