(Photo by Gary A. Vasquez/USA TODAY Images).
The Blazers watched the train pass.
Game two offered the same amount of comfort game one did: not much. The Trail Blazers headed into the pivotal match with a few tweaks and a mindset that they would be hitting shots. What transpired were different attacks, but the same results.
The Los Angeles Clippers pummeled the Blazers 102-81 on Wednesday night to take a commanding 2-0 lead in the series and it will now shift to Portland.
It is a simple truth that for a basketball team to achieve victory, the basketball must go through the hoop. To Portland, however, this is a prayer still unanswered as Portland continued to struggle finding any kind of sustainable offensive groove. While there were spurts where the Blazers loosened up Los Angeles’ defense and made the open shots they were getting, it was, once again, not enough.
The same nagging problems still remain from game one. The Clippers are forcing the ball out of Damian Lillard’s and C.J. McCollum’s hands and forcing players like Al-Farouq Aminu and Mason Plumlee to do the damage. The strategy continues to work as Aminu scored just nine points on 4-of-13 shooting, 1-of-7 from three. He did manage to pull down ten rebounds, dish out three assists and two steals, but the truth is, the Blazers need his offense to click.
In the waning minutes of the fourth quarter, his shot seemed to turn mental rather than bad luck. His misses seemed to be getting worse as he kept getting more and more open shots from the wings and in the corners. Not only does it not net Portland any points, but it is a mental blow in the sense that it was a possession that could have played out better and it plays into the Clippers’ hand.
Aminu was not the only Blazer, however, that struggled from the perimeter. Portland finished going just 5-of-26 from beyond the arc with Lillard and McCollum combined to go 2-of-13 from three. It can be chalked up to good Clipper defense, but Portland certainly got more looks on the perimeter than in game one. This time around, the shots themselves seemed reluctant to find the bottom of the net.
The Blazers shot 34 percent from the field on the night and turned the ball over eleven times.
Despite the poor shooting, it was the Clippers’ second unit that turned the tables. All five bench players to play over ten minutes for the Clippers posted a +15 or higher on the night, while the likes of Ed Davis, Gerald Henderson and Allen Crabbe posted -18, -16 and -11 respectively.
A second unit which has been so solid and dominant over other team’s second units, it is rare to have a loss come from the bench not being able to continue the attack. Henderson and Chris Kaman, who played ten minutes, combined to go 4-of-10 with eight points.
Crabbe, who has been so vital to Portland’s success, went 0-of-3 from three and registered just one blocked shot on the night in 17 minutes. When there are glaring holes such as these and the shot is not falling, it is not a surprising to see the Clippers pull away, culminating in a 35-point fourth quarter and as a big as a 21-point lead in the game.
The Clippers outscored the Blazers 15-8 on second chances points and shot 46 percent from the field. Chris Paul continues to torment Lillard with his aggressive and constant defense, while still finishing with 25 points on 10-of-22 shooting.
Portland had the Clippers where they wanted them as they finished the first half on a high note, cutting the deficit to just four. But, the rug was pulled out from underneath them at the start of third as Portland turned the ball over on two straight possessions. In the quarter where Portland could have made up some ground as the Clippers shot just 38 percent from the field and 13 percent from three in the third, the Blazers simply followed suit swishing just six of their 24 attempts.
It was the same feeling and the same script, only this time the Blazers stuck around a little longer than they did in game one.
For them to win a game against the Clippers, Portland has to get Aminu and Mo Harkless going from the perimeter. Harkless swished two straight three-pointers and it immediately opened up the inside for Lillard and McCollum to thrive, allowing Portland to get to within four. Once those offensive options go cold, the opposition can sell out on the perimeter with no fear.
Lillard finished with 17 points on 6-of-22 shooting, 0-of-6 from three with six rebounds, three assists and one block, while McCollum finished with 16 points on 6-of-17 shooting, 2-of-7 from three.
Plumlee finished with the most impressive box score, scoring 17 points on 5-of-7 shooting with ten rebounds, seven assists, two steals and one block.
Heading back to the Moda Center will breathe some new energy into this Portland squad, but will it truly be enough? Game three is a must win for the Blazers if they want any chance to make this series interesting.
Tip-off is on Saturday at 7:30 p.m. PST.
Stay tuned!