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Blazers most to blame for epic Game 4 collapse vs. Spurs
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- Blazers most to blame for epic Game 4 collapse vs. Spurs
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The Portland Trail Blazers struck fear into the San Antonio Spurs twice with big leads. But now hit infamous NBA Playoffs history after falling to San Antonio 114-93.
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Worse for Portland? The Blazers could easily be up 3-1 had it not been for back-to-back squandered leads.
That leads into where the blame lies for Portland among other elements after this Game 4 collapse.
Blazers failing to finish
Troy Wayrynen-Imagn Images
Sunday’s botched lead hands the Blazers this new infamous mark:
Sunday stings the worse for the home team. The Blazers held their biggest lead even with Victor Wembanyama on the floor.
Portland is struggling to finish games at the wrong time. Especially with these other moments dooming the Blazers.
No defense against De’Aaron Fox
The former Sacramento Kings star is tasting his first playoffs with the Spurs. Yet Portland’s defense made him look like Tony Parker.
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Fox lit up the hosts by scoring 28 points including nailing four from behind the arc. But Fox raised his game another level during the final quarter in dropping 11 points there. He even put Jerami Grant in a blender here to help seal the rout:
Fox clearly is embracing becoming the soul snatcher for the Spurs in this series. Tiago Splitter will need to adjust his defensive scheme with the Blazers’ backs against the wall.
Paint defense struggled too
Fox isn’t the only thorn on the floor. Victor Wembanyama is the frontcourt tide lifting San Antonio too.
Wemby dominated the paint in his return from concussion protocol: 27 points with 11 rebounds. And when Wembanyama is on the floor, SA’s post offense becomes rough to contain.
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The Spurs sure enough pummeled Portland down low in tallying 52 points in the paint. Devin Vassell and Julian Champagnie contributed to the frontcourt onslaught too, combining for 19 points from their forward spots.
Ball security needed to survive
San Antonio flipped a different switch on defense to spark this comeback victory.
Portland lost the basketball an astonishing 18 times compared to the Spurs’ 12. SA took advantage of those ball security miscues by scoring 29 points off the turnovers.
It’s also how the Spurs built their largest lead at 21 during the game. Turnovers always will destroy offensive momentum, and it greatly damaged Portland.
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Help lacking for Blazers’ leading scorer
Deni Avdija looks like he’s carrying the Blazers.
He dropped 26 points to lead the way through 37 minutes played. Avdija even dealt with a physical Stephon Castle while calling him out after the game. But the forward hasn’t received the best help in this series.
Jrue Holiday added 20 on the stat sheet, but turned it over six times. Grant settled for 17 points but grabbed just five rebounds.
Avdija’s frontside mates offered little points help too. Toumani Camara and Donovan Clingan combined for only 13 points.
The play-in representative needs the aforementioned bigs to step up big in the name of avoiding being eliminated.
Related: Deni Avdija speaks out on ‘disrespect’ from Stephon Castle
Related: Is Blazers’ Damian Lillard returning for Game 4 vs. Spurs?
