Hello Blazer fans, Antonio here. After the Blazers dropped their fourth straight game on Friday night, they rebounded with an 11 point victory against the Hornets on Monday night
The threes came out blazing for the Blazers, the nets might still be on fire. Lead by Carmelo Anthony’s 29 points, Portland snapped their losing streak impressively and made us all forget that Lakers game. Let’s take a look
Three-Point Bananza
This may come as a surprise to some of you, but the Blazers love shooting threes. Against Charlotte, they made a franchise-record 24 of them. Seven players made a three, and the team shot 52% from deep.
It’s hard to lose a game when shooting this good, and the Blazers did cruise by. The concern is when they do not shoot as well. During the four-game losing streak, Portland only shot 32% (56/172) from deep. When they aren’t hitting, the offense struggles mightily.
The offense certainly did not struggle on Monday, though. This team may not be a 52% shooting team, but they are not a 32% team either. With the likes of Gary Trent, Damian Lillard, and Carmelo Anthony lighting it up, it sure is fun to watch the Blazers shoot like this.
The RoCo Game
Throughout the first half of the season, Robert Covington has been a steady, albeit disappointing, starting forward. While his defense and deflections have been solid, his shooting stroke has suffered, and he is only scoring 7.7 points per game.
Against the Hornets, we saw what RoCo is capable of. Covington started out 8/8 from the field and finished with 21 points, 10 rebounds, and a pair of blocks and steals. When he plays like this, the Blazers become that much tougher. A stretch forward that can play defense? Yes please, Robert.
Melo and Melo
NBA Twitter has been raging in a war over who the real “Melo” is: Carmelo Anthony or LaMelo Ball. Why only one person is privy to the nickname is beyond my understanding, but the two met at Moda and exchanged pleasantries off the court.
One the court, both showed out. Charlotte’s rookie is special, and arguably better than his brother already. Whether it was making long threes, flashy passes, or tough finishes, Ball excelled. He finished the night with a game-high 30 points, eight assists, and six rebounds.
Desperate to keep his nickname, Carmelo would not be outdone. The 36-year-old vet put up 29 points, including 17 in the fourth quarter. His sixth and final three of the game was fittingly the Blazers’ record 24th. Anthony was sure to stay involved defensively too, with five steals and two blocks.
The fact that both share a “Melo” in their first name is not very important. They’re both special basketball players and make the game fun to watch. The older Melo may have gotten the upper hand in the end, but as a basketball fan, it was a joy to see them compete.
Next Up: Steph Curry and ESPN come to town to try and dazzle Damian and the Blazers.