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Damian Lillard Responds To Trail Blazers’ Blowout Road Win Over The Utah Jazz
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- Damian Lillard Responds To Trail Blazers’ Blowout Road Win Over The Utah Jazz
Mandatory Credit: Chris Nicoll-Imagn Images
The Portland Trail Blazers came into this season as underdogs to make the playoffs, but they are proving to be a cut above the average Western team. Between Damian Lillard , Deni Avdija , Donovan Clingan , Toumani Camara , Scoot Henderson , and Jrue Holiday , the Blazers have a solid core rotation, even after the injuries to Ja Morant and Shaedon Sharpe .
Tonight, Portland continued their hot start with a dominant road win over the Utah Jazz (112-90). In what was their fourth victory of the season, the Trail Blazers showed flashes of greatness on both ends of the floor, validating growing suspicions that they are legitimate contenders this season. According to Lillard, who spoke up after the game, his team is more dialed in than ever, with Lillard pointing to their hard work and preparation as the biggest factors in their latest victory.
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"We dialed in to the scouting report," said Lillard post-game . "We knew we were gonna get in that altitude and that it was gonna have us a little bit windy, but we paid attention to the scouting report, and we were on top of it. We turned the ball over a little bit, got sped up a little bit, but we were sharp; we defended, we rebounded the ball, and I think that allowed us to get off to a good start, and we held it down from there."
While it did not come against the most elite competition, you have to commend Portland for their consistent and unrelenting attack throughout the night, outscoring Utah in every quarter but the fourth, when the game was already out of reach. The most impressive part from Portland's side was their effort on defense, which held the Jazz to just 37.2% shooting as a team.
"I thought it was really good," Lillard said. "When we wanted to keep DC [Donovan Clingan] in the paint when they wanted to run guys in the pick and roll, we communicated well, and we switched up onto the ball aggressively, to where they weren't coming up comfortably on pull-up threes. Even with that, we didn't let them turn the corner and get into the paint. We had some distance on the ball, and we were in the passing lanes — we were on a string. We did it consistently, and it led to a pretty good win for us."
Lillard himself has never been known as a strong defender ( especially in the aftermath of his Achilles tear ), but he does have his moments of brilliance on that end. This game was one of those nights for him, as his active hands and sense of urgency set the tone for his entire team. In the end, as much as the Jazz tried to exploit his shortcomings, Lillard was able to hold his own, proving he's more than a one-sided player.
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"To start the quarter, I kept hearing their coach yelling out for my guy to set ball screens to try to put me in an action," Lillard added. "We got coverages where I might show, but at some point, you're gonna have to switch, and you're gonna have to guard. In that third quarter, I said if they run up there, I'm just gonna switch and jump into the ball and get some stops, and that's what I did."
With several major injuries and steep competition in the West, the Trail Blazers will have to overcome overwhelming odds to keep their place in the top four in the standings. Nevertheless, Lillard is certain that his team can compete with the best of them , and it starts with winning the games you're supposed to.
Against an inferior opponent, the Trail Blazers took care of business, and it was Lillard who led the way with 22 points, five rebounds, four assists, two steals, and one block on 35.3% shooting from the field. Now, at 4-1, they are currently tied with the Thunder for the fourth seed in the West. Assuming the Blazers can avoid any more serious injuries, there are reasons to believe in what they've built this season, even if it has just barely begun.
