Portland big man Robert Williams III has just returned from a 12-month absence due to a major knee injury, and he’s quickly showing why the Trail Blazers missed him so much last season.
Williams dominated the first contest of a back-to-back set against the Minnesota Timberwolves and will look to replicate his performance when the teams meet again on Wednesday night in Portland.
In Tuesday’s 122-108 victory over Minnesota, Williams made his third appearance of the season, scoring 19 points on 9-of-10 shooting from the field. He also recorded nine rebounds, three assists, three blocked shots, and three steals in 25 minutes of action.
Williams played just six games for Portland last season in his first campaign with the team before his season-ending injury. His absence left a significant hole up front, and the team’s defense often struggled as a result.
Williams was one of seven Portland players to score in double digits on Tuesday, a contest that was part of the NBA Cup, with both teams in Group A.
Portland’s Jerami Grant led the team with 21 points, while Shaedon Sharpe and Deni Avdija added 17 points each. Toumani Camara and Scoot Henderson each contributed 14 points, and Dalano Banton chipped in 12 points.
Deandre Ayton missed the contest due to a sprained finger, and Anfernee Simons played just five minutes due to chest pains. Coach Billups said that tests for Simons came back normal, but he will undergo “further testing” on Wednesday.
Tuesday’s performance was a stark contrast for Portland compared to last Friday’s game, where the Timberwolves defeated the Trail Blazers 127-102 in Minneapolis. In that game, Anthony Edwards drained nine 3-pointers and scored 37 points, with Minnesota shooting 22 of 50 from beyond the arc.
On Tuesday night, the Timberwolves shot 13 of 35 from 3-point range. Edwards made four treys while scoring 26 points, and Naz Reid led the team with 28 points.
Minnesota’s biggest issue was their inability to take care of the ball. They committed a season-worst 23 turnovers, leading to 25 Portland points. Four different players committed four turnovers each. This marked the third straight game and the fourth time this season that the Timberwolves had at least 20 turnovers in a game.
Despite the loss, Jaden McDaniels performed well, scoring 17 points on 8-of-10 shooting from the field. The Timberwolves had won five straight games against Portland before Tuesday’s defeat.
