Monday
Jan252010
Blazers Host Hornets, Beat Selves
Andrew R Tonry | Monday, January 25, 2010 at 11:13PM
It'd be tempting to say that the Hornets staged an impressive comeback at the Rose Garden Monday night. Portland were up nine points with just over three minutes to play. But the idea that the Blazers were beaten by anyone other than themselves would be nothing but a cheap lie. They lost, 98-97.
"We just couldn't make shots," Martell Webster said afterward. "We got great looks--great looks--at the basket. It was just one of those things."
One of those things indeed--because until the closing minutes, shots were rolling in. The Hornets defense did not step up or adjust in any meaningful way. Portland made fine decisions, and for the most part, executed properly. The shots just started rolling out.
Andre Miller missed a free throw, and a well-played isolation where he backed Chris Paul down only to overshoot. Juwan Howard clanked a pair of jumpers after hitting his previous two. It's just the way the cookie crumbles. And in this case, it becomes a little easier to stomach, because in the opening quarter, the Blazers looked like they were going to get whipped.
They emerged like a team dead tired from an emotional eastern road trip, not to mention one having loaded a ton of minutes on the backs of their few healthy players. Coach McMillan was happy with the team's effort, as they shook off the early haze to take a half-time lead.
Still, as we've said before, there are no more mental victories. This team has proven time and time again they can beat anyone, anytime, no matter who is--or isn't--playing. And afterward, LaMarcus Aldridge, who finished with 16 points and six rebounds, had little to say.
The lead Portland would build, then surrender, was the work of their bench, who outscored their Hornet counterparts 48 to 20. Juwan Howard (16), Jerryd Bayless (12) and Rudy Fernandez (12) all finished with double figures. It was Bayless' first game back after missing a game and half with an akle sprain.
At times the Blazer reserves looked better than the starters. Despite handing out 10 assists, Andre Miller had a dismal shooting night (one-for-eight). Miller, Along with starters Steve Blake and Jeff Pendergraph combined for just 19 points.
Picking up some of that slack was Nic Batum, who saw his first minutes of the season, entering to a wild ovation. The first time Batum touched the ball he scored on a knifing drive to the hoop, a play he would re-visit a number of times. In just 10 minutes he scored six points, and said he could've played longer, and that his shoulder feels fine.
Even as the Blazers couldn't get the lid off the basket in the final few minutes, they were still maddeningly close to a win. Up one with 16.9 seconds to play, Chris Paul drove through the lane, slipped, but dished to David West. The Blazers collapsed, leaving Paul open. West hit him and with 3 seconds remaining, Paul swished an open jumper from just beyond the foul line. If there was one player the Blazers shouldn't have lost sight of in the final seconds, no matter the circumstance, it was Paul. There is no excuse. He talked about the go-ahead play.
Strangely enough, Paul is not a shoe-in for this year's all star game, though he certainly played like one Monday. In typical fashion he was everywhere—knocking down threes, jetting through the lane, and generally creating havoc. He finished with 24 points, 12 assists, seven rebounds and five steals—all star numbers to be sure.
On the final possession with 3.8 seconds remaining, Jerryd Bayless caught the inbound above the three point line, as the play was designed, and tried to get to the basket. He wasn't able to turn the corner, picked up his dribble, and missed a fade away jumper.
After the game many in the media (myself included) questioned the game's final play, and Bayless getting the final shot. But in the end, it was just one of those things.
"We just couldn't make shots," Martell Webster said afterward. "We got great looks--great looks--at the basket. It was just one of those things."
One of those things indeed--because until the closing minutes, shots were rolling in. The Hornets defense did not step up or adjust in any meaningful way. Portland made fine decisions, and for the most part, executed properly. The shots just started rolling out.
Andre Miller missed a free throw, and a well-played isolation where he backed Chris Paul down only to overshoot. Juwan Howard clanked a pair of jumpers after hitting his previous two. It's just the way the cookie crumbles. And in this case, it becomes a little easier to stomach, because in the opening quarter, the Blazers looked like they were going to get whipped.
They emerged like a team dead tired from an emotional eastern road trip, not to mention one having loaded a ton of minutes on the backs of their few healthy players. Coach McMillan was happy with the team's effort, as they shook off the early haze to take a half-time lead.
Video removed after 72 hours in accordance with NBA policy
Still, as we've said before, there are no more mental victories. This team has proven time and time again they can beat anyone, anytime, no matter who is--or isn't--playing. And afterward, LaMarcus Aldridge, who finished with 16 points and six rebounds, had little to say.
Video removed after 72 hours in accordance with NBA policy
The lead Portland would build, then surrender, was the work of their bench, who outscored their Hornet counterparts 48 to 20. Juwan Howard (16), Jerryd Bayless (12) and Rudy Fernandez (12) all finished with double figures. It was Bayless' first game back after missing a game and half with an akle sprain.
At times the Blazer reserves looked better than the starters. Despite handing out 10 assists, Andre Miller had a dismal shooting night (one-for-eight). Miller, Along with starters Steve Blake and Jeff Pendergraph combined for just 19 points.
Picking up some of that slack was Nic Batum, who saw his first minutes of the season, entering to a wild ovation. The first time Batum touched the ball he scored on a knifing drive to the hoop, a play he would re-visit a number of times. In just 10 minutes he scored six points, and said he could've played longer, and that his shoulder feels fine.
Video removed after 72 hours in accordance with NBA policy
Even as the Blazers couldn't get the lid off the basket in the final few minutes, they were still maddeningly close to a win. Up one with 16.9 seconds to play, Chris Paul drove through the lane, slipped, but dished to David West. The Blazers collapsed, leaving Paul open. West hit him and with 3 seconds remaining, Paul swished an open jumper from just beyond the foul line. If there was one player the Blazers shouldn't have lost sight of in the final seconds, no matter the circumstance, it was Paul. There is no excuse. He talked about the go-ahead play.
Video removed after 72 hours in accordance with NBA policy
Strangely enough, Paul is not a shoe-in for this year's all star game, though he certainly played like one Monday. In typical fashion he was everywhere—knocking down threes, jetting through the lane, and generally creating havoc. He finished with 24 points, 12 assists, seven rebounds and five steals—all star numbers to be sure.
On the final possession with 3.8 seconds remaining, Jerryd Bayless caught the inbound above the three point line, as the play was designed, and tried to get to the basket. He wasn't able to turn the corner, picked up his dribble, and missed a fade away jumper.
After the game many in the media (myself included) questioned the game's final play, and Bayless getting the final shot. But in the end, it was just one of those things.
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