The Portland Trail Blazers won a back-and-forth contest with the Chicago Bulls in NBA action tonight, sending the Bulls to their 12th consecutive loss by a score of 121-112. Both teams started off like the game was a track meet, changing ends like their feet were on fire. Jerami Grant shook off early foul trouble to lead the way for Portland with 27 points.
Following are few observations from the game:
No Donovan, No Problem
Donovan Clingan was sidelined by illness tonight, but the Bulls closely resemble a 6-foot-and-under
team so the absence was not critical. Robert Williams III made his presence known, playing 23 minutes and producing 14 points, 14 rebounds and 3 blocks. When he wasn’t playing, various small-ball lineups generally wreaked enough havoc to get this road trip started with a win.
Vit Starts Cooking
Vit Krejci arrived in Portland with a reputation as a shooter, but the evidence on hand has not exactly confirmed it. On the other hand, he has been doing just about everything else. Tonight he did it all: in 19 minutes, he put up 14 points on 5 for 10 field goals, 3 for 8 from three, a free throw, 3 rebounds and 2 assists. Don’t be surprised if he spends a bit more time on the court going forward.
Matisse Matters
One of the biggest mysteries regarding the roster of the Trail Blazers at this point is what to do with Matisse Thybulle, who has been notable mostly for missing games over the past two seasons and will be a free agent this summer. Well, there is no question about what to do with him right now. He played 12 minutes tonight and underscored his reputation as a Great Disruptor: 5 points on 2 for 4 shooting (including a three), 3 rebounds, 1 steal, 2 blocks and countless headaches for Chicago ballhandlers. The Blazers don’t have anyone else quite like him, and neither does anyone else.
Let’s Talk
Maybe it’s just me, but can we get some of the chatter during the game broadcast to actually be about the game underway on the screen? This has been bugging me for years, but it seems to be getting worse. Today, for example, extended minutes were spent by the broadcasters speculating about how much sleep Lamar Hurd got last night. Judging by the amount of laughter generated, it was funny stuff. I was trying to watch the game, so I must have missed that part.
Up Next
Charlotte is the next stop on this extended trip for the Blazers, and it’s an early one. They will hoop it up with the Hornets Saturday starting at 10:00 a.m. Pacific.
