BROOKLYN -- When a team is struggling, as the Portland Trail Blazers have in their last three games, getting solid production from the entire roster is a good way to break out of that slump. Sunday afternoon in Brooklyn, the Trail Blazers got that production.
Portland had six players finish in double figures, including three reserves, on the way to defeating the Brooklyn Nets 129-109 in front of a crowd of 16,608 at Barclays Center Sunday afternoon.
"Evan (Turner), (Allen Crabbe) and Meyers (Leonard) all scored off the bench for us," said Trail Blazers head coach Terry Stotts. "It was a very good offensive game. Defensively, the first half left a little to be desired, but I thought offensively we were good for most of the night."
With the victory, the Trail Blazers break a three-game losing streak and move to 8-7 on the season while getting their first win on during their current five-game road trip. Portland has now won their last three games versus the Nets and six of their last seven meetings overall.
Though they still struggled to stop their opponent on the defensive end, the Trail Blazers made up for it by shooting nearly 60 percent from the field in the first quarter. Damian Lillard and CJ McCollum, neither of whom shot all that well during Friday’s loss in New Orleans, combined to shoot 7-of-11 from the field for 18 of Portland’s 32 points in the quarter. Bench scoring, also an issue as of late, also was helpful in Portland taking a 32-29 lead into the second quarter. Portland’s bench play would continue remain consistent in the second, with the reserves scoring 26 of the team’s 38 points in the quarter.
"I think the (bench) guys did a great job," said McCollum, who often plays with the second unit. "Early in the season we weren't playing at a level I thought we were capable of. I thought we were missing shots, we weren't defending and that kind of teetered us. But tonight guys were making shots and then defensively we did a better job of locking in and trying to extend the lead. Once we get a lead, the bench's job is to maintain or extend it and I think tonight we were able to extend the lead."
Evan Turner was especially effective off the bench Sunday afternoon, going 5-of-7 from the field for 10 points while also handing out three assists in the second quarter.
"When shots go in, it looks completely different," said Turner. "So right now, not only myself but my team, we're just trying to build consistency on it, turn one good game into two good games, three good games and so on. That's the biggest thing, building consistency and continuity."And if nothing these, the Trail Blazers remained consistent in terms of scoring — they shot 68 percent from the field and 67 percent from three in the second quarter — which was important with the Nets shooting 58 percent from the field in the second quarter.
“Obviously in the first half we had our struggles, but I think in the third quarter we came out and we kind of felt like the game we had against Denver at home where we came out guarding a lot more active on the defensive end, a lot more physical, said Lillard. "Got out in transition and we moved the ball really well, we got good looks. C.J. (McCollum) got going, hit some shots. Mase (Plumlee) was able to get in the middle on the weak side. But we pretty much took over the game in that quarter on the defensive end and that kind of sparked everything and I think that’s what I was the most proud of."
Had they not turned the ball over seven times, Portland would have likely had a larger lead than the 15-point margin they ultimately entered the fourth quarter with. Though it wouldn’t make much of a difference. The success on both sides of the ball that typified Portland’s third quarter carried over into the fourth, with the road team building a 23-point lead, their largest of the night. With the game well in hand, Stotts was able to sit Lillard for the entire quarter and his regular rotation for the majority of the fourth while giving the team bench a chance to play the final five minutes of the 20-point victory.
The Trail Blazers were led by McCollum, who netted his 1,000 career field goal on the way to finishing with a game-high 33 points on 12-of-19 shooting from the field and 6-of-10 shooting from three, five assists and four rebounds in 33 minutes.
Lillard added 18 points, five assists and four rebounds in 28 minutes while Maurice Harkless added 10 points on 5-of-7 shooting in just under 22 minutes.
As for the bench, Turner scored 19 points, his most as a Trail Blazer, on 8-of-12 shooting while handing out four assists in 30 minutes. Allen Crabbe went 4-of-7 from three to finish with 12 points and Leonard posted his first double-double of the season with 14 points and 11 rebounds in 26 minutes.
"I felt like I was solid," said Leonard, who went 4-of-6 from three Sunday afternoon. "I got caught a couple times, I guess, being a little bit more traditional with my defense, helping and then building out, whereas Hamilton is a good shooter, for sure needed to stay a little closer on a couple of those plays. For me, watching my film, understanding what I could have done better, what I did well and on to the next one."
The Nets had five players score in double figures led by Brook Lopez, who put up 21 points in just under 29 minutes. Next up, the Trail Blazers will stick around New York for a contest versus the Knicks at Madison Square Garden on Tuesday. Tipoff is scheduled for 4:30 pm.