Sports Hey PDX January 19, 2025 0 Comments

Blazers Run Out of Fuel, Lose to Rockets

The Houston Rockets came into Portland on Saturday evening and defeated the Trail Blazers 125-103. The Rockets imposed their style and pace of play to wear down the Blazers in order to pull away in the second half.

The Blazers, who got back Jerami Grant after missing eight games, trailed 51-50 at halftime as they matched the Rockets for rebounds, loose balls, and paint points. Unfortunately for Rip City, the team with the second best record in Western Conference made the appropriate adjustments at halftime. In particular they started to take and hit the three-point shot. Houston ranks towards the bottom of the league in distance shooting, but with Portland being one of the worst teams in the league at defending the long ball, The Rockets took advantage.

This was a good measuring stick game for the Blazers, who aim to make a leap in the coming years much like the Rockets have done. Let’s take a dive into the game with five points of extended analysis.

MVP of the Game

Jabari Walker, who has been stuck at the end of the bench for most of the season, is my MVP of the game. Walker was able to enter the game sooner than normal because the Blazers are still shorthanded at center, missing Deandre Ayton and Donovan Clingan. The Blazers needed someone to match up with Alperen Sengun and battle the Rockets for rebounds. Fortunately for the Blazers, battling for rebounds, hustling for loose balls, and muscling the opposing teams’ big men is Walker’s superpower.

Walker was impactful on the offensive end as well. Two drives to the rim stuck out to me at the 4:50 and 3:20 marks of the second quarter. Walker has great touch around the rim, and he was able to take advantage of weak inside defense from Houston. Walker’s stats may not jump out at you, but his impact was felt across the team. It’s good to see him playing well when his number is called.

Scoot Back Off the Bench

Scoot Henderson may be playing the best stretch of basketball of his young NBA career. His streak started three games ago when he got a start against the Brooklyn Nets. Coach Chauncey Billups made the decision to bring Henderson back off the bench, which was a risky decision. Much has been made of Billups’ coaching stint with the Blazers; not riding the hot hand was a head scratcher.

Henderson entered at the 8:52 mark of the first quarter and immediately hit Toumani Camara with a beautiful interior pass for a layup. Scoot was off to the races and 21 points.

I continue to be impressed by Henderson’s court vision. He would end up with 11 assists. It could have been 17 or 18 if his teammates had converted on open shots.

Scoot’s defense was also impactful against veterans Dillon Brooks and Fed VanVleet, recording three blocks and one steal. When Scoot was on the floor, the Blazers had a +/- of +3, showing that his play was having a positive effect.

Rebounding, or Lack Thereof

The Rockets are number one in the NBA at offensive rebounding and it showed tonight. Houston ended the game with 23 offensive rebounds. That was the difference for them. The Blazers were able to get stops and made it difficult for the Rockets to finish at the rim, but giving up all those second-chance points killed them and seemingly their spirit. Missing Clingan and Ayton had an effect on the game, and we saw it every time the Rockets crashed the boards.

Attacking Without Settling

The Blazers were able to hang around in this game because they made an effort to attack the rim and not settle for the three-point shot.

Kris Murray is growing in confidence and looks stronger as he drives to the paint. He is looking to score and draw contact. There was a play with 5.3 seconds left in the first half when Steven Adams switched on to him at the three-point line. Most players would jab step and settle for a contested three at the buzzer. Murray knew he could drive by Adams and he did. The end result would be a foul at the rim and two free throws.

Toumani Camara likes to settle for the long-distance shot. Most of the time this is a good thing, but when the defense closes out, being able to put the ball on the floor and drive will only help grow his offense. Camara had weaker defenders on him tonight and I counted five drives to the rim that resulted in a score or a foul. Even though he is a left-handed shooter, Camara finds strength when driving to the right. That was on display tonight. Camara would end the night with 17 points, shooting 7-12 from the field.

Searching for Lineups

The Blazers have used over 25 different lineup combinations this year. That should not be a surprise considering all the injuries and young players on the team. Tonight, the Blazers deployed a rarely-used lineup of Henderson, Sharpe, Camara, Grant, and Robert Williams III. Although they weren’t on the floor long, their +/- was +8. They looked comfortable on both ends of the floor. This lineup confused Houston and was able to lock them down on defense. The switching ability of the guards/wings and length of Grant and Williams could make it a doable lineup against any team. Coach Billups still appears to be searching for combinations that work for the Blazers. I hope he remembers this one.