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The Portland Trail Blazers have been the Houston Rockets’ kryptonite for a while, and Wednesday night was no exception. The Blazers easily beat the Rockets 125-112, making them look a bit like a lottery team.
No Answer For Damian. It’s no secret Lillard has been in a groove for weeks, and it was no different against the Rockets. He finished with a triple-double, 36 points, 11 assists, and 10 rebounds.
Blazers Dominance. Houston had no answers for the finally-rested Blazers, who brought energy all over the floor and kept the Rockets off balance all night.
Wait, This Is A Playoff Team? Houston barely looked worthy of being an NBA team tonight, missing layups, wide open shots, making lazy passes that were repeatedly stolen, and sleepwalking on defense. They looked like a junior-varsity team at times. Management may be busy at the trade deadline looking for changes. Perhaps they can inquire about the availability of Chris Paul, he might help.
Refs You Rock. The officials had love for the Blazers tonight, giving Houston a total of 4 (yes, four) free throws after three quarters, by which point Portland had blown it open. The lack of fouls led to part of the Rockets’ discombobulation, but Houston did most of it on their own. The refs closed the gap in the fourth quarter, leading to the closer final score.
The Blazers now prepare to fly to Los Angeles, for a very emotional Friday night game against the Lakers.