Coach Chauncey Billups said he believes that works in his team’s favor. He said, “When you’re missing guys like (Damian Lillard) and (Anfernee Simons), you become less predictable,” Billups said. “You never know where the ball is going and that’s tough to guard.”
On Friday night, Jerami Grant strike a 13-foot baseline jumper at the buzzer after a great in-bounds pass from Justice Winslow to lift the short-handed Trail Blazers over the Phoenix Suns 108-106.
Grant’s bucket scored one of the high points for the season, scoring 30 points. The 6-foot-8 forward shot 10 of 17 from the field and added five assists.
The Blazers were down to the last second when Winslow lofted a high in-bounds pass to Grant. He also grabbed the ball and tossed a high-arching 13-foot jumper in the air. Winslow’s performance was appreciated by the audience.
Grant said, “We’ve got a connection,”
He further added, ”Been knowing him for a long time. I know how he plays and he knows how I play.”
Grant’s amazing clutch shot capped a back-and-forth final minute.
On the other hand, Devin Booker made a 3-pointer which makes Suns Agead 106-104 within the last 30 seconds left, just moments after Jusuf Nurkic sank his own 3 to put the Blazers up 104-103.
“I am going to give it to him every time,” Booker said. “Whoever is open on this team, that is what it comes down to, trusting your teammates and every possession I am going to do that.”
