Trail Blazers coach Chauncey Billups saw something special in his young team’s 126-124 victory over Denver Thursday night, highlighted by Anfernee Simons’ game-winning layup over Russell Westbrook at the buzzer.
“It probably was [our best playmaking game],” Billups said after Portland snapped a six-game losing streak. “But we’ve been sharing the ball. I mean sh–, we lose the last game at Phoenix – we had 30 assists. I thought we shared the ball very nicely.”
The Blazers’ offensive execution showed maturity beyond their years, particularly when Denver’s championship pedigree surfaced in a fourth-quarter rally that erased a 17-point deficit. Even as shots stopped falling, Portland’s commitment to making the right play never wavered.
“We never lost trust when we were passing,” Billups explained . “A lot of times with young teams – it’s happened with us a ton – you get bored with that and you’re not actually making the shot. So I was proud of us sticking with it tonight and just keep making the right plays.”