Trail Blazers win third straight, put away Clippers 104-96

The Trail Blazers beat the Clippers Tuesday 104-96 in Los Angeles. It was Portland’s third win in a row and their sixth win in their last seven games.

The big question heading into Tuesday night’s matchup between the Trail Blazers and Clippers was: Who was going to suit up for Los Angeles?

After Monday’s huge trade between the Clippers and the Detroit Pistons, L.A. didn’t have many options. They’d lost three players in the trade (‏Blake Griffin, Willie Reed, Brice Johnson). And their new players (Tobias Harris, Avery Bradley, Boban Marjanovic) weren’t yet available to hit the hardwood against Portland.

So what would the Clippers look like against the Blazers?

Like this:

This was the second meeting between the two teams. The Clippers beat the Trail Blazers 104-103 on Oct. 26 thanks to a last-second three-pointer by, uhh, what was his name again …? Oh, yeah! Blake Griffin!

Trail Blazers vs. Clippers

The Portland Trail Blazers mostly dismantled an outmatched, outmanned and reeling Los Angeles Clippers team. The Clippers made it close at the end but ultimately fell to the Blazers.

Here’s how it went down. (Plus a few observations.)

First Half

Portland opens up a 6-1 lead. Looks like the Blazers are making a conscious effort to make the extra pass.

Jusuf Nurkic still having trouble avoiding defenders who have established position near the basket. (Foul No. 1 for Nurk.)

Nurkic should probably not swipe at the ball as defenders fly by him near the basket. (Foul No. 2 for Nurk.)

Nurk on the bench at 6:43 of the first.

Blazers up 24-19 with 2:48 left in the first.

Clippers playing with some fire; you can tell the players feel like they’re fighting for their jobs. Which they are.

After one: Trail Blazers 30, Clippers 27.

Trail Blazers 6-of-8 from three. Lillard with 14 points.

Second quarter: Trail Blazers up by five, 40-35 with 8:28 left in the half.

Clippers are trapping the Trail Blazers’ guards every time they touch the ball. Portland’s gonna need something from somebody other than Damian Lillard or CJ McCollum.

Clippers still in it to win it.

At the half: Trail Blazers 56, Clippers 51.

Al-Farouq Aminu off to a rough shooting start: He’s 1-5 with three points. But he has seven rebounds.

Second Half

Aminu still cold to start the third.

Blazers open up a 12-point lead with 9:07 left, 65-53.

It’s incredibly obvious that LAC has nobody to go to on offense.

An Aminu three puts the Trail Blazers up 79-60 with 3:56 left in the third.

It may seem like a small thing, but it’s not: The Blazers are easily putting away a team they should easily put away. That’s a sign of a good team. And the Blazers haven’t always done that this season.

After three: Trail Blazers 86, Clippers 67.

Lillard with 26 points, 6 assists, 4 rebounds.

Nurkic piling up the stats now, too: 12 points, 14 rebounds.

Fourth Quarter: The Clippers started to make it interesting in the fourth. They pulled within 14 points, 93-82, with 8:17 left in the game.

And they pulled within nine (100-91) with 3:34 left.

The Blazers went more than four minutes without scoring during one stretch.

But with 1:56 left, the Trail Blazers were up 104-94.

Just not enough Clippers to go around.

Next: Trail Blazers face NBA trade deadline, Griffin-less West

Final: Trail Blazers 104-96.

Nurkic in Beast mode: 14 points, 20 rebounds.

Dame: 28 points, 7 assists, 4 rebounds.

Ed Davis: 14 points, 9 rebounds.

Blazers with 18 offensive rebounds.

Next up for the Blazers: Wednesday night at the Moda Center against the Chicago Bulls.