Groundhog Day

A gut-wrenching draw extends Portland's unbeaten streak to six.

I'm still at a loss for words. To the neutral, that was pure delight. To anyone with a dog in the fight, it was a disaster. Or, at least, it felt like one.

Recap

Maybe "disaster" is too harsh. But when the game begins with the ball in the back of your own net, there might actually be a problem. Luckily, Denis Bouanga's potential opening goal in the 2nd minute was ruled offside.

The Timbers were the ones who actually got on the board first. A slick pass from David Da Costa created a race between Hugo Lloris and Felipe Mora. The Chilean won the race, and Lloris pulled him down by the leg. A penalty was awarded, and Mora tucked it home in the 9th minute. Another offside Bouanga goal was ruled out a minute later. But the Timbers were pushing for goal number two, despite LAFC having the lion's share of the call. That second goal came in the 42nd minute. Antony beat Aaron Long to a long ball (more on that later) and passed it to Santiago Moreno in the box. After a neat dribble that sent Marlon flying, the Colombian scored his first of the season. 2-0. But the visitors weren't going to go into halftime without something. Olivier Giroud turned a foul at the top of the box into a goal with a well-placed free kick. Not much you can do about that. It was Giroud's first MLS goal since arriving from Milan last summer. Because of course it was.

I'd like to think that the Timbers began the second half with the same intensity as the first, and I think they did. However, LAFC's stupendous ability to win second ball after second ball kept the Timbers pinned in their own half. While Portland kept trying to escape, LAFC kept them pinned. After a couple more Bouanga shots were saved by Pantemis, the visitors finally tied the game in the 64th minute. Bouanga beat Juan Mosquera on the right side (after another second ball win kept LAFC's attack alive) and fired in a cross right across the face of goal. Substitute David Martinez was Johnny-on-the-spot. That goal was coming. The next goal, however, seemingly came out of thin air. Mosquera's cross found Jonathan Rodriguez at the far post, and the Uruguayan guided the ball across goal to Mora, who bundled it in TWO MINUTES after LAFC tied the game. At that point in the match, LAFC trailed for 55 of the game's 72 minutes (stoppage time included). That number increased to 79 before Bouanga won a penalty and converted it in the 90th minute. More on that later. With 11 minutes of stoppage time, both teams threw everything they had at finding a winner. But nothing happened. The game ended 3-3, and the Timbers increased their unbeaten streak to 6 games.

A Deserved Result?

There are two different factors that contribute to tonight’s result. Both of them cannot be ignored. Let’s begin with the controllable one: attacking execution.

During this game, the Timbers hit the post twice and weren’t showing a killer instinct in the attack. There are a couple of missed chances I’ll delve into later, but they made it possible to put this game to bed before The Incident. Portland threatened LAFC’s backline multiple times, yes, but did they really test it? I don’t think so.

Considering the wide range of shots that LAFC attempted, Portland’s shot map looks pretty tame. Sure, the Timbers lost the possession battle 61-39, but I think that there’s a serious case to be made that they aren’t attacking with the full might that they could attack with. I think there’s an easy solution here.

Go Direct!

Too many promising attacks have been killed by safety. The Timbers find themselves in semi-counter situations, and choose to pass the ball back to recycle possession. Sometimes, this works and a defense sitting low gets drawn out. However, it makes Portland really easy to defend. Their attackers are at their best in “downhill” situations. But whenever the Timbers begin to go downhill, the emergency brake gets pulled. Sometimes it isn’t, and plays like Moreno’s goal happens. That goal happened because of Antony’s sheer force of will and speed. It doesn’t just apply to counter-attacks either.

The Timbers have attempted the 9th-fewest long balls in the league this season. However, their completion percentage on such passes is 5th-best. I’ve been saying for a while that the Timbers need to attempt more long balls in order to unleash their speedy forwards. Long balls from the backline into space will encourage Portland’s fast wingers to unleash that speed. But the Timbers are committed to being slow and steady in their buildup. As a result, they aren’t taking advantage of disorganized defenses.

The Timbers, simply put, do not play a system that can take advantage of organized defenses. They are a team that is built to murder in transition, and they don’t take advantage of every transition opportunity. Minnesota is the team to take a look at on this graph (courtesy of @jamonm.bsky.social). They’re the best counterattacking team in MLS this season because they drive forward ruthlessly with the ball. Portland’s methodical buildup isn’t designed to create artificial transition opportunities. It’s for holding onto the ball, getting it to the playmakers, and letting them create. There’s kind of an attacking identity here: possess to possess and rely on the playmakers.

A Press!

Meanwhile, the Timbers do have a defensive identity! It is predicated on playing a higher line and forcing turnovers in the opposition half. I’m going to do a deeper dive on this because there are aspects I like and aspects that scare me. But it is important to note that the Timbers have developed an out-of-possession style that every player has bought into.

An Undeserved Result?

I wanted to get all of the big picture takeaways before I address the elephant in the room. There are still shocking events happening to the Portland Timbers that are out of their control, and the officials are still at the center of them. Let’s begin with two offside goals from LAFC that were (correctly) ruled out. I thought this was the correct call on both of them, but they were close. When Mora was brought down in the box, the Timbers earned their first penalty kick at home since last June’s 3-2 victory against Minnesota. It was one of only three penalties awarded to the Timbers at home in 2024 (the other two happened in the San Jose game). Once again, this was the correct call. It was awarded on the field with no need for VAR intervention.

A couple questionable yellow cards (once again, nothing new) were awarded to the Timbers. But I think one play completely changed the tone of this game.

I do not know how this is a yellow card. I do not know how this is even a foul by Rodriguez! Sergi Palencia goes down way too easily for starters. Second of all, while he’s flopping around on the ground holding his face, he removes his hands from his head and GRABS Rodriguez and pulls him to the ground in a split second before returning his hands to his face. This was all visible in real time. I saw it from the press box, which is much farther away from the field than where Guido Gonzales Jr. (the referee) was standing. What’s even more infuriating is where Gonzales actually is. He’s looking DIRECTLY AT THE PLAY! HE SEES PALENCIA PULL RODRIGUEZ TO THE GROUND AND STILL GIVES THE YELLOW CARD TO RODRIGUEZ! No booking or even a talking-to for the retaliation foul. By the way, that free-kick begins a sequence that ends with Martinez’s equalizer! Because of course it does. That decision from Gonzales set the table for the rest of this match.

Our next major decision comes in the 78th minute.

Some baselines must be set: Surman’s challenge on Jesus in the box was clean, and Hollingshead’s shirt pull on Moreno is a textbook yellow card. It is unclear what Cherundolo is saying, but he has clearly entered the field of play to argue with the official. Is a straight red card harsh in this circumstance? I think so, but it is the rule. I’d be OK with a yellow here. For the record, Phil Neville is disgusted with this decision in particular. I agree with him, but only to a certain degree. Since it’s unknown what language Cherundolo was using, I can’t make a proper assessment of the red card. However, I would be remiss if I didn’t mention how funny it is. Earlier this week, Cherundolo announced that he would be stepping down at the end of the season and is moving back to Germany. Based on tonight’s game, he should have no problem catching a red-eye flight.

The major incident occurred in the 90th minute. Bouanga was awarded a penalty after a very delayed VAR check on a foul in the box. I have several issues with this play, and oddly none of them revolve around the foul itself.

There’s a lot to unpack here. First is a possible handball by Chara while blocking the free-kick. You could make a case for it, but he’s trying to keep his arms at his side. I think it’s OK to let that slide. Meanwhile, once the ball gets cleared, Ortiz is breaking away on a counter. Martinez challenges him, which causes Ortiz to fall to the ground. This is where my blood begins to boil.

If any Timbers player does this in this same exact scenario, it’s an instant yellow card. It’s becoming so hard to deny that there’s a double standard here. But this is what really gets me: after several repeated viewings, I don’t think it’s as much of a foul as I initially thought! I think it’s a pretty fair 50/50 challenge, and Ortiz embellishes the contact a little bit. That actually makes me angrier. It’s way too easy to imagine this scenario reversed and the Timbers getting penalized for an opposing player diving. Hell, it nearly happened on this penalty.

This is why Denis Bouanga is such a valuable player. No other player in this league can consistently get that penalty call. He’s a master of it. I’ve seen it time and time again: Bouanga enters the box and is desperately looking for any bit of contact. However, because he’s ridiculously agile, he falls whenever he feels contact from another player. Here’s where the Bouanga Paradox comes into play. For a lot of these calls (most notably the one in El Trafico last season), Bouanga instills doubt in the officiating crew. He questions their grasp of reality. Denis Bouanga isn’t just a soccer player; he’s a master of illusions.

There is something special that happens whenever Bouanga dives in the box. Yes, that’s the correct terminology. It is absolutely a dive. He creates an alternate reality where any contact inside the box is enough to bring him down. Is it always obvious that this contact could bring him down? No, it isn’t. But he creates the illusion that it’s always enough. There is always just enough contact to create this illusion. Because he spends the majority of his time in the box contorting his body to try and get past defenders, it creates the illusion that his center of gravity is compromised. It never is. He’s always in full control. It’s a true masterpiece of deception. Get him into the Magician’s Alliance. He deserves a spot in that prestigious club. Add in his inability to collect a second yellow card after his various antics with the referee (including pulling on his shirt and nudging him). He keeps getting away with it. Somehow, no one has the power to stop him.

Meanwhile, this foul occurs at 86:36 on the game clock. With Gonzales Jr. staring right at him, Bouanga theatrically throws his hands in the air before flopping back down to the ground. You’ve got to hand it to him. He has the showman gene. Ten seconds later, the game has moved on. Gonzales Jr. is firmly focused on the action in front of him. LAFC is possessing the ball, and Bouanga has even arisen from his shattered state on the ground of the penalty box to touch the ball a couple of times during this sequence. Is there a magician version of an Oscar?

At 87:24, almost a full minute after the challenge in the box, Gonzales Jr. stops the play. LAFC still has the ball. He makes the VAR motion with his hands. It’s blatantly obvious what is about to come next. My blood was simmering after the Martinez challenge on Ortiz. Now it’s fully boiling. And it’s not because of the actual foul.

There are two reasons why my blood is currently being used to cook some pasta. The first is the double standard issue again. Do you think that the Portland Timbers would ever be the beneficiary of a decision to go to the monitor FIFTY SECONDS after the foul occurred? Do you think that the referee would stop play in the MIDDLE of a Timbers possession after a foul like that to go to the monitor? For me, the answer to both of those questions is a resounding “no.” I have seen no evidence to the contrary to believe it. And I don’t think I ever will.

The second part is the “clear and obvious error” clause in the VAR rules. If an error is “clear and obvious” surely it wouldn’t take FIFTY SECONDS to stop play! Especially for a penalty kick! Why wait the extra time if a decision has already been made to go to the monitor? It looks sketchier! It adds fuel to the fire of a potential “victim complex” that’s probably brewing in the Timbers’ locker room! Having seen every minute of Portland’s games in 2025, could you blame them for harboring those feelings? Phil Neville certainly does! Let’s take a look at what he said after the game:

“I’ve got to say I think the sending off of Steve Cherundolo was an absolute disgrace. I really do. I got a yellow card at the end for taking my players away from the referee. I thought that I was showing respect. I thought I was doing my job. I thought I was protecting and showing respect to a set of referees that didn’t do us any favors, that have never done us any favors. And I get a yellow card and maybe I’m suspended for the next game for actually trying to help them. And that’s it, done with them.”

After this statement ended, a Timbers staff member opened up the room for questions. But Neville wasn’t done yet.

“And we will get a report and they’ll say that I was causing dissent. I was getting my players away from the officials. And Steve Cherundolo should never have been sent off (his voice begins to crack here), should never have been sent off on any game of football in the whole world. And what we’re seeing now is that we’ve just played a 3-3 game against one of the best teams, an incredible advert of football, and I just think that they just want to be the kings of the castle. It’s all about them, they just wanna show that they are the main people in this league, and unfortunately it’s not good.”

File this one into the Neville Quote Hall Of Fame. I wasn’t aware of this yellow card. The scene on the field after the game ended was chaotic, and I didn’t notice any direct booking from the officials. Oh well. His point is still valid. I’ve heard more “F*** you ref” chants at Providence Park than I’ve seen log lifts this season. It’s exasperating turning on a Timbers game or going to one in person and wondering what the officials will do this time. My goal for today’s game was to not be angry after the game. My “Monday” shift at work started at 11 PM. I didn’t want to be upset for 8 and a half hours before I had a chance to break out the laptop and begin this recap. The most basic of goals was ruined. At this point, the actual soccer has become a byproduct. Whatever big decision is made by the referees becomes a headline. And that’s a shame for a game like this one. The caliber of play exhibited by both teams was a proper showcase for what MLS could be at its best. Neville said something similar right before anger got the better of him (justified in this occasion) and he began to talk about a red card issued to THE OPPOSING MANAGER. Let’s take a brief detour and check on a brief social experiment conducted unwillingly and unwittingly in Tom Bogert’s replies on BlueSky.

I’m not a fan of the way this quote is phrased because I think it’s misleading. Any casual observer who is unaware of the full quote is probably assuming that Neville is talking about the penalty call at the end of the game. The full quote (as stated above) is actually referencing, once again, A RED CARD GIVEN TO THE OPPOSING MANAGER. But it is accurate, and the replies are eye-opening.

Four different people, representing four different fanbases, all talking about different games from this weekend’s slate. Major League Soccer has an officiating problem. It’s obvious. It has been obvious. Multiple players and coaches (Neville included) called out the officiating in some form after today’s games. The most egregious call from this matchweek was a mind-boggling red card given to Diego Luna, who was sent off after being fouled in the box. Go check that out if you haven’t already. Every team in this league can claim to be victimized by the referees. The Timbers are not unique in that regard. But it is infuriating watching every game become a ref show of some sort. Especially when there is so little accountability that the officials have to take. Neville is right. He’ll probably get fined for this rant. He might face a suspension based on that yellow card. If MLS is insistent on continuing with this pool reporter system where referees can answer thoughtfully curated questions with drivel, the least that can happen is a bit of criticism from the people who are directly affected by their incompetence. Players and coaches are not allowed to get complacent because their jobs would be on the line. After reaching a new agreement with the league last year, plenty of PROReferees are basking in their job security. As a fellow union member myself, I get it. But at the end of the day I still have to come into my job and perform my work to the best of my ability. I can’t say the same for MLS officials. They have a thankless job, and they wouldn’t get as much scrutiny if they were simply better at it. Best officials in the world, guys. Remember that.

We’ve officially entered the Groundhog Day universe. You wake up, watch a Timbers game, and whine about the referees. The colors of the jerseys change. The settings of the games change. But at the end of the day, you’re still whining about the referees. And there’s no hope of it ever changing.

Player Ratings

James Pantemis: 8.5

How can a goalkeeper who allowed 3 goals still earn such a high rating? Well, this easily could have been a LAFC victory if Pantemis didn't stand on his head. He made six saves, and I don't know how much fault he bears for any of LAFC's 3 goals. The first one was a well struck free-kick that hit the underside of the bar. The second was a point-blank effort that should've been cut out by a defender. And, as Pantemis said himself on Thursday, there's no fault at all for the goalkeeper when conceding a penalty kick. The shooter is expected to score. Pantemis didn't just keep the Timbers in the game; he practically saved a point.

Juan Mosquera: 6.9

This was a very tough rating to give. First of all, Mosquera was stuck in the Bouanga dungeon for the entirety of the second half. The Gabonese winger is one of the best players in the league, and Portland had to double team him. Mosquera did a solid job (for the most part) but did get beat several times, including LAFC's second goal. However, he redeemed himself by providing the cross that turned into Portland's third. I don't think his decision-making is very sharp around the box, but he’s a threat in those attacking areas because of the quality of his delivery. The threat he poses on counterattacks cannot go unnoticed either, even if he can sometimes cause them to fizzle out due to a main objective of keeping the ball rather than taking risks.

Finn Surman: 7.2

Consistency is the best quality, and Surman's performances since taking over the starting job have been exactly that. His big moment of the match was chasing down Bouanga in the 25th minute. I don't know what else there is to say about him. This was his toughest test so far in a Timbers shirt, and he passed. You could make the case that he could’ve cut out Bouanga’s assist to Martinez, but that feels mean. It’s one potential error on top of another solid performance.

Kamal Miller: 7.9

For the first time this season, Miller was the best center back on the team. That's more of a sign of Surman's immense play than Miller's own. I'm not going to rehash the long ball points that I made above. All I'm going to talk about is how much he stepped up at the beginning of the second half when LAFC ramped up the pressure. The Canadian put on a show. This would be an 8 or higher, but it was his foul that led to Giroud's free kick. It was a pretty dumb foul. Don't ignore the rest of his performance though. It was fantastic.

Jimer Fory: 7.2

Another game, another yellow for Fory. He's received 6 yellows in 8 games, and this was the 3rd time that he was the first player booked. I think it is an issue that he keeps getting yellow cards, and I don't think he has as much control over it as he probably should.

Meanwhile, he won all 3 of his attempted tackles and made 7 clearances (6 aerial). He's already a locked-in starter after 8 games. Well, if he isn't suspended. It’s hard not to be a little negative about his affinity (sarcasm) for bookings. I think part of it comes with the territory of being a large guy matched up against small guys. However, his pace and defensive ability continue to be massive positives for the Timbers. Gotta keep working on that discipline, even though I think he’s going to be fighting an uphill battle on that front. It’s weird. He’s like a reverse Adi. The Timbers’ all-time leading MLS goalscorer never got calls simply due to his massive size and strength. Fory, who is also big and strong, gets called for fouls because of it. Well, and some poor timing in the tackle. But it is something to note.

Diego Chara: 5.4

The club captain knows an awful lot about yellow cards, and he didn't get booked today. I'm afraid that's where the positives end. Chara was the poster boy of Portland's second-ball failures. Those mistakes were compounded by several poor giveaways in his own half. I was pretty surprised when he didn't get subbed off before Ayala, even with the Argentine's yellow card taken into account. And yes, he was definitely at fault for the penalty. Despite the suspicious nature of the ruling. Ugh.

David Ayala: 7.4

Ayala performed another spider-tackle and received a yellow card. By the way, do you remember the point I made earlier about retaliatory fouls? Watch this.

*Apologies for the freeze. I blame Apple TV.*

The highlight package on YouTube completely cuts out the buildup to Ordaz’s shot. You see Tillman’s blocked shot and Ordaz’s attempt but nothing before Giroud’s cross. Mosquera is fouled by Bouanga, but he doesn’t get a whistle. The following challenge from Ayala (yes, I think this is a yellow card even though I don’t like it) is immediately followed by an advantage. I’m so tired of this. Even Maurice Edu praising Bouanga’s work rate is groan-worthy. That’s a foul, my guy.

In other news, that yellow card led to Ayala’s substitution. He won all three of his ground duels and all three of his attempted tackles. Sigh.

Santiago Moreno: 7.6

Be honest: you were a bit concerned when Moreno took an extra touch in the box right before he scored? I certainly was. But it worked out! Very cool.

Moreno had the tough task of double-teaming Bouanga, and did pretty well for a forward. Hopefully his goal will allow more confidence to flow, but also keep him focused on providing for the team, not just himself. By the way, after his shot found the back of the net, the entire stadium turned on their phone flashlights to mock the traveling supporters. That’s pretty funny and good banter. Whatever you might think of LAFC fans (personally, I don’t like them) I think it’s pretty great when a large contingent of traveling fans shows up at Providence Park. It’s good for the atmosphere and good for the game.

Antony: 7.1

As I said to Stumptown Footy's Alex Barnes in the pressbox: "I don't mind when Antony tries a couple of risky dribbles because he always tries to win the ball back if he loses it." By the way, no Antony action got me more fired up than this:

Simple as that. Like I already mentioned, finding him in space is the perfect way for the Timbers to utilize his relentless speed. He left at halftime not because of his performance, but because of a knock. Antony did not draw a single foul today. Hmm.

David Da Costa: 7.8

“He was probably the best player on the pitch in terms of composure,” Neville said after the game. I agree with that assessment. I thought that his decision-making was top-tier and he was able to show his quality without recording a goal involvement. However, he did come awfully close. The post denied him in second-half stoppage time from a free kick. Sometimes you get those bounces. He didn’t today. His instinct to spam through balls was once again evident, but he didn’t get the ball enough. Familiar story. Despite the relative lack of goal contributions (1g/2a in 9 matches), he’s definitely making the Timbers a better team.

Felipe Mora: 9.4

Mora scored twice tonight, but this was his most impressive action of the game.

Lordy. How many strikers can play a pass like that? And with one touch? I was begging for Mosquera to drive forward or hit a progressive pass after that ball. It shouldn’t have been recycled. What a waste.

The Chilean suits up for every game knowing that he's going to get fouled into oblivion. How many times does he receive a pass with his back to goal and immediately get shoved? If I had a nickel for every time that happened, I'd be Jeff Bezos. He scores goals and does all the underappreciated work that strikers do. Of course he got subbed off while on a brace. Phil Neville is fully committed to the bit. As someone who is also a bit committer, I can only respect it. Maybe the Timbers don't need to get a MLS hat-trick. I'm sure that it'll be extremely unsatisfying. Meanwhile, Mora moved into third place on the Timbers’ MLS goalscoring chart. So underrated, so consistent, and such a key player for this football club on and off the pitch.

Jonathan Rodriguez: 8.1

Portland's other DP had a cracking half of soccer. 5 out of his 19 touches were in LAFC's box. He won all 3 of his aerial duels, including the one that resulted in his assist to Mora. However, I'd like to highlight a shot he took in the 80th minute.

No one on this team can hit a soccer ball like Jonathan Rodriguez. He nearly took the cover off it. Unfortunately, it got blocked. That deserved to be a goal.

Joao Ortiz: 6

Ortiz's main contribution was getting fouled but not getting a whistle. However, he also became the Bouanga Hunter when he entered the pitch. His work rate was evident, and I liked how he kept trying to push the team forward. I'd like to see him start next week against the Galaxy.

Kevin Kelsy: 6

Kelsy gets the average of 6.1 and 5.9 for this sequence:

I get the urge to pass the ball to Rodriguez here, but sometimes you have to be a bit selfish. This chance represents a team-wide problem I've already discussed. But the pass that allows the chance to be created is superb. It might be a little bit behind the receiver, but it's a Felipe Mora signature move. Glad to see Kelsy add some of Mora’s game to his own. Bottomline: you are a striker. Take the shot. PLEASE.

Table Time

It’s hard to look at tonight’s results around the league and feel like the Timbers missed a serious opportunity to climb to 2nd. Meanwhile, per Asterisk logic, they would already be in second. A win tonight would’ve moved them into a tie with first-place Vancouver! That’s nuts! I hate harping on The Asterisk, but it’s wild how much different the perception of this team might be if that penalty was awarded. Unfortunately, they are the Portland Timbers, and they are the People’s Champion. More suffering is surely on the cards going forward.

Final Whistle

Speaking of The Asterisk, the Timbers have an opportunity for revenge next weekend in Carson. The Galaxy, by the way, are still winless. I think it’s a must-win game for both teams. Especially with more Western Conference Cannibalism (trademark) surely on the menu for next week’s slate.

I would like to talk about Martinez’s goal one last time. That goal was the first open play goal that the Timbers surrendered since Christian Ramirez’s equalizer on March 16th. They went an entire month without conceding from open play. I think that’s very commendable. Both of LAFC’s other goals were from a free kick and a penalty. Speaking of penalties, I think another chat is in order.

The Timbers extended their lead at the top of MLS’ penalties conceded chart with their fifth of the season. I think it’s pretty obvious that I believe in the veracity of that call, but not the means used to acquire it. Portland’s defensive miscues have morphed from last year. In 2024, it was shoddy open-play defending and set pieces that doomed them. This year, the open play issues are vastly improved. But their penchant for conceding penalties and conceding from direct free-kicks are now pretty serious problems. I think it’ll even out in time, but I also believe that the Timbers are going to have to continue to adapt to the way these games are being called. After Neville’s comments, I expect the officials to be even more scrutinizing of Timbers games. Is it unprofessional for referees to do that? Absolutely, but the bar is on the floor.

Today’s main question revolves around how fair that result was. I think it was a fair reflection of a Timbers team that had an excellent first half but ceded control of the midfield in the second. Giroud’s free-kick also played a part. Conceding any goal right before the halftime whistle is a serious kick in the balls, especially one against the run of play. But there are two parts to the fairness of the result: did the Timbers deserve the draw AND did they deserve to draw in that fashion. My answers to both of those are yes and no, respectively. Portland had a chance to make a serious statement, and they almost did. But the nature of the penalty call felt like another kick in the teeth and led to more dropped points at home. I’m firmly of the belief that the Timbers didn’t look like a team struggling through the second half. They’re still learning who they are. Parts of their identity have already developed. But the other parts will take time, especially with Jonathan Rodriguez working his way back to full fitness.

Either way, the 2025 Timbers are wildly entertaining. They still perform amazing feats compounded with absurd errors. It’s comical. But at the end of the day, they believe in themselves. They allowed an equalizer and retook the lead two minutes later. Despite the nature of today’s result, their unbeaten streak has extended to six games. They still occupy 4th place in the Western Conference. Consistency in results is here, but consistency in performances is still a work in progress. Soon both consistencies will match. The climb continues.