Portland Trail Blazers Memorable Moments This Season – As Ghibli-Style Art

The 2024-25 NBA regular season is over, but don’t hit fast-forward to summer just yet. This Portland Trail Blazers rollercoaster deserves one last, unique review before we hop off and catch our breath for the next ride.

From draft night to game-winners to a particular Dunk of the Year candidate, the Blazers gave us plenty of moments that made us lean in. While they may not have reached the postseason, these highlights kept the campaign from feeling like a loss, and they contributed to the team’s unexpected success.

With A.I. now ready to bring those moments back to life in a new way, it’s time to relive the season’s highs through the viral Ghibli-style art trend. 

Whether it was a clutch three-pointer or a jaw-dropping block, these moments had fans buzzing, and they’re not ones we will forget anytime soon.

Welcome to Rip City, D.C.

On June 26, when Donovan Clingan walked on stage at the 2024 NBA Draft, put on his Blazers hat, and shook Adam Silver’s hand, it felt like a potential major part of the new Portland Trail Blazers era. 

The Trail Blazers had just drafted a 7’2” defensive menace and two-time NCAA champion. He brought with him a likable personality and obvious strengths as a big, and fans felt lucky to have him after rumors of Charlotte looking to trade up and Houston considering him outright at No. 3.

Fast forward, and Clingan is already living up to the hype. As a potential future DPOY candidate, he’s making waves with his ability to dominate the paint, and it’s clear he’s becoming the franchise cornerstone at center and a real part of the Blazers’ future.

For a closer look at Clingan’s welcome to the NBA, check out the video below:

Ant Takes Russ

Anfernee Simons recorded a season-high 10 assists against the Denver Nuggets on December 19. His playmaking was on full display all night, but he also knew when to take things into his own hands. 

With Russell Westbrook the only defender in his way, Simons waited until nearly the game’s final moment, did the dance with Russ, drove, and floated it in for a walk-off scoop. Game, Portland: 126-124. 

Simons would finish with 28 points on the night, none bigger than those two, breaking a six-game losing streak. 

For a closer look at Simons putting Russ on ice, check out the video below:

Clutch Scoot

Scoot Henderson’s game-winning drive-and-fade against the Utah Jazz on December 26 was the young point guard’s most clutch moment of his career. 

Honestly, it was a huge moment for him. After a rookie year where things didn’t go his way, Scoot really stepped up in his sophomore campaign. You could see the growth, the confidence, and maybe more than anything, the control in his game that was missing last season. And with the game against Utah tied following a Lauri Markkanen three, the clock was ticking down, and Scoot knew as he crossed half court that this was his time. 

In full hero mode, Scoot accepted a screen, took his new defender, and got into the lane. He took a hard pivot and turned back, fading, shooting, and draining a beautiful mid-range jumper to seal the win. 

Overall, it was the kind of play that made you think, “Okay, this is the guy we’ve been waiting for.” You could tell how much that shot meant to him as he couldn’t keep the smile off his face or his tongue in his mouth, and it’s a sign of bigger things to come if you buy what he was selling all season.

For a closer look at Scoot’s shining moment, check out the video below: 

Dunk of the Year

In case Shaedon Sharpe didn’t have enough career highlights to his name already, the high-flyer made sure to add one more during a career night in Washington, D.C. 

Sharpe delivered a jaw-dropping throwdown on February 26 that had fans in Portland buzzing all week. Early in the second quarter, Sharpe anticipated a backcourt pass, snatched it out of mid-air, and soared over Justin Champagnie for a thunderous one-handed dunk. The Wizards’ arena erupted as the 21-year-old Canadian yammered on the entire United States capital.

Of course, the dunk didn’t just electrify the crowd, it sparked Sharpe’s best game to date, as he went on to score a career-high 36 points off the bench, leading the Portland Trail Blazers to a 129–121 win. 

For a closer look at Sharpe’s incredible dunk, check out the video below:

The Return

After sitting on the sidelines for a year, Matisse Thybulle rose from the grave that is Portland’s injury report on March 16 against the Toronto Raptors. He played six minutes, scored zero points, recorded two steals, and delivered the game-sealing, walk-off block outside the three-point line.

The energy (and the defense!) was exactly what the team needed. Yes, the Raptors were in full tank mode that night, but Thybulle’s timing on that block was something special. He reacted to the broken play perfectly, swatted the ball away, and collected his own block as time expired. 

Of course, It wasn’t just any block. It was a statement moment, showing that Thybulle was back, healthy, and ready to make his mark on the Trail Blazers’ season. 

For a closer look at Thybulle’s clutch comeback, check out the video below:

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Author: Hey PDX

Hey PDX Team