Blazer Beefs
First half defense for the Blazers last week was downright awful. During their four game road trip, they failed to hold any team that they played under 50 points in the first half and allowed over 60 points in a half twice.
Rock bottom was their first half in Minnesota where they allowed the Timberwolves, a team with major problems shooting, to score 69 points in the first half. It was their fourth game in five nights and the last game of a road trip. While Damian Lillard had 36 points and the Blazers made a run late, their first half defense made the second half excitement ultimately moot.
Blazer Bravos
Damian Lillard takes the cake this week, no question.
Lillard had back-to-back game-winners in Detroit and Cleveland and has scored 101 points over the last three games.
The Blazers have had their struggles on the defensive end as of late, but Lillard’s fantastic play continues to push the defensive concerns to the back burner. He’s averaging 33.7 points over his last three games and continues adding to his reputation as one of the league’s best crunch-time performers.
