Portland Trail Blazers Hit New Low with Devastating Loss to Memphis Grizzlies
The Portland Trail Blazers endured a humbling 132-87 loss to the Memphis Grizzlies at the Moda Center, their performance leaving their head coach, Chauncey Billups, visibly frustrated and disappointed. In what unfolded as a relentless assault by the visiting Grizzlies, the absence of stars Ja Morant and Desmond Bane made little difference as Memphis dominated from start to finish.
From the opening whistle, Portland found themselves in a deep hole. The Blazers trailed by as much as 19 points in the first quarter, their struggles multiplying as the game progressed. By the end of the second quarter, the deficit ballooned to 25 points, and the Grizzlies only further tightened their grip in the third, stretching their lead to an insurmountable 35 points.
Offensively, the Blazers were dismal. Their three-point shooting was historically poor, converting a meager 4 out of 42 attempts from beyond the arc, a disheartening 9.5%. This performance defined their season-worst offensive output, managing just 80.9 points per 100 possessions. Such statistics underscore a spiraling downfall for Portland, whose record dropped to 3-8 following this game, marking their third consecutive defeat.
Billups, clearly exasperated with his team's performance, did not mince words post-game. "It was just f---ing embarrassing, to be honest with you," he stated candidly. This sentiment was echoed throughout his critique of the Blazers’ play. "We were soft as hell the whole game. Nobody really fought. It was just embarrassing." His words left little room for ambiguity about his disappointment in the team's effort and execution.
The abrasive critique continued as he reflected on the collective underperformance. "I told 'em that anybody that sleeps well tonight, you're a loser. It’s just that simple. You sleep well after this one, you’re a loser," Billups emphasized, illustrating his frustration with the team's lack of fight. Indeed, the night's performance seemed devoid of any positivity, with Billups refusing to lay the blame on select individuals. "I'm not just going to pinpoint one or two guys; they all were terrible. But for the most part, everybody, they all sucked."
The gravity of the loss was not just about the margin but about the perceived surrender on the court. “We've lost by more points than this, but it's how. It's how. It's just you're laying down and just kind of caving in and giving in,” Billups reflected, expressing bewilderment at his team’s lack of resilience, a trait he prides himself on instilling in his players. “I really don't know where that came from, to be honest with you. We scrap. That's what we do. We don't win all our games -- not even close -- but we fight. We don't lay down. And today they laid down.”
As the team's leader, Billups took ultimate responsibility for the debacle, acknowledging, "At the end of the day, that's on me. I'm the leader of this. This is our team, but I'm the head of this. So, to me, I take that very personally.”
Portland's arduous journey continues as they prepare to face the Minnesota Timberwolves twice in consecutive days for the NBA Cup and a follow-up season game. Billups’ candid reflections post-defeat illustrate the depth of the challenges that lie ahead. The Blazers must address their fundamental issues quickly to salvage their season and make adjustments that reignite the competitive spirit that Billups champions.