Blazers HC Chauncey Billups Bashes Offensive Gameplan in Loss to Timberwolves

The Timberwolves easily defeated the Trail Blazers.

Stephen Lew-Imagn Images

The Portland Trail Blazers concluded a four-game road trip with a game at the Minnesota Timberwolves. The Trail Blazers were clear underdogs heading into their matchup against the Timberwolves and had long odds of pulling off the upset.

These odds dropped even further early on as the Trail Blazers struggled from the get-go offensively. The Trail Blazers did not score their first points in the game until almost midway through the first quarter when the Timberwolves already had 10 points. By the end of the first quarter, the Timberwolves already held a 35-17 lead over Portland.

“Obviously, we got off to a tough start in the game,” Trail Blazers head coach Chauncey Billups told reporters at the Target Center, via Oregon Live. “They jump out on us. It took us a while to even score.”

Over the course of the game, the Timberwolves attempted to double the number of three-pointers that the Trail Blazers did. The Timberwolves shot 22 of their 50 three-point attempts, a rate of 44 percent, while the Trail Blazers made just six of their 25 three-point shots, just 24 percent.

Minnesota came up with 12 more rebounds and nearly 20 more assists than Portland on their way to a seamless 127-102 victory.

Though Portland lessened Minnesota's lead at the half by outscoring the Timberwolves 34-29 in the second quarter, the Timberwolves had clear control for the majority of the game. No Trail Blazer finished with 20 points, and Scoot Henderson led the team with 16 points, which is simply not a recipe for success.

“We just could never really score at the level that you need to against a team like this,” Billups said. “And that’s not just us not making shots. They are that good of a defensive team. They took us out of a lot of things with their physicality.”

The Trail Blazers have now lost two games straight and four of their last five. Portland will see Minnesota again twice over the next week. After facing the Memphis Grizzlies at home on Sunday, the Trail Blazers will play Minnesota on Tuesday in Game 1 of the NBA Cup, and face them again on Wednesday.

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