MeloMania not enough as Lillard doesn’t make enough shots and Blazers can't get enough stops

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article_body => "NEW YORK CITY -- When Damian Lillard makes five of his 20 shot attempts, plus takes zero trips to the free throw line, you're in for a bad time, even if its against a team who had just nine wins heading into Wednesday\u2019s game. <\/p>\nThat\u2019s what happened on New Year\u2019s Day in New York City. <\/p>\nThe Blazers let the game slip away in the final period as <a href=\"http:\/\/https:\/\/www.nbcsports.com\/northwest\/portland-trail-blazers\/instant-analysis-carmelo-anthonys-return-new-york-spoiled\">the Knicks cruised to a 117-93 win<\/a>, handing the Blazers their fifth-straight loss.  <\/p>\nIt\u2019s no secret that the Blazers ride or die with their big three in Lillard, CJ McCollum, and Carmelo Anthony. And depending on how they perform, the team performs right along with them. <\/p>\n That is exactly what Blazers head coach Terry Stotts acknowledged in his postgame interview.  <\/p>\n\u201cAt the beginning of the fourth quarter, Melo and Dame were out and that is where they made their run and it got away from us.\u201d  <\/p>\nThe Blazers were down just six heading into the final quarter.  <\/p>\nStotts also mentioned he was pleased with his team\u2019s effort early on, saying, \u201cFirst half -- I thought was very competitive. [The Knicks] hit a three at the end of the first half, otherwise, it was essentially a tie game in the first half. It just got away from us at the start of the fourth quarter. They passed the ball really well. I don\u2019t know how many assists they ended up with, but they moved the all really well. Offensively, it was good to see Melo have a good game.\u201d <\/p>\nLillard may have scored just 11 points while only making one of his eight three-point attempts (now 1 for his last 15 attempts), but the Blazers did get a season-high in points from Carmelo Anthony.<\/p>\nOn a night where <a href=\"http:\/\/https:\/\/www.nbcsports.com\/northwest\/portland-trail-blazers\/watch-carmelo-receives-huge-ovation-return-new-york\">Melo made his return to Madison Square Garden<\/a>, a place where he called home for seven-and-a-half years, he scored 26 points on an efficient 11-of-17 shooting.  <\/p>\nBut after the game, the 17-year veteran gave credit to the young Knicks squad on what he called a special night.<\/p>\n<blockquote>I wish we had won, but that is another issue we need to deal with. Overall, I think the experience of just being back today was the most important thing. Losses are something that we\u2019ll get to the bottom of and figure out. You got to tip your hat off to those guys tonight. They played extremely well. The way they shot the ball, the way they were locked in, they deserved to win tonight. -- Trail Blazers forward Carmelo Anthony postgame.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\nAnthony and Lillard\u2019s connection was strong all night. <\/p>\nDespite Lillard\u2019s off shooting night, he still did plenty to keep the Blazers in the game through the first three quarters, whether it was grab rebounds or find his teammates. <\/p>\nCoach Stotts recognized how Lillard did what he always does: He directs the game like a point guard should.  <\/p>\n\u201cDame does a terrific job of managing the game.\u201d Stotts said.  \u201cHe runs it. He gets guys shots. I thought the pick and rolls with him and Melo they kept switching that, and it gave Melo opportunities to score on the block one-on-one against a smaller defender. I thought Dame didn\u2019t shoot the ball practically well, but he managed the game well.\u201d<\/p>\nThe Trail Blazers All-Star point guard finished with 10 rebounds and eight assists. McCollum added 17 points in the losing effort.<\/p>\nLillard explained after the loss that even though the ball wasn\u2019t going in, that didn\u2019t change his approach. <\/p>\n<blockquote>I played how I always play. You play a lot of games and sometimes the ball doesn\u2019t go in and tonight was one of those nights for me shooting the ball, but I tried to still play a complete game. I thought I made plays the way I always do. We were having issues keeping them off of the glass so I tried to come back and rebound and communicate through their plays, try to pick up our urgency and tighten up defensively. -- Trail Blazers point guard Damian Lillard postgame<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\nWhat the Blazers didn\u2019t manage to get done is something they have been talking about over the past few games: Consistent defense. <\/p>\nThe Knicks shot 48 percent from the field as a team and finished with 54 points in the paint to the Blazers\u2019 32 points in the paint. <\/p>\nSecond year-player Mitchell Robinson gave the Knicks a big boost off the bench. The 21-year-old center was a perfect 11-for-11 from the floor.<\/p>\nCoach Stotts pointed back to his earlier comment about the Knicks passing so well as to why Robinson was able to go off and score 22 points. <\/p>\n\u201cI though they passed the ball really well and he was their recipient. Some of his pick-and-roll defense, some his rebounding, he had an impact on the game.\u201d  <\/p>\nThe Blazers are back to square one, again, and now must figure out how to make an impact on the defensive end as they continue their five-game road trip with a stop in Washington Friday night. <\/p>\nPortland can\u2019t let Washington, who has a very similar record to the Knicks, do \u2018whatever they want\u2019 to the Blazers. <\/p>\nJust ask Lillard about how that went vs. New York: \u201cWe just got outplayed, everything they wanted to do, they did it. They made shots, they got fouls calls. Whatever they wanted to do, they did it.\u201d <\/p>\n"
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Portland Trail Blazers

NEW YORK CITY -- When Damian Lillard makes five of his 20 shot attempts, plus takes zero trips to the free throw line, you're in for a bad time, even if its against a team who had just nine wins heading into Wednesday’s game.

That’s what happened on New Year’s Day in New York City.

The Blazers let the game slip away in the final period as the Knicks cruised to a 117-93 win, handing the Blazers their fifth-straight loss.

It’s no secret that the Blazers ride or die with their big three in Lillard, CJ McCollum, and Carmelo Anthony. And depending on how they perform, the team performs right along with them.

That is exactly what Blazers head coach Terry Stotts acknowledged in his postgame interview.

“At the beginning of the fourth quarter, Melo and Dame were out and that is where they made their run and it got away from us.”

The Blazers were down just six heading into the final quarter.

Stotts also mentioned he was pleased with his team’s effort early on, saying, “First half -- I thought was very competitive. [The Knicks] hit a three at the end of the first half, otherwise, it was essentially a tie game in the first half. It just got away from us at the start of the fourth quarter. They passed the ball really well. I don’t know how many assists they ended up with, but they moved the all really well. Offensively, it was good to see Melo have a good game.”

Lillard may have scored just 11 points while only making one of his eight three-point attempts (now 1 for his last 15 attempts), but the Blazers did get a season-high in points from Carmelo Anthony.

On a night where Melo made his return to Madison Square Garden, a place where he called home for seven-and-a-half years, he scored 26 points on an efficient 11-of-17 shooting.

But after the game, the 17-year veteran gave credit to the young Knicks squad on what he called a special night.

I wish we had won, but that is another issue we need to deal with. Overall, I think the experience of just being back today was the most important thing. Losses are something that we’ll get to the bottom of and figure out. You got to tip your hat off to those guys tonight. They played extremely well. The way they shot the ball, the way they were locked in, they deserved to win tonight. -- Trail Blazers forward Carmelo Anthony postgame.

Anthony and Lillard’s connection was strong all night.

Despite Lillard’s off shooting night, he still did plenty to keep the Blazers in the game through the first three quarters, whether it was grab rebounds or find his teammates.

Coach Stotts recognized how Lillard did what he always does: He directs the game like a point guard should.

“Dame does a terrific job of managing the game.” Stotts said. “He runs it. He gets guys shots. I thought the pick and rolls with him and Melo they kept switching that, and it gave Melo opportunities to score on the block one-on-one against a smaller defender. I thought Dame didn’t shoot the ball practically well, but he managed the game well.”

The Trail Blazers All-Star point guard finished with 10 rebounds and eight assists. McCollum added 17 points in the losing effort.

Lillard explained after the loss that even though the ball wasn’t going in, that didn’t change his approach.

I played how I always play. You play a lot of games and sometimes the ball doesn’t go in and tonight was one of those nights for me shooting the ball, but I tried to still play a complete game. I thought I made plays the way I always do. We were having issues keeping them off of the glass so I tried to come back and rebound and communicate through their plays, try to pick up our urgency and tighten up defensively. -- Trail Blazers point guard Damian Lillard postgame

What the Blazers didn’t manage to get done is something they have been talking about over the past few games: Consistent defense.

The Knicks shot 48 percent from the field as a team and finished with 54 points in the paint to the Blazers’ 32 points in the paint.

Second year-player Mitchell Robinson gave the Knicks a big boost off the bench. The 21-year-old center was a perfect 11-for-11 from the floor.

Coach Stotts pointed back to his earlier comment about the Knicks passing so well as to why Robinson was able to go off and score 22 points.

“I though they passed the ball really well and he was their recipient. Some of his pick-and-roll defense, some his rebounding, he had an impact on the game.”

The Blazers are back to square one, again, and now must figure out how to make an impact on the defensive end as they continue their five-game road trip with a stop in Washington Friday night.

Portland can’t let Washington, who has a very similar record to the Knicks, do ‘whatever they want’ to the Blazers.

Just ask Lillard about how that went vs. New York: “We just got outplayed, everything they wanted to do, they did it. They made shots, they got fouls calls. Whatever they wanted to do, they did it.”