Chauncey Billups couldn’t fathom how Anfernee Simons had an easy look in delivering the game-winning floater to beat the Denver Nuggets on Thursday.
The Portland Trail Blazers head coach was left in shock about the Nuggets letting Simmons go for an uncontested isolation play, giving them a 126-124 lead to clinch the hard-fought matchup.
“I just wanted to make sure we got the last shot,” Billups said. “I felt he did a pretty good job of getting to the basket. I thought [Nuggets] were going to fire on him late. I told him, I don’t know who’s going to take this last shot, just make sure we get the last shot. And if they fire on him, I’m comfortable with any of you guys to take it.
“But they never did.”
The Nuggets commenced a 17-point fourth-quarter comeback in the final frame, but Simons had other plans as he spoiled it all to will the Blazers’ victory.
With the game knotted at 124 apiece, Simons took everything from the 16.8 seconds left on the clock for the last play. Taking his time with the ball in his hands, he bullishly drove hard, moved past Russell Westbrook, and kissed the teardrop shot off the glass for the win right at the buzzer.
It’s truly intriguing how Denver didn’t provide any help defense for Russell Westbrook or even a double team against Simons. Both Nikola Jokic and Aaron Gordon were positioned to give assistance, but Westbrook was simply left alone in defending Simons.
Yet in the postgame of the Nuggets’ defeat, head coach Michael Malone stood firm in his team’s final defensive play against Simons and the Blazers.
Apparently, Malone himself revealed that they liked their one-on-one assignment for Westbrook by defending Simons. Unfortunately, the Blazers star got to his spot and nailed the clutch shot.
“We liked the matchup,” Malone said. “We weren’t looking to double team and open up the three-point line. And give him credit. He made a tough runner off the glass to win the game for them at the buzzer.”
With Simons’ floater, the Blazers have snapped their six-game losing skid — a refreshing sight in the midst of a rough season start.
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