Both teams played each other the other night and Portland got the best of Minnesota. Minnesota was looking to get that revenge tonight but Damian Lillard made it challenging. This was a great effort in the first quarter for the Timberwolves as things were clicking as a unit. The Timberwolves kept this one close in the 1st half as it seemed like they countered them anytime Portland made a run. It was the second half when Dame Time actually took over as the house was on fire in Portland. Damian Lillard was on fire as soon as he got past half-court and it didn’t matter who was guarding him. You’re in serious trouble when you have a player that hot and seeing the ball go in as much as it did tonight. Dame was hitting anything that he put up and all you could do is tip your hat off to the man. On the night Damian Lillard finished the game with 38 points and he played an amazing game. Damian Lillard finished the game with 11 (3 Pointers) for the 3rd time in his career. The TrailBlazers made 21 3-pointers tonight and any time a team is that hot from 3-point land it’s going to be rough.
Tonight Lillard had a lot of help and it was Jerami Grant who stepped up to help with the scoring. Grant was scoring inside and out tonight against the Timberwolves as they had put Reid, Edwards, and McDaniels on him. Grant was making some great plays to get his teammates involved. When Grant’s playing like this it’s hard to really slow down a two-way player because his offense makes his defense. Jerami Grant is the ultimate teammate and proved tonight that he doesn’t care who’s on him he will find the right teammate. The TrailBlazers made the Timberwolves work for everything they got tonight and it was tough to watch if you’re a Timberwolves fan. The Timberwolves bright spot for tonight was D’Angelo Russell who scored 23 points and was able to get his teammates involved with 8 assists. Anthony Edwards had a down night as he just finished with 17 points but one thing about Edwards he will play his butt off until the final buzzer.
It was an off night for the Timberwolves overall as a unit but this is what the NBA is all about. You play 82 games and it was just two games that the Timberwolves let get away as the TrailBlazers made them pay in the transition/turnover game. The Timberwolves just couldn’t stop Damian Lillard tonight and at one point he was drawing double teams that opened things up for his Portland teammates. This is one of those games you forget about and continue to move forward in the season as they head to LA. It will be a great matchup against the Los Angeles Clippers as the Timberwolves are looking to bounce back.
Photo Credit: (Photo by Sam Forencich/NBAE via Getty Images)
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