Schroder plays tough defense on McCollum
Portland guard CJ McCollum made his first three shots of the game, giving the Trail Blazers eight of their first 11 points.
But then Thunder coach Billy Donovan subbed in Dennis Schroder, and he took the challenge of guarding McCollum. On the first possession after he sub bed in, Sc hr oder picked up McCollum in the back court and stayed with him all the way to the basket. There, McCollum committed a turnover.
The Thunder's 102-99 loss to the Trail Blazers marked Schroder's third consecutive strong defensive performance.
McCollum scoring sprees were familiar in OKC, after McCollum impressed ina first-round playoff series against the Thunder last season.
But in the first two minutes of Schroder guarding McCollum, McCollum missed a 3-point shot and committed two turnovers.
In the final minutes of the game, Schroder had to worry about fouling out.
With a little over seven minutes left in the game, Schroder chased Portland guard Damian Lillard around the perimeter and then switched onto Rodney Hood. Hood drove the lane, and Schroder leaped in front of his shot, committing his fifth foul.
He was replaced by Terrance Ferguson immediately, but the Thunder wanted him on the floor to close the game. He returned with about three minutes left in the game to guard Lillard.
Noel fills in for Adams
Thunder center Steven Adams (left knee contusion) sat out OKC's game against Portland on Wednesday. Nerlens Noel started in his place.
Adams left Monday's game at Houston with 6:45 to go in the fourth quarter and did not return. After the game, Donovan said Adams had been communicating with him about the injury throughout the game.
Adams did not participate in shootaround Wednesday morning, per Donovan, but he stayed afterward to shoot free throws and practice hook shots over a coach.
Noel made his first three shots. However, with 4 1/2 minutes left in the third quarter, Noel picked up his fourth foul.
Mike Muscala played center with the second unit and absorbed some of Noel's minutes when he got into foul trouble.
Noel subbed back in with 6:26 left on the clock to close the game. In the final minute his dunk cut Portland's lead to 97-95.
Playoff history
Just five games into the s e as on, t he Thunder has played all four teams who eliminated it from the playoffs in Donovan's tenure.
Portland was the Thunder's most recent playoff foe. The Trail Blazers eliminated the Thunder in a 4-1 first-round series last season.
Tip-ins
Thunder guard Andre Roberson (return to play management) sat out Wednesday. He has not played a competitive game since rupturing his left patellar tendon in January 2018 and experiencing multiple setbacks last season. ... Hamidou Diallo recoded his first career double-double, with 12 points and 10 rebounds.