Trail Blazers are Scoring More Fast Break Points This Season

Each week, Team Mom highlights her favorites plays, players and other things that made the Trail Blazers fun to watch. Who is Mom’s Favorite this week? What were your favorite things that happened this week? Let us know in the comments below.

Week 7: December 1-7. Los Angeles Clippers (L), Sacramento Kings (W), LA Lakers (L)

Losing to Los Angeles or LA always hurts and to have that happen twice in one week was quite a blow. But losing a player is far worse. Get well soon Rodney Hood!

Mom’s Favorite: Fast Break Points

The last time the Trail Blazers were in the top half of the league in fast break points was way back in 2005, when they were ninth and averaged 13.4 fast break points per game. Since then, the highest they ever ranked among all teams was 22nd, holding down the very bottom spot in the league four times in the last 15 years.

Well, don’t look now, but the Blazers are 12th in the league with 13.8 fast break points per game. They had a season-high 28 fast break points against Sacramento this week and an above-average outing of 17 against the Lakers. With a depleted roster, these quick points seem like a good chance for the Blazers to score, at least until they figure out the new rotations (again). Damian Lillard, CJ McCollum and Anfernee Simons scored or assisted on most of the fast break points this week, with Carmelo Anthony, Kent Bazemore and even Nassir Little contributing as well.

My favorite fast break points this week were Damian Lillard’s three outlet passes against Sacramento. I can’t recall him throwing that many long distance passes, so I hope he keeps it up. Here are a couple of highlights:

Lillard to Melo:

Lillard to Little

Honorable mentions

Kent Bazemore is scoring more. Bazemore brings defensive energy off the bench every night but he has struggled to score this season. Four of the last five years he has averaged double figures, but this season, he sits at 7.8 points per game. His career field goal percentage is 41.5 but this year he is down around 35 percent. This week he scored 15 points against Sacramento, the most he has scored as a Trail Blazer, and he also scored above his season average against two difficult opponents, nine against the Clippers, and 10 against the Lakers. If Bazemore’s minutes increase due to Rodney Hood’s injury, Blazers will need him score more. He’s bouncy and energetic enough to get himself into scoring position, from easy buckets in transition:

To knocking down corner threes:

So here is hoping this is the beginning of a better scoring output from Bazemore who is already playing well defensively.

Skal Labissiere guarding Anthony Davis. According to stats.nba.com, Skal Labissiere only guarded Anthony Davis for 1:05 minutes on Friday night, but what fun it was to watch Skal poke at and annoy the Lakers big man. We were at the game and my husband pointed it out in the first half while someone was taking free throws. Labissiere and Davis were at the other end of the court waiting for the ball to come their way. Skal put his hand on AD’s back. AD brushes it off.

Skal puts his hand on AD’s back.

AD brushes it off.

Skal puts his hand on AD’s back.

AD brushes it off.

Skal puts his hand on AD’s back.

AD brushes it off.

Skal puts his hand on AD’s back.

AD brushes it off.

And on and on. I raised three boys. I recognize that tactic. Skal’s persistence was impressive. I tried to find it on the broadcast but I couldn’t. I did however find highlights of Labissiere blocking Davis and then dunking after Davis failed to stop him.

I know that relying on Skal Labissiere to guard the best players in the league is a tall order for the young fella. It is probably not the long term solution to the holes in the roster, but it is where we are right now. So find the good where you can as the Blazers continue to play through a difficult season.

Terry Stotts ejected! Stotts stood up for Kent Bazemore and had to be restrained before he was tossed on Friday night. So much to enjoy about this not the least of which is wondering: What would Stotts have done if no one had been there to hold him back?

Fashion: The Blazers have increased their effort on the walkups lately. Whether it is the influence of Carmelo Anthony or something else, their outfits have been outstanding.

And look at this adorable Jusuf Nurkic outfit. If we can’t have him on the court, at least we have him fully engaged on the sidelines. How does a 7 foot tall man manage to look so cute? Surround him with kittens or put a puppy in his lap but neither of those things would make him look as sweet as that jaunty little hat.

That will do it for this week’s Mom’s Favorites. What did you like about this week? What plays or player make you excited for the future? Let us know in the comments below.