PORTLAND -- It’s tough to imagine too many figured the Trail Blazers would get a win versus the Nets Monday night at Moda Center. Sure, the Nets were playing on the second night of a back-to-back after besting the Spurs Sunday afternoon in Brooklyn, but the Blazers were playing their second game in as many days as well, even if they didn’t have to fly cross country to do so.
And while their commute to Monday’s game was much shorter, Portland was once again down four starters. Granted, the Nets didn’t have their full compliment of players either -- few teams do these days -- though Kevin Durant, Kyrie Irving, Blake Griffin and Patty Mills would generally be considered more than enough talent to best a team that had won just five times in their last 20 games.