One Point. Two Missed Shots. Seven Match Points. – Damon Stoudamire vs. the Clippers

2026-10-28 · CH

February 3, 2001: Damon Stoudamire and the Portland Trail Blazers suffer a dramatic 90–89 loss against the Los Angeles Clippers. Discover the final seconds, the historical context and seven forensic points linking his No. 3 jersey to the game.

One Point. Two Missed Shots. Seven Match Points.

February 3, 2001. Los Angeles, California. With the final seconds ticking away, Damon Stoudamire had the basketball in his hands. His Portland Trail Blazers trailed the Los Angeles Clippers by a single point. Two opportunities remained to steal the victory. Neither shot would fall.

What appeared to be another frustrating regular-season defeat would become part of the history preserved by a surviving Portland Trail Blazers jersey.

More than 25 years later, PhotoMatchForensics has documented seven positive visual correspondence points connecting Stoudamire's black No. 3 jersey to photographic evidence from that February evening.

The Game: Clippers 90 – Trail Blazers 89

The Portland Trail Blazers entered the game as one of the Western Conference's strongest teams. With an experienced roster featuring Arvydas Sabonis, Steve Smith, Bonzi Wells, Dale Davis and Damon Stoudamire, expectations were high.

The Clippers, meanwhile, were struggling through another rebuilding season. Their young roster included Lamar Odom, Corey Maggette and Darius Miles.

Portland was without two important players. Scottie Pippen was sidelined following elbow surgery, while Rasheed Wallace was serving a two-game NBA suspension.

Despite these absences, Portland was heavily favored against a Clippers team that had won only 14 of its first 47 games.

But the evening would not follow the expected script.

Official Game Statistics

Date: February 3, 2001
Venue: STAPLES Center, Los Angeles
Attendance: 19,077
Final Score: Los Angeles Clippers 90 – Portland Trail Blazers 89
Halftime: Portland 50 – Los Angeles 44

Eric Piatkowski led Los Angeles with 26 points, while Bonzi Wells scored 22 for Portland.

Damon Stoudamire – Individual Performance

Minutes: 32
Points: 15
Rebounds: 1
Assists: 2
Steals: 1
Field Goals: 5–12
Three-Pointers: 2–5
Free Throws: 3–4

Stoudamire contributed 15 points, but his role in the game's final sequence would become its most dramatic individual storyline.

The Final Seconds: Two Chances to Win

With only 29 seconds remaining, Steve Smith connected on a jumper to give Portland an 89–88 advantage.

The Clippers responded when Sean Rooks was fouled by Arvydas Sabonis. With 21 seconds remaining, Rooks converted both free throws, pushing Los Angeles ahead 90–89.

Portland still had time.

Stoudamire received the ball, created separation from Lamar Odom and attempted an 18-foot jumper. The shot missed.

After the ball went out of bounds off the Clippers, Portland received one final possession.

Again, the ball went to Stoudamire.

Again, he attempted the potential game-winner.

His 21-foot jumper missed just before the final buzzer.

Final Score: Clippers 90, Trail Blazers 89.

The victory ended Portland's eight-game road winning streak against the Clippers.

Afterward, Los Angeles center Sean Rooks described the significance of defeating such a strong opponent:

"Any time you can get a win against the caliber of a team like the Portland Trail Blazers, that's saying a lot."

Source: Associated Press, February 3, 2001, published by ESPN.

Read the original ESPN / Associated Press game report

Mighty Mouse: The Rise of Damon Stoudamire

Long before this game, Damon Stoudamire had already established himself as one of the NBA's most recognizable point guards.

Born in Portland, Oregon, he played college basketball at the University of Arizona before being selected seventh overall by the Toronto Raptors in the 1995 NBA Draft.

Despite standing only 5 feet 10 inches tall, Stoudamire quickly impressed with his speed, scoring ability and court vision.

His performances earned him the 1995–96 NBA Rookie of the Year Award and the nickname "Mighty Mouse."

In February 1998, Stoudamire joined his hometown Portland Trail Blazers in a major trade involving multiple players.

The move placed him alongside a talented group of veterans and emerging stars, helping Portland develop into a serious Western Conference contender.

During the 1999–2000 season, the Trail Blazers reached the Western Conference finals, where they pushed the eventual champion Los Angeles Lakers to seven games.

Portland entered the 2000–01 season determined to build on that success.

The 2000–01 Trail Blazers: Talent, Expectations and Frustration

The Trail Blazers possessed one of the NBA's deepest and most experienced rosters.

With Rasheed Wallace, Scottie Pippen, Arvydas Sabonis, Steve Smith, Shawn Kemp, Bonzi Wells and Damon Stoudamire, Portland had the individual talent to challenge almost any opponent.

However, the season also brought injuries, disciplinary problems and inconsistent performances.

The narrow defeat against the Clippers illustrated those difficulties. Even without two key players, Portland possessed enough talent to win, yet struggled to close out the contest.

The Trail Blazers ultimately finished the regular season with a 50–32 record but were eliminated by the Lakers in the first round of the 2001 NBA Playoffs.

For Stoudamire, the season remained individually productive. He appeared in all 82 regular-season games, averaging 13.0 points and 5.7 assists.

The Photomatch: Seven Individual Characteristics

The historical significance of the game provides the background. The surviving jersey provides the physical evidence.

PhotoMatchForensics examined Stoudamire's black Portland Trail Blazers No. 3 jersey against period photographic imagery associated with the February 3, 2001 game.

The investigation concentrated on the front "BLAZERS" wordmark and the number 3, identifying localized construction irregularities capable of distinguishing the examined jersey from other examples of the same design.

Evidence Area I – Letter "L"

Two positive correspondence points were identified within the letter "L."

The first concerns a localized deformation in the white twill near the lower junction of the letter. A subtle raised ridge and adjacent puckering appear in corresponding positions.

The second involves a distinctive white stitch extending diagonally beyond the upper-right corner of the letter and into the surrounding red border.

These characteristics represent individual construction details rather than standard elements shared by all jerseys of this design.

Evidence Area II – Letter "Z"

Four additional points were documented within the letter "Z."

The examination identified corresponding fabric deformations along the upper and lower horizontal sections, a white stitch extending beyond the twill edge into the black mesh fabric, and an irregular section of exposed red twill at the upper-left corner.

The precise positions and relationships between these features provide further support for the identification.

Evidence Area III – Front Number "3"

The seventh match point concerns a distinctive horizontal fabric deformation visible near the center of the front number "3."

Its position and visual appearance correspond between the examined garment and the reference imagery.

Forensic Assessment

Positive Match Points: 7
Mismatch Points: 0
PMF Status: Verified
PMF Confidence: 100%

The seven matching characteristics include fabric deformation, irregular stitching and exposed twill material across three separate examination areas.

The combined visual agreement supports identification of the examined jersey with the garment visible in the reference imagery. No material contradiction was observed within the visible comparison areas.

The PMF confidence rating represents the project's documented assessment rather than a statistically calculated probability. Photographic correspondence does not independently establish the complete ownership history of the garment.

Explore the complete investigation: Damon Stoudamire – February 3, 2001 | Seven Interactive Match Points

Beyond the Final Score: History Preserved in Fabric

February 3, 2001 was not a championship game. It was not a career-high performance. And for Damon Stoudamire, it ended with two missed opportunities to secure a victory.

Yet that is precisely what makes the surviving jersey interesting.

It documents a real moment in NBA history, including the frustration and unpredictability that define professional competition.

The distinctive stitching around a single letter, the exposed red twill and the deformation of the number 3 connect a physical artifact to a particular basketball game.

One point decided the game. Two final shots missed their target. Seven forensic match points preserved the connection.

Every Stitch. A Story.

Research & Sources

PhotoMatchForensics – Private Collection & Independent Sports Memorabilia Research.