Northwest Division Lead!!!

by BlazerFan88 on Dec 20, 2008 8:52 PM PST Comment 52 comments

The Denver Nuggets just lost to the Phoenix Suns which means Portland and Denver are now tied for the lead in Northwest Division with a 17-10 record. This brings a big matchup for the next two games for both teams as we play a back to back against Denver. So, two wins would be huge and would give us a two game lead on Denver in the division. I think that two wins for either team would be difficult and the most likely scenario is that the teams will split. So what do you guys thinks and add comments below.

Poll

What will the outcome be for the two game series of the Blazers vs. the Nuggets?

Portland 2-0

163 votes

Portland 1 and Denver 1

177 votes

Denver 2-0

6 votes

346 votes | Poll has closed

0 recs | Comment 52 comments

Story-email Email Printer Print

Comments

as long as we beat them at the RG

I’ll be happy.

Honor Terry Porter

by Philthyanimal on Dec 20, 2008 9:01 PM PST reply actions 0 recs

Denver looked bad last night

in their house. The formula seems simple to beat the Thuggets: PLAY DEFENSE! I think we can go 2-0 as long as we limit Chancey’s effect on the team. Make them one dimensional with Melo. For opportunity for Roy to put up a bunch of points.

smile, your on a poster

by Trail Blazer on Dec 20, 2008 9:06 PM PST reply actions 0 recs

Play defense? Hmmm

We should try that. Against anyone, that is.

Travis Outlaw is an alien, but in a good way.

Awesome Graphic was provided by CIC, because he felt like he should be hazed.

by Clevelander among roses on Dec 20, 2008 11:32 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

Alternately, we could try simply outscoring them - it worked against PHX.

Blazer's Edge Ambassador to The Dream Shake Blog
LaMarcus Aldridge you are LaMONSTER!!!
BRoy is a SUPERSTAR!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I will do this just once to honor BRoy!
43:49 Mins 14-27 FG 5-7 3s 19-21 FTs +12 1 Off 5 Rebs 6 Asst 1 Blk 52 Points - BRoy vs PHX 12-18-08

by LaMarvelous on Dec 20, 2008 11:51 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

A good sign that we may play defense on Chancey is how well Nate is taking PGs out of the game when he has time to prepare

He did it to Rose, Nash, and CP3 recently. When he has time to prepare he has done well.

This is what Lucas would do. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P0aPkIE2qK0

by 123_G.O._RipCity on Dec 20, 2008 11:43 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

Wait a minute...

You are giving Nate credit for taking Rose, Nash and CP3 out of recent games?

If Nate did anything, it was coaching our guys into taking those guys out of their game.

by LaMarvelous on Dec 20, 2008 11:50 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

LaMarcus has been amazing at perimeter D and shading the ballhandler

worked against Wade, Rose, etc. He has great lateral quickness.

honor rasheed wallace

by Cablinasian on Dec 21, 2008 12:05 AM PST up reply actions 0 recs

he suffocated Nash more than once...

led to one turnover and another failed possession

by LetsBlaze on Dec 21, 2008 10:05 AM PST up reply actions 0 recs

I remember last year

before Oden got hurt -— Nate was envisioning having Oden protecting the bucket and thereby freeing LA (with all of his quickness) to scurry around willy nilly defending guys (okay, maybe he didn’t use the term “willy nilly”). After the injury, it was a blow to him that that scenario would not play out.

This year it has. So I think Cablinasian, your observations are zeroing in on what Nate had dreamed of a year ago.

Brandon Roy just destroyed everything in his path. There's your rational analysis -- Dave

by TwoDeep on Dec 21, 2008 4:39 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

I like the term willy nilly

And if Nate hadn’t said it, he really should have, because it describes it perfectly what LMA can do now!

And I think LMA’s defense in these situations has been really underrated. It’s such a unique tactic that almost no other team can duplicate— two centers in Joel and Oden who can protect the basket, and a 6’11" lanky as the day is long PF with the speed, quickness, and endurance to chase quick perimeter players around the court to disrupt their flow.

That’s why I love it when LMA does the full court press, and letting him loose to double ballhandlers. Wade, Nash, Paul, Derrick Rose, etc are all used to being doubled, but not by a guy with the length AND quickness of LMA.

His perimeter defense has probably been the best on the team, which while not saying a LOT it is still purty good.

Mortimer

PS: What other team CAN duplicate what LMA can do now? Josh Smith roams the court like that, and whole Horford is good he’s not a imposing defense presence like Oden and Joel. Maybe we’re totally unique in this sense?

by Mortimer on Dec 21, 2008 11:52 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

Surprisingly, as poor as our defense has been

we’ve been doing servicable jobs shutting down the usually dominant PGs, ala Chris Paul. We do the same with Chauncey, Roy and Melo can then battle for points.

by Eventine on Dec 20, 2008 9:24 PM PST reply actions 0 recs

Yeah that's really weird

I’ve noticed that too. We’ve done well against dominant guards, while overall defense has been below average.

I’ve been trying to figure out why that’s happening. In another thread, jscot credited the coaching for defensive adjustments. It’s a reasonable theory, but I’m not convinced yet (simply because when reviewing the game footage, I see a lot of unforced errors by the opposing guards, that don’t seem to be due to defensive adjustments). So far, the best adjustment has been the surprising choice to place LMA on the opposing guard, which has worked really well.

I’m worried we’re due for a PG to just go off on us. It should be interesting to see two nights of Billups.

by Timmay! on Dec 20, 2008 10:00 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

Billups isn't usually the guy who goes off

Billups is slow and steady, relies on teamates to do the scoring and hits big shots in the clutch. If we can keep it out of his hands like we have done to other PGs I think the Nuggets will run around like chickens with their heads cut off.

This is what Lucas would do. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P0aPkIE2qK0

by 123_G.O._RipCity on Dec 20, 2008 11:46 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

Unforced errors

often result from throwing a defensive look at someone that surprises them. Defenders aren’t where they expected them to be, and they end up making a mistake because they are out of their comfort zone.

I’m not going to say that Nate gets credit for all the unforced errors, not saying that at all. I’m just saying that unforced errors are not evidence against an effective scheme.

I’m fully persuaded a PG is going to go off on us sometime. Nate will try a scheme that doesn’t work, and we’ll get picked apart.

But it is only reasonable that a guy who is perhaps the foremost student of the PG position would have a lot of good ideas about how to defend PGs, even if his team isn’t the most effective defensively overall.

If you can't convince them, confuse them -- Harry Truman, U.S. President

by jscot on Dec 20, 2008 11:50 PM PST up reply actions 1 recs

Good point.

Nate knows how to defend point guards. Heck, he’s made Sergio a decent defender.

honor rasheed wallace

by Cablinasian on Dec 21, 2008 12:06 AM PST up reply actions 0 recs

Like I said, you have a reasonable theory

I’m definitely aware of what you’re saying. It’s very possible. I’m just not yet convinced of it.

Nash has sliced and diced us up many times in the past few years, all while Nate has coached. Suddenly he doesn’t do so well. This could be a Nate adjustment, or just the law of averages.

I really do like the surprise move of LMA guarding the smaller guys. Since it hasn’t hurt us inside (and we’ll watch if that changes as scouting reports come in), that has to be seen as a great defensive move.

by Timmay! on Dec 21, 2008 1:28 AM PST up reply actions 0 recs

I wasn't trying to shoot down disagreement with the theory

just primarily to say that unforced errors is compatible with it.

And also agreeing with you that a PG will hurt us sometime, and maybe in the next two games.

I wouldn’t be surprised to see Nate throw a new wrinkle at Billups that is very effective in Denver, and then have them come out ready for it in Portland and hurt us. People should not assume that if we win there we will win at home. We could easily lose either one, or both, or we could sweep. Who knows?

If you can't convince them, confuse them -- Harry Truman, U.S. President

by jscot on Dec 21, 2008 9:12 AM PST up reply actions 0 recs

I would think

Brandon would match up real well against Chauncy.

Honor Terry Porter

by Philthyanimal on Dec 21, 2008 12:54 AM PST up reply actions 0 recs

Yes

We may see more of Brandon and Rudy on the floor together….

If you can't convince them, confuse them -- Harry Truman, U.S. President

by jscot on Dec 21, 2008 9:12 AM PST up reply actions 0 recs

we've gone away from that a lot lately

but i hope that the brandon + rudy combo without a 3rd pg would work out eventually.

Honor Terry Porter

by Philthyanimal on Dec 21, 2008 11:38 AM PST up reply actions 0 recs

So would Rex

I wanna see it!

Blazer fans tell me, where were you,
When our Brandon Roy dropped 52?

by GreatOden'sRaven on Dec 22, 2008 12:17 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

Beat them in Denver

Then beat them again more convincingly in Portland. If we come out playing tenacious D from the opening tip in Denver, and if we get decent production from our bench, we’ll win hands down.

Next night at the RG, same story. Blazers take a two game lead in the NW Division.

Truth comes as a conqueror
only to those who have lost the art
of receiving it as a friend.
Ranindranath Tagore

by dwarfgoper on Dec 20, 2008 9:25 PM PST reply actions 0 recs

They will play 2 back to backs in 5 days

That could be HUGE for us!

"Sometimes I catch myself watching him and he's shooting floaters all-net. And just to watch how he's talking trash. I loved it. I loved every minute of it. Rudy's a competitor." - Brandon Roy

by Trail Ducker on Dec 20, 2008 10:23 PM PST reply actions 0 recs

I think Portland

can take both of these. Later in the season Denver might best us but I think we have a perfect storm to win. As Trail Ducker points out this will be games 3 in 4 days and 4 in 5 days. We are rested and Roy is coming off his career night. Sports writers are annointing him as the next Superstar in this league. The refs seem to be respecting him at that level. The nuggets have no real interior defense and LMA and Oden should dominate. I think Roy will best Melo (again) and we can shut down Billups as he will be tired. I just think the Blazers are going to be playing at a high level for awhile Roy is off the charts.

He's Coming! Oden Slayer of Giants

by Idog1976 on Dec 20, 2008 10:28 PM PST reply actions 0 recs

The Nuggets being tired is a huge advantage

they have basically no bench outside of wildly inconsistent J.R. Smith, so if they want to stay in the game they’re going to have to play their starters big minutes. So, we should just try to run them off the court. A lot of off the ball screens that Rudy and Blake do combined with above average fast breaking (or at least minimal walking the ball up the court possessions).

I think we match up better with the Billups Nuggets than the A.I. Nuggets. We have decent size at the PG spot, so Billups strength shouldn’t be that big of a problem. The Blazers tend to have bigger problems with quick guards.

"It’s a good ol’ fashioned Rip City beat down!"

by Magnum on Dec 20, 2008 11:46 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

I voted 1 to 1

Its really hard to sweep these home/homes. We seem to be catching Denver at a good time, however. They’ve cooled off a bit and we are the more rested team.

Boomshakalaka

by jksnake99 on Dec 20, 2008 11:00 PM PST reply actions 0 recs

should portland sweep

we will be .500 against the top 8 in the West. If we can keep that up, we are sure to make the playoffs. Go Blazers!

by Blazin' on Dec 20, 2008 11:00 PM PST reply actions 0 recs

We played well against them last year

Certain match-ups aren’t good for them. I don’t really see someone that can guard Roy on their roster. We’ve got some long-armed defenders at the 3 and I think Joel is poised to have a couple great games here. I can’t really predict who is going to win, but considering we’ve had 3 full days to prepare, while Denver played two tough games and gets only one day to prepare, I’m feeling pretty good about our chances. We’ve seen what a little rest did for us last time…

Chris Dudley for three!

by wilbjammin on Dec 20, 2008 11:35 PM PST reply actions 0 recs

Who are the 3 people who voted for the Nuggets to sweep?

"It’s a good ol’ fashioned Rip City beat down!"

by Magnum on Dec 20, 2008 11:48 PM PST reply actions 0 recs

Probably visiting Nuggets fans

It could happen, though. A good team.

If you can't convince them, confuse them -- Harry Truman, U.S. President

by jscot on Dec 20, 2008 11:54 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

Seconded.

Portland has struggled with the 2-night home-and-home against Denver in the past.

The one constant in the NBA is unpredictability.

(For the record, I haven’t voted in the poll)

by Timmay! on Dec 21, 2008 1:29 AM PST up reply actions 0 recs

(sneaking up behind Timmay..with a pitch fork)

That 70's show:
Kelso: Red! I guess ur wondering why I'm going through your stuff. See, I needed to borrow your saw...because I need to chop down a tree...because there's something stuck in it...an animal...a rabbit...and I would like to return that rabbit to the wild so it can lay its eggs!

Red: Kelso, rabbits don't..............how the hell did a rabbit get up a tree?

Kelso: uhhhhhh Eric threw it up there.

Red: Eric threw a rabbit up a tree?

Kelso: Yeah, he's a sadistic bastard.

by 92wastheyear on Dec 21, 2008 8:47 AM PST up reply actions 0 recs

I always knew you were the devil!

by Timmay! on Dec 21, 2008 9:06 AM PST up reply actions 0 recs

no...

…just an angry villager

Red: Kelso, rabbits don't..............how the hell did a rabbit get up a tree?

Kelso: uhhhhhh Eric threw it up there.

Red: Eric threw a rabbit up a tree?

Kelso: Yeah, he's a sadistic bastard.

by 92wastheyear on Dec 21, 2008 10:41 AM PST up reply actions 0 recs

you needed

your torch that’s what caused the mis-indentification. I know this isn’t a financial blog but full disclosure:

I am Long Pitchforks and Torches. Short US-Dollar and Illuminati Co.

He's Coming! Oden Slayer of Giants

by Idog1976 on Dec 21, 2008 2:45 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

I haven't voted, either

I have no clue.

If you can't convince them, confuse them -- Harry Truman, U.S. President

by jscot on Dec 21, 2008 9:13 AM PST up reply actions 0 recs

I don't have a clue either

but that didn’t stop me from voting. Just like in real life! Yay!

"I never scored more than 38, even in Little League." ~ Roy, 52 pts

by shralpster on Dec 21, 2008 9:43 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

Free Signature here

I have no clue. – jscot 12/21/08

"There is a difference between having two guys banging down low and having two guys who can bang down low." - Blazin'

by tominhawaii on Dec 22, 2008 7:36 AM PST up reply actions 3 recs

LOL

That comment has been there almost six hours, and doesn’t have a single rec (until mine). Disgraceful.

If you can't convince them, confuse them -- Harry Truman, U.S. President

by jscot on Dec 22, 2008 1:28 PM PST up reply actions 1 recs

Yeah, kill the heretics! JK :)

by LaMarvelous on Dec 20, 2008 11:54 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

We need pitchforks and torches!

"It’s a good ol’ fashioned Rip City beat down!"

by Magnum on Dec 21, 2008 12:16 AM PST up reply actions 0 recs

Individual Matchups (assuming everyone brings his game)

Blake vs. Billups: Advantage Denver
Jones vs. Roy: Advantage Portland (Big)
Anthony vs. Batum: Advantage Denver (Hopefully not big, Nic did a good job against the best of the league)
Martin vs. Aldridge: Advantage Portland
Nene vs. Oden: Advantage Denver (Hopefully not big, Nene should be in All-Star considerations this year)

Carter/Atkins vs. Sergio: Tie
Smith vs. Rudy: Tie (both can run hot, though Smith is a bit more likely)
Balkman vs. Outlaw: Advantage Portland
Kleiza vs. Frye: Advantage Denver
Andersen vs. Przybilla: Advantage Portland

4 Denver vs. 4 Portland = This one will be pretty tense. I voted one win for both, with the Blazers having a slight edge if everything goes right. If one important guy has a horrible game, they will exploit that and Billups has really righted the ship in Denver bringing a calmness this club has never had.

by Norsktroll on Dec 21, 2008 4:19 AM PST reply actions 0 recs

I've learned to admire Norsktrollian Calculus

by LetsBlaze on Dec 21, 2008 10:07 AM PST up reply actions 0 recs

I was never good in math, but I like to break problems down until I can use some reasoning and analysis to make sense of them

At least in my brain

by Norsktroll on Dec 21, 2008 10:28 AM PST up reply actions 0 recs

Denver = High Altitude

it’s always been a tough place to play, but I
think we have a good chance of sweeping.

COINCAST SUCKS !!!! GO BLAZERS !!!

It's GO time !

by walkoff41 on Dec 21, 2008 1:19 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

Yeah, but Portland is low altitude

Our air will be too thick for them!

"I never scored more than 38, even in Little League." ~ Roy, 52 pts

by shralpster on Dec 21, 2008 9:45 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

Billups will go downhill after this

It’s a typical pattern, you go back to your hometown, and there are too many distractions. The honeymoon period is over, and when Portland romps them both games, Chauncey will give up and just think about all that home cooking at mom’s house.

by DevotedBlazer on Dec 21, 2008 2:56 PM PST reply actions 0 recs

I can't help

but feel these two games may be sort of significant on how we fare in our division this year.
Not being one who often caves to irrational optimism, I’m guessing we have a good chance to take them both.

I really don’t like though making projections on individual games. It’s just too iffy with so many variables. Albeit also being fraught with risk, projecting teams long term or individual players seems easier to do.

Brandon Roy just destroyed everything in his path. There's your rational analysis -- Dave

by TwoDeep on Dec 21, 2008 4:58 PM PST reply actions 0 recs

No doubt, these are big games.

If we get swept it will definitely be a reality check for us. If we split it will be essentially a victory. If we sweep it will be ominous to the Jazz and the Nugs that we are a force to be reckoned with this year. I think we really need to focus on not letting their role players light us up. Melo is gonna get his, and Chauncey will no doubt hit some big 3’s. But if Smith or Kleiza puts up 20 they are tough to beat. It seems like Kleiza always lights us up too.

by dario argento on Dec 21, 2008 7:04 PM PST reply actions 0 recs

Calling it right now

I think the road team will win both games

by alacritybagel on Dec 21, 2008 8:57 PM PST reply actions 0 recs

Reading over at Pickaxe and Roll

they are not wild about their chances against Portland. They think Carmelo is stinking it up. If you can disrupt Billups, they’re in deep trouble.

by raoulduke on Dec 22, 2008 12:07 AM PST reply actions 0 recs

2-0 ! (?)

I think a split is really likely when you have two good teams playing back-to-back games.

And yet, I feel like the Blazers match up just a little bit better against Denver position-by-position. Maybe Batum slows Carmelo Anthony down a little, maybe the Blazers’ guards outplay the Nuggets’ guards a little, and maybe we’re a little better up front. Especially counting the benches. I just like our chances. 2-0, why not?

by Kaboomm on Dec 22, 2008 1:26 AM PST reply actions 0 recs