Trail Blazers better than OK in Oklahoma City, thump Thunder 117-106

The Trail Blazers continue their impressive run in the New Year, whooping the Oklahoma City Thunder and improving to 12-8 on the road for the season.

The Portland Trail Blazers were in Oklahoma City Tuesday to take on the Thunder. Portland entered the game having won five of their last seven. Portland was once again without the services of Damian Lillard, who missed his second consecutive game with a calf strain.

Let’s get to the recap, shall we?

First Quarter

The game starts off with Russell Westbrook posting up and scoring on Shabazz Napier.

Why doesn’t Jusuf Nurkic dunk the ball?

(Just wanted to get that outta the way.)

Blazers off to a good start with an 11-6 lead after a 16-foot jump shot by Nurkic. Said it before and we’ll say it again: If Nurk can develop a consistent jump shot, the Blazers offense will have an extra dimension, making them that much harder to defend. (He’ll make another shot from almost that same spot late in the second quarter.)

The Blazers start the game really active on defense. They’ll end the quarter with seven steals.

First off the bench for the Trail Blazers: Pat Connaughton, followed not long after by Zach Collins and Ed Davis.

Thunder go on a 10-2 scoring run to take the lead with 2:56 left.

Collins with the three to give the Trail Blazers the lead back. The rookie continues to impress.

CJ McCollum with a steal shortly thereafter followed by a drive and dunk to give the Trail Blazers a 22-18 lead.

Raymond Felton enters the game, and I boo him from my sofa. He promptly scores five quick points, so I vow to boo harder next time.

Oklahoma City ends the quarter on an 8-2 run. Trail Blazers shooting just 37.5 percent.

After one: Thunder 26, Trail Blazers 24. Nurkic and McCollum both with six points. Napier with five points. Westbrook has 10 for the Thunder. Felton (BOOOOOO!) with five.

Second Quarter

Trail Blazers start the quarter with three turnovers in their first four possessions. The only good news was a Connaughton three sandwiched in between turnovers. Connaughton is balling, by the way. Hitting a three, a nine-footer and a sweet mid-range step-back jumper. With 6:53 left, he’s got seven points on 3-of-4 shooting.

(Let’s take a moment to think about this Trail Blazers team. A lineup of Napier, Connaughton, Davis, Collins and Maurice Harkless keeping the game close against OKC.)

Napier’s hit the floor a few times this game and has expressed some dissatisfaction with the officials. But he ties the game 50-50 on a three with 1:02 left.

At the half: Trail Blazer 54, Thunder 50.

Nurkic with 14 points, five rebounds. Both Napier and McCollum have 12 points. Connaughton finishes the half with seven points. Paul George leads the Thunder with 16 points; he’s 3-for-5 from three. Westbrook has 14 points and five rebounds. Carmelo Anthony has been quiet – just 2-for-8 with 4 points.

Third Quarter

The second half starts with a short jumper by Evan Turner. And Anthony seems to be heating up; he hits two threes within the first two minutes of the half.

Nurkic dunked the ball! I repeat: Nurkic dunked the ball! He has 18 points.

Despite the two Anthony threes, the Blazers maintain their lead 66-62 after McCollum hits a 20-foot jumper. Starting to feel like we take CJ McCollum for granted. Maybe we’ve become accustomed to his offensive excellence. He has 16 points.

Two Al-Farouq Aminu triples fuel a 12-0 Trail Blazers run, increasing the Blazers’ lead to 72-62.

OKC crowd is quiet as a church mouse.

Nurkic picks up his fourth foul with 4:26 left. And after a McCollum 18-foot step-back jumper, the Trail Blazers take a 13-point lead, 81-68. McCollum has 27 points on 11-of-19 shooting. Nurkic with 20 points, eight rebounds. Aminu has 10 points and six rebounds.

After three quarters: Trail Blazers 88, Thunder 76.

Fourth Quarter

The Trail Blazers increase their lead to 21 points, 100-79. Napier starts to get more aggressive on offense, scoring seven in a row.

Westbrook re-enters the game with 8:19 left.

Trail Blazers shooting 53 percent.

Thunder head coach Billy Donovan waves the proverbial white flag; he pulls Westbrook, Anthony, George and Steven Adams out of the game with 2:53 left in the game.

In for the Trail Blazers: Jake Layman and Noah Vonleh.

Final score: Trail Blazers 117, Thunder 106.

McCollum finishes with 27 points and seven assists. Napier with 21 points. Nurkic with 20 points and eight rebounds. Aminu with 10 points and seven rebounds. Collins finishes with nine points and five rebounds.

Next up: Portland travels to Houston Wednesday to take on the Rockets.

Next: Who’s the better point guard: Damian Lillard or Kyrie Irving?

Takeaways

Moe Harkless continues to play well. Harkless scored nine points on 3-for-3 from three. After a poor start to the season, which saw not only his production but his minutes diminish, Harkless seems to have turned a corner.

Kinda/sorta early vote for team MVP. It has to go to Shabazz Napier, doesn’t it? He’s been an absolute beast, not only when he starts and fills in for an injured Damian Lillard, but also when he comes off the bench. He provides a consistent spark to the offense. And he’s playing some of the best basketball of his career. He finished the game with 21 points.

Good start to 2018. The Trail Blazers are 4-1 in the New Year. And the offense has been better, averaging 114.4 points per game. The Blazers have scored at least 110 points in every game so far this year.

Road wins. The Blazers improved their road record to 12-8.