The Portland Trail Blazers wanted to slam the door after getting up by as many as 26.
It didn’t quite work out that way. The Blazers did enough to secure the win and the 4-1 road trip, but questionable play down the stretch kept it interesting.
First Half
Both teams’ stars came out of the gate ready to play. Damian Lillard had 11 first-quarter points, and the Knicks’ Kristaps Prozingis added 10 of his own as the Blazers and the Knicks went back and forth. The Blazers too a 30-23 lead after one, even as they shot only 1-6 from deep.
The second quarter was an embarrassment for New York. The Blazers held the Knicks to just 14 second-quarter points while being held to 27% shooting. The Blazers weren’t exactly lighting it up, but 41% shooting gets the job done if you play good enough defense.
Up 53-37 at the half, the game had all the trappings of a blowout.
Second Half
The Blazers’ third quarter was offensive ambrosia. Ball movement. Nurkic assists to Connaughton. Damian Lillard buzzing around, leading fast breaks. It was a sight to behold.
Dame had 17 points and three dimes in the third quarter alone; Connaughton chipped in with 10 third-quarter points of his own.
The Blazers led 90-64 heading into the fourth, and all seemed right with the world.
Unfortunately, when the Knicks started getting physical with the Blazers, the shots dried up, and the officials were nowhere to be found. Grabbing jerseys, pinning down arms, and generally getting in the way, the Knicks forced the Blazers in shooting 3-15 and 0-5 from deep in the final period.
As the lead was whittled from 26 to 20 to 14 and finally to single digits, the Blazers looked spooked. Their first field goal only after eight minutes had been played in the fourth, the Madison Square Garden crowd coming to life.
Fortunately for Blazers fans, the lead was too great, and the Blazers ended their road trip 4-1 with a 103-91 win.
Star of the Game:
Damian Lillard – 32 points, five assists, one steal, +14 in 38 minutes. Dame was the engine, his third-quarter outburst carrying the Blazers to a lead that should never have been threatened. Lillard is averaging 29.2 points over his last five games, and can be relied upon to single-handedly carry on offense… he just shouldn’t have to.
Three Takeaways:
1) Noah Vonleh could be pretty darn good. He got boards, and was able to stay in front of Porzingis. He used his length and mobility to challenge shots and to recover, and used his bulk to keep his position. Vonleh ended with eight points and 12 boards with a steal, and is averaging seven points and 12 boards over his last five games. If he keeps playing like this, Stotts will have no choice but to keep him firmly in the rotation, even as Al-Farouq Aminu makes his way back from injury, which may mean…
2) Moe Harkless could drop out of the rotation. In 15 minutes, Harkless could only manage a single rebound and three points. To be fair, he did have three steals and a block. And while his season has been poor overall, his last six games have been frightening. Despite 18 minutes a game, Harkless is averaging just 2.8 points and two boards. That is absolutely not enough to justify staying on the court. With Pat Connaughton (who was the Blazers’ 2nd-leading scorer tonight with 17 points) playing the best basketball of his career, Harkless may be the odd man out once the Blazers get Chief back in uniform.
Next: How important is Portland’s Big Three in wins versus losses?
3) 4-1 road trips are good. No matter who you play, it’s not easy to win on the road. As Portland faced questions about their team and their direction, they’ve quietly righted the ship, winning seven of their last nine. Will it continue as the schedule gets tougher? It remains to be seen, but especially with the services of Aminu returning, the Blazers might be in a good position to solidify themselves atop (the middle of) the Western Conference. They currently sit in 4th place at 13-8 and a .619 winning percentage.
Next Game:
The Blazers finally come home to face the Milwaukee Bucks on Thu. Nov. 30 at 7pm Pacific.