The Portland Trail Blazers put together their most dominant half of the season in the opening two quarters against the New Orleans Pelicans on Wednesday night.
The final score, 119-100, doesn’t do justice to Portland’s magnificient first half.
The Blazers delivered a masterclass in offensive efficiency and defensive tenacity. The game was essentially over by halftime, with the Blazers cruising to a 75-42 lead.
Portland shot an abusrd 31 of 45 from the floor, including a sizzling 11 of 21 from beyond the arc. The ball movement was crisp, with 17 assists on those 31 made shots. It was a team effort, but Shaedon Sharpe led the charge with 21 points, followed by Deni Avdija with 15 and Anfernee Simons with 10. The Pelicans simply had no answer for the offensive onslaught.
The Blazers’ Yin and Yang
If there was a perfect embodiment of our dominance, it came in the form of Sharpe and Avdija. Sharpe was the epitome of smooth, making the game look effortless. His jumper was pure silk, and he flirted with a perfect half, going 8 of 10 from the floor and 4 of 6 from three. His two misses bounced around the rim before softly dropping out. Dude had the touch.
On the flip side, Avdija was a force. Where Sharpe was butter, Avdija was the knife, cutting through the Pelicans’ defense with relentless energy. He finished the half 6 of 11, including 3 of 6 from downtown. His passes were a thing of beauty, showcasing both his basketball IQ and hustle.
Wednesday was easy. The Pelicans, to be sure, are awful. But the Blazers have had their share of hiccups against bad opponents this season (Helo, 42-point home loss to the Utah Jazz). There were no hiccups to found on Wednesday. Just a full throated beatdown, and their best half of the season.
For more insights and a deeper dive into this dominant Blazers performance, tune into the Locked On Blazers podcast for this and much more.
Other Topics in Today’s Locked On Blazers Podcast:
• Jerami Grant’s continued absence and its implications
• Rob Williams’ return to action and Donovan Clingan’s rest day
• The ongoing saga of Blazers games availability on YouTube TV
