The Portland Trail Blazers lost to the Detroit Pistons 118-115. The Blazers were highly competitive on the road against an underrated Pistons squad led by a legitimate All-Star talent in Cade Cunningham. It was a painful loss, with Portland leading by as many as 22 points at one point. They also had an opportunity to send the game to overtime, as Anfernee Simons had the ball for the final possession, but he ultimately turned it over to Malik Beasley.
Although it stings in the short term, this outcome bodes well for Portland in the scheme of things. They fall to 12-23 on the season, better positioning themselves for the 2025 NBA Draft lottery. More importantly, it's encouraging that the Blazers' young core showed such promising signs going forward.
1. Anfernee Simons continues steady play
Simons was the game's leading scorer, finishing with 36 points and nine assists on 14-of-21 shooting from the field and 8-of-12 shooting from deep. The eight-made threes mark a season-high for the Blazers' guard. He's had a down year overall but has significantly stepped up lately, both in terms of his productivity and consistency.
Simons has recorded at least 22 points and four threes in five consecutive games. He's averaging 26.8 points and 6.8 assists on 48.5 percent from the field and 49.0 percent from beyond the arc during that stretch.
2. Blazers' playmaking reaches new heights
The Blazers had a season-high in team assists, outperforming Detroit in that category by 32 to 23. This goes hand-in-hand with Simons' improved play as of late, as he's their primary offensive initiator. But Portland also needs others to step up as playmakers.
Simons is more of a combo guard than a floor general, and Scoot Henderson isn't quite there yet in terms of being reliable on a nightly basis. The two Blazers most capable of contributing in that department outside of their point guards are Shaedon Sharpe and Deni Avdija, who had eight and three assists this game, respectively.
Avdija is known for his well-rounded skill set, which also includes playmaking, and rightfully so. However, Sharpe's impact as a passer is an overlooked attribute that will be highlighted more when he and the Blazers eventually gain more national recognition.
3. Kris Murray emerging as a key contributor
Chauncey Billups had a short bench rotation this game, electing to play only eight players. That decision was likely due to how well Kris Murray played for Portland.
He saw the most minutes off the bench at 27, a season-high for the former No. 23 overall pick. Murray delivered, recording an efficient 11 points, four rebounds, three assists, and one block on 4-of-7 shooting from the field and 2-of-3 from deep.
Murray still needs to improve his three-point shooting, as he's shot under 30 percent so far in his first two NBA seasons. But he's been a valuable defender for Portland with his positional size at 6-foot-8. That's been especially important for the Blazers' recent stretch as they have had to go up against LeBron James, Giannis Antetokounmpo, and Cunningham in the past three games.