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Chauncey Billups already knows what it’s like to win as a coach – and with the feast included. His Blazers passed over the current NBA finalists, Phoenix Suns, to give him this emotional moment and lay the foundations of the team’s present. The 134-105 that the email reflected after 48 minutes was overwhelming and made a smile in Portland, where they also know that there is a huge way to go.
“We are working on creating an identity. I want us to be tough, I want us to compete every night, and I want us to be selfless on both ends of the court, ”says Billups.
Defense is an obsession for the new Oregon franchise manager. The Blazers have been one of the teams that receives the most points for years, and stopping such bleeding is considered decisive to take a step forward. Against the Suns they received 105 points. Last season it took nine games to get the rival team to stay at 105 points or less. They seem to be on the right track.
In case you need more proof of how important defense is to Billups, you have to see that even in the celebration of his first triumph as a coach he reminded his boys.
Regarding the game, the reality is that it had little history. The first minutes were even, but at halftime the Trail Blazers dominated by 20 points, an income that would extend to 37 … Much of the blame for such an outcome was the 28 points of a successful CJ McCollum. Along with him also stood out the 19 goals from Damian Lillard and the 18 that Anfernee Simmons contributed from the bench.
Fewer smiles were on the Phoenix side. The Monty Williams boys noticed they were playing their second back-to-back game and barely put up a fight. Devin Booker scored 21 points, but from there there is little to tell. Chris Paul stayed at 4 points, although he distributed 11 assists. If they scored in double figures Mikal Bridges (14) and Elfrid Payton (14 from the bench).
Norman Powell gives the scare
That’s how it is. The Portland forward had to leave the court in the first half with a left knee injury. At times a serious injury was feared, but Adrian Wojnarowski from ESPN points out that the first scans carried out would be ruling out a serious problem in the player’s joint. For the Oregonians it is essential to continue to have a player of his weight in the rotation.
(Photograph by Steph Chambers / Getty Images)
