Sports Hey PDX April 5, 2025 0 Comments

Trail Blazers Win by Losing vs. Bulls

The Portland Trail Blazers and Chicago Bulls faced each other on Friday night in a game that had implications for both teams in the 2025 NBA Lottery. The Bulls and Blazers are among four teams shuffling through the 8th-11th positions in May’s drawing order. Portland had 43 losses heading into the evening, Chicago 42. The team that lost would strike a blow for ping-pong ball dominance, critical for two franchises that belong in the playoffs about as much as Chuck McGill belongs in a Best Buy.

As it turned out, the Blazers won the battle of odds, losing to the Bulls 118-113. Coby White and Nikola Vucevic led Chicago with 31 points each. Josh Giddey had a triple-double with 15 points, 19 rebounds, and 12 assists. Deni Avdika kept the Blazers in it with 37 points, shooting a Christmas-y percentage, 12-25.

Here are some of the factors that determined the outcome of the game.

Where’s the D?

Somebody must have slapped a heck of a tariff on Portland’s defense last night because they sure didn’t bring much of it across the border from Canada to the United Center. The Blazers allowed the Bulls 33 points in the first quarter, over 50% shooting for much of the first half. Things normalized a bit as the game crawled along, but Chicago would ignite again for 40 in the third. This was another in a series of subpar defensive efforts from Portland. The lineups are broken by injuries but all of these 6’6 wings are supposed to be interchangeable on defense. It’s sure not looking that way.

Chicago Turnovers

The one factor that worked Portland’s way—partial credit to the defense and partial to the Bulls being discombobulated—was turnovers. Chicago committed 18 for 23 Portland points. That kept a lopsided shooting game in favor of the Bulls pretty even on the scoreboard. The Blazers committed only 5 turnovers all evening.

Offensive Rebounds

No matter the lineup, no matter the opponent, the Blazers are going to offensive rebound like hobbits going for second breakfast. They gobbled up 19 tonight for 20 second-chance points.

Threes Gone

Whatever three-point shooting mojo the Blazers developed this season has departed them in the final weeks of their campaign. Portland shot 11-42, 26.2% from the arc, a dismal performance. They’re getting open enough. They’re not forcing shots. It’s like somebody bumped their targeting sights and they’ve not been able to readjust.

Glimpse of a Possible Future?

Nikola Vucevic shot 13-22 for his 31 points with 12 rebounds besides. It was a heck of a game. But even before the stats went through the roof, I was thinking idly that Vucevic might be a better mentor for Donovan Clingan than Deandre Ayton and Robert Williams III combined. Vucevic and Clingan are different players, but Clingan could adopt some Vucevic characteristics: positioning, passing, how and when to take the three. It’s unlikely, but I wouldn’t be mad if that fantasy became reality.

Clingan, by the way, nabbed 18 rebounds himself tonight.