Postgame Notes - March 20, 2018 Houston 115, Portland 111 Game #71 • Home Game #37 TEAM • Portland’s longest winning streak of the season (tied for second-longest in team history) came to an end at 13 games. • The Trail Blazers starting frontcourt (Harkless, Aminu, Nurkic) outscored their Houston counterparts (Ariza, Tucker, Capela), 60-14). • The Trail Blazers outscored the Rockets in the paint, 48-38. • Portland had 10 offensive rebounds leading to 13 second chance points while Houston had seven offensive rebounds leading to eight second chance points. • The Trail Blazers had seven blocks and six steals while the Rockets recorded four blocks and three steals. • Portland shot 74.1% from the foul line (20-of-27) while the Rockets shot 69.0% from the foul line (20-of-29). PLAYER • Al-Farouq Aminu scored a team-high 22 points (7-11 FG, 6-8 3-PT, 2-3 FT), including 16 in the first quarter to mark the highest scoring quarter of his career. Aminu’s six three-pointers matched his career high (3/31/16 vs. Bos.). • Jusuf Nurkic recorded his 20th double-double of the season, finishing with 21 points (9-10 FG, 3-6 FT), 11 rebounds, three assists, two steals and a season-high tying four blocks. • Damian Lillard finished with 20 points (5-17 FG, 0-7 3-PT, 10-10 FT), four rebounds and six assists. Lillard has scored at least 20 points in 16 straight games, the longest streak of his career (15, Feb. 4 - March 8, 2016). • Maurice Harkless had 17 points (5-5 FG, 3-3 3-PT, 4-6 FT), one rebound, one assist and two blocks. It was the second-most points scored on five field goal attempts or fewer in the NBA this season (18 - Jokic, 2/27/18 Den. vs. LAC). • Ed Davis scored three points and hauled in 10 rebounds (four offensive). Davis has recorded double digit rebounds 20 times this season, matching the most such games he has had in a season in his career (2014-15). • Evan Turner recorded 10 points, three rebounds and three assists. It was the fourth time in the last six games that Turner scored in double figures. • James Harden led the Rockets with 42 points (13-25 FG, 5-7 3-PT, 11-15 FT), six rebounds and seven assists while Chris Paul added 22 points, eight rebounds and six assists
HEAD COACH TERRY STOTTS “I thought it was a terrific game. I thought both teams played very well, made runs, made big shots, made big plays. James Harden and Chris Paul were outstanding, especially in the fourth quarter – big time shots. But we never quit. I thought it was disappointing to lose but I thought we really competed.” You kept expecting McCollum and Lillard to heat up shooting but it didn’t happen: “Yeah, they struggled shooting the ball. We’re not going to have very many games where neither one of them makes a three. It’s the way it was tonight.” Does that give you confidence moving forward to see how well the rest of the team played? “We had a good offensive night. Al-Farouq Aminu was outstanding, Moe was outstanding, Nurk finished around the basket. We found a way to score 111 points, so certainly it’s disappointing Dame and CJ had an off night. Some of it was their defense but I thought they did a good job of finding people, moving the ball and it’s a team game, just got to pick it up. As far as confidence, I’m confident with the way we play.” On Nurkic being active on defense tonight: “There was a possession early in the game where he didn’t come and help. I think he learned from that one. I thought he really affected shots around the rim. He ended up with four blocks. I thought he was a big presence in the paint.” Did you like the shots Lillard and McCollum got tonight? “I don’t know, I thought some of them were kind of long, but Dame especially has a tendency to make those. For me, if they’re open, they’re good looks. Dame got fouled on a couple so I don’t know, I’ll watch the film but my definition of a good three is if it’s open, it’s a good three.” To be in the game to the last possession with McCollum and Lillard not making a three, what does that say? “It’s a team game. We had a lot of other guys make plays at the offensive end. Moe and Chief and Nurk were all very good at the offensive end. I felt bad for Dame and CJ that they struggled, but that happens sometimes.” Mike D’Antoni just called Harden the greatest offensive player he’s seen, where does he rank for you? “Well, he’s up there. The shots that he made – he’s uncanny the way he can score. I’m always reluctant to say somebody’s the greatest. That’s his guy so I think he needs to say that, but no, he’s a great offensive player. Kevin Durant is up there. Depending on the night, there are a lot of great scorers out there, but Harden’s been doing it for a while now. He’s a difficult cover.” What can you take away from this that’s positive and what’s the message? “We played a good game against the best team. There’s no moral victories. We all felt like we had going into the game, that we had a good chance of winning it if we played well and it’s disappointing to lose. No other message than that. We’ve got to play Boston on Friday and we need to win that game.” DAMIAN LILLARD What was the difference tonight? “Our team competed hard. I thought we played a pretty good game. Down the stretch, they made more shots than us. I think that’s what it came down to. Myself and CJ didn’t make a lot of shots that we usually make. Down the stretch, James hit two big step-backs, miscommunication offensive rebound, Trevor Ariza gets a wide open three and all three of those threes were kind of back breakers. But I thought our team competed. They’re the number one team in the league for a reason. They find ways to win. They’ve got a lot of shooters out there. James is going to be the MVP of the league. They played how we thought they would play and our team, I thought we came out and we played a good game too. We’ve just got to make a few more plays and get a few more stops if we want to beat a team like that.” Did you like the looks you got tonight? “I got some good looks. Sometimes it just doesn’t go. They had a lot of big bodies on me - when I got around guys, it was a crowded paint. I tried to make the right plays, the pitch outs, the drop offs, but at some point you’ve got to take those shots and you’ve got to figure out a way to stay aggressive and try to find it. It just didn’t go in as much as I would have liked to. You’ve got to give credit to what they were able to do defensively.” On a rare night where you and CJ struggled shooting, are you encouraged seeing how everybody else played well? “Yeah, I think over the last month and a half, two months we’ve been a much better team because of what we’re doing as unit. Everybody’s been locked in, everybody’s been contributing. They’ve done it consistently. Tonight, like you said, me and CJ struggled and still it’s a one possession game with under a minute left and that’s because it’s not just us that’s making us successful. We’ve got Nurk playing really well, Moe playing really well, Chief playing well, E.T., you’re getting it from a lot of guys and I think regardless of how we played offensively tonight, the team still had a chance because of that. And that’s why we’ve become the team that we are, we’ve just got to move on. We lost to a really good team.”
HEAD COACH MIKE D’ANTONI On James Harden: “Great coaching (laughs). He’s unique, that’s the best offensive player I’ve ever seen. They were running guys to him and he just steps a little further back and makes a three. The way he can pass, see the floor, get fouls, layups, floaters, maybe a lob, maybe out to the corner… he has so many weapons and now he’s shooting those step back threes, it’s impossible to guard him. It’s impossible.” On the importance of this game: “It’s still one game, and it’s a long season and they’re really good. James’ (Harden) step backs go in, we win, they come out, we lose. It’s so close. They played great and I’m sure they’re going to have a great run in the playoffs and then we’ll just see what happens. We might meet them again, we might not ever see them again, so you just never know.” On how tough Portland would be in a playoff series: “They’re one of the better teams in the league without a doubt. They’ve made it interesting and they can beat anybody, anytime.” On Chris Paul’s hamstring: “He’s fine. He just felt it a little bit. Every time I tried to take him out he gave me the death stare and he said he’s fine. If it’s not, we’ll let him sit for a couple days, but he said he’s fine.”
PJ TUCKER On the last 2 minutes: It’s what he does. Everybody does their job. To finish this game strong like that, you have to hussle, get offensive rebounds, extra possessions, defensive stops. Luc, Trev, everybody does their job… Clint. Everyone just does what they do and that’s why our team is so consistent. At the end of the day, we have the results that we do because nobody does anymore or any less than they do. Have you been around James long enough that these shots seem normal?It is, man. He practices all these shots. You see him in the corners walking out, especially when he’s feeling it, he’s in the zone. He practices every day. It’s what he does. It’s not like something he doesn’t do. He does it every day. How close were you when you came in as a player from the outside looking in on this experience?It’s the same. You can tell. He puts his work in, and he’s focused and driven. You know we have the chance to do something special. He’s been on another level with the focus in these games. Coach has a good grasp of how to maintain the players and keep us motivated, keep us going. Now, it’s just a lot of self-motivation and guys just wanting to win and do something special. Is he a tougher matchup than when you had him all those games in Phoenix?I don’t know. I don’t know. He’s tough then, he’s tough now. I just think now we’re all together. JAMES HARDEN In these last-minute situations, are you just looking for the shots you’ve taken these last few road games, or is it just what presents itself?Whatever presents itself. One time, step-back, it was a big cut out of the lane, step back and shot my shot that I shoot every single day and same thing on the last three. There were several of the step backs where it seemed like you had the matchup and the room but it seems like you waited out the clock and then stepped back… No. I was just trying to wait for the defender to make his move, and once he got to where I wanted him to be, then I took my shot. What runs through your mind when you hear the crowd chant “MVP” when Lillard is at the line?Nothing. They’re supposed to do that right? Who cares. Do the step back sort of help with rhythm, timing?Rhythm, separation, everything. It didn’t just happen. I’m constantly working on it every single day. Every single day just trying to get better, trying to find different ways to improve. I’m still doing that. Can you feel opposing defenses try to figure you out?Yep. It’s hard. It’s pretty tough. Not just because of me, but because the way our team is stacked up. We have a lot of talent on both ends of the floor. The reason we’re good… some nights guys are going to be hitting 3s, some nights they take away the lob. It’s me to the rim, me making plays. We just take what the defense gives us. Have you gotten to the point where the step-backs are more comfortable than the catch and shoots?It’s all the same. Whatever shot presents itself I take it. Whether it’s a catch and shoot, a rhythm jumper or to the basket. CHRIS PAUL These last 2-3 minute games, how confident do you feel in those situations?We feel very confident. I think most of the time it’s because we’re confident in our defense and our ability to get stops. Once again, I mean, we have to do better down the stretch. Myself and James and stuff like that. I think we made some good plays, but down the stretch we can’t let our offense turn into fast breaks for them. Do you get any satisfaction our of ending their winning streak?Heck no. We didn’t even talk about their streak. We came in here to… It’s really about us. We wanted to come in here and win the game and go home. What for you is the message from here to the end of the season?Stay healthy. That’s it for us. Keep playing the right way, keep building and talking on defense. Play the way we play. We are who we are. I think for us we’re just trying to stay healthy. 3 straight road games, James hits dagger 3s. How tough is that to do?I don’t know. We just expect it. I said it before, I don’t know if I’ve ever had this feeling... the coaching staff, everyone on the team, we believe in one another. We expect it to. Whoever it is. Whether you penetrate a kick and it’s Trevor open, or PJ, or we shoot. We expect it to go in. James has been in that MVP conversation for a long time now… is it even close?Nah. But who knows. I don’t get to vote. Just stay healthy, keep playing… I think that will take care of itself. Was this game a bit of a playoff preview?I don’t know. I don’t even know what seed they are. I don’t know. We really just hoop. It is what it is. We worry about the playoffs when it comes. Right now, we are just trying to figure out what time the bus is tomorrow. We don’t dwell on anything. We just hoop. We just play.
Another solid game by ET. We had them but "timely" points manufactured by Paul and Harden tortured us. >We could have had 5 made opportunities in the first half but players missed up close. >> This is what Harden sent over Moda: <Actual height may vary.
Why doesn't someone ask Terry, when you have Mo shooting 3 for 3 on swish3s, why would you not call on him to keep shooting them, especially when you need to match the 7 out of 10 shooting of Harden and Paul in the 4th quarter? Designating Mo as the swish3 shooter instead of Dame and CJ in the critical stretch might have won this game.
D'Antoni made an interesting remark during one of the timeout huddles. He said, "I know it's tough, they're playing well right now." Which got me thinking, is Portland just a hot team and they'll cool off eventually and return to what they are....the .500 ballclub searching for an identity in the first half of the season. I just don't feel that way. If we were a veteran team, it would be easier to dismiss the winning streak. This kind of feels like a epiphany instead. Portland's a young team, finally finding themselves and pulling back the curtains. I don't see it reversing going forward.
Or, "When CJ can't hit the broad side of a barn, what value does he actually provide in the lineup that can't be met or exceeded by Turner or even Pat playing at their baseline levels?"
