POR was down to 9 players tonight with only Kanter as a Center. Up by 23 with 6 minutes left in the 3rd, OKC goes on a 42-15 run to take a 5-point lead. POR, including Dame (1-10 from 3 at this point), could not buy a bucket or stop OKC. Timeout POR with 5 minutes left and Dame turns it up another two notches. He drains a 27-footer. Trent causes an over-and-back. Dame drives and draws five players so he hits a wide-open Trent who nails a "3" and puts POR ahead. More Defense by POR and then Dame drains a 25-footer with Dork drenched all over him, so he has to put an extra arch on it. More Defense by POR before Dame buries a 31-footer. Another timeout for OKC. They get two, but Dame drives and hits a wide-open RoCo (40% shooting from 3 since C.J. went out 12 games ago on an average of 5 attempts per game), who nails the clutch three. More Defense by POR (13th Rated Defense over the last 8 games) before Dame nails a 27-footer as POR goes 6-6 from 3 and outscores OKC 18-2 over the last 4:47. Five in a row. 8 of 10. Kanter couldn't walk after getting injured again, but toughed it out in the 4th Quarter. Dame got injured again and was limping for the 4th Quarter. Dame got 4 fouls for the first time in his life in the 1st half, but played through it and avoided getting fouled out. Simons did foul out after hitting 5 three's in the 1st half. Nassir was 3-3 from three. Melo hurt himself, too. RoCo still wearing the concussion mask. No rest for the weary. On to New Orleans tomorrow night, who just beat MEM by 30. POR is finding ways to get wins, despite being incredibly short-handed and those that are playing have a ton of injuries. That is so Lillard. Don't know when Hood (ankle sprain) and Giles (calf strain) are coming back. Hope Kanter and Dame can play tomorrow. If Dame can stand without crutches, he'll play. Kanter is getting beat to death, as is Melo.
And then there are teams like PHO, LAL, UTA and the LAC who are playing at a level that nobody else can come close to.