Blazers In Top 5 As "Closers"....

[ABM]

From: Covers.com

Closing ability: Some teams have the aptitude to put teams away in the second half and some teams don't. Well, to put it more plainly, the good teams have it and the bad teams don't. You shouldn't be shocked that the teams on this list are all in playoff contention and well above .500. You also shouldn't be shocked three of the teams have above .500 against the spread records. Here are the top five second half teams in terms of scoring average and points allowed.

Portland Trailblazers

Portland (25-17 SU, 19-22 ATS) ranks on this list because of its bench: They possess the second-best scoring unit in the league at 35.3 points per game. Those same bench players can also defend. On average, the Trail Blazers score 49.3 points per second half and allow just 45.6. This is all the more important because Portland tends to keep it close in the early going, scoring 48.6 and allowing opponents to score 48 points per first half.

Portland has entered the third quarter with the lead 20 times this season and has trailed 19 times. Much of this inconsistency owes to the fact that Portland has a tough time keeping teams off of the glass: The Trailblazers rank 30th in the league in defensive rebounds, allowing teams second-chance points especially late in the game.

The Blazers depth allows them to stay in games late and even outpace teams in the third quarter (to the tune of 24.4 scored and 22.5 allowed), but a lack of physicality and size hurts them late in games.

 

[Tince]

Portland has entered the third quarter with the lead 20 times this season and has trailed 19 times. Much of this inconsistency owes to the fact that Portland has a tough time keeping teams off of the glass: The Trailblazers rank 30th in the league in defensive rebounds, allowing teams second-chance points especially late in the game.

We rank 30th in the league in defensive rebounds? We are 2nd in the league in rebound differential, 19th in the league in total defensive rebounds, and 1st in the league in opponents defensive rebound. Do people make up stats now?

Rebounding Stats

 

[number 10]

and according to Hollinger's defensive rebound rate the Blazers are at least an average team on the defensive glass

Portland (25-17 SU, 19-22 ATS) ranks on this list because of its bench: They possess the second-best scoring unit in the league at 35.3 points per game.

Maybe cause Portland's bench plays more than most teams. Also, Rudy/Outlaw/Sergio have all at times finished games, despite not starting. A better way to look at it might be to look at the point differential during the minutes when Nate typically makes his first or second sub until the starters are back in.

 

[SheedSoNasty]

Just think of the kind of production we'll get from our bench when Fernandez gets his head back on straight. This will be great down the stretch when we're fighting for a playoff spot.

 

[alex42083]

And according to 82games.com, we're third in the NBA in net point differential in the fourth quarter.
Atlanta is first, and Cleveland is second.

http://www.82games.com/0809/QSORT11.HTM

We're in almost every game we play. We haven't been blown out that much this year other than I'd say three times, which has been pretty nice.

 

[Ed O]

Portland's snail-like pace distorts things. Many of us here recognize that our defense is actually pretty bad, that our offensive efficiency (in spite of it looking like the team is running only one play over and over) is actually pretty good, and the team is very good on the boards.

That the bench scores so much and, in absolute terms, scores at such a high level is just a tribute to how good Outlaw and Fernandez and Bayless and the others have been throughout the year.

Ed O.

 

[Entity]

That the bench scores so much and, in absolute terms, scores at such a high level is just a tribute to how good Outlaw and Fernandez and Bayless and the others have been throughout the year.

Good point. I wonder what the offensive bench points per possession would be when compared to everyone else's bench?