It's OK to Enjoy the Trail Blazers' Unexpected Hot Streak
A blowout win over the Magic is the latest and most impressive of a recent string of victories.
📍PORTLAND, Ore. — A 30-second stretch near the end of the first half on Thursday may stand as the moment it became silly to worry about the Trail Blazers’ lottery position.
With just under two minutes to go in the second quarter of what would become a 119-90 blowout win over the Orlando Magic, Toumani Camara blocked Paolo Banchero’s layup attempt.
The next time down the floor, Camara fouled Banchero on a layup. Then, Camara stuffed Banchero at the rim again. At that point, the Blazers led 60-53. They took a nine-point lead into the half and the gap only widened in the second half as they ran the Magic off the floor for the second time in seven days.
Thursday marked Chauncey Billups’ 100th career win as a head coach, and the Blazers’ sixth win in their last seven games. It was their 19th win of the season. They’re now two games away from equalling their win total from last year; it’s very possible they get there in the seven games they have remaining before the All-Star break.
Maybe the contingent of fans that were worried earlier in the season that this team was too competent, and had too much talent, to truly give themselves the best chance at landing Cooper Flagg were right. Maybe they are winning too much.
But maybe that’s OK.