On the heels of a three-game winning streak that put them in play-in position, the Trail Blazers have lost back-to-back games at home and have slipped to 12-18, a half-game ahead of Dallas for the No. 10 spot in the Western Conference.
As Joe Freeman of The Oregonian writes in a subscriber-only story, what was supposed to be a season of hope for a Blazers team looking to build on last season’s strong second-half run has turned into a season of frustration, with head coach Chauncey Billups arrested on federal charges in October and several key players missing time due to injuries.
There has been no indication that Jrue Holiday (calf), Matisse Thybulle (thumb), or Scoot Henderson (hamstring) are on the verge of returning to provide reinforcements, Freeman writes. And after Tuesday’s loss to Orlando, Portland has now dropped 11 “clutch-time” games (defined as being within five points with less than five minutes to play), tied for the second-highest total in the NBA.
Still, head coach Tiago Splitter vowed that his team will stick together and continue battling, expressing confidence that the Blazers’ hard work will eventually pay off. That message was echoed by his players.
“We have a great group of guys,” Blazers forward Deni Avdija said. “They’re very strong mentally. And I think our team camaraderie is really good. I think we’re getting along with each other really good. We’re talking. Our chemistry is amazing. It’s one of the best chemistry teams that I’ve been on in a while. And I think, as you see, we just continue to fight. We’re not going to back off. And I think this is our identity. We believe in each other, we believe in ourselves as a team. It’s only going to make us better.”
We have more from around the Northwest:
- Trail Blazers forward Jerami Grant, considered a potential in-season trade candidate, missed a third consecutive game on Tuesday. As Sean Highkin of Rose Garden Report tweets, Grant’s injury is now being referred to by the team as left Achilles tendonitis rather than Achilles soreness.
- Although the Thunder have lost three of their past five games following their 24-1 start, Rylan Stiles of SI.com argues that Oklahoma City should stand pat at the trade deadline, writing that it’s not worth risking the chemistry of a tight-knit team for an upgrade that might prove to be marginal. The Thunder would be better off betting on continued internal improvements, Stiles says, including Ajay Mitchell getting more comfortable in his new role and Jalen Williams getting back to 100% following his offseason wrist surgery.
- Nuggets guard Bruce Brown and Rockets forward Kevin Durant used to play together in Brooklyn, but the former Nets teammates engaged in a verbal back-and-forth both during and after Houston’s win on Saturday, writes Bennett Durando of The Denver Post (subscription required). “Some words were said that’s a little disrespectful. I can’t wait to see him next time,” Brown said, explaining that he felt Durant said something to him that crossed a line. “As a man, there’s certain things you don’t say to another man.” Durant showed little remorse when informed of Brown’s post-game remarks. “I definitely wanted to cross the line tonight,” the Rockets star said with a smile. “That’s basketball. That’s in between the lines. Ain’t no respect. Ain’t no love. Nothing. People don’t show love to me. They cross the line a lot with their physicality. It’s just part of the game. Some people can talk and play. Some people can’t. I had to learn how to talk and play as a player. So I think Bruce is probably learning the same thing.”