Trail Blazers pleased to be on the other end of a blowout game

Moving forward Jabari Walker was unaware that Saturday night’s 141-88 victory over the Charlotte Hornets set a franchise record for the Portland Trail Blazers’ margin of victory.

Is it? When notified that the 53-point victory was a record, Walker reacted. Yes, it is. I am a part of the past. I adore it. I’d like to do that once more. Next game, let’s shatter it.

During their efforts to recover, the Blazers have suffered a number of crushing losses. The squad lost two of its three 60-point games in franchise history last season.

“As a team, we’ve been on the other side of that far too often,” Blazers coach Chauncey Billups stated.

The victory margin overshadowed the Blazers’ Nov. 21, 1982, 129-79 victory over the Cleveland Cavaliers in Portland.

After dropping four straight games, including a demoralizing 110-102 setback to the Los Angeles Lakers at home on Thursday, the Blazers (24-33) needed an easy win.

“Our last game wasn’t too great coming off the break,” Walker remarked. I think this was huge, just based on how we recovered from that. We were all aware that we needed this game.

Billups was unaware of the record until the game was over. He claimed that his coaching style in the closing minutes would not have changed if he had known the record was within sight during the game.

For that reason, I wouldn’t have attempted to press it further, Billups stated. I’m not that kind of person or coach.

The Blazers led 109-66 at the start of the fourth quarter, and four of the team’s five starters did not play. Camara Toumani played for a minute.

The record was set by the backups, who won the fourth quarter 32–22. Walker finished with 20 points and 14 rebounds, including 11 points in the quarter to lead the Blazers.

LaMelo Ball, who completed the game with five points on one of ten shots, was among the majority of Charlotte’s starters who did not play in the final quarter.

On Saturday, February 22, 2025, in the second half of an NBA basketball game in Portland, Oregon, Portland Trail Blazers forward Toumani Camara (33) celebrates with center Donovan Clingan after making a three-point basket against the Charlotte Hornets. (Craig Mitchelldyer/AP Photo) APAP

The Blazers won the game early thanks to a season-high 27 fast break points in the first half. They had 36 in the end. The team’s recent efforts to get out on the break more effectively were praised by Billups.

According to Billups, we performed a fantastic job tonight when it came to running wide, to the three-point line, and to the basket for a layup.

The Blazers had their biggest rebounding advantage of the season, winning 57-37 and shooting a season-high 58.6% from the field.

“You’ll have a lot of season highs if you score 140,” Billups stated.

The victory came after a four-game losing streak against much superior opposition, so it’s important to keep the blowout in context.

After losing 13 of its last 16 games, Charlotte (14-41) suddenly has the fourth-worst NBA record. In addition, the Hornets played their sixth game in a nine-game tour on Saturday. After the third game, of course, the All-Star break took place.

Despite being 13th in the Western Conference, the Blazers are still hoping to contend for a spot in the playoffs. They were four games behind 10th-place Sacramento (28-28) going into Saturday.

Setting the record didn’t really affect Camara. It may be something he values more in later life, he said. Not just now, though.

“I think it’s definitely always something fun to be able to mark history,” he remarked. We simply want to play the proper way, though. We’re still working on a lot of things, and I think that figuring out who we are as a team and how we can collaborate is what matters most to us at the moment. Yes, that is the most crucial factor.