The Portland Trail Blazers lost a close one to the Charlotte Hornets on Blazer’s Edge Night at the Moda Center, finishing on the wrong end of a 103-101 score. The leading scorer for the winners was forward Brandon Miller with 23 points. Jerami Grant led the scoring for the Blazers with 24.
Player of the Game
For what seemed like the hundredth time in a row, Jerami Grant left an indelible mark on the action tonight. Fans watch every move made by teammates Deni Advija, Jrue Holiday, Donovan Clingan, Scoot Henderson, even
reserve Vit Krejci. Meanwhile, Jerami is somehow almost invisible while turning three-pointers, corkscrew drives and free throws into 20+ points. He did it again in this one, putting up 24 points on 7 of 10 from the field, 3 of 6 from the three-point line and 7 of 7 from the charity stripe in 35 grueling minutes.
Stat of the Night
The Blazers had 18 turnovers, the Hornets 16, which sounds close. Well, it was close, but the Blazers got two of theirs in the last few seconds of the game, and it turned out the timing could have been a bit better.
What We Noticed
Don’t look now, but the Portland Trail Blazers have enough players in uniform to finally play in the kind of waves they envisioned at the start of the season. Tonight 10 Blazers got into the action in the first quarter, and their combined effort produced a 34-20 advantage. And we’re talking actual contract players, not guys borrowed from the Remix. Not that it was all smooth sailing, and a 19-point lead melted down to a 2-point loss. But the waves were a welcome sight and will likely pay a handsome dividend going forward.
Up Next
The Blazers host the Utah Jazz on Friday, beginning at 7:00 p.m. PDT.
