Miami Heat vs. Portland Trail Blazers: Postgame Grades and Analysis

The Miami Heat visited the Portland Trail Blazers Thursday hoping to bounce back from four losses in their last five games.

Things went swimmingly until halftime, but the Blazers romped their way to a 99-83 victory. LaMarcus Aldridge drove the bus with 24 points, and Dwyane Wade's 23 weren't enough for Miami.

The Heat never trailed in the first half but only led by five at the break. The Blazers also came in with an NBA-best 10-6 record when trailing at the half, per TNT, and outscored the Heat 33-16 in the third quarter. They walked into the end zone from there. The Palm Beach Post writer Jason Lieser notes Wade had this to say:Damian Lillard scored nine points in the first half, but he collided with Wade late in the second quarter as both players fought for the ball, and they each looked worse for wear afterward. However, Lillard's a gamer, and Thursday marked his 200th consecutive start, per Trail Blazers PR Twitter on Jan. 3.

TNT cameras showed Lillard walking gingerly out of the locker room before the beginning of the second half. He scored five in the third quarter, including an alley-oop slam, then exited late in the frame before returning to action again.

He gritted out the game, ending on 16 points from 6-of-17 shooting (and two three-pointers on eight tries). He added three assists and two surprising blocks. More importantly, this young star put his toughness on display.

Source http://bleacherreport.com/articles/2324163-miami-heat-vs-portland-trail-blazers-postgame-grades-and-analysis