The Portland Trail Blazers entered the Moda Center on Thursday night after defeating… Phoenix Sunsready to establish a winning streak against 4-22 Washington Wizards. Against most opponents this season, the Wizards have been helpless. As it turns out, though, if you let a team run, are forced to pile up inside and can’t get back to the arc, and generally play defense as if it were optional, you’ll lose, records be damned.

Many Blazers had good games. Jerami Grant scored 20, DeAndre Ayton 23, and Anfernee Simmons 41, including 22 in the fourth period alone, to lead his team to come back from an 18-point deficit. Portland’s bench did its part, making up for the sins of key players on the defensive end. But despite two days’ work from the bench and a sparkling lead, the Blazers ended up one run short, leading Washington to a 118-117 victory.

Here’s how the game went.

First Quarter

The night got off to a rocky start for the home team. Blazers turnovers helped the Wizards to 7 points in the first 90 seconds to Portland’s 0. The Blazers seemed stuck on the perimeter, throwing screens at everyone from point guards to point guards. These have mostly resulted in missed jumps. Three fell from Malcolm Brogdon. Portland scored twice on Washington errors as well. But that was no match for Washington’s rushing, rim-based attack. At the first intermission, with 7:28 remaining, the Wizards led 17-7.

The story didn’t get any better as Portland continued to rack up deep attempts, then missed every shot they got in the lane. The first created long rebounds, and the second left several Blazers bunched up in the paint. Both led to fast-break opportunities, and easy scores for a team that needed the same. Washington built a 28-15 lead before Portland’s second unit — perhaps not so upbeat on offense and certainly more consistent defensively — halted the flow.

A bench crew that forced Washington out and limited Portland’s errors helped close out the game a bit. The Wizards led 33-24 after one.

Second Quarter

Jerami Grant started the second possession. He made 3 of Portland’s first 5 attempts, hitting them all, and drawing a foul for a pair of free throws besides. All that scoring sounded good in theory, but Washington made 5 of their first 6 shots against Portland’s forgiving defense, including a hat-trick of threes, to keep their lead intact.

Portland continued to work through Grant inside, with Deandre Ayton’s sideline attack rebounding heading into the middle of the quarter. It was a brilliant attacking substitution, in contrast to their opening style. The end of the court finally got buzz for them.

Coach Billups was also wise, not reinserting his key players en masse. Matisse Thybulle and Jabari Walker helped solidify the defense, preventing Washington from making easy entry passes off screens, while also guarding the arc better. The Blazers couldn’t close the gap, but they kept it from widening.

Duop Reath also put up some good minutes in the second. He hit a three and his mobility on defense helped counter Washington’s speed.

But eventually the starting lineup came back together again. No matter how they scored, the defense wasn’t good enough to make their turnovers effective. Grant did his best, kept shooting and hitting, but one goal was not enough to make a breakthrough.

The Wizards led 67-54 at halftime. Portland retreated to the locker room for a pep talk and some strategy updates, all in an attempt to turn the game around again.

Third quarter

Malcolm Brogdon got a lucky bounce off the stanchion with a short jumper to start the second period, followed by Anfernee Simmons with a floater in the lane. It looked like Portland was cooking. But Daniel Gafford got one straight into the cup, followed by Jordan Poole who picked up a six to get it all back in about ten seconds, in real time.

If Portland was going to respond, they had a funny way of showing it. Missed mid-range shots and turnovers were followed by conversions right at the rim by Gafford and company, in a close mirror of the first period. Washington led by 18, 80-62, when the Blazers called timeout with 7:42 remaining in the third.

Again the second unit applied a tourniquet to the open wound that served as the starting defense. They packed the paint and forced the Wizards out, escaping aggressively from the mistakes that followed. Duop Reath, Scoot Henderson and Jabari Walker provided energy and two assists that the first unit did not provide. Oddly enough, matching the energy of young and broken mages was enough to match their production.

The bench was able to cut Washington’s lead to 18 points by 7 points at 3:30, making the score 88-77. The final three minutes of the period will go a long way toward determining whether this is a game or a disaster.

The ruling on this remained essentially neutral. Grant hit a three on a broken play and the active defense forced a 24-second violation from Washington. But Danilo Gallinari hit a 3-pointer and then dribbled past Henderson on a shot clock violation for Portland.

After those ups and downs, Portland still found themselves trailing 93-80 heading into the fourth.

The fourth quarter

Jerami Grant and Anfernee Simmons each scored three-pointers in the first minutes of the fourth period, cutting the deficit to single digits during the first minutes and a half. Then came a clear Simons to Deandre Ayton alley-oop shot off a high screen, followed by a pair of Ayton free throws from another drive. That was a lot of activity and focused effort as the starters showed all night. The score was 99-92 to Washington with 9:00 remaining.

But just when you thought it was safe to take the hardwood, Tyus Jones hit Kyle Kuzma for an alley-oop off a turnover, then Jones hit a triple off a Kuzma double team. Thus, Washington led by 12 again.

Anfernee Simons continued to score, but the Wizards kept pushing the ball inside against the mismatches created by Portland’s switches. Foul shots kept Washington out of Portland’s grasp during the crucial middle minutes of the period when the Blazers needed to engineer a decisive drive.

When Jones hit another three with 6:37 left, Portland called a timeout. Washington led 108-94.

Anfernee Simons hit a three-pointer on the next possession, but Jones scored again immediately after that. The Blazers then got a breakaway on a Thybulle steal, followed by an Ayton rebound and putback. That cut the deficit to 110-103 with 4:51 remaining, leading to Washington’s first timeout of the night.

After Jones missed a layup, Simmons hit another three from the left diagonal, leading to his 14th point of the period. Right after he jammed the ball with both hands on 15th and 16th in the runoff after a Wizards miss. The score was 110-108 to Washington with 3:57 remaining. “Uh-oh,” became, “Oh [unprintable word]”, as the witches called another reprieve.

A Brogdon runner off a breaking play cut the lead to two immediately afterward. Jordan Poole failed to play and was whistled for a technical. The lead went to one. The score was 112-111, Wizards.

Kuzma defended Simmons on the miss on the next possession. Simmons returned the favor (barely) at the other end, but the offensive rebound gave Washington the decisive score it needed. When Simmons hit a three on the next possession, the roof of the building exploded. The result is equal.

Kuzma scored with his shot on the opposite side, making the score for Washington 116-114. Ayton had the same opportunity for Portland, but missed both close shots. After Kuzma’s miss, Grant shot hard and drew the sixth foul on Gafford along with the free throws. He made one of two, making it a 116-115 game with 31 seconds left. In an incredible stroke of luck, Ayton got the rebound and passed it to Simmons. In a stroke of agonizing pain, Simmons missed his easiest layup all quarter and was unable to put his team ahead.

Kuzma hit one of two free throws on the next possession, leaving his team up 2, 117-115. But Portland was unable to stem the rebound. Kuzma was fouled on a tip-in attempt but again only shot 1-of-2. With 12.1 seconds left, Portland trailed 118-115.

After the timeout, the Wizards elected to foul Simmons on the drive. His dunk brought the Blazers within 1 again, 118-117. 7.6 seconds left.

Typical of the chaotic and bland nature of the quarter, Thybulle appeared to strip Jordan Poole on the ensuing inbounds play, but was whistled for a foul. The Blazers challenged the call. It was overturned, causing the ball to bounce between the parties involved.

Thybulle won the tip, after which Portland called timeout. They are unlikely to have one last chance to snatch victory, with just one point left with 5.8 seconds left.

As it turns out, it was Jerami Grant, not Simmons, who handled the final play. He dribbled down the left side of the lane, but was well protected. The half-hook layup sailed over the rim and into the other side of the backboard, leaving Portland one point away from winning.

the next

Stay tuned for expanded analysis of the game soon!

The result is square

The Blazers head south for a showdown Golden State Warriors Saturday with an early start, 5:30pm PT.

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