The Portland Trail Blazers were unable to overcome the Cleveland Cavaliers in a hard-fought contest on Wednesday night, falling 109-95 at the Moda Center. Despite a strong performance from their bench players, the Blazers couldn’t keep up with the Cavaliers’ scoring in the paint.
Cleveland’s starters dominated inside the lane, while Donovan Mitchell led all scorers with 34 points. Portland’s bench players, including Jabari Walker, Matisse Thybulle, and Duop Reath, combined for 41 points and made several key plays throughout the game. However, the Blazers’ shooting struggles and inability to stop the Cavaliers’ offense ultimately led to their defeat.
The game started off rough for Portland, with the Blazers trailing 17-8 halfway through the first quarter. They struggled to find their footing, but a strong showing from the bench players helped bring the score to a more manageable 30-25 at the end of the first quarter.
In the second quarter, the Blazers’ second unit forced turnovers and made a push to take the lead, but Cleveland’s Caris LeVert kept his team ahead. The Cavaliers maintained their lead throughout the third quarter, despite a late run from the Blazers that closed the gap to 83-75.
The fourth quarter saw a brief surge from Matisse Thybulle and the Blazers, but Cleveland’s dominance in the paint and their ability to shut down Portland’s starters ultimately sealed the victory.
The Blazers will look to bounce back in their upcoming game against the Los Angeles Lakers on Friday night. This game will be the third qualifying game for the NBA In-Season Tournament for both teams. Stay tuned for extended analysis coming soon.