Blazers Forward Reflects on Facing 'Big Brother' in Massive Win Over Clippers

A Portland Trail Blazers forward reflects on playing against his "big brother" in a surprise victory against the Los Angeles Clippers.

Oct 30, 2024; Inglewood, California, USA;Portland Trail Blazers guard Rayan Rupert (21) is defended by Los Angeles Clippers guard Kris Dunn (8) in the second half at Intuit Dome. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images / Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images

The Portland Trail Blazers shocked the basketball world when they pulled a 106-105 victory over James Harden and the Los Angeles Clippers.

The game saw excellent performances from multiple players. However, one of the most heartwarming successes came from French shooting guard Rayan Rupert.

Rupert came off the bench for eight minutes to score seven points and record one rebound. After the game, he was unbelievably thankful for getting to play with everyone on the team.

“I am very happy," Rupert said, per Johnny Askounis of EuroHoops.net. "They always have my back. They push me every time, even when I do not play more. I just try to stay ready. I just love these guys.”

However, the love wasn't just on Rupert's side of the court. On the Clippers, Rupert was face-to-face with power forward Nicolas Batum, a fellow Frenchman and former Trail Blazer.

"He is like a big brother to me," Rupert said. "It is always cool to play against him."

Batum also came off the bench, recording five points, four assists, two rebounds, and two steals in 13 minutes. He was an integral part of France's silver medal teams at the 2020 and 2024 Summer Olympics.

The Trail Blazers' victory was a shock to everyone, bringing their win-loss record to 2-3 for the beginning of the 2024 NBA Season. This was in large part due to standout play from a few players.

Deandre Ayton recorded his fifth double-double in a row, scoring 15 points and making 12 total rebounds. He also recorded one assists, one steal, and one block.

Meanwhile, guard Anfernee Simons led the Trail Blazers in scoring with 25 points on 10-for-24 shooting. He also had six assists and two rebounds.

Point guard Scoot Henderson also had a great game, coming off the bench to record 14 points, six assists, three total rebounds, and one steal.

While the Clippers saw excellent performances of its two stars, the rest of the team didn't really step up to help them in the long run.

Shooting guard Norman Powell scored a game-high 30 points off 11-for-22 shooting. He also recorded five total rebounds, two assists, and a steal.

Former MVP James Harden also had an excellent game, recording 19 points, 10 assists, five total rebounds, and three steals.

However, only one other player reached points in the double digits. Compare this to Portland, who saw half of its players that saw playing time score over 10 points.

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