What the Blazers Learned from Getting ‘Schooled’ by the Nuggets

The Portland Trail Blazers are learning a valuable lesson after their overtime loss against the Denver Nuggets.

Portland didn’t just lose a 16-point lead in the fourth quarter, they witnessed the clinical efficiency of a team that doesn’t panic. Following the game, Blazers acting head coach Tiago Splitter didn’t mince words about the gap between a rising roster and a finished product.

“I told them at halftime they’re going to come back, they’re going to make a run,” Splitter said h/t The Oregonian’s Joe Freeman.

“This is a very experienced, vet team that has been in this situation 100 times or more. So, yes, it’s a learning experience. We’re going to have those games coming up — the Clippers, San Antonio, Sac, and then the play-in — and we’ve got to finish those games. This is where you learn from it. We just got schooled by one of, if not the, best team in the NBA right now.”

How the Blazers Got ‘Schooled’