Post-Game Grades: Blazers Shoot Lights Out and End Pacers 6-game Win Streak
By Ryan Barth
123. 34. Final. 111. 100
All good things must come to an end and the Pacers stout defense and Paul George’s MVP-like performances were nowhere to be found in Rip City tonight. Maybe it was dead legs due to playing the 2nd night of a back to back in the midst of their 4-game West Coast road trip. Maybe the guys had one too many voodoo donuts. Whatever it was, you can’t let a team score 123 points, shoot 52% and expect to win in the NBA.
The Good: Nice to see the free throw shooting improve (22-24). Great way to start the game on a 10-0 run that you had a feeling wouldn’t hold up in the end.
The Bad: Any semblance of defense, especially on the perimeter, allowing Portland to score 41 points in the 3rd quarter when they began to run away with the game. While rebounding has been a strength as of late, there was little effort on the defensive glass tonight. Every Portland offensive rebound seemed to wind up in the hands of Damian Lillard, CJ McCollum or Allen Crabbe-Beckham Jr. for a wide open three.
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MVP: CJ Miles. He hit 8 more from long range and did his best to make a game out of this one.
LVP: Paul George. Haven’t seen his name here in quite some time, but he was forcing the issue offensively (0-9 from beyond the arc) on a night when he just didn’t have it. The turnovers (5) reared their ugly head again too. When you have a night like this, you have to give your teammates a shot and let others go to work.
X-Factor: Rodney Stuckey went off in the 3rd quarter and did a nice job of attacking and getting out on the break. His teammates could learn a thing or two from the way he gets to the rim and regularly gets fouled (8-8 on FT’s).
D-. <p>It might be a good idea to stop shooting three’s after you’ve missed your first six or so. What happened to the PG that dropped a career high 43 points here in Portland two years ago? Good to see him come back after he took a knee late in the third quarter as his health is of paramount importance these days. Way too many trips down the floor where he brings the ball up and shoots immediately without even one pass or attempting to initiate the offense. Frank Vogel and Norman Dale aren’t having any of that mess.</p>. Power Forward. Indiana Pacers. PAUL GEORGE
Inc.. <p>Left in the 3rd quarter when he got kneed in the back and did not return. Feels weird to say the team might have missed his defense in the 2nd half (it certainly couldn’t have been any worse).</p><p><span style=. Shooting Guard. Indiana Pacers. MONTA ELLIS
C+. <p>Solid offensively scoring 18 points, but didn’t play a lick of defense on Lillard. Nice to see him post up Dame in the 1st quarter and take advantage of the size advantage a la Mark Jackson and get a few easy buckets.</p>. Point Guard. Indiana Pacers. GEORGE HILL
<p>Scored #2points1second right off the bat when he snared the jump ball and went bananas from there. If CJ is going to shoot 72% from three-point range, you would have liked him to get at least a few of the 9 brick’s PG took from deep. He’s been in range when he crosses half court. This game would have been ugly in the 2nd half were it not for CJ.</p>. Shooting Guard. Indiana Pacers. C.J. MILES. A
IAN MAHINMI. B+. <p>Strong double-double from the big man (10 points and 11 rebounds) and even chipped in 3 assists. Slowly raising that free-throw percentage!</p>. Center. Indiana Pacers
Point Guard. Indiana Pacers. RODNEY STUCKEY. A-. <p>Stuffed the stat sheet (17 points, 6 assists, 5 rebounds and 3 steals) and bullied his way to the bucket with no regard for human life. Kept the 3rd quarter from being a massacre.</p>
Center. Indiana Pacers. JORDAN HILL. B-. <p>One of 7 Pacers to hit double figures (10 points), but missed quite a few at the rim when he was setup perfectly.</p>
C+. <p>Ed Davis had 13 rebounds off the bench, so he struggled at his craft to say the least.</p>. Power Forward. Indiana Pacers. LAVOY ALLEN
CHASE BUDINGER. B. <p>Very efficient off the bench (10 points, 3 rebounds) and is now shooting 39% from deep on the season.</p>. Small Forward. Indiana Pacers
C+. <p>He was forced into action when PG went down. Nice block and a few strong defensive plays on a night when the defense was laughable.</p>. Small Forward. Indiana Pacers. GLENN ROBINSON