2019-20 Re-Run: Portland Trail Blazers v Dallas Mavericks (10/27/19)

Third Quarter Analysis: Blazers outscore Mavs 36-24

11:35 left in 3rd (offensive possession): Whiteside’s pass is off the mark to McCollum on a back-cut. This is another aspect of the newly acquired center’s game that is lacking, especially compared to Jusuf Nurkic.

10:38 left in 3rd (offensive possession): Collins slyly alters the direction of his screen at the last moment, freeing up Lillard for a three.

10:22 left in 3rd (defensive possession): McCollum goes under the screen against Doncic. Luka burns him with a triple.

9:45 left in 3rd (offensive possession): Lillard notices a Brunson hand-check, and proceeds to go into his shooting motion. It’s a bad call, it should have been an on-the-floor foul, but a smart play from Dame to draw the foul.

9:38 left in 3rd (defensive possession): Whiteside shows good help instincts on a Porzingis-Kleber pick and roll, blocking Kristaps at the rim.

9:24 left in 3rd (offensive possession): Lillard does a great job of pushing the ball after a Dallas make. He beats Luka off the dribble and gets to the rim before the Mavs help defense is set up.

9:02 left in 3rd (defensive possession): Collins gets called for a foul on a Doncic three. It’s another bad call, as Doncic jumps sideways to create the contact. But, if Collins just uses his length and stays on the ground, he would avoid these types of cheap fouls.

8:51 left in 3rd (offensive possession): C.J. runs off-ball screening action a la J.J. Redick, where both defenders commit to McCollum on the catch, leaving the role man (Collins) wide open.

7:40 left in 3rd (defensive possession): Collins calls for an unnecessary switch with Wright, a relative non shooter. Wright crosses him over and gets a bucket. Just because you *can* switch, doesn’t mean you should. Low resistance switching is a recipe for disaster.

6:55 left in 3rd (offensive possession): Lillard finishes a filthy scoop shot under the outstretched arm of Porzingis. Lillard’s finishing has improved greatly since he came into the league.

6:23 left in 3rd (defensive possession): Whiteside gets switched on to Luka, he gives him too much space, and allows him to take and make a standstill three.

5:23 left in 3rd (offensive possession): Lillard tries to split a double team and gets bottled up and forced to pick up his dribble. He then illegally (I think) dribbles again after the scuffle. He eventually scores on a gorgeous reverse lay-in on the left side with the right hand. The spin on the ball and the difficulty of that finish is out-of-this-world.

4:49 left in 3rd (offensive possession): McCollum with a crafty move to draw a foul. He knows he’s not the greatest athlete so when he gets by Hardaway Jr., he slows down and keeps him on his hip, forcing the contact.

3:12 left in 3rd (offensive possession): Bazemore with a nice drive, rejecting the screen from Whiteside, getting into the body of Kleber, and finishing through contact.

2:53 left in 3rd (offensive possession): Collins needs to be more physical. The offensive set is a dribble hand-off with Collins, but he is supposed to catch the ball inside the three-point line. He lets Porzingis push him out beyond the line and it ruins the entire play. Hezonja ends the possession with another lay-up attempt that has zero chance of going in.

1:10 left in 3rd (defensive possession): Bazemore over-helps off of Finney-Smith despite Doncic maintaining a stationary dribble, which leads to an open three that’s missed.

Final Three Minutes: Game in the Balance

3:10 left in 4th (offensive possession): Whiteside with back-to-back clutch plays. The first is a monster put-back jam over Porzingis for one of his only two buckets on the night.

3:00 left in 4th (defensive possession): Whiteside with his best defensive effort of the game, he’s forced to switch on to Doncic, and unlike earlier, when he gave him too much space, he crowds him, convinces him to drive, moves his feet, and forces him to pass. Whiteside concludes the possession with a strong defensive board..

2:36 left in 4th (offensive possession): Bazemore drives into the paint and leaves his feet without knowing what he wants to do. He changes his mind in mid-air to pass and commits a turnover.

1:40 left in 4th (offensive possession): C.J. makes an incredible fall-away shot after a spin move and solid footwork to create space.

1:22 left in 4th (defensive possession): Blazers are playing with an extremely small lineup after Whiteside fouls out. Hezonja, guarding Porzingis, doesn’t prevent the basket cut and the team is forced to foul to prevent the easy deuce.

0:33 left in 4th (offensive possession): Another great scoop finish from Lillard around Doncic. It’s such a tough shot attempt to defend because it’s so easy to hit him on the arm if you go for the block.

0:15 left in 4th (defensive possession): Luka misses his patented step-back. On the ensuing rebound, Lillard tries to block out Finney-Smith, but can’t, and is called for a foul on a strip attempt (Blazers challenge, call overturned).

Blazers win 121-119.

Other Notes:

10:50 left in 2nd (defensive possession): Whiteside lets Porzingis have an uncontested three at the top of the key. Despite it being from about 27 feet away, this is where understanding the scouting report is so important. Stotts immediately calls for Whiteside to be replaced.

Lillard surpassed the 20,000 minute mark as a Blazer in this game. He’s just the 5th player to do so in team history, along with Clyde Drexler, Terry Porter, Jerome Kersey, and LaMarcus Aldridge.

Collins dislocates his shoulder late in the 3rd of this game. This was a devastating injury that really hampered the Blazers season before it really got started.

Finney-Smith gets on the blooper reel in this game, throwing one of the worst passes of the season in the closing seconds of the 3rd. He threw the ball into the 5th row.

I haven’t been a proponent of coaches saving their challenges for the end of the game, mainly because you risk losing a timeout that will allow you to advance the ball in the closing seconds, but boy did it pay off here.

Tim Hardaway Jr. took the final shot with a second and a half left on the clock. I understand the desire to ensure the shot attempt, but an additional dribble to get a few feet closer can make all the difference.