Imagine every Portland Trail Blazers game only lasted the first 12 minutes…don’t ask why. But if that was the case, the Blazers would have 11 wins, nine losses and one tie. That’s marginally better than their record when all 48 minutes are played; the first is their only positive quarter in terms of plus/minus.
Their performance in the second and third quarter more accurately reflect their play on the season. Portland has won those quarters just nine times each, as many wins as the team has this year. In a portion of the 13 lost second and third quarters, the opponent’s lead gets too great to overcome and the result of the fourth quarter is nullified.