Tag: Portland Trail Blazers

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NBA (Basketball)

Blazers and Lakers aim to get back on track

LeBron James reacts in the 1st half

The Los Angeles Lakers and Portland Trail Blazers, both struggling, will meet Sunday night. Both teams have lost three games in a row and seven of their last nine, dropping down the Western Conference standings.

Los Angeles lost two road games by large margins earlier this week, falling 29 points to the Minnesota Timberwolves and 41 to the Miami Heat. They also lost 134-132 in overtime to the Atlanta Hawks on Friday. It was a better performance, but a late defensive mistake allowed Trae Young to hit a game-winning 3-pointer with 7.4 seconds left.

LeBron James scored 39 points, grabbed 11 assists, and pulled down 10 rebounds for his seventh triple-double of the season and 119th career triple-double. Still, he expressed frustration over the team’s struggles. “I don’t know as far as what will get us over the hump,” James said. “We just got to just not drown. Don’t drown and we’ll be all right.”

Anthony Davis also had a strong game with 38 points, 10 rebounds, and eight assists. He’s confused as to why the Lakers are sitting in 10th place in the Western Conference with a 10-9 record. “There’s no cavalry,” Davis said.

“No one feels sorry for us. We can’t feel sorry for ourselves. Just got to continue to put our head down and grind and work. Try to get back in the win column on Sunday against Portland. … No game’s going to be easy for us, so we got to go take the win.”

Utah Jazz and Portland Trail Blazers

Lakers guard Austin Reaves (back/pelvis) has missed the last four games, but the Lakers hope he will return for Sunday’s game.

Portland is also struggling, losing by large margins in their last two games. They fell 127-105 to the Los Angeles Clippers on Tuesday and were blown out 141-99 by the Utah Jazz on Friday. The Jazz, with only four wins before the game, led by as much as 46 points, and Portland’s performance was widely criticized.

Portland head coach Chauncey Billups was disappointed by the loss. “It was ugly, obviously. All the way around, it was ugly,” Billups said. “It was unfortunate because I really did think we were ready for this game. We got out there and nothing worked from the beginning. It was a tough one.”

Utah dominated the rebounding battle 61-34 and outscored Portland 39-18 in fastbreak points. Portland also struggled due to the absence of Robert Williams III (concussion) and rookie Donovan Clingan (knee).

Deandre Ayton’s lackluster performance was also a problem. Ayton played briefly at the start of the second half before Billups pulled him after 17 minutes. “I didn’t like his spirit in the game,” Billups said.

Portland also faced injuries to forward Toumani Camara (right foot) and second-year point guard Scoot Henderson (quadriceps).

Jerami Grant and Dalano Banton scored 19 points each for the Blazers. The Lakers went 3-0 against the Blazers last season.

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NBA (Basketball)

Jazz dominate Trail Blazers with a 42-point victory

Utah Jazz and Portland Trail Blazers

Johnny Juzang had a season-high 22 points, including six 3-pointers, and John Collins added 20 points as the Utah Jazz easily defeated the Portland Trail Blazers 141-99 on Friday night.

Walker Kessler grabbed 17 rebounds, blocked five shots, and scored 13 points as the Jazz ended a five-game losing streak. This victory was only their second in the last 11 games and their fifth in 22 games this season.

Keyonte George scored 17 points, Collin Sexton finished with 16 points and seven assists, and Svi Mykhailiuk added 13 points and eight rebounds for the Jazz. They had a 39-18 advantage in fastbreak points.

Jerami Grant and Dalano Banton each scored 19 points for Portland, which has lost seven of its last nine games. Anfernee Simons and Kris Murray each scored 14 points for the Trail Blazers.

The Jazz shot 55.2% from the field, including 43.8% (14 of 32) from 3-point range, and dominated on the boards with a 61-34 rebounding advantage. This win improved their road record to 3-8.

Juzang wasn’t the only Jazz reserve to step up. Drew Eubanks had 12 points and nine rebounds, Isaiah Collier scored 12 points, and Brice Sensabaugh added 11 points.

Los Angeles Clippers and Portland Trail Blazers

Portland struggled, shooting just 38.9% from the field and 29.8% (14 of 47) from 3-point range. Shaedon Sharpe contributed 10 points for the Blazers.

Portland was without Robert Williams III, who missed his fifth straight game due to a concussion.

Utah took control early, leading 13-3, 18-5, and 33-17 by the end of the first quarter. The Jazz’s lead grew to 38-20 after Sensabaugh’s basket at the 9:53 mark of the second quarter and reached 20 points with Kessler’s dunk at 1:38. Utah led 67-44 at halftime, with George leading the team with 13 points and Simons scoring 11 for Portland.

The Jazz continued to dominate in the third quarter, scoring the first seven points to push the lead to 30. A 3-pointer by Juzang made it 101-66 with 1:25 left in the period, and Utah took a 102-70 lead into the fourth quarter.

Micah Potter’s 3-pointer increased the lead to 41 points at 114-73 with 8:34 remaining. The lead reached 46 points when Juzang hit another 3-pointer with 6:33 left

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NBA (Basketball)

The Jazz and Trail Blazers meet, both aiming to address their turnover issues

Utah Jazz and Oklahoma City Thunders

The Utah Jazz are struggling with turnovers.

Unfortunately, these turnovers aren’t benefiting their fans, as the opponents are the ones taking advantage.

The Jazz will try to cut down on their turnovers and end a five-game losing streak when they face the Portland Trail Blazers on Friday night.

In their 133-106 loss to the Oklahoma City Thunder on Tuesday, Utah committed an alarming 29 turnovers, which led to 45 points for Oklahoma City.

“Our ball security got really exposed,” said Jazz coach Will Hardy. “They really preyed on us in terms of our lack of quick decision making, (we) got caught in the crowd too much, we didn’t fight for our space very well.

“This was going to be the determining factor of the game, from my standpoint, before the game started. It ended up being very much the deciding part of the game.”

Friday’s game could see many turnovers. The Jazz lead the NBA with 18.5 turnovers per game, and the Trail Blazers are the second-worst team in this category with 17.1 per game.

In the loss to the Thunder, Utah was outscored 25-9 on fastbreak points. Oklahoma City committed only eight turnovers.

For Utah, five players had four or more turnovers in the game.

“My biggest fear is that the guys don’t see or feel that they are improving when it comes to the foundation of our defense,” Hardy said. “The turnovers are going to be something that if we can’t get it under control, it’s going to be distracting from the things that are improved.”

Portland Trail Blazers and Sacramento Kings

Utah has lost nine of its last 10 games while trying to fix its turnover issues.

Collin Sexton and Walker Kessler (who grabbed 11 rebounds) led the Jazz with 17 points each against Oklahoma City. In total, six players scored at least 13 points.

The Jazz are 2-8 on the road as they face the Trail Blazers, who are 5-5 at home. Portland has lost six of its last eight games.

The Trail Blazers were beaten 127-105 by the Los Angeles Clippers on Tuesday. Portland had five players score in double figures, with Deandre Ayton leading the team with 16 points, and Deni Avdija and Shaedon Sharpe both adding 15 points.

“Got off to a rough start again in the game,” said Trail Blazers coach Chauncey Billups. “I thought our second group came in and saved us and they really got us back in it. Kind of revitalized us as a group and it ended up being a good first half.

“And then we just kind of chopped and were clawing the rest of the way in the third quarter and then boom, it got away from us.”

Avdija and Dalano Banton (14 points) were the top Portland bench players against the Clippers.

Robert Williams III (concussion) will miss his fifth straight game for the Trail Blazers.

Portland has allowed more than 120 points in four of its last five games, losing every time they gave up at least that many points.

Before Thursday’s games, Portland was ranked 21st in scoring defense, allowing 115.3 points per game, while Utah was 28th, giving up 118.6 points per game.

The Jazz won three out of four meetings between the teams last season. The teams split the two games played in Portland.

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NHL (National Hockey League)

Norman Powell and the Clippers keep their strong home performance going with a dominant win over the Blazers

Los Angeles Clippers and Portland Trail Blazers

Norman Powell scored 30 points, and James Harden added 23 points along with seven assists as the Los Angeles Clippers won 127-105 against the Portland Trail Blazers on Tuesday night in Inglewood, California, extending their home winning streak to nine games.

Amir Coffey scored 19 points, Derrick Jones Jr. added 15 points, and Ivica Zubac grabbed 10 rebounds as the Clippers bounced back from one of their four straight home losses right after their new $2 billion arena opened.

Powell has averaged 29.0 points in the two games since returning from a hamstring injury and has scored 30 or more points in a game five times this season.

Deandre Ayton scored 16 points, and Shaedon Sharpe and Deni Avdija each added 15 points for the Trail Blazers, who lost their fourth game in the last five and their seventh out of their last eight road games. Dalano Banton scored 14 points, and Jerami Grant added 12 for Portland.

Norman Powell in the 1st half

This was the final NBA Cup group-play game for both teams. The Blazers were eliminated from the knockout round with the loss, while the Clippers were also eliminated after tiebreakers.

Los Angeles started strong, taking a double-digit lead early in the first quarter and leading by as much as 12 in the opening period. However, Portland came back to take the lead just over two minutes into the second quarter.

The Clippers led 63-58 at halftime, and the game stayed close into the third quarter until the Clippers went on an 11-0 run to take an 83-70 lead. Los Angeles ended the third quarter with a 91-78 advantage after Harden scored 12 points in the period.

In the final quarter, Jordan Miller scored five points during an 8-0 run to help the Clippers push their lead to 99-78 with 10:03 left, and they cruised to the win from there. Miller finished with 14 points.

The Clippers were without Kevin Porter Jr. (ankle) and lost Terance Mann (finger) in the third quarter. The Trail Blazers were missing Scoot Henderson (quad), Donovan Clingan (knee), and Robert Williams III (concussion protocol).

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NBA (Basketball)

Luka Dončić scores 36 points in his comeback, leading the Mavericks to a win over the Blazers

Dallas Mavericks and Portland Trail Blazers

Luka Doncic returned from injury with a strong performance, scoring 36 points, adding 13 assists, and grabbing seven rebounds to help the Dallas Mavericks beat the Portland Trail Blazers 137-131 on Sunday night.

Doncic, who missed the previous five games due to a wrist injury, was 15 of 24 from the field and led the Mavericks to their eighth win in the last nine games.

Quentin Grimes had a season-high 28 points, shooting 5 of 7 from three-point range, marking his third consecutive game with over 20 points.

Spencer Dinwiddie contributed 20 points off the bench for the Mavericks, while Daniel Gafford scored 19 points. P.J. Washington added 14 points, and Jaden Hardy finished with 13 points.

For the Trail Blazers, Anfernee Simons led with 27 points, Shaedon Sharpe had 22, and Deni Avdija added 21 points. Portland lost their fifth game in the last seven.

Deandre Ayton scored 18 points and grabbed seven rebounds, Toumani Camara added 17 points, and Jerami Grant contributed 14 points and six assists for Portland.

Kyrie Irving reacts in the game

Kyrie Irving (shoulder) and Klay Thompson (foot) did not play for the Mavericks, who shot 55.2 percent from the field and made 18 of 36 three-point attempts.

Portland was without Scoot Henderson (quadriceps) and shot 58.3 percent from the field, hitting 18 of 31 three-pointers.

The Mavericks started the fourth quarter strong, scoring 12 of the first 16 points to take a 112-101 lead on Dinwiddie’s three-pointer with 9:11 left.

Portland fought back, and after Camara’s three-pointer and a dunk by Dalano Banton, they closed the gap to 123-122 with 3:39 remaining.

Portland tied the game at 127 with a three-point play by Avdija with 1:54 left. Washington then put Dallas back ahead with a three-pointer with 54.1 seconds to go.

Gafford added a dunk to give the Mavericks a five-point lead with 29.2 seconds left, and Grimes made two free throws to secure the win.

Doncic had 20 points, eight assists, and six rebounds in the first half, helping Dallas lead 61-58 at halftime. Ayton led Portland with 14 points in the first half.

Simons, who had just three points in the first half, exploded in the third quarter, scoring 24 points, including four three-pointers.

Grimes hit a buzzer-beating three-pointer to give Dallas a 100-97 lead at the end of the third quarter, with both teams scoring 39 points in that period.

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NBA (Basketball)

Deandre Ayton and the Trail Blazers defeat the Kings with ease

Portland Trail Blazers and Sacramento Kings

Deandre Ayton scored 26 points and grabbed nine rebounds to help the Portland Trail Blazers beat the Sacramento Kings 115-106 on Friday night in NBA Cup action.

Anfernee Simons added 21 points, nine assists, and five rebounds, while Deni Avdija contributed 20 points, nine rebounds, and five assists for Portland, which had lost four of its previous five games.

Dalano Banton came off the bench to score 17 points and make five steals. Shaedon Sharpe scored 14 points, and Toumani Camara added 11 points for the Trail Blazers.

Malik Monk scored 29 points and had nine assists off the bench, and De’Aaron Fox chipped in 22 points for Sacramento, which lost its fifth game in the last six. Domantas Sabonis posted a triple-double with 21 points, 14 rebounds, and 11 assists, marking his 62nd career triple-double and fourth this season.

Sacramento was missing DeMar Rozan for the second straight game due to a back injury.

The Trail Blazers are 2-1 in NBA Cup West Group A play, while Sacramento is 0-3. The Houston Rockets, with a 3-0 record, have already clinched the group.

Blazers’ Deandre Ayton Out vs. Nets After Ice Prevents Him From Leaving Neighborhood
Deandre Ayton (NBA)

Portland shot 51.1 percent from the field, including 29.7 percent from 3-point range (11 of 37). They also dominated in the paint, outscoring Sacramento 64-34.

Portland was without Jerami Grant (knee) and Scoot Henderson (quadriceps).

Sacramento made 44.9 percent of its shots, including 35.7 percent from 3-point range (15 of 42). The Kings also turned the ball over 20 times, leading to 24 points for Portland. Jae Crowder, in his second game with Sacramento, scored 10 points in 21 minutes.

Portland led by four points at halftime, and then scored nine consecutive points to extend their lead to 72-55 after a basket from Simons with 6:34 left in the third quarter.

Banton hit a three-pointer to make it 81-64 with 3:57 remaining in the third, and another three-pointer with 31.8 seconds left gave the Trail Blazers an 87-72 lead heading into the final quarter.

Avdija made a jumper, and Sharpe scored on a layup to push Portland’s lead to 107-88 with 5:27 remaining. Sacramento couldn’t mount a comeback after that.

Ayton and Banton each had 14 points in the first half, and Portland led 54-50 at halftime. Sabonis had 18 points for Sacramento in the half.

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NBA (Basketball)

Pacers aim to gain momentum and capitalize on the struggling Blazers

Indiana Pacers (NBA)

The Portland Trail Blazers are hoping to finish their five-game road trip on a positive note and head home for Thanksgiving feeling better, both physically and mentally, when they face the Indiana Pacers on Wednesday night.

The Blazers are struggling after a tough 123-98 loss to the Memphis Grizzlies on Monday. Five regular players—Scoot Henderson, Kris Murray, Matisse Thybulle, Donovan Clingan, and Deandre Ayton—were all sidelined due to injuries.

Things got worse during the game when two starters, Jerami Grant and Robert Williams III, also got injured. Grant hurt his left knee and Williams suffered a concussion.

With Portland already dealing with injuries, it’s possible that as many as seven players could be out for the final game of their trip, which is the fifth game in eight days.

The loss of Grant might be the hardest blow for the team. He had big performances earlier this season, scoring 34 and 37 points, when the Trail Blazers surprisingly swept the season series against the Pacers, despite having only 21 wins last year.

After Monday’s tough loss, Portland’s coach, Chauncey Billups, reflected on the game and how things went wrong. He said, “We hung in. Couldn’t make shots. We just, at the end of the day, didn’t have enough bodies.”

Portland did have two of their top young players, Anfernee Simons and Shaedon Sharpe, playing together for only the seventh time this season against the Grizzlies. However, they couldn’t repeat their strong performance from a previous game in Houston, where they combined for 49 points. On Monday, they struggled, shooting just 6-for-26 and scoring only 20 points.

Portland Trail Blazers and Houston Rockets

The Trail Blazers will need to play at their best against the Pacers, who have been scoring a lot recently. They’ve scored 111 or more points in their last seven games, including 115 and 114 in their last two wins over the Washington Wizards and New Orleans Pelicans.

In the game against the Wizards, the Pacers saw strong team scoring. However, Tyrese Haliburton led the way with 34 points and 13 assists after struggling in recent games. He had a much better performance, shooting 12-for-23 from the field, which was a welcome change after shooting just 32.9% in his previous five games. Haliburton said, “It’s part of basketball. I’ve just gotta keep trusting myself, working hard. I’ll figure it out. Just put my head down, keep working. I’ll figure it out.”

Another player who has been playing well is Pascal Siakam. He contributed 36 points, 13 rebounds, and 13 assists in the Pacers’ two-game winning streak, making 13 of his 27 shots (48.1%) in those games.

The Trail Blazers haven’t faced the Pacers since January, when Siakam made his debut for Indiana in Portland. In that game, Siakam scored 21 points. Portland won that game, which was their 12th win of the season, but after that, they went on to lose 32 of their next 41 games.

Thanks to Siakam’s performance, the Pacers were able to recover from their loss to Portland, finishing the season with a 23-17 record and making it to the Eastern Conference Finals.

The Pacers haven’t swept the Trail Blazers in a season series since 2008.

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NBA (Basketball)

Ja Morant makes his return, scores 22 points, and leads the Grizzlies to a win over the Blazers

Memphis Grizzlies and Portland Trail Blazers

Ja Morant made his return to the lineup after missing eight games due to a right hip injury. He scored 22 points and had 11 assists, leading the Memphis Grizzlies to a 123-98 win over the Portland Trail Blazers on Monday night.

Jaren Jackson Jr. added 21 points, six rebounds, and three blocks. Santi Aldama posted a double-double with 13 points and a career-high 17 rebounds, while Brandon Clarke contributed 11 points, nine rebounds, and three blocks. The Grizzlies won their third straight game and their seventh in the last 10.

Deni Avdija led Portland with 17 points, eight rebounds, and six assists, while Shaedon Sharpe scored 15 points. However, Anfernee Simons, who scored 25 points in Portland’s win over Houston on Saturday, struggled with shooting. He was 2-for-14 and finished with just five points. The Trail Blazers shot only 33.3 percent from the field and made just eight of their 46 3-point attempts.

Morant injured his hip during a game against the Los Angeles Lakers on Nov. 6 but looked like he hadn’t missed any time. He scored or assisted on six of the Grizzlies’ first seven field goals, helping them build an early double-digit lead. He also made behind-the-back assists and threw down a windmill dunk off a fast break assist from Scotty Pippen Jr.

Ja Morant takes the ball forward in the 1st half

At halftime, Morant was the only player in the game with double-digit points. He had 20 points and six assists. Memphis shot 49 percent in the first half, including 53.3 percent from 3-point range. Meanwhile, Portland struggled with shooting, hitting just 36 percent from the field and making only three of 20 3-point attempts.

The Grizzlies, who never trailed in the game, extended their lead to 27 points early in the fourth quarter after Jackson’s left-handed dunk. Memphis won its second straight game in wire-to-wire fashion for the first time since November 2022.

This victory marked Memphis’ second big win over Portland this season. They had defeated the Trail Blazers 134-89 on Nov. 10 in Portland, with Morant not playing in that game.

Portland was shorthanded, missing Donovan Clingan, who had 19 rebounds in their win over Houston on Saturday, due to a left knee injury. They were also without other key players, including DeAndre Ayton, Scoot Henderson, and Kris Murray. Ayton missed his seventh straight game because of a right finger sprain.

Marcus Smart returned for the Grizzlies after missing four games due to illness. He came off the bench in the first quarter, marking his first time playing as a reserve since March 16, 2021.

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NBA (Basketball)

Despite injuries, Grizzlies remain focused as they prepare for Trail Blazers’ visit

Memphis Grizzlies (NBA)

The Memphis Grizzlies will host the Portland Trail Blazers on Monday night, coming off a strong performance powered by great teamwork.

The Grizzlies are among the top teams in the league in assists, averaging 29.8 assists per game. Their 38 assists in Saturday’s big win over the Chicago Bulls matched a season-high. Memphis is ranked third in assists, behind Denver (30.3) and Golden State (30.2), going into Sunday’s games.

Scotty Pippen Jr., who is starting as the Grizzlies’ point guard until Ja Morant returns from his hip injury, had a career-high 30 points and 10 assists in the 142-131 win over the Bulls. Pippen Jr. achieved the double-double in the same arena where his father, Scottie Pippen, became a star with the Chicago Bulls in the 1990s. Pippen Jr. said it was “a dream come true” to play in the building where his father’s jersey hangs, and he made 13 of his 16 shots.

Memphis has also gotten strong play from rookie forward Jaylen Wells. Wells scored a career-high 26 points on 10-of-14 shooting.

Pippen’s steady play has helped the Grizzlies maintain a winning record despite being without Ja Morant, Marcus Smart, and rookie Zach Edey due to injuries. Morant has been out with a right hip injury he suffered in a game against the Lakers on November 6, and he is getting closer to returning. He was listed as doubtful before Saturday’s game against the Bulls and is questionable for Monday’s game.

Smart has missed his fourth straight game due to an illness, and Edey is still sidelined with an ankle injury he sustained last weekend against Denver.

Ja Morant sits on the bench after an injury

Even with the injuries to key players like Morant, Smart, and Edey — and briefly missing Desmond Bane due to a strained oblique — the Grizzlies have been successful both offensively and defensively. They are averaging 120.3 points per game, second in the NBA entering Sunday, and they lead the league with 7.2 blocks per game.

Memphis also reached over 140 points for just the sixth time in franchise history on Saturday. In that game, they shot 57.3 percent (55-of-96) from the field and 45.2 percent (19-of-42) from three-point range. The team made 19 3-pointers for the second straight game.

“We had a great run, scoring 45 points in the third quarter,” said Memphis coach Taylor Jenkins. “Our game plan was pretty well executed.”

Portland will come into the game with momentum after a 104-98 win over Houston on Saturday. That victory followed a tough 28-point loss to the Rockets on Friday in an NBA Cup game. Anfernee Simons led Portland with 25 points, and Shaedon Sharpe added 24 points in the win. The Trail Blazers also made 18 3-pointers in the game.

Along with Simons and Sharpe, Deni Avdija provided strong defense for Portland, finishing with four blocks. Avdija spent much of the game making it difficult for Houston’s Alperen Sengun to score in the paint.

“It’s amazing to see Anfernee make some shots and carry us down the stretch,” Portland coach Chauncey Billups said. “And Deni was incredible. We depended on him a lot. He’s been begging for that opportunity for quite some time.”

Avdija also praised Simons for his performance in the win. “I’m proud of him,” Avdija said. “He showed what he’s made of and, hopefully, he’ll continue to be aggressive.”

Portland rookie center Donovan Clingan will not play on Monday due to a left knee sprain. Clingan went scoreless in Saturday’s game, shooting 0-for-4 from the field, but he did grab a career-high 19 rebounds.