On Thursday evening, the Denver Nuggets received 121-120 over the Portland Path Blazers at Moda Middle, and Blazers coach Chauncey Billups addressed his frustration together with his crew’s poor protection following the loss.
“It was actually good shot-making, however I’m annoyed,” Billups mentioned after watching his gamers enable Jamal Murray to knock down the game-winning three-pointer for the Nuggets.
Based on some NBA betting websites, the Path Blazers have the Seventeenth-best odds to win the championship in 2023. A number of sportsbooks are displaying higher odds for the Los Angeles Lakers and Dallas Mavericks.
Chauncey Billups: “We’re up two. The worst shot you may give up is a 3. A two does not beat us. We will time beyond regulation. Horrible.”
— Sean Highkin (@highkin) December 9, 2022
“We didn’t execute the best way we would have liked to in the previous couple of minutes however extra significantly the eight seconds. It wasn’t dealt with nicely in any respect,” continued Billups.
“We’re up two. The final shot you may give up is a 3. A two doesn’t beat us. We go into time beyond regulation. No massive deal. You surrender a three-point shot? No. It’s horrible.”
Path Blazers coach Chauncey Billups is disillusioned in his gamers’ protection of their 121-120 loss to the Nuggets
With Portland main 120-118, Murray hit the game-winning shot from downtown, leaving solely 0.9 seconds left on the clock. It was dangerous protection by the Path Blazers.
Within the Blazers’ closing possession, Justice Winslow tried to inbound the ball to Jusuf Nurkic, however the ball was swatted away by Nuggets’ Kentavious Caldwell Pope.
Damian Lillard led Portland in scoring with 40 factors in 38 minutes of motion. The guard completed 12-of-22 (54.5%) capturing from the ground and made 9 threes.
Plus, the six-time All-Star amassed 12 assists. It was his fourth double-double of the season.
At one level, the Path Blazers had an 11-point lead. Not solely had been they held again by 4 technical fouls, however the Blazers had been additionally outscored 64-46 within the paint. So as to add insult to damage, the Nuggets scored 21 factors off of turnovers on this matchup.
Sadly, disappointing endings are nothing new for Portland followers. This loss dropped the Path Blazers to 13-12 for the season. They rank eighth total within the Western Convention standings.
Portland ranks twenty third within the NBA in scoring, averaging 110.7 factors per sport. Nevertheless, the crew is permitting 111.4 factors per sport, which ranks eleventh within the league.
For a crew that’s statistically enjoying higher on protection, they’re not displaying it. Along with surrendering 121 factors towards the Nuggets, they gave up 111 to the Utah Jazz final Saturday.
Moreover, the Path Blazers allowed 128 factors to the Los Angeles Lakers and 118 to the Los Angeles Clippers final week as nicely. They’re in the identical spot as a number of different contending groups. Portland wants one other famous person. Lillard wants assist.