In a staggering display of dominance, the Memphis Grizzlies crushed the Portland Trail Blazers with a 132-87 win at the Moda Center. This loss, Portland’s third in a row, had Blazers’ head coach Chauncey Billups questioning the fortitude of his team, which fell to a 3-8 record for the season.
Grizzlies Overwhelm an Outmatched Blazers Squad
From the outset, the trail was steep for the Blazers. The Grizzlies surged ahead, establishing a 19-point lead in the first quarter, which expanded to as much as a 25-point deficit by the second. Without stars Ja Morant and Desmond Bane, sidelined due to injuries, the Grizzlies managed to extend their lead further to a substantial 35 points as they entered the third quarter. For Portland, it was a night of missed shots and missed opportunities, their performance on the three-point line sinking to an abysmal 9.5%, with only four successful attempts out of 42.
Billups did not mince words in his post-game address, describing the performance as "just f---ing embarrassing" and attributing the lackluster outing to a profound absence of spirit on the court. "We were soft as hell the whole game. Nobody really fought. It was just embarrassing," he candidly shared, capturing the palpable frustration among fans and team members alike.
A Night of Record-Setting Inefficiency
Offensively, the Blazers struggled mightily, managing only 80.9 points per 100 possessions – the worst output recorded in the NBA this season. Such figures underscore a larger issue within the team, as Billups highlighted during his candid reflection on the game. "I'm not just going to pinpoint one or two guys; they all were terrible. But for the most part, everybody, they all sucked," he stated unequivocally.
Despite having faced more sizable defeats, Billups emphasized the manner of the loss was what cut the deepest. "We've lost by more points than this, but it's how. It's how. It's just you're laying down and just kind of caving in and giving in." His words aimed to ignite a fire in a team that now finds itself at a critical juncture in the season.
Looking Both Inward and Forward
Billups took personal responsibility for the defeat, acknowledging the role he plays as the leader of a squad struggling to find its identity and confidence. "At the end of the day, that's on me. I'm the leader of this. This is our team, but I'm the head of this. So, to me, I take that very personally.”
The Blazers’ next challenge comes quickly, as they are set to face the Minnesota Timberwolves in the NBA Cup on Tuesday, followed by another game against the Timberwolves on Wednesday. Billups' assurance to the team was clear and simple: resilience and spirit must be as much a hallmark of their game as skill and strategy. “I really don't know where that came from, to be honest with you. We scrap. That's what we do. We don't win all our games -- not even close -- but we fight. We don't lay down. And today they laid down,” he asserted, hoping to rally his team as they look ahead.
Each game from this point onward offers the Blazers a new chance to rewrite their season narrative. As lows go, this Portland showing comes close to bottoming out. Yet, within this valley lies the potential for growth, beckoning the Blazers to rise – not just to compete, but to finally deliver on the expectations of their talent and the resolve that Billups insists is woven into the fabric of his team.