On Tuesday night, the Portland Trail Blazers secured an impressive victory against a strong opponent, the Minnesota Timberwolves, on their home court. The following day, these two teams met again for the second game of a back-to-back series. Many predicted a swift Timberwolves retaliation, anticipating an easy victory for them.
However, the Blazers seemingly disregarded that prediction.
Despite being shorthanded – missing starters Anfernee Simons and Deandre Ayton, along with reserve center Robert Williams III – the Blazers dominated the Timberwolves. A remarkable defensive performance by Portland’s wings, bolstered by rookie Donovan Clingan as the lone center available, resulted in a surprising 106-98 win.
Here’s a breakdown of the key factors that contributed to Portland’s victory.
Clingan Rises to the Occasion
After an initial few minutes, Donovan Clingan established himself effectively in the paint, disrupting shots and blocking attempts defensively without committing fouls. This marked his most consistent and impactful defensive performance yet, particularly noticeable during the second half with his prodigious shot-blocking ability. His teammates, being long and agile, were able to contain drives, allowing him to focus on his core strength. Notably, he even secured a flat-footed block against Rudy Gobert in the fourth quarter.
Moreover, Clingan displayed notable court awareness by delivering a couple of precise passes to cutters from the top of the key during the second half. His overall contribution was commendable.
The rookie finished with an impressive stat line: 17 points, 12 rebounds, and a remarkable 8 blocks.
Flickering Defense
Portland’s defense demonstrates significant potential when functioning effectively; however, when it falters, the team struggles comprehensively. This was evident at various points during the game.
One scenario arose when Minnesota countered quickly with fast breaks. As previously mentioned, transition plays pose a particular threat to a young and agile team like the Blazers. While not always unstoppable, “The Wolves” primarily capitalized on this through quick strikes against individual defenders who were often overwhelmed.
Another instance occurred due to unfavorable switches. Portland relies heavily on switching defensive assignments – particularly among their wing players – to combat pick-and-rolls. This strategy proves effective when the lineup is healthy. However, missing key players hindered their ability to execute this scheme effectively. They were frequently left with Clingan defensively responsible against a larger opponent, or short guards like Scoot Henderson guarding in the paint. While this might work against second units, it struggles against elite scorers like Anthony Edwards or dominant centers such as Rudy Gobert.
On rare occasions when Portland attempted to provide help defense, Minnesota capitalized with swift passes to open teammates or easily secured offensive rebounds against unguarded big men.
These combined factors allowed the Timberwolves a comfortable lead in the first quarter, scoring 33 points and seemingly poised for an effortless victory.
Small Ball Emerges as the Solution
The remedy for Portland’s defensive woes came from an unexpected source.
During the second quarter, with their lack of centers, the Blazers deployed a lineup consisting of forwards, wings, and Scoot Henderson. This small-ball configuration proved remarkably effective as they staunchly defended the mid-lane area, thwarting one-on-one drives by the Timberwolves. When the ball stopped moving forward, Portland capitalized on the stalled offense with active hands, creating steals and initiating fast breaks.
This momentum carried through much of the remainder of the game, even after Clingan returned as a true center. This highlights the exceptional defensive abilities of Portland’s guards and forwards capable of switching assignments between 6’6” and 6’9”, creating a significant advantage for their defense.
Kris Murray deserves recognition for his defensive performance. He actively contested shots, frequently beating his opponent to the location and forcing them into errors or turnovers. It was an exceptional performance from a player who typically sees limited minutes.
Sharpe Shooting
It’s difficult to single out one hero from Portland’s impressive showing tonight, as they played like a cohesive unit straight out of the Super Friends cartoon. However, Shaedon Sharpe stood out with his dominance in the paint. Seemingly aware that the Blazers were missing scoring contributions from Ayton and Simons, Sharpe relentlessly attacked the basket with power, absorbing contact and finishing with smooth, seemingly effortless layups (though they undoubtedly required skill and effort). He proved pivotal in the latter stages of the game by consistently driving past Gobert and sinking crucial baskets.
Sharpe led all scorers with 33 points in 36 minutes. It was gratifying to witness his immense potential finally come to fruition in such a challenging matchup.
Scoot Pick and Roll
Scoot Henderson might be wishing he could face Rudy Gobert every night. Henderson and Clingan combined for several effective pick-and-roll plays that forced the French center to react defensively, stifling both penetration drives and timely passes from Henderson. Henderson’s vision and passing were exceptional in these situations. Gobert’s lack of speed proved insufficient to halt Portland’s point guard, and his inability to recover before reaching Clingan consistently resulted in successful scores. These plays were both aesthetically pleasing and essential to Portland’s mid-game success.
Damian Lillard used to regularly exploit Gobert on the court; it appears the Blazers now have another point guard capable of performing this feat, albeit through a different approach.
Henderson finished the game with 5 assists, surpassing his 5 turnovers for once. For a change, the former statistic outweighed the latter.
Paint Points
While Shaedon Sharpe took center stage in the highlight reel tonight, he was certainly not alone. This was arguably Portland’s most prolific game of the season in terms of powerful drives and emphatic dunks. The visiting team’s lack of a legitimate center coupled with their unrefined post moves created open lanes for Portland, resulting in numerous visually impressive scoring plays. This sight is rare and highly welcome in Portland.
The Blazers racked up 52 points in the paint tonight, outperforming the physically larger, more experienced, and technically superior Timberwolves by a narrow margin of 2 points.
Minny Threes
Portland capitalized on the Minnesota Timberwolves’ underwhelming shooting from beyond the arc tonight. Their attempts were even less accurate than they were last night when the Timberwolves shot a respectable 37.1% overall from three-point range. The Timberwolves missed numerous wide-open shots, much to Portland’s delight.
Minnesota shot a dismal 7-for-39 (17.9%) from distance. Anthony Edwards, one of the league’s most prolific three-point shooters, endured an off night, going 0-9 beyond the arc.
Up Next
The Blazers now have several days of rest before hosting the Atlanta Hawks at 3:00 PM PST on Sunday.
