A guard at the 2021 NBA All-Star Game found another guard who should have received this designation as Bradley Beal and the Washington Wizards faced Damian Lillard and the Portland Trail Blazers on Saturday night. The night did not disappoint. Beal scored 37 while Lillard poured 35 while Washington won 118-111.
First quarter
The game started with the usual “Can You Defend This?” that both teams responded with a resounding “NO!” Passes flew across the court. Beal and Lillard hit three. The attackers cut quickly while the centers put the baby’s doses on the edge. A 40-40 first quarter was not out of the question. As the period passed, Portland’s auxiliary players began to connect from a distance, giving them a distinct advantage over a Washington team that depended on reaching the cup against a collapsing Portland defense. As has been the story of so many Wizards opponents this season, the Blazers were unable to contain Beal, no matter where he tried to score. But Gary Trent Jr., Robert Covington and Carmelo Anthony hitting three was enough to push Portland forward, especially when Washington’s second unit collapsed like a dollar store bike. The Blazers led 43-31 after the first.
Second bedroom
Portland’s score dried up like a cactus in the microwave when the second period started. The bad defense is the gift that continues to be given, however, and this game could very well have been Christmas. Washington hardly needed to try to close the gap. They started the layup queue and the Blazers did nothing. With three minutes to go, the advantage dropped to 2. Anfernee Simons’ three ended the bleeding, but only temporarily. The Blazers still fought hard on the boards – a trend from the first half – but everything else went so far south that the penguins shook their heads in disbelief. Again, no three was equal to no love and no real game for Portland. Washington led 61-55 at the break, an 18-point turnaround in the quarter. 12 points in the period for Portland marked a spiritual, if not a season low.
Third quarter
The Blazers returned to the game in the third. Their offense came in the arc or in the depths of the track, just as they want. The Wizards fired tons of medium-range shots while missing three-point attempts, again, just as the Blazers want. Portland’s attack was directed by Lillard, who scored 23 in the period … double what his entire team scored in the previous quarter. But the rebound advantage was gone and Portland let Washington out of the transition a few times, basically making the score a wash. Lillard ended the period with a deeeeeeep three at the buzzer to put the Blazers ahead 92-89. It looked like another nail biting finish was on the way.
Fourth trimester
Portland’s long-distance defense looked decent at the opening of the fourth, but without the big ones they had real problems defending inside. They committed three defenders to Washington attacks or the Wizards scored. If Wiz was able to make an inside pass, they scored against the triple team.
Portland wanted fast and perimeter-oriented play, the Wizards were close and predictable. When the Wizards started doubling Dame with each touch, the supporting cast had trouble connecting. Washington tried to take advantage by pushing the offensive towards Beal and Russel Westbrook, but they failed to get along. The Wizards did not do much better with their “other” players than Portland. For a while, it became a duel game of incompetence, but as it was the fourth and cramped, it was still fun to watch.
The proximity ended quickly when Washington hit a consecutive trio with 2:30 remaining in the game. This raised them to 9, 110-101. Lillard was fouled in a three and, not long after, hit a 30-foot ball, but his team has yet to stop Washington from scoring. Heroism went to waste. The bad defense defeated the good attack, as the Blazers were equally committed to both.
Grades
The Blazers gave up their rebound advantage and some more during the game. They crushed Washington on the charts before the break, but ended up on the wrong side of a 54-50 deficit.
Portland reached 19 trios, Washington only 6, but the Wizards proved that long-range shooting isn’t everything.
Westbrook and Beal combined for 64 points. Lillard and Trent, Jr. had 51.
Points Box
The Blazers will play against their rivals at the conference, the Phoenix Suns, on Monday evening at 6 pm in the Pacific.