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Portland Trailblazers
Just like against the New Orleans Hornets and the Utah Jazz, the Portland Trail Blazers were struggling for points late. A Houston Rockets defense that allowed them to score 31 first quarter points turned stifling, and the Blazers ran a frantic, fighting-the-shot-clock offense far too often in the second half. After a drought that lasted from the 3:20 mark of the fourth to the 27-second mark, Rudy Fernandez awakened his dead-tired and emotionally drained team. But it was a remarkable individual rally that fell short.
The Blazers couldn’t guard Hornets guards Chris Paul, or rookies Marcus Thornton and Darren Collison in their loss earlier this week. Next, they couldn’t guard the Jazz’s Deron Williams in a second consecutive defeat. Aaron Brooks was the latest guard “flying right by us,” as head coach Nate McMillan said following this contest against the Rockets. The former Oregon Duck star continued his stellar, All Star-snubbed season, using his blazing quickness to create baskets for himself and others. He scored 17 points in the first half and continued to torch the Blazers in the final two periods, helping his team turn a ten-point first quarter deficit into a lead as large as thirteen.
Given their resliency so far this season and their never-give-up attitude, Portland wouldn’t let such a deficit dampen their spirits, especially considering they fell behind 21-2 against Utah and made a game of it. Slowly but surely, they put together the stops on defense with some life on offense to chip away at Houston’s late third quarter advantage, climbing to within three near the period’s conclusion thanks to a three-pointer by Fernandez from Steve Blake, a long two by Blake from Fernandez, and then a three by Blake. These eight points in succession made it 74-71, but the Rockets regained momentum, scoring the final two baskets of the quarter for a seven-point lead heading into the fourth.
Portland began the fourth on a 9-4 run, a run that wouldn’t be complete without another the-basketball-Gods-hate-Portland injury. Chasing after a loose ball, Fernandez took a dangerous spill out of bounds, twisting his back awkwardly before falling hard to the floor. He got up and drove and dished a pass to Juwan Howard for a layup, but asked out of the game in obvious pain. He sat on the bench with a sickening look, and it appeared that he would either remain there or go to the locker-room for the remainder, but he shrugged off the tumble that fortunately wasn’t all too serious and worked his magic.
Before El Mago did his best to lift the Blazers, three noteworthy things happened, one encouraging and two gut-wrenching. First, the good: LaMarcus Aldridge held the ball in the post, passed it out to Blake, who swung it to Jerryd Bayless, who then fed Nicolas Batum in the corner for a three, capping the 9-4 run with around-the-horn unselfishness on the perimeter. Then the bad. Behind by two two minutes later, Portland failed to box out Carl Landry on the boards, and one of the best fourth quarter scorers in the NBA made their bigs pay by tipping in a Luis Scola miss on the possession’s third chance for a 88-84 lead with just under six minutes left. Then, three minutes later following a three-pointer by Fernandez, Landry scored on a feed from guard Trevor Ariza, dunking near the shot-clock’s end.
Another inside basket by Landry followed a usual fourth-quarter miss by Aldridge, lengthening the margin to six with less than two minutes to play. Aldridge’s miss was Portland’s second straight, and the Blazers would miss their next four as well to help the Rockets increase their lead to 100-92 as the clock ticked under the thirty-second mark.
Houston seemed to have just their fifth win of the month wrapped up, but that’s when Fernandez lived up to his nickname. He hit two free-throws upon being fouled with 27 seconds left, and then following a surprising occurrence, two missed free-throws by the 86-percent shooting Landry, he made sure his feet were behind the line and canned a three on a drive-and-kick by Bayless. A deficit that was just cut to three extended to five on two free-throws by Brooks. Fernandez refused to throw in the towel, dribbling for an opening and then, after creating some space, hit a three-pointer from the top, a shot he hoisted so confidently that he began to set himself defensively with the ball not three quarters of the way to the hoop.
Landry was fouled immediately by Fernandez. Two misses would be nice from the foul-line, but splitting a pair would keep the game one possession. He hit the first, but the second caromed hard off the back-iron and fell amongst a crowd. The Blazers had a great chance to grab the loose ball, but Brooks came out of the pack with it, forcing Howard, a frustrated witness on the sideline, to slap his towel against the floor in disgust. Ariza made one of two at the line, which was all the Rockets needed. With that, Portland lost in devastating fashion, something that is happening far too often these days for a banged up team trying to stay in the playoff hunt.
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Game Notes:
Fernandez tied a career-high with 25 points. He hit 5-6 three-pointers and made 9-14 field goals overall. He scored the final 13 points for the Blazers.
The two and a half minute drought late was their third crucial fourth quarter dry spell in the last three games. Fernandez did all he could, but clearly they miss Brandon Roy, given the fourth is usually set aside for him to take over.
After a 14-point first half, Aldridge scored six points in the second half. For this team to win, especially without Roy, he has to do more than that. At least he blocked four shots, one off his career-high.
Blake had 14 points and 9 assists.
Portland was outscored 53-32 in the paint.
Howard, Martell Webster, and Andre Miller, three starters, were a combined 4-19 for 12 points. It’s a miracle the Blazers were in contention until the end with their performances.
Batum continues to do nothing wrong. He has been a coach’s dream and their best player since his return. He had a tremendous all-around game, scoring 12 points on 4-7 shooting while grabbing 9 rebounds and dishing 5 rebounds.
Brooks led Houston with 33 points and 7 assists. Landry added 21 points and Ariza and Scola chipped in twelve apiece. The Rockets lived at the free-throw line, taking 43 free-throws and making 29 of them.
Boxscore of 104-100 loss to Rockets:
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