Portland Trail Blazers: The chase pack is closing in
The race for the final NBA Western conference play-in spots is much tighter since the Portland Trail Blazers played their first bubble game on Saturday.
When the Portland Trail Blazers beat Memphis on Saturday, it took just a little pressure off the team. They were two-and-a-half games behind the Griz for eighth and had a half-game lead over San Antonio for ninth. The situation has changed in three days.
The standings are much tighter now, and if the Blazers lose to Houston Tuesday night, they will get swallowed by chase pack. By the end of the day, ninth place could have five teams separated by one game, with five to play.
It’s unfair to call the Portland Trail Blazers game against Houston on Tuesday a must-win. It isn’t because there is still plenty of basketball left on the schedule. A win, however, once again opens a slight amount of breathing room. The task isn’t that simple.
Rocket fueled
Houston has a pair of perennial MVP candidates in their lineup. Both James Harden (34.4 points, 7.4 assists, and 6.4 rebounds per game) and Russell Westbrook (27.6, 7.0, 8.1) are capable of hoisting a team on their backs and leading it to a win on any given night. Blazers point guard Damian Lillard (29.9. 8.0, 4.3) is good, he can carry the team as well but is outnumbered in the elite department 2:1.
Additionally, the Rockets are on a high after rallying from eight points down with 3:15 remaining to beat the best team in the east, Milwaukee, 120–116. Houston has to be feeling pretty invincible right now. The Rockets come into the game with even more motivation. They are one-and-a-half games behind Denver for the third seed and three games behind the L.A. for the second seed.
Losing to Boston should be a huge wake-up call for the Portland Trail Blazers. Lillard has repeatedly said he came to Orlando for more than a two-week stay. That means Portland will need a consistent 48-minute effort. Especially from the big boys inside.
Jusuf Nurkic, Zach Collins, and Hassan Whiteside have a considerable advantage. Houston has no one in their rotation over 6-8. The Blazers must go big, stay big, and, most importantly, play big to pull out a win.
During their two bubble games, Portland has tended to fall off for long stretches. The Blazers can’t afford to do that against Houston because the Rockets will bury them.
The chase pack is on Portland’s heels. Another fall and they get trampled by a few hungry dogs.
How do you feel about the Portland Trail Blazers’ chances on Tuesday night? And in the battle for the ninth seed? Let us know in the comments section below or on social media.