Here’s the Oregonian reporting on the Trail Blazers, who are off to an excellent start this season and on Sunday enjoyed a big win against the Boston Celtics:
For all the Blazers had accomplished heading into Sunday’s game against the Celtics, one thing had eluded them: A close victory.
Eight of their first nine wins had come by double-digits and they owned the NBA’s third-highest point differential (10.0 points per game) prior to facing the Celtics. What’s more, the Blazers had lost their only close games of the season, falling 125-124 to the Washington Wizards in overtime and 114-110 to the Los Angeles Lakers. They also failed to capitalize on chances down the stretch in a closer-than-it-sounds 120-111 loss to the Miami Heat.
So it was notable Sunday that they won a two-possession game in which they had to hold off the Celtics, who had rallied from a 21-point deficit to make things interesting in the closing minutes.
“You’ve got to win close games in this league,” Blazers coach Terry Stotts said. “I think a lot of times, winning close games over the course of your season, makes the difference of how you look back on your season.”
