The Portland Trail Blazers, playing with only nine active players due to injury, surprised the Eastern Conference, leader of the Philadelphia 76ers, on Thursday night, with a final score of 121-105. Perhaps taking inspiration from Rocky while playing in the City of Brotherly Love, Portland overcame the absence of star Damian Lillard – along with a list of others – with a complete team effort. Gary Trent Jr. led with 24 points and was one of six Blazers who scored in double digits.
After a hard-fought first half, Portland exploded by 40 points in the important third quarter, while holding Philadelphia with just 19 at the other end. It was more than enough to overcome the dominant performance of MVP candidate Joel Embiid, who led all the top scorers with 37 points, of which only six came in the second half.
First quarter
After the Sixers opened in an 8-2 race, the Blazers found their balance and were able to go toe-to-toe with them, holding a small lead in the middle. Embiid suffered an apparent leg injury in an attempt to block in the sixth minute, sending Dwight Howard into the game earlier than expected, but was able to return less than two minutes from the end of the period. Furkan Korkmaz took the attack from Philadelphia, scoring 10 points on the scoreboard, while the Blazers had a more balanced effort, with all five starters scoring. The score was tied at 28-28 in the horn.
Second bedroom
Portland started to create some distance on the scoreboard through the long ball and the fragmented defense, leading by seven on eight minutes. Embiid kept the Sixers in the game with his work in painting and medium, but the team was freezing from the center of the city, going from 0 to 10 beyond the arc in midfield. As the Blazers’ hot kick finally cooled, Philly slowly stepped away from the lead behind his big man, leveling with two minutes left on the board. The score was again tied at halftime, 57-57. Embiid ended the semester with 31 points, 25 of which in the second quarter.
Third quarter
The Blazers opened with a 14-0 streak, while the Sixers took three minutes to enter the table. Danny Green nailed Philly’s first three-pointer at the six-minute mark after missing the first 12 attempts. Portland’s ball movement allowed them to separate the defense from the Sixers, generating quality looks that they were able to connect consistently. They did most of the damage from a distance, but they also succeeded in the rim, both in the drive and in the offending glass. Blazer’s lead grew as the fourth progressed, and they took a 97-76 lead in the final stanza of the game.
Fourth trimester
The Sixers never made a serious run to get back in the game, as the Blazers remained aggressive at both ends of the track to ensure there was no return. Philly waved the white flag at the seven-minute mark, sending his subs with the Blazers up 25.
Team effort
The credit is due to the Blazers in the unlikely victory. Although Trent played a pivotal role, he was actually the most inefficient shot blazer, as his 24 points came in 8-23 shots. Carmelo Anthony, one of the team’s less efficient players this season, had a phenomenal night, going from 8 to 14 off the field to 22 points and hitting five assists. His selflessness embodied the team effort that the Blazers needed to win the game against the more talented Sixers. Rodney Hood (16 points), Enes Kanter (17 points, 18 rebounds) and Anfernee Simons (14 points in 19 minutes) were also instrumental.
However, the real star of the night was debutant CJ Elleby, playing his significant first few minutes of the season. The choice of the 2nd round for 2020 was appropriate for the occasion, playing with a spark and agitation that seemed to infect the rest of the team as well. He scored 15 points in 31 minutes, but his most important contribution was undoubtedly his fragmented defensive effort and work on the glass. The 6’6 ”guard had three of Portland’s 19 offensive rebounds, which led to a series of second chance opportunities.
One Man Show
Embiid was excellent, especially in the second quarter, but he did not have the necessary help from his teammates. Already playing without Ben Simmons, the Sixers had an unusual Tobias Harris night (12 points from 5-14 shots), while Seth Curry was limited to just 12 minutes of action. Korkmaz did nothing after the warm start, and Green landed just one shot. Much of the damage to the Sixers’ bench occurred in the fourth period, with the game already decided.
The Sixers overcame the Blazers at night, but were disastrous from a distance. Despite the low Embiid’s dominance, Blazers really had more paint spots, mainly because of the offensive repercussions. In general, Portland just tried harder, played with more energy and made contributions in all areas, while Philadelphia got a great room from a great player and not many others.
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The Blazers’ road trip ends at the Big Apple on Saturday when they face the New York Knicks at a 10am matinee at Madison Square Garden.