“With 30 turnovers, it’s hard to beat a middle school team” - CJ McCollum on Portland Trail Blazers' 30-point blowout loss to LA Clippers
CJ McCollum and the Portland Trail Blazers suffered a 30-point blowout loss to the LA Clippers on Monday.
The Trail Blazers lacked the intensity to flourish on both ends of the floor. They had 30 turnovers during the game, which played a massive role in their 86-116 loss.
Speaking about his team's turnovers in the post-game press conference, McCollum said (via Mark Medina):
"With 30 turnovers, it’s hard to beat a middle school team."
CJ McCollum has been the Portland Trail Blazers' best player across their first three games of the 2021-22 NBA season. He averaged a team-high 27.3 points per game.
Meanwhile, Trail Blazers talisman Damian Lillard has been surprisingly quiet so far this season. He has scored 17 points per game on 34% field-goal shooting.
The 31-year-old had two games in which he didn't converted a single three-pointer. He is 2-of-24 from long range in three appearances.
Not our night.
#RipCity https://t.co/vyKtf3ds8D
Will the Portland Trail Blazers be able to turn their poor start around soon?
The Portland Trail Blazers are now 1-2 for the season and haven't looked impressive so far. There are multiple reasons behind their underwhelming performances.
Damian Lillard's poor form and the players' adaptation to new coach Chauncey Billups' system have been two of the biggest reasons behind their rocky start to the season.
Damian Lillard has shot 2-24 (8.3%) from three to start this season.
He is shooting 34.0% overall. https://t.co/uc0HloDAkd
Having said that, the Trail Blazers were quite impressive against the Phoenix Suns, having defeated them 134-105. So there is still a lot of upside for the team as they continue to regroup and take meaningful strides towards their goals this season.
The Portland Trail Blazers have a tough schedule over the next few weeks. They will face a plethora of playoff-caliber teams in that stretch.
It could take a while for the Trail Blazers to consistently win games initially. However, the upcoming fixtures will serve as an opportunity for them to rectify their errors, which will help the team immensely in the long run.