3 Micah Nori Quotes That Stood Out After Blazers Beat Thunder

Portland Trail Blazers head coach Micah Nori is feeling pretty good about his team after defeating the Oklahoma City Thunder in back-to-back nights at the Moda Center.

The Blazers find themselves with an 8-3 record, giving them one of the top spots in the Western Conference standings. Their wins against the Thunder should give them confidence going into this six-game road trip over the next week or so. Here's a look at some of the things he said that stand out from his latest press conference.

Coming In Clutch

Portland Trail Blazers forward Deni Avdija reacts after dunking the ball against the Oklahoma City Thunder. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

“Obviously the closing of games, that's what this team struggled with last year. But that's where the effect of Dame coming back, the effect of calming. Deni getting better in those situations, and the calming of Jrue and obviously Toumani’s defense. But that's what I liked," Nori said.

With 5 minutes to go in the contest, the Blazers and Thunder were tied at 99. The Blazers managed to go on a 19-9 run in the last five minutes to pull away with a 10-point victory. Being able to make the necessary adjustments and pull out a victory in the closing minutes of a game against an established playoff-contending team should be a good sign of what's to come for Portland.

Sidy Cissoko Stepping Up

Portland Trail Blazers guard Sidy Cissoko reacts after making a three-point shot against the Oklahoma City Thunder. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

“He’s really simplified his game. If that makes sense, like he's shooting open catch and shoots. He's not taking anything off the dribble. He's getting it and taking one to two dribbles, and he's either looking to finish or kick out. So I think the thing that he's doing is he has simplified his game," Nori said.

Sidy Cissoko came one point shy of his career high with 19 points in the Blazers' win over the Thunder. Cissoko started both games during the two-game stretch against the Thunder and was given the green light to shoot, especially beyond the three-point line. During the two games, he made 11 of his 23 shots, including 7 of 17 from downtown, leading to 36 points across the two games.

Cissoko came to Portland as a defensive-minded two-way player, but he has grown exponentially over the last two seasons. It looks like he might have solidified his spot in the starting lineup, at least until John Morant gets back from his hamstring injury.

The Blazers' lineup looks far different with Sissoko playing as well as he is offensively, which could completely shake up the entire makeup of the team.

The Home Court Advantage Matters ... But They're Going on the Road

Basketball fans shout for a free t-shirt during a break in the second half. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

“You don't want to disappoint them because you want them to keep coming back. And more importantly, I think that's what's great about this start is the fact that this fan base, this building, it gets jumping. They appreciate hard play. They appreciate good basketball, and hopefully they'll continue to come out in support because it is one heck of a advantage in this building for damn sure," Nori said.

The Blazers really fed off the energy from the crowd over the last two nights. Unfortunately for the Blazers, they will now head out on the road for a six-game trip spanning five cities from coast to coast. Portland is not going to get the same kind of energy and support on the road, so they need to be able to generate it themselves.

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