Portland Trail Blazers: It can’t be Dame Time all the time
Too many examples
This is the NBA, home to the greatest ballers on earth. But this is too much.
January 30, 2021: Portland Trail Blazers 123 – Chicago Bulls 122
The Bulls are better than they have shown recently, but the Blazers should still have won the game by at least two possessions. Instead, Dame hit a pair of threes in the final nine seconds, including a buzzer-beater, to pull out the win.
February 14, 2021: Portland Trail Blazers 121 – Dallas Mavericks 118
This game was tied at 116 with 32.5 seconds left when Dame hit a step-back three to give Portland the decisive basket.
February 17, 2021: Portland Trail Blazers 126 – New Orleans Pelicans 124
Down by a point with 16.5 seconds left against New Orleans, Lillard drove the line for a bucket-and-one to nail down a win.
March 3, 2021: Portland Trail Blazers 108 – Golden State Warriors – 106
Portland trailed by two with under 14 seconds to go. With Kent Bazemore all over him, Lilliard nailed a trey and a victory.
March 16, 2021: Portland Trail Blazers 126 – New Orleans Pelicans 124
Lillard victimized NOP for the second time in a month. New Orleans, leading 124-123, turned the ball over on an inbound pass with 5.2 seconds remaining. Portland got the ball in play and to Lillard, who drew a foul with only 1.3 seconds on the clock. Two converted free throws sealed the deal.
What do the close games mean?
So, these Dame Time games can mean one of two things: 1) the Blazers aren’t that good or 2) the victims of Dame Time this year are much better than their records indicate. If the Blazers are a good team, why are they in so many close games? Close games where Portland needs Dame Time to pull out a win.
The truth is probably somewhere in the middle. But the fact of the matter is the Portland Trail Blazers are one Lillard injury (even one the costs him as little as two weeks) away from watching the 2021 NBA playoffs from the couch like NBA fans.