Recap: Blazers’ Bell Rung by Sixers

The Portland Trail Blazers didn’t fold after a disastrous first half in which they were held to a season-low 34 points, but ultimately fell to the Philadelphia 76ers by a final score of 105-95 on Thursday night at Moda Center. The Sixers, who led by as many as 26 points in the game, were led by a 32-point effort from Joel Embiid, who also had nine rebounds. Damian Lillard paced Portland with 25 points, along with 11 assists, while Jerami Grant added 24 points for the home team.

Box Score

Here’s a quick look at how the action went down.

1st Quarter

The Sixers jumped out to an early lead, working their offense through Embiid while Portland started the game just 1-10 from the field. Meanwhile, Jusuf Nurkic picked up two quick fouls, hitting the bench at the 7:30 mark. Philly led 17-6 by the five-minute mark, with Embiid already having scored 10 points. The Sixers offense continued to roll as the subs entered the game, with Tyrese Maxey scoring six quick points.

By the end of the frame, the Sixers held a 26-14 lead, with the Blazers shooting just 6-22 from the field and 0-6 from three-point land. They also committed five turnovers. The 76ers were just 2-10 from three, but found success in the midrange and in the paint.

2nd Quarter

Philadelphia’s offense kept their foot on the gas to start the second—attacking the rim and playing solid defense. The Sixers pushed their lead to 21 at 40-19 with 8:30 remaining in the half as the Blazers offense floundered in every aspect. Embiid re-entered the game around the midway point and immediately picked up where he left off in the first quarter—knocking down a quick three and driving to the rim with Nurkic on the bench with three fouls.

Portland couldn’t buy a bucket from distance and continued to turn the ball over, as the Sixers maintained a 20-point lead with four minutes left. As the halftime buzzer sounded, the 76ers held a 57-34 lead, with Embiid leading the charge with 17 points. However, he did pick up his third foul in the final 30 seconds. The Blazers finished the half shooting just 31 %, and were a paltry 1-14 from three. Grant was the only Blazer in double-figures, scoring 10 points on 3-7 shooting. Lillard was just 1-10 from the field, and Portland had 11 turnovers at the break.

3rd Quarter

The Blazers finally started to knock down a few shots to start the second half—hitting three early threes—but weren’t able to get stops on the other end to trim the deficit. Halfway through the frame, Philly held a 24-point lead. Nassir Little hit a pair of buckets towards the end of the quarter, pulling the Blazers within 18 with 3:30 remaining. The Sixers offense then went cold with Embiid and James Harden on the bench, and a 14-0 Blazers run had Portland within 12. Philly held a 79-65 advantage when the horn sounded. The Blazers scored 31 in the frame, almost equaling their halftime total, while holding the 76ers to 22 points on the other end with renewed defensive energy.

4th Quarter

A pair of Georges Niang triples restored order for the 76ers to begin the final frame. Little provided some solid minutes for the Blazers, and added a much-needed scoring punch off the bench. Halfway through the quarter, the Sixers led 95-80 after an Embiid and-one basket at the rim. A 6-0 Blazer run pushed the deficit to single-digits for the first time since the first quarter, forcing the Sixers to call for time with just under four minutes remaining. The run continued after the break on a pair of Anfernee Simons free throws after Embiid’s fifth foul, with the Blazers trailing by just seven.

A pair of fast break opportunities from Philly stopped the bleeding. A Lillard three with 1:30 on the clock pulled Portland back within eight, but Harden answered with a floater at the other end to put the game on ice. The Blazers outscored Philadelphia 61-48 in the second half, and had just four turnovers.

Up Next

The Blazers host the Los Angeles Lakers at 6:00 p.m. PT on Sunday. Stay tuned for further analysis from tonight’s game here on Blazer’s Edge.