Portland Path Blazers Coach Chauncey Billups wouldn’t blame his group 114-98 loss Saturday night at Minnesota on a brutal efficiency of the fourth quarter.
The Blazers led by 13 factors at halftime and eight coming into the fourth, once they pulled 13.6% within the subject and 1 out of 13 (7.7%) of the vary of three factors.
Nevertheless, Billups stated that his group had set the tone for its appalling efficiency late with a mediocre recreation within the first quarter.
“The fourth quarter was horrible,” Billups informed journalists on the Goal Middle. “It was a tough neighborhood, however the place we misplaced the match, I assumed, was first half, within the first quarter.”
The Blazers began slowly and had been late by 9 factors earlier than returning to comply with 24-22 within the second quarter.
“We knew we weren’t taking part in our greatest,” the journalists the goalkeeper Anfernee Simons informed journalists.
Billups stated his group was glad with poor photographs and gave the impression to be out of synchronization all half.
“We took actually very tough photographs once we didn’t want it, figuring out that it’s a giant defensive group,” stated Billups.
Nickeil Alexander-Walker # 9 from Minnesota Timberwolves blocks a DNI Avdija # 8 shot from Portland Path Blazers within the fourth quarter on the Goal Middle on February 08, 2025 in Minneapolis, Minnesota. The Timberwolves defeated the Path Blazers 114-98. (Picture by David Berding / Getty Photos)Getty photos
Even up 60-47 at halftime, Billups felt uncomfortable.
“I actually felt as if we had been down 12-14, factors, simply the best way the match was going,” stated Billups.
In accordance with the protection of the Blazers, in response to Billups, was not prepared both even if Minnesota has bother scoring earlier than the fourth quarter.
Billups pressured that Minnesota was with out key gamers, which might have introduced his group to loosen up defensively. Anthony Edwards of Minnesota, Mike Conley Jr. and Julius Randle, all with varied accidents, mix a mean of 54 factors per recreation. Edwards ranks fifth by scoring the NBA at 27.2. He scored 41 Wednesday in opposition to Chicago and 49 Thursday in opposition to Houston.
“I simply do not assume we had been synchronized as we’ve got been,” stated Billups, “and that injured us on either side of the ball.”
The Blazers obtained the perfect defensive notice from the NBA throughout their 10 -game victory session on 11 Saturdays. A scarcity of defensive cohesion related to a foul number of blows caught up with the Blazers on the finish of the match.
“This sort of work has carried the fourth quarter,” stated Simons.
At evening, Portland pulled 40.2% from the land and 20% (7 out of 35) past the arc.
“Once you depart 7 out of 35, it’s tough to win a match within the league this fashion,” stated Billups.
The Blazers in all probability owed an evening capturing. Throughout their current sequence of success, a number of opponents skilled nights of unusually poor capturing right here and there.
This time, the Blazers fell flat when he was counting.
“We had been taking part in the protection effectively sufficient to remain within the recreation,” stated Simons. “We simply could not hit strokes.”
– Aaron Fentress | afentress@oregonian.com | @AaronjFentress (Twitter), @AaronjFentress (Instagram), @AaronFentress (Fb)
