Portland buries Washington with a third-quarter avalanche

Portland doesn’t just beat Washington — it puts the game away with one brutal third-quarter burst after another, turning a competitive first half into a 123-88 blowout at home. The Blazers lead by only 11 at halftime, but the third quarter becomes a wrecking ball: Portland opens the period with a 16-0 push that stretches a 59-52 game to 73-52, then later uncorks a 17-0 run that blows the margin from 89-66 to 105-66. By then, the rest of the night is just about how big the final number gets.

The tone is set early when Deni Avdija gets Portland rolling with a driving finger roll off a T. Camara assist to spark an 8-0 start. Washington stabilizes briefly and even pulls within reach behind a 10-0 run in the first, capped by L. Black’s 13-foot pullup jumper to make it 24-22, but that’s as close as the Wizards get to truly flipping the script. Portland’s ball movement and pressure on the rim keep coming, and Robert Williams III’s running dunk off a K. Murray assist helps the Blazers reassert control in the second quarter with a 9-0 burst that pushes the lead from 44-43 to 53-43.

From there, Toumani Camara starts to look like the most aggressive player on the floor. He finishes with 23 points and 7 rebounds in just 28 minutes, and his downhill game is a constant problem for Washington. Scoot Henderson adds 21 points and 7 assists, slicing into gaps and creating easy offense before the defense can set. Avdija chips in 20 points, 7 boards and 5 assists, giving Portland another steady two-way presence. The run that really breaks Washington comes in the third, when Camara’s driving layup fuels a 16-0 avalanche that turns a decent game into a runaway. Portland attacks in waves, and every time the Wizards think they’ve found a stop, another Blazer is flying to the rim.

The biggest punch lands when J. Kent finishes a running dunk during the 17-0 third-quarter surge, the play that pushes the score from 89-66 to 105-66 and effectively ends any debate. Washington’s offense, meanwhile, never finds a counterpunch strong enough to survive the pace. The Wizards trail by as many as 39, and even the late-game sequence says it all: J. Champagnie blocks a shot, B. Wesley cleans up a putback, then Champagnie immediately answers with a reverse layup as Portland keeps stacking possessions and points. It’s not about style points anymore; it’s about survival.

The stat sheet reflects the same story as the scoreboard. Portland gets production from everywhere, including a reserve big who grabs 13 rebounds in 39 minutes, and Donovan Clingan contributes 5 blocks in 21 minutes to anchor the paint. But the real separator is how many easy looks the Blazers generate once the game opens up. They get to the rim, finish in transition, and force Washington into long stretches where the Wizards are chasing rather than dictating. The 123 points feel less like an outlier and more like the product of a team that found a gear Washington couldn’t match.

For Portland, this is the kind of win that matters in the standings and in the locker room. It’s a statement about depth, pace and how dangerous the Blazers can be when Camara, Henderson and Avdija are all rolling at once. For Washington, it’s another reminder that staying afloat for a half isn’t enough when the game can be ripped open so quickly. Portland moves on with momentum and confidence; Washington leaves with a long film session and another night that got away fast.