Turnovers, Shot Selection Dampen the Start of Portland’s Road Trip
Release Date: 11/12/2025
Tough Schedule Exactly What Trail Blazers Need
Holy Backboard
Dustin and Sage return for the 445th episode of the Holy Backboard Podcast to break down the latest news surrounding the Portland Trail Blazers. They discuss the recent approval of $573 million in public funding for arena renovations and why the agreement provides more confidence that the Trail Blazers are staying in Portland for the long haul. The guys also look back at Summer League, including Yang’s development. While he showed flashes of being able to dominate lower-level competition, he remains a multi-year project who needs to improve his lateral movement, strength, rebounding, and...
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Blazers Blockbuster Lands Ja Morant in Rip City
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Dustin and Sage jump on an emergency episode of the Holy Backboard Podcast after the stunning news that the Portland Trail Blazers have acquired 26-year-old All-NBA guard Ja Morant. The duo breaks down the reported trade that sends Jerami Grant and Kris Murray to Memphis, explaining why they view it as a "Moneyball" move to land a superstar talent at a bargain price. They discuss how Morant immediately addresses Portland's biggest weaknesses with his elite ballhandling, rim pressure, playmaking, and star power while weighing the risks surrounding his outside shooting and off-court history....
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Blazers Bring in Micah Nori as Head Coach
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Dustin and Sage are back on the Holy Backboard Podcast to break down the Trail Blazers' offseason. They begin by honoring legendary former Blazers head coach Rick Adelman, reflecting on his impact in Portland, his success with the Kings and Rockets, and why his offensive philosophy was years ahead of its time. The conversation then shifts to Portland's hiring of former Timberwolves lead assistant Micah Nori. The duo discusses his coaching and scouting background, Minnesota's reputation for elite preparation and defensive game planning, and whether Nori's reported one-year guaranteed contract...
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Opportunities Missed as Offensive Drought Dooms Blazers … Twice
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Dustin and Sage recap the 442nd Holy Backboard Podcast after the Trail Blazers squandered two home playoff chances against the Spurs, falling behind 3–1 and feeling the season is near its end. They break down Game 3’s 120–108 loss after leading 82–67 late in the third, criticizing late-game iso-heavy offense, lack of ball movement, turnovers, and poor rebounding, even without Wemby. They then cover Game 4’s 114–93 defeat despite a 58–41 halftime lead, highlighting a disastrous second half, defensive communication failures, and embarrassingly low scoring. They argue that...
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Scoot Shines in San Antonio
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Dustin and Sage recap Game 2 immediately after Portland’s 106–103 comeback win in San Antonio to tie the series 1–1 heading to Portland for Games 3 and 4. They break down Victor Wembanyama leaving with a concussion after a Jrue Holiday play, discuss concussion protocol timelines, and note the impact of potentially losing him for multiple games. The hosts highlight Scoot Henderson’s game-high 31 points and his growing comfort hunting midrange looks, as well as the importance of late-game rebounding and limiting live-ball turnovers. They praise Robert Williams’ two-way impact, discuss...
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Victorious in the Valley, Previewing San Antonio
Holy Backboard
Dustin and Sage recap the Blazers’ 114–110 win over Phoenix in a high-stakes, Amazon Prime–only broadcast, criticizing the lack of local access while celebrating Deni Avdija’s dominant 41/12/7 performance and Portland’s late-game execution. They argue Portland didn’t deserve the win based on a sloppy, three-heavy start, but credit improved rhythm, clutch rim pressure from Deni and Shaedon, and key corner threes and a late strip from Jerami Grant. They highlight bench advantages (33 points vs Phoenix’s 17), defensive work on Devin Booker, and debate Tiago Splitter’s rotation...
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Previewing the Play-In Versus Phoenix
Holy Backboard
Dustin and Sage recap Portland’s two straight wins, a 116–97 victory over the Clippers and a 122–110 win over the Kings, noting the team’s composure, defense, and ball security in a high-leverage spot plus the return of Shaedon Sharpe. They discuss injury/availability expectations (likely everyone except Jerami Grant and Damian Lillard), debate keeping a tight eight-to-nine-man rotation, and highlight Scoot Henderson’s surge as a confident two-way guard. They break down Deni Avdija’s standout 35-point game and the importance of scoring through contact rather than hunting fouls,...
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The Race for Eighth
Holy Backboard
Dustin and Sage break down the 438th Holy Backboard Podcast as the Blazers near the end of the season with Shaedon Sharpe and Vít Krejčí potentially returning, stressing strict minutes for Sharpe and hoping for more Sharpe–Scoot time. They recap two road losses: a gut-punch OT collapse in Denver after an 18-point fourth-quarter lead despite a franchise-record 25 threes, and a 112–101 loss to San Antonio. They cite Portland’s failure to win non-Jokic minutes, inability to get stops, and predictable late-game offense, plus Toumani Camara’s foul trouble as a turning point; Camara is...
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Rip City Races to the Finish Line
Holy Backboard
Dustin and Sage return for the 437th Holy Backboard Podcast after illness and recap roughly two weeks of Portland Trail Blazers action and standings. Portland sits 40–38 with four games left (Nuggets, Spurs, Clippers, Kings), jockeying for position around the 7–10 play-in spots, with a pivotal April 10 home game against the Clippers likely deciding seeding via conference-record tiebreakers. They review big wins over the Nets, Giannis-less Bucks, Wizards, Clippers (114–104), and Pelicans (118–106), and a frustrating loss to the Mavericks marked by missed layups, turnovers, and free...
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March Madness in Rip City
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Dustin and Sage recap the last Portland Trail Blazers week: a messy 124–114 win over Utah marked by 46 threes and 24 turnovers, a frustrating 109–103 loss to a short-handed Philadelphia team despite a fast start, and a 114–95 win over a talent-thin Brooklyn squad. They highlight Scoot Henderson’s efficient scoring in limited minutes and strong on-ball defense, plus Donovan Clingan’s rebounding, rim protection, and growing poise. The hosts criticize Portland’s high turnover rate, poor three-point shooting, and lack of offensive structure under acting head coach Tiago Splitter, and...
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