The bubble of the Portland Trail Blazers is finally leaking air, an unfortunate and untimely result of repeated punctures due to the star quality of the Los Angeles Lakers, polluting defense and general sluggishness.
The Lakers beat the Blazers 116-108 Saturday night in the NBA bubble in Orlando, riding the individual dominance of LeBron James, the outburst of Anthony Davis’ second half and their dominant defense to a 2-1 lead at best -of-seven Western Conference playoff series.
Here’s a look at “The Good, the Bad and the Biggest Problem” from the defeat of the Blazers’ Game 3 …
GOOD: NO EXUSUSEN
Let’s get this out of the way at the top: The Lakers held a decisive edge in free throw attempts Saturday night.
They shot 43. The Blazers shot 19.
The discrepancy was particularly ridiculous in the first half, when the Lakers attempted 31 free throws and the Blazers attempted just eight.
But you know what else happened in the first half? The Blazers led 57-53, streaking in the locker room with a disruption of momentum thanks to CJ McCollum’s buzzer-beating corner three-pointer.
Certainly, officials have not done the Blazers any Game 3 favors. But they did not see the fate of Portland either, and it was encouraging to see the Blazers brush their teeth and prevent them from relying on fouls and free throws as an excuse.
“The difference of free throws is something that is beyond our control,” Damian Lillard said. ‘Last game, we came out, they’re playing a really physical game, they’re playing a really aggressive game, and that led to a blowout victory for them. And (Saturday night) we came to the conclusion that we will not be bullied and leave ourselves physically and out-aggressively. Maybe we have foul sometimes. But they are also a physical team. So if a team lives on the free throw line like they did … as a team, it will be hard to win the match against a team as well as they are. “
The reaction provided insight into an underdog’s mindset. The Blazers remain confident, a reality that also came up when players were asked about the emotional well-being of the team amid a 2-1 deficit. There is not very much good to remove from an eight-point loss that resulted in a 2-1 series deficit, so this will have to be done.
“I’ve been in a series less in situations,” Lillard said. ‘We just have to get the next game. We get the following, and it’s a bond series. And that’s perfect with me. Emotionally, I feel good. ”
Carmelo Anthony added: “I think we are good. It’s just 2-1. We have a series. We are in a good situation. We are not worried. We know what we have to do and we are ready for Game 4. ”
BAD: “ATTACK MODE” LEBRON
The Lakers defense was dominant, Davis was exceptional in the second half and the official was all that Blazers fans wanted to talk about.
But it was James ‘tiredness and two-way brilliance that set the tone for the Lakers’ Game 3 win.
From the moment James stepped on the court Saturday night, it was clear he was behaving differently, that he – as Davis and Lakers coach Frank Vogel said – was ready to “release attack mode.”
On the Lakers’ first offensive possession, James bulldozed through the heart of the Blazers defense for an urgent attempt to drive Hassan Whiteside. The shot was missed, but the message stood straight on target.
James did not intend to concentrate on distribution and play (like Game 1) and he did not intend to passively put out and play (like Game 2). He would attack. And attack some more. And attack some more.
The four-time NBA MVP finished with 38 points, 12 rebounds and eight assists as he skillfully directed the Lakers’ offense. And as he threw alley-open lobs and exchanged three-pointers, more than anything, James bludgeoned the Blazers with powerful, piercing disks to the hoop. He made 11 of 18 shots – including 4 of 8 tries – but he did most of his damage in the paint, scoring 14 points on 7 of 9 shots.
“It’s hard to stop,” Davis said. ‘It’s fun for us. And he still makes the right plays. ”
Anthony stopped his old friend more than once, and relied on his intimate knowledge of James’ tendencies and tricks. Gary Trent Jr. frustrated James in a few turnarounds and reckless offensive offenses.
But James is a nightmare matchup for everyone in the league, especially a team that plays without Trevor Ariza and Rodney Hood, so there are no good defensive options for the Blazers. If James decides to play like he has an NBA2K “turbo” button, this is the likely outcome.
Saturday marked the 67th time in James’ Hall of Fame career that he has led his team in points, rebounds and assists in a playoff game, a hefty total that will erode the rest of NBA history. According to the Elias Sports Bureau, Tim Duncan and Larry Bird have been in second place in such games since 1951 – with 21.
“I loved his game,” Vogel said. ‘He was in attack mode. He lived in the paint, lived on the edge and sought contact and just tried to play the power game that he is so used to. And he ended up on the edge. He made contact, came to the free throw line and we encouraged him to also shoot aggressively over the top. ”
BIGGEST EXHIBITION: THE UNIT OF THE LAKERS
When Blazers coach Terry Stotts was asked about his team’s offensive battle after the game, he returned the question, scoring again and again from the Blazers’ score over the first three quarters Saturday (29, 28 and 29 respectively). points) and their shooting percentage for the game (41.1).
“I’ll give her credit,” Stotts said. ‘The first two games I thought we did not shoot the ball well. I did not necessarily think this was the fact (Saturday). ”
But the truth is, the Lakers’ defense has varied from reliable to dominant in almost every series. A red-hot Blazers offense that clashes with the best bubbles in scoring (126.0 points per game) and offensive rating (122.5) in the seeding round has been tainted in the playoffs.
Through three games, the Blazers rank last in offensive rating (98.0), 15th in scoring (98.8 points per game) and 14th in field goal shooting (40.2) among the 16 playoff teams.
The Lakers’ perimeter intensity, which includes a mix of double teams and pressure from full court and half court, has taken the ball out of Lillard’s hands and forced McCollum to work hard for every scrap. The length and size of the Lakers has neutralized Jusuf Nurkic and Whiteside. The depth and dominance of the Lakers were overwhelming.
“We just try to stay defensive when we can (Lillard and McCollum),” Vogel said. “We have the ultimate respect for their fireworks and we work really hard. We will not be comfortable … on the defensive side of the ball while these guys are there. We just know we really have to point to that end of the floor if we are to win this series. ”
The Lakers’ defense was most chased in the fourth quarter Saturday, when the Blazers went 8-for-23 off the field, including 1-for-7 from three-point range, scoring just 22 points. And those sharp totals were supported by two field goals and eight senseless points in the final 50.5 seconds, when the game was out of reach.
Defensive dominance was matched by a wild late-game flurry when the pressure and muscle of the Lakers blocked three consecutive Blazers shooters. The sequence began when Danny Green swatted a Trent three-point attempt. The Blazers’ reserve guard chased the handball down and rode to the hoop, hooking a shot into the key. It was rejected by Davis. Trent managed to pick up the handball again and the ball went out to the Lillard on the perimeter. He fired a try. But Green chased the shot out of nowhere and swung it out of bounds. Three chances. Three rejections.
“Defense is all about effort,” Davis said. ‘You have to want to play defense and everyone in our locker room has taken on that challenge. Especially with (Lillard and McCollum). We want to be a great defensive team. We do not want to rely on our failure to win games. We want to do it on the defensive end and that’s what happened in that second half. ”
And that’s kind of why the Lakers are leading this series 2-1.
– Joe Freeman | [email protected] | 503-294-5183 | @BlazerFreeman | Subscribe to Oregonian / OregonLive newsletters and podcasts for the latest news and top stories
