GOOD NEWS: Portland Trail Blazers coach has just announced

Portland Trail Blazers player Jabari Walker, right, drives to the basket against Utah Jazz forward Kelly Olynyk, left, on Wednesday, Nov. 22, 2023, during the first half of an NBA basketball game in Portland, Ore. (Photo by Steve Dykes/AP) APAP

Consider this: it’s Thanksgiving morning, and you’re curled up on the couch under a warm blanket, your hands clasped around a mug of hot apple cider. The dog is cuddled up by the fire, and the aroma of turkey is permeating your childhood home. The parade has begun. Nobody is debating politics right now. You’re also not doomscrolling on social media.

Temporary happiness.

new goggle goofin pic.twitter.com/OIbo7Q7aDe

— Portland Trail Blazers (@trailblazers) November 23, 2023

Transfer those vibes to 48 minutes on the hardwood, and you have the Portland Trail Blazers, who defeated the Utah Jazz 121-105 at Moda Center on Wednesday night. The eight-game losing skid was broken, everyone was involved, and — if only for a few moment — the cruel and unforgiving gave way to relief and shared delight.

Reality will triumph. Many days, in fact, with 67 games remaining this season for a youthful club on an uphill path. But Sisyphus had to experience some sort of comfort when he wasn’t pushing the boulder, didn’t he? Even if it was at the base of the mountain?

“Vibes are good, but you can’t go up and down,” said Blazers guard Scoot Henderson, who is back after missing three weeks due to an ankle injury. “It’s critical for us to stay in the middle. Continue to use this in the following game.”

Henderson scored three points in 17 minutes for Portland, handing up seven assists and influencing the game significantly more directly with his pace and playmaking. With six players in double figures, headed by Jerami Grant’s 30 points, it was an easy game for the rookie point guard to reintegrate into. His goggles, which he wore to protect his contact lenses, were a hilarious side plot.

Matisse Thybulle was unstoppable on defense, with three steals, two blocks, and a slew of deflections. Toumani Camara was also a force on that end, sinking a pair of slick three-pointers in the opening quarter. Malcolm Brogdon’s steady leadership and tight control were reassuring. With Deandre Ayton out, Jabari Walker was tenacious in the paint, setting career highs in points (19) and rebounds (10).

Everyone brought their special dish to the table.

“We’ve got a couple big games today,” Henderson added. “Today was an important game for Malcolm. Things that Toumani does that aren’t on the stat sheet. Everyone chipped in. Everyone is doing their part and contributing in their own manner.”

Walker believes the Blazers (4-11) are better than they have showed during their losing skid. It helps to have healthy players like Brogdon and Henderson returning, while Anfernee Simons’ comeback from a thumb injury is only a few weeks away.

“We talked ourselves through this,” Walker said of the victory on Wednesday. “Chauncey showed us videos of what we look like when we play well.” When we went on that losing streak, the vibes dropped a little, but we were striving to go back to playing the basketball we know we can.”

Portland will have three days off before traveling to face Damian Lillard and the Milwaukee Bucks on Sunday. There will be many emotions on both sides, but the dominant one in the Blazers’ locker room Wednesday night was relief. Not about the deal or anything remotely related to it, but about the tedium of rebuilding basketball.

Take a sip of the cider. Take a look at the Charlie Brown balloon.

“It was just good to see the ball go through the basket for so many of our guys,” said Blazers coach Chauncey Billups. “It’s great to see Scoot back on the court, just picking up the basketball.” His intensity out there shifts, which only benefits us. Malcolm is obviously impressed with his abilities. So many guys performed admirably. Matisse was a one-man demolition crew. It was simply enjoyable.”