The Portland Trail Blazers faced the Charlotte Hornets tonight without either of their starting big men, as Jusuf Nurkic and Jerami Grant both sat nursing injuries. Cobbled-together lineups are nothing new for Portland, but this one almost turned fatal. The Hornets feasted on inside shots and offensive rebounds much of the game, making the Blazers work for every possession.
What the Blazers lacked in size they made up for in guard firepower. Damian Lillard brought them back from a terrible third-quarter deficit. Shaedon Sharpe and Anfernee Simons helped out, but no more so than Jabari Walker, Drew Eubanks, and Trendon Watford.