Report Card: D
Recap: If the Blazers were in a rebuilding year, perhaps they could take some solace in being a bad goaltending call away from beating that best-in-the-West Thunder, and losing in double overtime to the defending champion Mavericks. But their goals are much more concrete, and unless the game ends with a W, Portland is not content.
Additionally, the only win the Blazers did manage last week was against the Hornets, who, at 4-23, have the worst record in the Western Conference — and New Orleans was within two points of Portland with less than a minute to go.
True, the Blazers were in every game. Despite trailing Houston by 19 points in the second half Wednesday, they rallied to tie the score with in the fourth quarter, but never had the energy to take the lead.
Ultimately, what’s killing Portland is inconsistency from both its star and his supporting cast. LaMarcus Aldridge dropped 39 points against Oklahoma City and 33 vs. the Mavericks. But sandwiched in between those games were a 13 and 14-point effort, which may have been part of a hangover from making the All-Star team.
Meanwhile, that consistent No. 2 contributor seems to be world’s away for the Blazers, but they’ll need to find him if they want to stay competitive.
In Focus
It was not an altogether futile week for the Blazers. After years of disappointment, Aldridge was selected to his first All-Star Game on Thursday and appeared quite ecstatic about the selection.
The 26-year-old forward is averaging 23.3 points and 8.6 rebounds for Portland, but was in so much doubt that he would make the team that he bought a plane ticket to his hometown of Dallas during All-Star weekend.
“I’m going to have to see if I can get that money back,” Aldridge said.
Several coaches — including the Thunder’s Scott Brooks, the Hornets’ Monty Williams and the Nuggets’ George Karl — had said that Aldridge earned their vote before the results were released.
By the Numbers
2 — The number of consecutive games Portland has lost at home. Before the small skid, the Blazers were 11-1 at the Rose Garden.
.286 — Portland’s winning percentage on the road — the lowest among all teams with a winning record in the league.
53 — Raymond Felton’s player efficiency rating — the lowest among point guards in the NBA.
