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2019-20 Re-Run: Portland Trail Blazers v Golden State Warriors

By Garrett Bugay

PORTLAND, OREGON - JANUARY 20: Damian Lillard #0 of the Portland Trail Blazers takes a shot against Alec Burks #8 of the Golden State Warriors in the fourth quarter during their game at Moda Center on January 20, 2020 in Portland, Oregon. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement (Photo by Abbie Parr/Getty Images) (Photo by Abbie Parr/Getty Images)
PORTLAND, OREGON - JANUARY 20: Damian Lillard #0 of the Portland Trail Blazers takes a shot against Alec Burks #8 of the Golden State Warriors in the fourth quarter during their game at Moda Center on January 20, 2020 in Portland, Oregon. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement (Photo by Abbie Parr/Getty Images) (Photo by Abbie Parr/Getty Images) /
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Watch with me as I break down some of the Portland Trail Blazers’ most compelling games this year. Get on League Pass or scour your D-V-R and follow along.

With the 2019-20 NBA campaign expected to resume on July 30th, it’s the perfect time to look back at the Portland Trail Blazers season. This exercise will aid our collective knowledge and understanding of the team as they aim to finish out their schedule and make the playoffs.

Game 1 (Late Lillard Layup): Portland v Dallas (10/27/19)

Game 2 (Sixty Squandered): Portland v Brooklyn (11/8/19)

Game 3 (Melo Magic): Portland v Toronto (1/7/20)

Game 4 (Tolliver Takeover): Portland v Charlotte (1/13/20)

So without further ado, time to watch the 5th game on the list, which is their 45th game of the year, at home against the Golden State Warriors. Game recommendation by Stevie Cozens.

3rd Quarter Analysis:

Warriors edge the Blazers in high scoring period, 35-34 

12:00 left in 3rd (defensive possession): Nassir Little certainly has the tools to be an excellent defender in the league, but he has a lot to learn. He dies on a simple ball screen and is never able to get back in the play to challenge Alec Burks shot.

11:12 left in 3rd (offensive possession): Damian Lillard and Hassan Whiteside run a pick-and-roll. Willie Cauley-Stein does an excellent job of faking at Lillard to entice the lob pass and then backs up and breaks it up. That’s something he may have learned from Draymond Green, the master of that rope-a-dope technique.

11:02 left in 3rd (defensive possession): Eric Paschall is an impressive rookie, especially attacking with his quickness in transition. He’s able to get into the paint and shoot right over the top of Anfernee Simons

10:03 left in 3rd (defensive possession): Whiteside just stands and watches as the shot goes up, allowing Paschall, who has the inside position, to get a put-back slam. Players that snag bunches of rebounds are often overrated (Whiteside, Andre Drummond). They are both significantly worse than Brook Lopez, who averages 4.5 rebounds a game. Lopez makes his teams better on the glass. Give me a player who’s invested more in boxing out and preventing the other side from getting the ball, not guys who steal rebounds from their teammates to get paid.

9:42 left in 3rd (defensive possession): Whiteside gets fooled on a nice hesitation move from Burks, but Little makes a great play in leaving D’Angelo Russell on the wing to block the interior shot attempt. That sort of athleticism is what people are so intrigued with from the rookie out of North Carolina.

9:34 left in 3rd (offensive possession): Lillard hits a ridiculous three over two defenders. Sometimes great players can turn a bad shot into a good one.

9:11 left in 3rd (offensive possession): For every lousy shot that goes in, there’s likely more that will miss the mark, and Lillard’s deep step-back attempt here allows his man, Burks, to leak out and get an easy hoop.

8:00 left in 3rd (offensive possession): Little, as impressive of an athlete as he is, needs to improve from a skill standpoint. He gets a wide-open corner three and comes up short. Especially playing off Lillard, he needs to hit those shots. Neil Olshey has already let go of Harkless, Aminu, and Bazemore because they failed to catch enough of those opportunities.

6:02 left in 3rd (defensive possession): In another case of the Blazers failing to box out, Gary Trent Jr. puts a body on Paschall initially but doesn’t maintain his position to the conclusion of the play.

4:50 left in 3rd (offensive possession): The Warriors show their inexperience here through botched rotations, leaving Lillard wide open beyond the arc for the second time in the period.

4:24 left in 3rd (offensive possession): Lillard is officially scorching hot, as he hits a step-back from the right-wing. The Warriors gave Dame a couple of practice shots to get warmed up, and now they’re paying the price.

4:10 left in 3rd (defensive possession): Carmelo Anthony doesn’t even attempt to get around a screen set by Marquise Chriss, and Paschall gets a wide-open jumper. A laughable effort from Melo.

3:48 left in 3rd (offensive possession): Lillard makes a beautiful, instinctive pocket pass to Whiteside to beat the trapping defense.

3:20 left in 3rd (offensive possession): Lillard and Mario Hezonja run a pick-and-pop, Dame gets doubled and gives it up to Hezonja, who passes it way too predictably and turns it over. Mario needs to present as a shooting threat, and he should have chosen a bounce pass, which better eludes the arms/hands of on-rushing defenders.

2:42 left in 3rd (defensive possession): Marquese Chriss gets away with a blatant illegal screen on Lillard. Fortunately for Portland, Burks misses the ensuing shot.

2:33 left in 3rd (offensive possession): Lillard sees a trap materializing near half-court (as the Warriors have shown this look on a previous couple of possessions). Instead of passing it, he decides to do it all by himself as he splits the double with a beautiful behind-the-back dribble and finishes it off with a left-hand layup.

1:35 left in 3rd (offensive possession): Lillard is the only saving grace for the Blazers in this one. He fakes a back cut to elude the denial from Jordan Poole and hits another three. He’s single-handedly keeping the Blazers within striking distance.

0:55 left in 3rd (offensive possession): Hezonja is finally able to take advantage of the Warriors half-court scrambling defense with a three from the right-wing. It wasn’t pretty, as he looked shaky on a pass and hesitated before firing away, but the result is what matters.

0:25 left in 3rd (defensive possession): Whiteside is called for a bogus foul on a Burks drive. He defended the play excellently and did not initiate the contact. Terry Stotts should have challenged this call. Not only would it have been successful, but Whiteside was clearly frustrated and got called for a technical a moment later.

0:16 left in 3rd (offensive possession): Another open look created by the Warriors doubling Lillard. Simons makes a beautiful extra pass to find Trent Jr., who knocks it down.