1/18/2024 0 Comments Doncic game logThe cumulative result was Portland sneaking close again and again via backcourt heroics, then ceding their progress back to Dallas as every option outside the top two went cold. ![]() Three-point shots from players outside the “Big Three” of Simons, Sharpe, and Thybulle equally so. ![]() Outside of that, interior attempts from the Blazers made you flinch more than cheer. If the guards were on the run straight towards the bucket, they could usually convert the layup. Their shot chart looks like someone took an eraser to a Jackson Pollock piece.pretty ugly. The number of Portland attempts between 3-5 feet that hit rim and bounced off was astonishing. But “open” and “close in” do not equal “made”. Their active bodies, rebounding, and willing passing provided such. The Blazers were blessed with a ton of close shots, plenty of open looks from mid-range and beyond too. Outside of those three guards, Portland’s offense was pretty spotty. Thybulle’s steadiness is a welcome sight. Without them, the defense never opens up. It’s impossible to overestimate how important those edge threes are. Speaking of three-point shooting, Matisse Thybulle gave the Blazers a sideline outlet on both sides of the court, putting up a very nice 3-5 from distance. His play should have Blazers fans hopping up on their couches. Sharpe’s development as an all-around player was only lightly forecast this season. He also grabbed 9 rebounds and had his hands in plenty of defensive plays. He amassed 24 while shooting 5-10 from distance. Simons was more of the lead option, but when the Blazers needed hope, Sharpe brought it. Instead of rim-rattling dunks, Sharpe struck repeatedly from the three-point arc. Shaedon Sharpe brought the thunder to the Moda Center tonight, but not in the usual way. Whether he’s the answer for Portland long-term remains to be seen, but he’s an oasis in the desert for the Blazers right now. And, as we’ve mentioned previously, amid young and aggressive defenders, Simons fits in better than he ever has. Simons’ three-point shot is both quick and accurate. He kept it going in the third too, on his way to 30 points on 10-21 shooting, 4-10 from distance. With his team floundering and down big, Simons rattled off 13 points in a row in the second quarter, willing the Blazers back to a reasonable margin. In case anybody forgot during his absence this season, Anfernee Simons reminded us all that his offensive game is off the charts tonight. I was guarding Luka Doncic and Devin Booker when I had fewer than 20 games in this league. ![]() Someday Camara will be telling young NBA players, “Look, dudes. That’s just ridiculous.ĭoncic ended up with 32 points and 10 assists but he also shot 11-28 with 5 turnovers. Go.” Yes, Portland doubled Doncic as described above, but when they went single coverage, Toumani was the guy. If you want to know how the Blazers feel about Toumani Camara, note that they looked at him and said, “You. Adjusting and making up for weaknesses are a little beyond expectations right now. This isn’t just a reminder that every defense has a weakness, but that the Blazers are doing everything they can just keeping their initial schemes integral. One pass from the Mavs opened up layups aplenty. That left the middle wide open for cutters. As soon as they recognized the coverage, though, they drove out the side of the lane, dragging defenders along with them. Dallas didn’t get many easy looks on the initial penetration. When the ball hit the lane, a minimum of two Trail Blazers followed it. That didn’t stop them from engaging in Roscoe-P-Coltrane-like hot pursuit on the defensive end. They didn’t keep it up forever, leaning on Toumani Camara to defend the super scorer. Portland started the game showing two men against Luka Doncic. But staying even doesn’t cut it when you’re down double-digits to start with. Naturally, the Blazers played much better in ensuing periods. They also outran Portland, robbing the Blazers of any chance of catching up. Dallas beat Portland on the boards, on assists, and forced as many turnovers as the over-active Blazers did. Dallas led 37-22 after one, shooting 64% against only 32% for the Blazers. The Blazers returned to an old, familiar habit tonight, getting obliterated in the first period, leaving themselves a huge hole to dig out of. ![]() Once you’ve got that, here are a few factors that influenced the outcome. If you missed the action, you can find our quarter-by-quarter recap here. Interior scoring and veteran savvy held the Mavericks in good stead during a 125-112 Portland loss. But while the Blazers were shining up the windows and decorating the eaves, Dallas snuck in the kitchen and raided the cookie jar repeatedly. Portland’s guards dominated and their three-point shooting was superb. The Portland Trail Blazers played a spirited game against Luka Doncic and the Dallas Mavericks on Friday night.
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