Damian Lillard turned back the clock on Tuesday night. The Portland guard scored 25 points in just 24 minutes, including 13 in the third quarter, as the Trail Blazers snapped a two-game skid with a 123-103 victory over the Oklahoma City Thunder at the Moda Center. It was Portland’s first win over the Thunder in some time — only their second in the past 21 meetings, according to the Associated Press roundup — and it ended Oklahoma City’s four-game winning streak.
Deni Avdija added 24 points, eight assists and six rebounds, and Sidy Cissoko scored 17 points, as Portland took control after a closely contested first half that ended 59-59. The Blazers hit seven three-pointers in the third quarter to build a 16-point lead at 97-81, and the Thunder never recovered. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander scored 26 points for Oklahoma City, but he had little support on a night when Portland’s energy overwhelmed the visitors.
A statement win for Portland
The Blazers, now 7-3, have been one of the early surprises of the season, and this was their most impressive result yet. Beating the Thunder, who arrived at 8-3 and on a four-game winning streak, takes some doing, and Portland did it with style. Lillard, who hit four three-pointers from 10 attempts, looked like the player who once carried this franchise, and the Moda Center crowd responded accordingly.
The third quarter was the difference. Portland’s ball movement, their shooting and their defence all clicked at once, and the Thunder — usually so composed — had no answer. Avdija’s all-round game was crucial, and Cissoko’s 17 points off the bench gave the Blazers a spark that Oklahoma City could not match. It was a team win, but it was Lillard’s name that lit up the arena.
A quick rematch awaits
The two teams meet again as soon as Wednesday, with the Thunder getting an immediate chance to respond. Oklahoma City will need to be better, particularly defensively, after conceding 123 points to a team they would have expected to beat. The Thunder remain one of the best teams in the West at 8-3, and one defeat does not change that, but the manner of it will have stung.
For Portland, the challenge is to back it up. The Blazers have shown they can beat anyone on their night; the next step is to do it consistently. Wednesday’s rematch is the perfect test. If they can do it twice in two nights, the rest of the league will have to take them seriously.
Related reading: Wembanyama Drops 40 as Spurs Win Ninth Straight in Phoenix and Durant and Sengun Star as Rockets Beat Nuggets 110-100
