5 takeaways from Trailblazers' embarrasing 99-63 loss to the Hornets
The Portland Trailblazers just got beat handily by the New Orleans Hornets, 99-63. Here are five takeaways from this game:
LaMarcus Aldridge #12 of the Portland Trail Blazers shows an injury to referee #66 during the game.
The Portland Trailblazers stand at 25-28 now. After the Hornets improved to 19-34 at their expense. The Blazers are trying to stave off the Lakers and Mavericks while toppling the Rockets for the 8th and final playoff spot in the West. The Hornets are just trying to avoid being at the bottom of the barrel with a 19-34 record. Only the Kings, 19-35 and Suns, 17-36 have worse records than the Hornets. And yet the Hornets handed the Blazers a convincing loss.
As a team, the Portland Trailblazers shot a paltry 30.6% in the first half. They had 11 turnovers at the half. Even though the Hornets shot 37.2% themselves in the first half, they still had a 38-26 lead at halftime. Except for Freeland and Claver, no one on the Blazers squad shot over 50%. LaMarcus Aldrige had a woeful night with 2 of 11 shooting for 6 points. Damien Lillard had 12 on 4 of 15 shooting. Nicholas Batum shot 1 for 10 for 3 points, 4 rebounds and 6 assists.
Last season Greivis Vasquez was a backup behind Jarret Jack. This season he is leading the NBA in assists with 491. Second on the list is Rajon Rondo with 420. Although Rondo is done for the season in all probability, his 11.1 assists per game mark still leads the league and he will probably be the league leader in assists per game at the end of the season regardless of if he suits up again. Vasquez is averaging 9.4 assists per game and with the games Chris Paul missed, will end up leading the league in total assists if all continues as is with Paul averaging 9.5 and Vasquez 9.4.
“When you see the ball go through — a free throw, jump shot, layup, dunk, whatever it is — the confidence just builds back up,” Davis said. “When I got that first dunk, the confidence was rising and I just tried to keep feeding on it.”
Anthony Davis finished with 21 points on 10 for 17 shooting with 11 rebounds, 3 assists and 2 blocks. While Lillard is still leading the rookie of the year race, he had a poor showing today. Bradley Beal of the Wizards is above Davis in the running too, but the big man of the Hornets has a long way to go in this season still and after the All-Star weekend he may step his game up even higher.
“It is embarrassing, one of the most embarrassing nights of the year. It’s a rough way to go into the All-Star break, losing five games in a row with a big loss, so we just need to get back on track,” said Nicholas Batum of the Blazers.
This 99-63 loss was the worst one suffered by the Portland Trailblazers this season. The 63 points were the fewest allowed by the Hornets this season. The only time the Blazers led was when the score was 2-0. The Blazers have now lost five straight games and are rapidly slipping away from a shot at making it to the postseason.