The Portland Trail Blazers' active losing streak is now at five games after falling to the San Antonio Spurs 118-116. It was a close call at the end, but Victor Wembanyama sealed the victory with two clutch free throws with 2.1 seconds remaining after a foul by Jerami Grant.
San Antonio was depleted by multiple injuries to key players and an early exit from Chris Paul, who was ejected after receiving two technical fouls in the first quarter.
Chris Paul was ejected in the first quarter after receiving two technical fouls 🥴 pic.twitter.com/OxD4m3RE0K
— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) December 14, 2024
Portland easily could have won this game, as they were up by as many as 17 at one point. They also shot the ball well from deep, connecting on 39 percent of their attempts, which has been a glaring weakness for the Blazers this season (and one they ideally address at the trade deadline).
Jerami Grant and Anfernee Simons combine for 62 points
Grant played a massive role in Rip City's hot shooting, recording 32 points, four rebounds, two assists, and one steal on 12-of-19 from the field and 8-of-10 beyond the arc. His eight three-pointers tie a career-high, while his explosive 22-point third quarter set a career-high for points in a quarter.
Anfernee Simons also played well as both a scorer and a playmaker in this contest. He finished with 30 points, seven assists, three rebounds, two steals, and zero turnovers, shooting 8-of-15 from the field, 3-of-8 from three, and most impressively, 11-of-11 from the charity stripe, accounting for over half of the Blazers' free throw attempts.
Despite the Blazers somehow losing this game, it was a step in the right direction for Grant and Simons, as both players have had relatively disappointing seasons so far.
A chance to right the ship and boost trade value in a down year
Grant's scoring and efficiency are both down -- he's averaging 15.3 points on 38/36/82 shooting splits, significantly lower than his 21.0 points and 45/40/82 shooting splits from last season. A trend involving Grant's home/road splits is also starting to emerge. Heading into this contest, when playing at the Moda Center, Grant is averaging 18.6 points and shooting 39.4 percent from three, compared to just 12.6 points on 31.3 percent from deep on the road.
Meanwhile, Simons is averaging 16.5 points on 40/32/90 shooting splits. That's the lowest three-point percentage of his entire career. While Simons shot above average from three in this game, the most encouraging aspect of his game was his ability to draw fouls, as his 12 free throw attempts tied a season-high. The Blazers' offense is at its best when their guards -- Simons, Shaeedon Sharpe, Scoot Henderson, and Dalano Banton -- are aggressively attacking the paint and putting pressure on the defense.
In addition to the fact that they were playing at home, the long break between their Dec. 8 loss to the Lakers and this matchup could have played a role in these two players righting the ship. It couldn't have come at a better time for Portland, as Grant and Simons are trade candidates leading up to the Feb. 6 trade deadline. The Blazers could benefit from a boost in trade value if they can keep this up.