The Trail Blazers extended their current winning streak to six games, thanks to a 126-124 victory over Pelicans on Wednesday. Once again, Damian Lillard provided the fireworks for the Portland attack. Lillard scored 43 points and involved his teammates with 16 assists. To the Pelicans, Zion Williamson seemed the part of an unstoppable force when he was on the ground. The second-year phenomenon was 12-18 on the ground and scored 36 points in 34 minutes of action.
Here are six observations of the Blazers’ sixth consecutive win.
Drop Dimes Dame
Lillard absolutely ignited Pelicans’ unstable defensive pressure from the start to the final bell. He tied the defenders to us, skilfully navigating the screens and making decisive moves once the separation was established. As soon as Lillard rounded the corner, he slid effortlessly under the additional pressure of the Pels. Down the slope, the former Weber State star deftly mixed his own submissions with perfectly placed passes for teammates on the perimeter. It was a masterful NBA weapons class (yes, now it’s a word).
In the final moments of the game, Lillard’s chess game with the Pelicans defense was worth it. He tricked Lonzo Ball into thinking a screen was coming, so he quickly shot towards the baseline for a beautiful finish and foul.
Lillard ended the night with 43 points and drew the best of assists in a single game with 16 coins. After tonight’s victory, Lillard recorded double-digit assists in three consecutive games.
Early Zone Struggles Blossoms Into Stellar Scramble
The Blazers looked like part of a team that just left a delayed flight in a consecutive situation in the second half. Powered by open looks, the Pelicans did not make a mistake from a distance in the second frame. Coach Terry Stotts launched an alternate zone scheme in New Orleans, abandoned it and then returned to it. Nothing seemed to work, as the Pelicans had a long run that resulted in a double-digit lead in the interval.
Somehow, the Blazers found new legs in the second half. Defenders of the Portland Perimeter suddenly took their step on the defensive end. The revs increased and the shooting windows closed for the Pelicans. Outside of Zion’s excavation style, the Blazers’ course has been corrected enough to set the stage for Lillard to work his magic.
Block Brothers
Brandon Ingram will see the numbers 23 and 55 in his sleep tonight. Derrick Jones Jr. and Robert Covington put on a show in one-on-one help situations. The versatile duo fulfilled their promise in the second half. Covington, who finished with four blocks, went from a difficult task to a difficult task at the defensive end. Jones, who recorded two blocks, was an absolute threat and routinely made the right move. It may not appear on the box scorecard, but Jones’ lack at the end of the game in one of Williamson’s quick counterattacks changed the momentum. He managed to avoid a free-kick and forced Zion to go to the line for two free throws.
Offensively, Covington and Jones added 25 points and 15 rebounds.
Gary Trent Jr. continues to shine
In addition to Lillard’s game of the MVP caliber, Trent’s continued growth is the brightest part of the recent Blazers sequence. The duke’s former standout continues to gain confidence in all facets of his offensive game. Even when covered, Trent is starting to establish himself as the leading three-point shooter behind. In less than a year, his talents have evolved from a disconnected operator to an absolute triple threat.
In all but one game in February, Trent connected at least three shots beyond the arc in each competition.
Four bedrooms, two melons
Carmelo Anthony made his way through an infinity of isolation moves not ideal in the first half. He hit three out of eight attempts and failed to get a single assist in two quarters.
The statistics may not fully reflect this, but the second half played out very differently. The 36-year-old star used his one-on-one advantages to double the Pelicans’ defense to Portland’s advantage. Operating from the highest post, Melo’s second half was quite offensive to himself and moving the ball to others. Within the second unit, this style of play proved to be a winning recipe. He ended the game with 12 points, three rebounds and an assist (he probably got a handful of hockey assists in the second half to follow that traditional line as well).
Six Straight
The Blazers return home for a game on Saturday with their winning streak intact. Lillard’s game is definitely at the top of the marquee, but Portland’s defense and agitation showed a dramatic improvement in this stretch. Rather than dragging through the motions, the Blazers game on the defensive end has real purpose and enthusiasm. That success also translated into the offensive side of the ball. It appears that Covington’s constant watering in the garden at the defensive end is allowing his attack to flourish.
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The Blazers return home to receive the Wizards on Saturday.