It only took six tries and facing a team that had lost its last nine games, but the Portland Trail Blazers finally got their first road win of the season on Friday night, beating the Houston Rockets 104-92 at Toyota Center. Don't mistake the Blazers' much-needed victory away from the friendly confines of Moda Center for a quality win, though.
They squandered chance after chance to put the bottom-dwelling Rockets away in the fourth quarter, re-building double-digit leads only to have them cut in half. The starters were a step slow all night. The Blazers shot 39.1% overall and went 11-of-36 from three. Houston pounded the offensive glass early, then frustrated Portland late by switching across all five positions on the other end.
The Blazers won't apologize for this win, obviously. Billups even mentioned the import of breaking the streak of road losses after the game. Still, he wasn't thrilled with Portland's performance.
“I didn't think we had a good game,” Billups said. “I'm happy to get that win. I thought in the fourth quarter we let off the gas a little bit…We didn't do a good job of putting this team away.”
Just imagine how different it game might have been, then, if Nassir Little didn't come to play. Instead, the third-year wing provided a lasting jolt of energy, athleticism and physicality that didn't just amount to perhaps the best game of his career, but propelled the Blazers most when they badly needed a push.
Little entered for the first time with 2:38 left in the first quarter, Portland trailing 25-19. By the time he finally got a blow eight minutes of game time later, the Blazers led the Rockets by 10—and anyone watching knew Little was the biggest reason why. He didn't offer quite the same statistical impact after halftime, but Little made absolutely certain that Houston felt his presence anyway.
NOTHING LITTLE ABOUT THIS pic.twitter.com/l4pzRNg87t
— Portland Trail Blazers (@trailblazers) November 13, 2021
Little finished with 13 points and a career-best 14 rebounds on 6-of-10 shooting. His +15 plus-minus was second to Anfernee Simons', but it was obvious changed the game for Portland most.
“We all know that he brings something to our team that nobody else does,” The athleticism, the competitiveness, the pop. It can be infectious defensively. On the defensive glass, on the offensive glass, his slashing. Nobody else has that ability to affect the game the way he can.”
Billups echoed that glowing appraisal of Little's influence.
“His energy, his will, his tenacity was incredible,” he said “We rode his energy tonight.”
There's no doubting Little presents a two-way dynamic none of his teammates can replicate. His all-around athleticism, ridiculous wingspan and always-running motor ensure Little will affect the game whether or not he scores. At this point, it's fair to say he's Portland's only player capable of toggling between nominal forward positions without negative recourse.
One game isn't enough for a coach to change their rotation for good, but Little's play on Friday was the culmination of the innate tools, budding skill and infectious energy he's been bringing pretty much all season. Billups admitted before Friday's game that he was still searching to find the best role for Larry Nance Jr., and prefers a nine-man nightly lineup despite Tony Snell recently getting regular minutes as the Blazers tenth man.
Clearly, Portland's rotation is still in flux. Perhaps his game-changing play against the Rockets will be what makes Little the chief beneficiary of that reality.
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