The Portland Trail Blazers’ matchup with the defending champion Oklahoma City Thunder on Wednesday night was a lot. It was dead and then alive. Frustrating and then euphoric. Hard to watch and then must-see TV. It was imperfect and wacky and nerve-wracking. Above all, it was a win, as the Blazers rallied from 22 down to defeat the Thunder 121-119 at the Moda Center.

“It’s a resilient group,” Blazers interim head coach Tiago Splitter said about his team. “[They’re] guys that never give up, and today they showed this again.”

The Blazers shot 23.1% from the field in the first quarter, scoring just 21 points and falling behind by 20. Then in the fourth, the Blazers exploded for 40 points on 81.3% shooting to overtake reigning MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Co. for the win. That polarizing s

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