The Portland Trail Blazers fell to the Utah Jazz, 120-90. This was their worst defeat at home in 14 years.
Friday was not the best night for the Portland Trail Blazers. The team’s three-game winning streak was snapped by divisional rival Utah in embarrassing fashion. The Jazz, now on a two-game winning streak of their own, went in to Portland and whitewashed the Blazers 120-90. The loss marked Portland’s worse home loss under current head coach Terry Stotts, and the worst home loss since 2004.
Sloppy Defense Returns
After a strong defensive effort Wednesday against the Memphis Grizzlies, the Blazers returned to form and struggled mightily to stop the Jazz. One of the least potent offensives in the league, the 30-point win was one of Utah’s most high-powered of the entire season.
As is commonly the case with the Blazers, a large amount of the damage was done from behind the three-point line. The Jazz came into the game tied for 24th in the NBA at three-point percentage at 34%, yet they connected on 52% of their attempts against Portland.
The swing in momentum took place at the end of the first quarter. The Jazz rattled off 15 points in the final three minutes of the quarter to take a 33-26 lead. The Blazers managed to keep pace through the second quarter before Utah’s pressure allowed them to pull away in the second half.
A silver lining from the blowout loss was the individual defensive effort from Portland frontman Damian Lillard. Not known for being a lockdown defender, Lillard was all over the court Friday night and finished the evening with 3 steals and 2 blocks to go along with his 19 points and 2 assists. While Dame’s size makes it difficult for him to be a true lockdown defender, such a dynamic effort to make a difference at that end of the floor is a positive sign for his growth as a superstar talent.
Predictability Made Blazers an Easy Target
To have success against a strong defensive unit like the Jazz, a team must do two things: Spread the ball around and knock down perimeter shots to stretch out the defense. The Blazers could not accomplish either, and the result was the blowout that ensued.
The loss, however, sheds light on a larger problem for the Blazers. The team, and the offense specifically, is far too predictable to have consistent success in today’s NBA. There is almost no balance to the Blazers’ offensive attack. Opposing defenses know that all of their attention should be placed on the backcourt duo of Lillard and CJ McCollum. Defenses feel confident in ignoring the likes of Maurice Harkless and Al-Farouq Aminu.
Until the Blazers are able to shake up the roster a bit and create a squad with more balance, then games like Friday night’s will continue to occur. Maybe not to the same extent, as the 30-point loss was the worst in over a decade, but the same in feel. The losses similar to the sweep the Blazers received at the hands of the New Orleans Pelicans in last year’s postseason.
Round-Up
The Blazers are a good team with obvious flaws. The loss to the Jazz serves as a glaring reminder of such flaws and of how the Blazers will not truly contend until some changes are made. Some core pieces are in place, and a rebuild would be simply foolish, but something needs to be done to shake up the core around Damian Lillard. With his prime years just beginning, the time is now to take a shot at the next level with Lillard at the helm. If not, the team will likely not go higher than what it has been the past four years.
Coming up next, the Blazers face the Dallas Mavericks on December 23 at 6:00 P.S.T.