Portland hanging around

BULLDOGS, 56-43

There it is again. That inability to put an inferior team away.

It is rearing its ugly head.

Yes, I understand just because a team is not as good doesn’t mean it is going to just lay down and let you walk all over them.

The Zags’ advantages are maximized when they play together, when they help each other instead of trying to dominate by themselves.

They did that for that long stretch at the end of the first half. Then, as if to say it’s time for me to get mine, the team concept, especially offensively, faded to the background for stretches of the second half.

And, when the defense is threatened, the Zags seem often to try to do too much, covering for teammates instead of just taking care of their responsibilities. It led to some wide-open looks for the Pilots. In the second half, they hit them, the lead.

We’ll be back at the end with a link to the game story.