The Portland Trail Blazers remain positive as they look to apply the brakes on a five-game losing skid Sunday against the visiting Toronto Raptors.
The Trail Blazers’ latest setback came in heartbreaking fashion, as Mikal Bridges drained a 3-pointer over the outstretched hand of rookie Donovan Clingan as time expired in a 114-113 overtime loss to the New York Knicks on Wednesday.
“Obviously, it was a tough one,” Clingan said, per The Oregonian. “We left it all out there. We gave it everything we had, which I feel like is why it hurt a lot, because we did everything we could.”
Scoot Henderson and Deni Avdija certainly stepped up. Henderson scored 20 of his 30 points in the fourth quarter and overtime and Avdija registered 27 points and 15 rebounds.
Avdija, who recently returned from a two-game absence due to a quadriceps injury, also converted a three-point play with 3.4 seconds left to put Portland ahead in overtime. Bridges, however, provided the rough ending as the Trail Blazers tumbled in the opener of their seven-game homestand.
“They’re really, really good moments to teach from. It (stinks) to lose a game that way,” Portland head coach Chauncey Billups said. “But also, sometimes the gravity of losing makes you pay attention a little more.”
While that may be the case, the clock is ticking for the Trail Blazers (28-39). They fell 4 1/2 games behind the Dallas Mavericks for the final spot in the Western Conference play-in tournament.
Despite a less-than-desirable spot in the standings, Clingan said the team remains motivated.
“We’re really just locking in, working hard to finish the season strong,” he said.
Toronto (24-43) also finds itself on the outside looking in at the play-in tournament.
Unlike the Trail Blazers, however, the Raptors are heading in the right direction. They recorded their third win in a row and sixth in seven outings on Friday with a 126-118 road triumph over the Utah Jazz.
Scottie Barnes collected 20 points and 10 rebounds and Immanuel Quickley also scored 20 points as Toronto opened its four-game road trip on a high.
Jamal Shead said the team’s growing confidence stems from working together.
“Just keep learning, keep learning each other every day and trying to keep our consistency,” Shead said, according to Sportsnet. “Going on this road trip learning that we’re in a different city every time, different time zone, just switching it up every day. Just being with each other and playing off each other is going to be helpful to us.”
Toronto native A.J. Lawson scored 18 points off the bench to boost his total to 78 over the last three games. The latter total ties a franchise record for bench points over a three-game stretch shared by Jalen Rose and Donyell Marshall.
Barrett is averaging a team-best 21.5 points for Toronto, while Jakob Poeltl contributes 9.6 rebounds per game.
Anfernee Simons is averaging a club-best 19.3 points for Portland, while Clingan chips in 7.2 boards per contest.
