Gameday Open Thread: Hornets vs. Blazers

http://sports.yahoo.com/nba/boxscore;_ylt=AvepGZw1NQoR22Yb43oBLZi8vLYF?gid=2007110613

I guess there is no shame in losing to a team that is clicking like the hornets are

As an aside. I remember watching Peja at the Rose Garden when he was a King and he was nailing these ridiculous shots where he would catch and shoot a 3 on the baseline while he was on the move so that he was fading out of bounds. A ridiculously  difficult shot that he was just stroking.

Man were those Adelman Kings fun to watch.

Ideas:

I'd love to see some man to man coverage - if we dare - with either T. Green or M. Webster seeing serious minutes guarding Paul. I also want to see a defender surgically attached to Peja at the hip. My strategy for tonight would be fluster Paul DENY Peja and have the other three guys on the floor beat us.

Hopes:

I'm also hoping for a T. Green call to nail Paul to the court. Isn't stopping penetrating point guards supposed to be his bag? Remember the great job he did on AI? T. Green on Paul is to me the guard equivalent of having Frye in Vs. Yao. What I mean is you don't REALLY have anyone who can stop the guy, in this case Paul, so you might as well throw out something unexpected that might fluster the superstar at least a bit.

Is anyone else curious what a Green/Sergio back court might be able to do on a second unit? Green plays defense on the 1 and rotates to the 2 on offense with Sergio distributing. Just a crazy thought.

Predictions:

You will see SERIOUS minutes for Sergio. . I also think we will discover quickly that without Joel in the starting unit LMA will get into quick foul trouble. I think the Frye decision will be seen for the mistake it is by the end of the game hopefully we will still eke out a victory. I think Frye can be great in a lot of situations but I don't think adding him to the starting line up at center is the answer. I think moving Jack to the second unit will bolster both guard rebounds and scoring and that might be enough to make the difference for that unit.

Finally while I'm giving tonights game a pass for the Jersey contest I am predicting a Blazer victory by a razor thin score. 110 to 108.

Blazers reeling, desperate, needing a win, big time crowd support due to it being the home opener, several days since the last game.

I'm about 60% confident of a Blazer win tonight.  Make it happen, boys.

"The line on tonight's game is Portland +2.5, which is pretty amazing considering the Hornets beat the Blazers by 10 20 less than a week ago. Vegas must be banking on the Blazers being a better home team. If the crowd can get involved early, they might be right."

I thought that was pretty interesting.

I'll be there in spirit, by the tv in person  (which is downstairs and the wired computer is upstairs so I won't be chatting).

Winning ends fan whining more than anything.

Mortimer

Btw, Celtics up 77 - 38 at halftime versus the Nuggets.

Yeah...

ROTUNDITYDOTNET

I have a real-life work meeting at 7:00 which hopefully I will be able to expedite, finishing around 7:45.  I'll be about ten minutes late after tipoff.  Keep the thread warm for me.

Also since there might be people tuning in for extra information about the game (not being able to see it) it would be cool if someone could point out the details of interesting things that happen as well as reacting to them.  For instance saying, "Lamarcus just drove left right around Chandler and threw it down with a mean two-hander!  Sweet!"  instead of just, "Sweet dunk there!"

--Dave

Hope for mo' balance.

Sergio

Green

Jack

Frye

????????????????

Sergio 22

Green 4

Jack 33

Frye2 4

??????????????? BooYay!

Standing Room Only. I want to hear some crowd noise, in the background!

Wait a mimnute;

Take away CP's penetration.

Control the glass.

Maintain defenesive discipline.

BOO!

Go Get 'em.

Rip City, We are on our feet. Risin' with 'em.

--Dave

--Dave

He is hitting everything!  Off-balance, not much room, BLAMMO!  TWO!

--Dave

Go Martell! Where did he get the magic touch all of a sudden?

'n hits it from the FT line!

Roy backing down in the post though.  When all else fails get deep.

Extra crispy.

Of course as Rice is saying it doesn't help that the other guys hung him out to dry.

He simply has to be better.

I can't believe Roy dunked.. in traffic.. in a game.. wow.

49 points given up is not bad for a halftime score, especially considering what we've been doing.

Stevo!!!

I still feel ok about this game.  We are the fresher team, we just need Aldridge to stay out there and for a few of our shots to drop.  

Now LMA needs to come out like a house on fire.

Oh man.

This has been a problem for years.

MARTELL!!!

WOOO!

MARTELL!!!

p.s. Great recovery by Roy, way to go after it. Your still my #1 Roy.

Web

Ster.

For

333333333333333333333!!!!!!!!!!!

66-60 PDX

TO WEBSTER

FOR THREEEEEEEEEEEEEE!!!!

Chandler is "Freaked OUTTA HERE".

Mo Pete for two.  72-62

Now a Blazer turnover

He is SO good face-up defending on smaller guys. I have never seen him burned.

OH and we miss the rebound.

But we get it back!

But then Paul hits a TOUGH three over Outlaw.

76-67 at the quarter.

OK, now Paul hits a 3 at the buzzer. But I don't think he got it off in time. The officials will review it during the timeout. Look for the bucket to be taken off the board. He didn't get it off on time.

OHHH, but Jack steals and hits a twisting layup to make up for it.