Recap: Blazers Finish Off Pelicans, 122-110

The Blazers didn’t make it easy for themselves, but they got the job done, beating the Pelicans 122-110 (Box Score). New Orleans was missing both Anthony Davis and known-Blazers-stopper Jrue Holiday, so there is nothing to be proud of here, but a win is a win in a tight West playoff race. Portland officially sweeps the season series from the Pelicans in the season after they swept the Blazers in the playoffs. Doesn’t feel like much comfort.

Here are a few thoughts from a nondescript Friday night game.

• Stumbling into victory. The Blazers didn’t exactly wow the 14 attending home fans in the first quarter, giving up 37 points to the Pelicans and scoring only 30. But this game didn’t require the effort reserved for Golden State, and Portland eventually pulled away.
• Second-greatest Blazer? Damian Lillard passes former teammate LaMarcus Aldridge (whom he will see tomorrow night!) to become the second-leading scorer in Portland Trail Blazers franchise history.
• On to the next game. The Blazers won the first two games of this road trip, with one left: a tilt against the San Antonio Spurs, who are playing well, but also will be on the second game of a back-to-back. Could be a wild one.
• Julius Randle scored 45. Yep. Julius Randle. Career-high. 20-34 FG shooting. Let’s not talk about this again.
• Nurkic fouled out. It wasn’t a big deal, and it was late, but hey, it’s a bullet point. Let’s pack this up.