Jeremy Grant posters Scotty Barnes to fuel a comeback bid
A road game against the Toronto Raptors always was tough for the Portland Trail Blazers. The Blazers are missing several key guys, and they’re up against one of the best teams in the East to begin the 2025-26 campaign. So it wasn’t much of a surprise when they were up by double figures for most of the night.
But Jerami Grant and the company did not go down without a fight. They battled all night, and climbed to single digits. The game now hangs in the balance, and Grant’s emphatic shot certainly did more than its fair share of empowering the Blazers to possibly complete their comeback.
With 6:45 left and the Blazers down by eight, 104-96, Grant, who isn’t big on the scoreboard, crashed the glass on a Chris Murray 3-pointer. The Blazers forward then followed up with drop your shoulder against Scotty Barnes and threw down a vicious one-handed slam that swung the momentum directly in Portland’s favor.
Grant has become more of a nice shot creator in recent years, so seeing him use his strength on the interior is a welcome sight for the Blazers. With the team is missing guys like Jrue HolidayScoot Henderson and Matisse Thibulle, Portland needs every energy infusion they can get, and Grant has given them just that in a big way.
The Blazers’ comeback bid will not work
The Blazers outscored the Raptors by double digits in the fourth quarter, but the deficit they first had to overcome was too great. The Raptors got almost everything they wanted offensively all night, and this continues a troubling trend for Portland, a team that was supposed to be defense-oriented.
Blazers right now rank 21 in defensive rating, allowing 116.3 points per 100 possessions. They’ll have to figure it out on that end of the floor to really contend for a playing spot in the crowded West.
Grant did everything he could, including a tough 3-pointer with 1.8 seconds left to cut the Raptors’ lead to two, but it ultimately wasn’t enough in a 121-118 loss.
2025-12-03 03:08:00
