For Damian Lillard, victory takes precedence over manner
The defeat against the Lakers, with a 25-point lead wasted, which was also the third in a row, would it leave its mark on the Blazers? The question arose before the meeting against Spurs. And even for a long time during the game.
Because at the break, facing a team that remained on nine defeats in eleven matches, the troops of Chauncey Billups had conceded no less than 74 points! Fortunately, Damian Lillard and the others had also scored 74 points in 24 minutes.
“Our attack was good. We were able to run, spin the ball, put shots, “ rejoices the coach for the official website of the franchise. “The defense wasn’t as good, with 74 points conceded in the first period. But, in my experience, what we did, coming back after a loss like the one against the Lakers, it’s very, very hard. Usually, we are affected. I am proud of my players. »
No matter the bottle…
What will make the difference for Portland is first Damian Lillard with his 19 points in the third quarter. But above all a slightly sharper defense. The Spurs will lose six balls in this third act.
« It was a tight match and we attacked well I think », commented the playmaker against the 147 points scored by him and his teammates. “I didn’t like that we were trading baskets, and at the break, Billups told us that the first team that was going to defend was going to win this game. That’s what changed in the third quarter. »
After three consecutive losses, the Blazers won. But with 127 points taken against the weak Texans, there is nothing to be really reassured about. For “Dame” and her gang, the main thing now is above all in the background and in the victories. Form will wait…
« As soon as we talk about learning and improving, we want to do it with a victory », continues Damian Lillard. « Right now, we can’t complain about the way. We won this match. We would all be mad if things had been different and we had lost. So I’m happy to be able to talk about this success, which we all needed. »
| Shots | Bounces | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Players | GM | Minimum | Shots | 3 points | LF | Off | Def | Early | pd | bp | Int | CT | party | Points |
| Damian Lillard | 35 | 35.7 | 45.1 | 36.5 | 90.1 | 0.6 | 3.3 | 3.9 | 7.4 | 3.2 | 0.9 | 0.3 | 1.9 | 29.3 |
| Anfernee Simons | 45 | 35.7 | 44.6 | 37.7 | 90.4 | 0.3 | 2.5 | 2.7 | 3.9 | 2.2 | 0.7 | 0.2 | 2.5 | 21.9 |
| Jerami Grant | 45 | 35.5 | 48.6 | 42.7 | 79.8 | 1.0 | 3.3 | 4.3 | 2.4 | 1.8 | 0.9 | 0.8 | 2.4 | 21.2 |
| Jusuf Nurkic | 42 | 28.1 | 52.5 | 38.7 | 68.9 | 2.4 | 7.5 | 9.9 | 3.0 | 2.5 | 0.9 | 0.9 | 3.7 | 14.2 |
| Josh Hart | 45 | 34.0 | 50.3 | 33.0 | 73.1 | 1.9 | 6.3 | 8.3 | 4.1 | 1.6 | 1.1 | 0.2 | 2.7 | 9.6 |
| Shaedon Sharpe | 46 | 19.8 | 47.1 | 33.9 | 64.1 | 0.8 | 1.7 | 2.5 | 0.5 | 0.7 | 0.3 | 0.2 | 1.6 | 7.7 |
| Justise Winslow | 29 | 26.8 | 40.9 | 31.1 | 71.4 | 1.7 | 3.3 | 5.0 | 3.4 | 1.5 | 1.0 | 0.4 | 3.1 | 6.8 |
| Nassir Little | 26 | 15.3 | 48.8 | 43.1 | 61.5 | 0.4 | 1.9 | 2.3 | 0.8 | 0.5 | 0.3 | 0.3 | 0.9 | 6.1 |
| Drew Eubanks | 45 | 18.5 | 73.1 | 60.0 | 64.9 | 1.5 | 3.0 | 4.5 | 1.0 | 0.8 | 0.5 | 1.2 | 2.0 | 5.6 |
| Trendon Watford | 32 | 15.0 | 55.6 | 33.3 | 76.0 | 0.7 | 2.8 | 3.4 | 1.4 | 0.9 | 0.4 | 0.1 | 1.7 | 4.9 |
| Keon Johnson | 24 | 10.9 | 36.0 | 34.0 | 52.9 | 0.3 | 1.1 | 1.4 | 1.0 | 1.1 | 0.5 | 0.2 | 1.1 | 4.5 |
| Gary Payton II | 8 | 16.7 | 57.1 | 50.0 | 0.0 | 0.6 | 2.3 | 2.9 | 2.0 | 0.9 | 1.4 | 0.0 | 1.9 | 3.5 |
| Jabari Walker | 30 | 8.8 | 40.0 | 18.8 | 66.7 | 0.9 | 1.3 | 2.3 | 0.5 | 0.4 | 0.1 | 0.2 | 1.1 | 2.2 |
| Greg Brown III | 15 | 6.0 | 42.3 | 16.7 | 41.7 | 0.1 | 1.1 | 1.2 | 0.1 | 0.4 | 0.3 | 0.3 | 0.9 | 1.9 |
| John Butler | 5 | 3.4 | 33.3 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.2 | 0.2 | 0.4 | 0.2 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.2 | 0.2 | 0.4 |
