St Pete Serpents VS Portland Trail Blazers
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GamingTranscript
00:06Coming up next, they pride themselves on each and every step that leads to victory.
00:11The preparation, the focus, the sheer will.
00:16Each game a new opportunity to prove their identity.
00:20Don't leave your seat.
00:23Welcome to this Thursday night in the NBA, right here on 2K Sports.
00:29With Greg Anthony and Richard Jefferson, this is Kevin Harlan.
00:33On the sidelines tonight, Allie LaForce.
00:37A moment here now to see the numbers for him.
00:40And guys, it hasn't been pretty for him in the past five games.
00:44He's having one of those scoring slumps that all players go through at some point in the season.
00:49But I know he hasn't lost his confidence, and I expect this young man to get after it here tonight.
00:55Now the starting group for the visitors.
00:58Hachimura out there with Prince.
01:00Then it's Mitchell.
01:01Then it's Keon Ellis.
01:03And it's Larson in at the five down low.
01:06And for the Trailblazers.
01:08In at the guard spots.
01:09Lillard and Sharp.
01:11Avdia out there with Klingon.
01:13And it's Kamare in at the three.
01:15So, Greg, when you're in the first game of a back-to-back, how much focus slips into already looking
01:21towards the second game?
01:23Well, from a player's perspective, not much.
01:26But from the view of a coach, it has to creep in some.
01:30In terms of making sure you don't overplay your stars.
01:36The shot by Sharp.
01:38Nobody around.
01:39Great positioning on the foot back.
01:41I love how hard Klingon works that offensive glass.
01:44Using his size in that situation.
01:47Mitchell passes to Hachimura.
01:50Ellis kicks to Hachimura.
01:52Over Klingon.
01:54And the shot is good.
01:56Dropping in off the front of the rim.
01:57And hitting the mid-range jumper here early gives the defense just another thing to think about.
02:04And you don't see many teams take these shots as often anymore.
02:07It's nice to see them take advantage in this area.
02:10While he's a bit undersized for a four, the more that makes up for it with his balance.
02:16Prince outside.
02:19It's over Avdia.
02:20Prince's shot is good.
02:21But, and we always talk about making your teammate better.
02:25That assist was right on target.
02:29Last to Kamara.
02:30Now Klingon.
02:34Back to Kamara.
02:36Good for the basket.
02:37Starting off one for one with that shot.
02:40You know, you're going to have success when you can start out shooting 80% from the game.
02:45So, early offensively, they've been great.
02:47That's the way you like to start.
02:50Catch him around, no good.
02:52And not allowing the shooter even an inch of breathing room on that one.
02:57I'm sure I'll think twice about shooting against him next time.
03:00And he can do a lot more damage to the rim than that when he wants to.
03:05Oh, you're right.
03:06And with the lead they're enjoying, I'm surprised he didn't put a little something extra on that one.
03:11And it's tonight.
03:16Prince against Sharp.
03:18Down low.
03:19Avdia.
03:19A tan short, but it's good off the front iron.
03:23Avdia's got his second bucket of the night.
03:25And not hard to see why they are giving up points on this run.
03:28But just too many good looks from in close.
03:31Prince kicks to Ellis.
03:35Two free throws coming up and they call the shooting foul.
03:39Talk about a guy, Richard, who can shoot the lights up.
03:42Keyon Ellis.
03:43Over 40% for his career from three.
03:46Yeah, coming into the league, everyone talked about his defense.
03:50But he's shown great touch from outside and he generally takes good shots.
04:01And Ellis drops them both.
04:03And what an advantage.
04:05You really feel like you can always trust him when he's at the line.
04:09Bounce pass from Sharp.
04:14Here's Klingin.
04:16Good on the bucket.
04:18Klingin's got six.
04:19That's the tenth straight point they've given up in the paint.
04:25Here's Mitchell.
04:26A shot goes in.
04:28First shot, first basket.
04:29And once he got to the ten, I think he was surprised to find himself that wide open.
04:35Easy possessions like that literally are just a gift.
04:38You just dream of them.
04:39He'll gladly take those.
04:42Beautiful offense.
04:43Lillard creates time and again down the floor, whether it be for himself or for his teammates.
04:50Now here is Hetchumur.
04:52He is a good contributor to his team, averaging about ten and a half points a game.
04:56And he likes to get in a rhythm early.
04:59Nice triple.
05:00Lillard with it.
05:01Covered by Mitchell.
05:05Lillard, the pass to Obdia.
05:07They get the rebound.
05:09A nice shot by Klingin.
05:11He's got eight.
05:12Oh, they own the interior right now.
05:15Ten straight points coming from inside.
05:18Mitchell.
05:19Good, and the assist goes to Ellis.
05:21Boy, he is looking confident.
05:24Love how they're using him.
05:25So far.
05:26Yeah, when he gets engaged this early in the game, it's bad news for the defense.
05:31He can roll this start throughout the rest of the game.
05:34Lillard misses.
05:34Yeah, and that was lining up to be a huge alley-oop, but they just couldn't quite connect.
05:40Just go to show how tight your timing needs to be on this kind of play.
05:45Yeah, another nice bucket down low.
05:47They've really been able to work the ball into the post effectively here so far.
05:52But he's just kind of stepping aside and letting him get to the rim.
05:57There's a reason, G.A.
05:58The lead is what it is right now.
06:01Yeah, it's going to take better rim protection than that if they're going to climb out of this hole.
06:05Larson, no good.
06:07Trailblazers leading by five.
06:10And Sharp has it in the corner.
06:13And the shot goes down.
06:14And the story here, Kevin, early on is how well they shot the basketball.
06:21Gone 6 of 10 from the field in this ballgame.
06:23Pass to Ellis.
06:25Out left to the wing.
06:27Here's Hachimura.
06:29And Klingin pulls it down.
06:32Klingin's got his fifth rebound in this one.
06:34Cortland moving the ball away.
06:37Now Lillard from outside the arc.
06:40Traps in the tray.
06:42Lillard's got five.
06:43And you can't help but pick their defense apart.
06:47They're completely in disarray.
07:02So for the Trailblazers, Jeremy Grant, he's checked in for Avdia.
07:06And Henderson subbed in for Jomani Kamara.
07:16Quite well in these early minutes, 55%.
07:21Here's Mitchell.
07:22And he makes good on the layup.
07:24He's got nine.
07:25Great start for him.
07:274-4.
07:28He could be in for a big game.
07:31Grant outside.
07:35It's blocked.
07:37And it's out of bounds.
07:38DeFort.
07:38Oh, he's taking possession.
07:41You've got to love strong defense, especially when it comes in the form of harsh rejections.
07:46Wow.
07:48Yeah, quick thinking pays off big.
07:51What a block.
08:03Lillard with no one around.
08:05Hits the jumper in space.
08:06And off to a strong start here early.
08:09Six points off second chance buckets.
08:13Mitchell kicks to Hachimura.
08:16The rebound by Sharp.
08:18No doubt it's been a bit of a struggle for him here in this quarter in terms of scoring.
08:23Here's Henderson.
08:24Again, the Trailblazers score.
08:26And they've done the job on the offensive glass.
08:30Gone 7-13.
08:32Just over 50% from the floor.
08:34Some good looks.
08:35Yeah, way to get there first and be willing to absorb the contact.
08:461.36 left in the first quarter of the game.
08:49Shaw picks up the loose ball.
08:51And he was in the backcourt.
08:53He'll give it up.
08:53And for a look at how the competition stacks up right now.
08:57Here's the latest edition of the Power Rankings.
08:59They tell a great story.
09:00Taking a look at Cleveland.
09:02They're gaining on some of the teams above them.
09:04Trying hard to crack into that top five.
09:06And you know right now for the visiting team.
09:09Their position in the rankings really hasn't fluctuated.
09:13But there's still a little time for them to make some noise.
09:16And a late season push could make all the difference.
09:23Mitchell against Lillard.
09:25Shots good by Mitchell.
09:27Mitchell's got 11.
09:28How about five straight made from the field to start?
09:33Henderson outside.
09:3811 feet away.
09:39That's a miss.
09:41He's made one and missed one.
09:43To the inside.
09:45And Mitchell gets it to go.
09:4813 points in the game.
09:50Coming off a big game.
09:51His confidence couldn't be higher.
09:54And coach knows it.
09:55When it ain't broke, leave it alone until someone stops him.
09:58Just let him roll.
09:59And then Sharp with the dunk.
10:02And good quickness there.
10:03Sharp exciting to watch when he's in attack mode.
10:08Pass to Herter.
10:09Now Hachimura.
10:11Watson for three.
10:13Buries the long-range jumper.
10:15I'll tell you what.
10:16I'm not sure these guys can keep this up.
10:19There will be some letdown at some point.
10:21But these teams, they are bent to school.
10:23So now here's Lillard.
10:26He has seven.
10:27If it counts.
10:28Keep riding that hot hand.
10:29He's been pretty much unstoppable.
10:32Now Mitchell.
10:33Inside.
10:34Here's Hachimura.
10:35Oh, what a finish.
10:38Ruri showing off that athletic ability.
10:43Three-pointer Lillard sinks the triple.
10:46And the Trailblazers lead by 10.
10:49The slaying intensity right off the opening tip.
10:53Especially on the offensive end.
10:55They came out swinging.
10:57Really set the tone on offense.
10:59And the opposition has not been able to respond.
11:02And so it's the Portland Trailblazers.
11:04Going into the break with a 10-point lead.
11:07Their lead is where it is because they've gotten good shots.
11:10A lot of good shots.
11:12And we'll be back with you shortly.
11:28And if you're just tuning in, we've got a wide margin on the scoreboard.
11:32But plenty of time left for a comeback.
11:34And guys, let's get your take on the scoring breakdown for the Trailblazers.
11:38Well, they're off to a good start getting it inside and scoring at close range.
11:43Solid fundamentals so far in this one.
11:45And it seems they've also put an emphasis on moving the ball.
11:49Working to rotate around the defense and find those quality looks.
11:54Holiday in the backcourt with Henderson to his side.
11:57Murray out there with Grant.
11:58And it's Reid in at the 5, patrolling the pace.
12:02That's the group on the floor for Portland.
12:04The shot by Holiday.
12:06No good.
12:07And the great shooters know when they've got enough opening to go for the 3.
12:12I didn't think it was a bad choice on that possession.
12:15From the line, they grab their own miss.
12:19Another shot.
12:20The putback.
12:21Here's Watson.
12:23Eyes hit again.
12:23And it's good on the way up.
12:26Watson's got a second bucket tonight.
12:27He knows his job on the glass.
12:30And he does it well.
12:31Cleaning it up and sending it right back.
12:34Reef.
12:35Oh, good on the 3.
12:38Gone.
12:391 of 3.
12:39Just run out the second quarter.
12:41And Watson frames it in.
12:44Strong move to the 10.
12:46Trying to get his guys going.
12:47Hard not to get motivated, G.A.
12:50Right when your teammate makes that kind of play.
12:52And that could be the spark they needed to make a little run
12:55as they try to even this thing up.
12:58Holliday gets the bucket.
13:00You can see the toughness that Holliday plays with.
13:03Contact doesn't faze him.
13:07Outside, James.
13:09Pass to Herder.
13:12Here's Gillespie.
13:13Rebound by the Trailblazers.
13:15And he's very confident from that range.
13:18But he can't make them all.
13:20It's time to send it over now to our reporter, Ali LaForce.
13:23Thanks, Kevin.
13:24Drew Holliday understands the big picture.
13:27He said, quote, basketball is a two-way sport.
13:29As much as you train offensively, you need to do the same thing defensively.
13:33Doing defensive slides, wall sits, things that help you with your legs and your face.
13:37I've done that since I was little.
13:39It helps.
13:39Back to you.
13:40Truly an elite defender.
13:42Valley, we thank you very much.
13:51Here's Gillespie.
13:53Scoreless thus far.
13:57To the wing right side.
13:59Hachimura finds Watson.
14:01Shoots over Grant.
14:03Watson's shot is off.
14:05And they've only got a slight edge on the boards, but it just feels a lot bigger.
14:10And Lillard gets it to go.
14:12Some nights, Lillard can just keep going and going.
14:17Greg, when you talk about the all-time great three-point shooters,
14:20Damian Lillard is right up there.
14:22Without a doubt.
14:24Steph is the clear number one, but that second spot is up for debate.
14:29And it's between guys like Hart, Ray Allen, and Damian.
14:34Kicks it out to Lillard.
14:37I'll be on the wing.
14:40Oh, good with the triple.
14:44Gone three of eight from the field since the beginning of the second quarter.
14:48And Watson has it in the corner.
14:51And it's off from three-point ring.
14:57Abdiah trying to break free.
14:59And that one's good by Henderson.
15:02Henderson's got the lead up to 13 now for Portland.
15:06Elish dishes to Prince.
15:08Back to Ellis.
15:10Over to the left wing.
15:12Watson for three.
15:13Rebound by the trailblazers.
15:15Coming off that loss against the Nets.
15:18Live by the three.
15:19Die by the three.
15:20If you're a perimeter defender, you don't really know, game to game, how it's going to go.
15:26You would have liked to have seen them make some adjustments and attack the rim.
15:30But they just kept firing from distance and couldn't get much to fall.
15:34That one's in there.
15:35And the Portland lead is cut back down to 13 with the basket coming from Prince.
15:39And so Lillard will bring it up for Portland.
15:42Yeah, tough game on the road.
15:44The guys you're defending, obviously comfortable shooting in their own building.
15:48You've got to find a way to break their rhythm.
15:51While they weren't fighting through screens, their closeouts and rotations were late.
15:55You name it, and let's just say they didn't do it on defense.
15:59Going in, he's checked in for Jeremy Grant.
16:11And almost four minutes gone here in the second quarter of play.
16:15Gone 0-3 from beyond the arc to start the second quarter.
16:20Watson's shot is off.
16:22Trailblazers leading by 13.
16:28Lillard surveying the D.
16:30To the right side.
16:32Here's Kamari.
16:34That three off the mark.
16:38Over to the wing.
16:39Hachimura, the pass to Watson.
16:42Missing that scoring opportunity.
16:44Having a bad three-for-nine shooting night.
16:48Pass to Henderson.
16:51Now, Klingin.
16:55Yes, once again.
16:56It remains perfect.
16:57Six attempts and six hits.
16:59And what's scary about Klingin.
17:01He's still learning how to score around the rim.
17:04Donovan will only get better.
17:07Watson finds Prince.
17:09Connects from three-point range.
17:11Prince has got nine points.
17:13Oh, I love that possession for them.
17:15Ending with an assisted bucket.
17:17Pavia, the pass to Henderson.
17:19Takes the three.
17:21It's hauled in by Watson.
17:25Gone 1-0-4 from three-point range in the second.
17:28Not a whole lot dropping out there for them.
17:30Pass to Larson.
17:32The shot's good on the assist by Prince.
17:36When you look at the recent big threes in the NBA, RJ, it seems like they've failed more than they've
17:42succeeded.
17:43That's because some teams just acquire stars without considering how their games will complement each other.
17:50Often forcing guys into a role that they're not suited for.
17:56Larson, no good.
17:58Just an ugly show from him offensively.
18:00Yep, no way to describe it.
18:01Just ugly.
18:02And that hasn't helped.
18:05Pass to Avdia.
18:08Let's it go from deep.
18:09Gets the three-pointer to fall.
18:11He's got nine.
18:13Unwilling to let up.
18:14Even for a moment.
18:16That's his killer instinct.
18:17Just fanning the flame.
18:20Always plays hard until the final whistle.
18:22No matter what the situation is.
18:33And Portman making a change here.
18:35Sharps checked in.
18:38And now it's turned to the 2K leaderboard for a look at the squads that have the most points in
18:43transition over the past 10 games.
18:45I mean, tough to maintain this kind of pace over an entire season.
18:49But let me tell you, they are really running right now.
18:53Gone three of seven tonight from three-point territory.
18:58Pass to Larson.
19:02And stolen by Sharp.
19:07Three-pointer, Lillard.
19:08And the trailblazers.
19:10Another three.
19:11He's going to force them to have to make adjustments.
19:14That's number four in terms of triples in the half.
19:17Out to the right wing.
19:19To the paint.
19:19Here's Larson.
19:20And that one is hammered home.
19:23He just punched the ticket on that one.
19:25That'll get the job done.
19:26Powerful two-hand jam.
19:29Trailblazers leading by 14.
19:31To the middle.
19:32Here's Klingon.
19:33Plays it up off the glass.
19:35Klingon's got 14 points.
19:37Oh, good pass right there from Sharp.
19:39These types of plays really help team chemistry.
19:46Now, what's the pass to Larson?
19:48Rebounded by Kamarae.
19:50Let's just say his subpar shooting is just one reason why they are trailing in this ballgame.
19:56Here's Avdia.
19:58And finished on by Avdia.
20:00Talk about execution on the offensive end.
20:03They're leaving nothing on the table right now.
20:06It's caused them to pull away a bit.
20:08Let's see if they can keep the train on the tracks.
20:11And they pick up two.
20:12And they keep hammering away at him inside, forcing the ball into the paint.
20:18Master Kamarae.
20:20Back to Lillard.
20:21And he converts the layup.
20:23Lillard's got 20 points.
20:25This quarter has been all his.
20:27I suggest they keep the ball in his hands.
20:30Mitchell passes to Larson.
20:32Back to Mitchell.
20:33And it's out of bounds.
20:35Last touch by Mitchell.
20:36Those are the turnovers that have coaches pulling their hair out.
20:40Why do you think I'm bald?
20:45There's 37 seconds left in the first half of the game.
20:49Cast to Sharp.
20:52Here's Kamarae.
20:54And this offense is in a perfect rhythm.
20:57And you can see how they're finishing their plays.
21:01Right about that.
21:02Seems like they haven't missed.
21:04Mitchell passes to Larson.
21:07Back to Hachimura.
21:09From the arc.
21:11It's hauled in by the Trailblazers.
21:14Avdiaz got his fifth rebound in this one.
21:16Kamarae.
21:17And two free throws coming up.
21:18Unable to get that one to go with all the content.
21:21It goes on Torian Prince.
21:24The Trailblazers shooting their first free throws of the evening.
21:28Trailblazers.
21:29Kamarae.
21:30Taking two shots.
21:35That's good from Kamara.
21:44And so Kamara nails both of them.
21:52Hachimura finds Mitchell.
21:54And he drops in the way up off the glass.
21:57Mitchell's got 15.
21:59Just reliable, guys.
22:00He's just always trying to make the right play.
22:04And so it's Damian Lillard making things happen for Portland.
22:07His production has been flowing as he's tallying 20 points and looks to be planning for more.
22:14And we'll be right back after this.
22:35Welcome, everybody.
22:36And as we start to work our way through the season, a sneak peek at the Rookie of the Year
22:42race.
22:44It's a very exciting group.
22:46We get to watch them grow.
22:47The league has adjusted to them along the way, but they've adjusted back.
22:51Some great coaching as well to bring these guys along.
22:56Now we'll take a look back at that first half.
22:59What an all-around performance it was for the Trailblazers.
23:02They're just a far more physical team.
23:05And it shows up everywhere, particularly on the glass.
23:08Yeah, they're winning the battle of possessions along with pretty much every other battle.
23:16And that'll do it for halftime.
23:18We send you back to Kevin Harlan, who has the second half call.
23:36And with the big gap on the scoreboard, the second half begins with very different goals for these teams.
23:41One side trying to mount a comeback.
23:43One side trying to protect their lead.
23:45We're seeing a tremendous game from Damian Lillard.
23:49No problems fighting his way to the rim in this one.
23:51A lot of points in close.
23:53And you love that mindset he has going at the rim.
23:57He hasn't settled for anything.
23:58And he's been the aggressor all game long.
24:08I think 51% from the field.
24:10They'll take that.
24:10You've got Prince.
24:12Ian Elves is out there with Mitch.
24:13Then it's Rui Hachimura.
24:15And it's Larson in at the five spot.
24:17And the shot goes in.
24:19He's got eight.
24:20Well, Hachimura's inside-out scoring ability is what makes him so valuable to their offense.
24:27He finds a shooter in motion and is confident he can thread him with the lead pass.
24:32Well done.
24:33Whoops.
24:33They pick off the pass.
24:38Hachimura against Abdiak.
24:40And it's good.
24:41Assisting on the play was Lillard.
24:44Lillard's got six assists here tonight.
24:50Mitchell looking it over.
24:52Here's Larson.
24:53Money from the wing.
24:58Second half just getting started.
24:59About a minute played.
25:01And it's Klingin with the jam.
25:03And when someone as big as Donovan Klingin gets going, he's so hard to stop.
25:09Keep feeding the big fella.
25:15Mitchell passes to Larson.
25:17And down it goes.
25:19Dunk threw off a wonderful assist.
25:21It's harder to thread those passes inside, but the reward is evident.
25:26Trailblazers leading by 20.
25:28And it's Klingin with the jam.
25:30You can't teach size, right?
25:33Klingin is already one of the bigger guys in this league.
25:36And you can see him adding another 10 or 15 pounds of muscle.
25:40Prince's shot is good.
25:42Oh, coming out hot, hot, hot.
25:44Four out of four for the field.
25:46Okay.
25:48Trailblazers have gone four for four from the field since the halftime break.
25:51Terrific start to the third quarter.
25:53Three-pointer, Lillard.
25:55Rebounded by Ellis.
25:56But only the first miss of the second half.
25:59They've come out here with authority.
26:01Count it.
26:02Nice touch there near the hoop.
26:06And for Portland, they're shooting an unbelievable 70%.
26:09You won't see a performance like this too often.
26:14Gotten fewer than half of their three-pointers to go down tonight.
26:16They're four for nine.
26:19That one goes.
26:20Count it.
26:21Hachimura's got 10.
26:23I love how under control Hachimura is.
26:26Able to push his plate through the contact and score.
26:30Nice work.
26:31Yeah, it's easy to see why they go to him so often.
26:34Because they know they can depend on him to come through for him.
26:44Here we are.
26:45Two games left before the start of the playoffs.
26:47Let's take a look at the possible field.
26:49Taking a look at Portland.
26:50It hasn't been a great season for them.
26:52We may see some changes in the offseason.
26:55And right now for the Trailblazers,
26:57they find themselves in a difficult position.
27:00Trying to keep their playoff hopes alive.
27:03Trying to answer their critics.
27:05That's winning here at the end would go a long way towards that.
27:09We're now joined by our sideline reporter, Allie LaForce.
27:13Allie, it's all yours.
27:14Thanks a lot, Kevin.
27:15The Portland Trailblazers in year three of a rebuild.
27:18Wins are hard to come by in the loaded west.
27:20But acquiring young, talented players like Denny Abdiah is a nice start.
27:25He said, quote, the team is young.
27:26We're real athletic.
27:27We all compete.
27:28Everybody wants to work and wants to improve.
27:31Guys?
27:31Young and hungry.
27:33All right, Allie, thank you for the report.
27:35That should give them a nice little jolt.
27:38Yeah, it has to.
27:39They need a jolt here.
27:41And they need more where that came from.
27:44They're not out of this hole yet.
27:45No doubt about the consistency when it comes to scoring the basketball for him tonight.
27:50A real nice lift for their offense.
27:54Ellis kicks to Prince over Abdiah.
27:57And that's Prince at time on the assist by Ellis.
28:00He's got 16.
28:02And, you know, he's enjoyed the kind of day you expect in terms of shooting the basketball.
28:06He can bring them right back into this game.
28:09Oh, nice job executing inside.
28:12Sharp's confidence is what makes him such a dangerous player.
28:16Prince outside.
28:21Mitchell against Lillard.
28:24Shoots it.
28:26Mitchell's shot is good.
28:28Mitchell's got 19 points.
28:30And you couldn't have scripted a better start to the half.
28:33They've hit every single shot since the break.
28:36And so Chauncey Billups decides to call timeout.
28:39He made the decision to huddle up with his guys and talk about strategy.
28:47Scoot Henderson's checked in for Portland.
28:50And taking a broader look here at the year-over-year scoring trend for Jeremy Grant.
28:56You can never fully predict these long-term trends.
29:00But it's apparent that the production has been on the decline here a bit.
29:05That doesn't mean it will stay that way.
29:07And, look, so many ways he can impact the team as well.
29:11Not always just about the scoring.
29:14And then Sharp with the dunk.
29:16We've heard the stories about Sharp and how impressive his vertical is.
29:21Now we see it on full display.
29:25Back to Ellis.
29:27Over Sharp.
29:29Ellis can't get it to go.
29:30Trio Blazers leading by 17 to the inside.
29:36And then Henderson with the dunk.
29:38And Henderson doesn't need any extra motivation to head straight for the rim.
29:43Ellis outside.
29:45Right wing.
29:47Over Sharp.
29:49And Klingon pulls it down.
29:51Well, Klingon's got his seventh rebound here tonight.
29:55The offensive rebound.
29:59Here's Kamari.
30:01A second chance effort.
30:03And Sharp puts it in.
30:05Sharp's got ten points in the game.
30:07I don't know what's happening defensively.
30:10But they're not putting up any resistance.
30:14Watson finds Prince.
30:16No good from outside.
30:19Smart anchor.
30:20It passes, Greg.
30:21They're really paying off for them at the moment.
30:23And also good off-ball movement.
30:25Everyone is paying attention and looking to create the best shot for the team.
30:29And those are the kinds of plays that are just killing them right now.
30:33Back to Mitchell.
30:35Pass to Watson.
30:37And nothing is falling for him right now.
30:41And so Henderson will bring it up for the Trail Blazers.
30:44They lead by the biggest margin of the game.
30:4623 points.
30:47And foul on the shot.
30:49So he'll get a chance at the line.
30:52High motor type of player.
30:53Henderson fighting tooth and nail down low.
30:57And let's quickly check out the scoring breakdown here for the Blazers.
31:01They have found a lot of success in transition.
31:04Running at every opportunity and getting points before the defense can get set.
31:08And also, guys, how about the hustle we've seen on the boards?
31:12They're getting after it and cashing in on second chance scoring opportunities.
31:17Jeremy Grant.
31:18He's jacked in for Portland.
31:19He hits one and misses one.
31:21He took the line.
31:22Count that one.
31:24Obvious.
31:24He's got ten points in the quarter.
31:26They've shown some strength in the paint today.
31:28Their work on the boards has been impressive.
31:31Pass to Watson.
31:33And here's Prince outside.
31:36Good on the triple.
31:37And he's finally getting the feel from beyond.
31:40His second three of the half right there.
31:44And here's Sharp.
31:48Takes a three.
31:51No good there.
31:53Gone to the three-pointer 11 times tonight.
31:55Nailed five of them.
31:57Watson dishes to Mitchell.
32:00And he gets the basket.
32:01Officials blowing the whistle.
32:02So, a chance at the line for one more.
32:05Maybe they've been going to him a little too much.
32:08He's having a great game.
32:10But his team is losing.
32:11And that is all that matters.
32:13And this is his first trip to the line tonight.
32:17One-twenty-two left in the third.
32:21Holiday.
32:22The pass to Grant.
32:26There's the triple.
32:27It's not going to go for him.
32:30Gone two of three when they ventured outside the arc in the third quarter.
32:35Najee, good.
32:36And so far, going for more of an inside presence here in the second half.
32:40Getting away from the three-point shot.
32:46Now, Sharp.
32:47He's got ten.
32:5347 seconds left here in the third quarter.
32:56And nice work on the perimeter.
32:58Defenses must respect Sharp's range.
33:01Watson, the pass to Gillespie.
33:04Front pass to the arc.
33:06That's good.
33:07And the assist goes to Watson.
33:09Watson's got five assists tonight.
33:11And it just seems that every pass they make is leading to a score.
33:16Just a great ball move.
33:18To the paint.
33:19Here's Yang.
33:21Nice pass.
33:22Let him to the rack perfectly for the layup.
33:24And the Trailblazers lead by 20.
33:28We've got 22 seconds left in the third quarter.
33:31Past Najee.
33:32Now, here's Watson.
33:33Here's Herter.
33:34Defended by Sharp.
33:36Here's Gillespie.
33:38Nailed from three-point land.
33:42Gillespie's got six in the quarter.
33:44And this is the time they wanted to mount the rally and get back into it.
33:52And so it's the Portland Trailblazers out in front by 17 points at the end of the quarter.
33:59Their strategy has been clear tonight.
34:01Work the ball inside.
34:02Get shots in the paint.
34:03And now they are scoring with ease.
34:05Back to the action in just a minute.
34:20And let's take this chance now to show you the State Farm assist of the game.
34:25And he sliced the D wide open with his feet.
34:29They had no chance to prevent that basket.
34:31That's an unguardable pass.
34:33Flat out.
34:34Give him credit for possessing that type of vision.
34:38And one quarter to go in a game that, to this point, has not been an evenly fought contest.
34:43We've got Damian Lillard.
34:44Jeremy Grant is out there with Murray.
34:47Then it's Holiday.
34:48And it's Henderson in at the two.
34:50That's the group on the floor for Portland.
34:53Gone downtown 13 times in this game.
34:55And they're just over 50%.
34:577 of 13 on threes.
35:00Rotson's shot is off.
35:02The edge on the glass is the difference.
35:04It's allowed them to build this lead.
35:07Lillard misses.
35:12Catchy-Mura against Henderson.
35:14James outside.
35:17Pass to Watson.
35:20Fouled in the act of shooting.
35:22Gets the bucket anyway.
35:22So a three-point play chance for him.
35:25What a play there.
35:26The hoop plus the harm.
35:31Free throw drops for Watson.
35:36Trailblazers leading by 16.
35:41One minute now into this fourth quarter.
35:43Lillard from outside.
35:46Hachimura grabs the miss.
35:48Hachimura's got four rebounds in this game.
35:51Down low.
35:53And the dunk by James.
35:55And right there you see the decision-making ability of Hachimura.
35:59Sets his man up perfectly.
36:01An open look for Lillard.
36:03That's down the hash.
36:04That's one more to his total.
36:06That's nine for 15 shooting.
36:07He is getting everything he wants.
36:10The defense is seemingly powerless to slow him down.
36:13It's set.
36:14On deep.
36:15James drills the three-pointer.
36:17Yeah, that's too good a look to give them from behind the arc.
36:21And so Henderson will bring it up for the Portland Trailblazers.
36:2613-point lead.
36:27Count that one.
36:29Big miscommunication on defense.
36:31He recognizes it and quickly takes advantage.
36:35Yeah, they're going to do a much better job of putting a little bit of pressure on him on his
36:39way to the hoop.
36:40And James gets it to go.
36:41And perimeter scoring, I have to imagine it was a topic of discussion at halftime.
36:48And you see this so much more nowadays in the NBA.
36:52Teams putting a larger emphasis on jacking up threes.
36:56With the drive.
36:57And he banks in the layup.
36:59I'll tell you, they're right in this.
37:01We'll see if they can maintain momentum.
37:04Things are firing on all cylinders for them right now.
37:07We'll see if they can keep it going.
37:09And we've got a timeout called by Chauncey Billups.
37:12And that timeout by coach was carefully measured.
37:16Wanting to make sure that everybody is on the same page here.
37:20Clingin, he's checked in for Scoot Henderson.
37:22And let's go to the sideline.
37:24Here's Allen.
37:25Guys, over the last break, I listened to Chauncey Billups address the team.
37:29He said, keep it going, guys.
37:30Ride this wave of momentum.
37:32We're playing great right now.
37:33But we can't let up.
37:35Guys, back to you.
37:36We appreciate it, Allie.
37:38Portland, no good that time either.
37:41Gone five of six in the field to start the fourth quarter on a roll.
37:45And when you thought this fourth quarter was simply a formality,
37:49all of a sudden the offense picks up.
37:51And now we have a game.
37:55Grant outside.
37:57Lillard with a scream for Grant.
38:01Again, the miss by the Trail Blazers.
38:05Gotten it done so far from the field here on the fourth.
38:08Going six for seven.
38:10Here's Hachimura.
38:11It's hauled in by the Trail Blazers.
38:15Klingens got rebound number ten tonight with that last one.
38:18You know, Greg, being a two-way player, got Jeremy Grant into the NBA.
38:22But now he's grown even more.
38:24Yeah, early on in his career, he's often the primary defender on the league scores.
38:30Then he added scoring to his game in Detroit, becoming an effective two-way player.
38:35A different look now for Portland.
38:37Tomani Kamara comes in for Murray.
38:40And it's sharp in for Drew Holiday.
38:45And Grant drops them both.
38:47And, you know, with more responsibility, Grant has really blossomed.
38:51A dynamic two-way threat who wants to continue to get better.
38:56And that one's good.
38:58Hachimura.
38:58And they're passing the ball very crisply here.
39:04Trail Blazers leading by eight.
39:08Lillard from outside.
39:10A three-pointer is right on target.
39:12Lillard's got 25 points.
39:14Prolific from deep in the first half.
39:17He's trying to continue that.
39:20Pass to Herter.
39:21Here's Hachimura.
39:23Klingens covering.
39:25Here's Gillespie.
39:26To the left side wing.
39:28Six on the shot clock.
39:30Inside.
39:31Here's Hachimura.
39:32And he gets the bucket.
39:34Hachimura's got six points in the quarter.
39:36It's been like this all night for both teams.
39:39The offenses having their way.
39:43Yeah, but I think it's going to come down to who can get the stops down the stretch.
39:46Because that's who's going to come away with this one.
39:49Brands.
39:49That's a screen for Lillard.
39:51A three-ball.
39:53Offensive rebound.
39:54Pass to Sharp.
39:57Moves back up.
39:59He takes it up and lays it in.
40:01Sharp's got 11 in the second half.
40:04It's really been a tale of two halves, guys.
40:06A slow start.
40:07But this quarter, he has really been the man.
40:13And contact on the shot.
40:15So he'll be shooting free throws here.
40:17It's on Damian Lillard.
40:19Fucking pain.
40:24First one falls for him.
40:26And the Trailblazers making a change here.
40:28Avdi Az checked in.
40:37That's also good.
40:38So he hits both free throws.
40:41Trailblazers leading by nine.
40:45Going inside.
40:47And then Sharp with the dunk.
40:49An exciting player coming into his own.
40:53And we're seeing all of what Sharp has in this one.
40:57Now Hachimura.
40:59That's good from six.
41:06Trailblazers leading by nine.
41:08Lillard.
41:10Missed on the three.
41:12And as long as he keeps missing from deep,
41:14the D will keep letting him fire away.
41:17He's just off from range right now.
41:27Here's Lillard.
41:32Oh, and he feathers one right through.
41:35What touch.
41:36Aggressive move by Lillard.
41:38Attacking the heart of that defense.
41:41All right, thing.
41:47It's time to get loud.
41:49And you're a blazer.
42:00Here's Mitchell.
42:05Now Hachimura.
42:08Tries it from nine.
42:10Cleared away by Avdia.
42:12How about that hard nose D in the paint right there.
42:15Nice job.
42:16Yeah, he's got great position.
42:18And it makes it a really tough shot.
42:19Even in such close range.
42:22Out of this world.
42:23Sharp is so quick into the air.
42:26And then he just hangs forever.
42:28Able to do things most others can't.
42:31That's a great look at that move from the Connected Cam.
42:35Sponsored by AT&T.
42:37Nice.
42:38Nice.
42:40I think burn some clock if they want to.
42:42And get a little breather as well.
42:45Lillard.
42:46Basket is good.
42:48Crafty.
42:49In traffic.
42:50Lillard beats you with skill, quickness, and that tremendous will.
42:58Here's Mitchell.
43:00Hachimura fires.
43:02Misses the three.
43:05There's 126 left to play here on the fourth.
43:09Now Lillard.
43:12From deep.
43:14The shot is off.
43:15Another missed three.
43:18And he seems determined to shoot his way out of it.
43:24Strong move off the glass.
43:26Love to see him inside passing like this.
43:29As well as guys being on the same page.
43:31And we've got a timeout call by Chauncey Billups.
43:34Clearly, he's got something his players need to hear.
43:39And immediately.
43:56Camara up top.
43:58Defended by Prince.
43:59And that's out of bounds.
44:01It was last touched by Abdi.
44:03Boy, that was bad.
44:05It was like they were running different plays.
44:13Gone two or three in the fourth quarter from long range.
44:15Good shooting so far.
44:17Takes the three.
44:18Buries the deep ball.
44:20Another bomb for him right now.
44:22His three-point shooting might be the key to cutting that lead.
44:27Absolutely.
44:28And they have to continue to go to him.
44:30Relentless in their approach.
44:32Even with the game firmly in hand.
44:35No let up with these guys.
44:37They're going for the throw now.
44:40Shoots.
44:41Got it to go.
44:48And that's an intentional foul.
44:52Second personal foul.
44:55Second team foul.
44:59Two points here might be all the pushing they need.
45:02You would think so.
45:04This game is theirs for the taker.
45:07Second team foul.
45:19so the first one drops and that makes it a seven point lead hey willard has all the talent in
45:25the
45:26world but man this guy is a great leader lots of charisma and he holds his teammates accountable
45:36he drills the three well and this has been their strategy throughout the fourth period we'll see
45:43how it pans out i think when you've got it going from three point range you've got to keep it
45:47going
45:48it's a good way to kind of pile up the points quickly
45:54and that hurts as he doesn't get the first one to fall trying to focus now on the second
46:02he's able to hit the second one and that increases their lead to six can't waste any time here it
46:09needs
46:09to be a quick shot and a quick foul let's lose a three knocks down the three
46:18here's sharp they're going to prolong the game here with an intentional foul
46:22honestly just doing what they have to in order to get the basketball back
46:40good on the first and that gives them a four-point cushion
46:49and the second free throw no good a tough break there and he gets that one to go
46:55letting the guy sneak by for a put back off a free throw that that is inexcusable
47:01and let's get your jig guys what's the strategy there's still a sliver of hope we've seen teams
47:08come back from this before smart to take the time out and get everybody focused on exactly what needs
47:13to be done
47:23a trail by six gonna go and now we've got the intentional
47:27foul
47:38it's the first one and that makes it a seven-point lead
47:47so he goes two for two at the lock and it's an eight-point game
47:52now Hachimura launches it
47:56and so they foul intentionally
48:08at the line before the
48:13taking two shots
48:19first free throw is good and that increases their lead to six
48:28and he hits both free throws here so now it's a seven-point game
48:41so the trailblazers win it it was a fantastic ball game and they did a great job making sure
48:47didn't get away from them late yeah i mean they faced some challenges but really held firm when they
48:53needed to on both ends are just effective in terms of coming away with this win
48:59good evening so let's go courtside where ali la forest is standing by with our player of the game ali
49:07damian i mean the stat line was just outstanding for you tonight you had it going early how were
49:13you able to be so effective i mean like you said i came out to start the game and i
49:18was aggressive
49:20looking for opportunities getting downhill get to the free throw line and i think once i came out
49:24aggressive like that they just started to react you know i just let the defense make the plays for me
49:28you know i see that weak side come in i was making the plays and i was trying to keep
49:32my balance you
49:32know once i saw the ball going in and i had a good rhythm to the game you know if
49:36they help make the
49:37right play if they don't be aggressive and go score um and it worked for me all night long
49:41thanks so much game good stuff ali thanks and that about wraps it up for greg anthony richard
49:48jefferson and ali la force this is kevin harlan thanks so much for joining us on this presentation
49:53from 2k sports and now we present the player of the game damian lillard
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