The Portland Trail Blazers surged in the fourth quarter against the Golden State Warriors on Wednesday, and Jake Layman was a key part of the Trail Blazers’ quality offense.
Layman, who averaged 13.9 points per game in the previous 13 games, scored 17 points as the Blazers defeated the Warriors 129-107. Layman led the team’s bench in scoring, and he shot 7-of-9 from the field.
The Blazers were down 95-94 at the end of the third, but Layman and bench players like Seth Curry and Zach Collins helped the Blazers push ahead in the fourth. Layman scored 12 points in the quarter, and he hit a three-pointer with 3:34 left to put Portland up 118-103.
Portland outscored Golden State 35-12 in the fourth quarter, including four made three-pointers; Layman sank two of those.
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Layman has had success recently off the bench, and he has gotten more minutes as well. In the previous 13 games, Layman has played at least 15 minutes. Within the first 40 games of the season, Layman did not play (DNP) in 10 of those games. Layman has played a career-high 18.1 minutes a game, and he’s averaging a career-high 7.9 points per game.
Layman’s ability to shoot well is his greatest strength, and his shooting provides space for the Blazers’ guards to drive. He’s shooting a career-high 36.4 percent from the 3-point line, while also averaging a career-high in three-point field goal attempts (2.6).
Layman, 24, is in his third year in the league. The University of Maryland product is still a young player, but recently he has seemed to find a role for himself on the Blazers’ bench.
