Game 44 Recap: Blazers 113 Clippers 88
by Ben Golliver on Jan 26, 2009 11:06 PM PST
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PrintAlright, as mentioned I'm pinch-hitting for Dave tonight which means I will be attempting to work in the word "prosecute" at least once. Let's see how that goes.
First, some perspective: is tonight a night you will look back on months from now, savoring the win or pointing to a specific milestone or turning point? No, don't think so. The Los Angeles Clippers fielded a team of 9 players, 3 of whom (Ricky Davis, Jason Hart and Cheikh Samb) weren't trusted by their coach to play more than 8 minutes.
Mike Dunleavy during the timeout: "No, seriously, Fred Jones... I know you're tired, I can see the turkey gravy coming out of your pores, the towel boys are exhausted just cleaning up after you... but, seriously, we're going to need you to play for 43 minutes tonight... What's that? You're about to collapse? I know we just picked you up... Ok, Ok, how about this: you can take turns guarding Brandon Roy, that should help you catch your breath."
With that said, anybody can get hot occasionally and Jones (last seen at Grant High School last summer, by the way) started out smoking from distance. Before you know it, Thornton and Gordon started chipping in, and Skinner The Ugly made a few, and then Steve Novak (I thought he was the guy with a hook for a hand that ran for US Senate?) started hitting literally every shot and pretty soon Dean Demopolous was throwing his clipboard down in a tantrum after a LaMarcus Aldridge travelling call and life seemed a wee bit scary.
Was I ever really that worried? Were you ever really that worried? No, I don't think so. Not when Brandon was able to score at will. Not with Greg scoring consistently at the rim against DeAndre Jordan. Not with us starting cold from the 3 point stripe; we were bound to heat up. And heat up we did: the Blazers won the final quarter 36-15 and the full Garbage Time Roster (Bayless, Sergio, Batum, Channing, Ike) closed out a nice road victory over the Clippers in the Staples Center, 113 to 88.
Individual Notes
What can you say about Steve Blake? Other than to ask the question: whose idea, exactly, was it for him to play tonight? He lasted only 11 minutes, missed both his shots badly, ran into a Brian Skinner pick, and sustained an injury that caused him to grimace in pain and leave the game for good thanks to a halftime "coach's decision." Did we need Blake out there against Eric Gordon (who's a nice player... but still) and Jason Hart? Was it Blake who pushed hard to have himself back in there? Fact: only 12 days passed since the original injury in Philly. That's not very long. Props to Blake for his heart and toughness; no props at all for the decision to run him if he misses any more time because of tonight's injury.
Tonight really was Brandon's night as well it should have been, given that he was lining up against Thornton and Jones. Those guys just can't stay with him, not even with velcro gloves. Possibly the easiest 33 points you'll ever see scored. Did he even break a sweat? 11 of 15 shooting plus 9 of 10 from the line. Buckets. In case you missed it: here is one of the best dunks of the season, Brandon absolutely destroying Cheikh Samb. "Booya." The score was tied 67-67 when he dunked that. The Blazers went on to outscore the Clippers 46- 21. Game-changer.
Double-check the boxscore and you'll see 7-7 for Greg Oden from the field. Dunks, turnaround hooks, you name it, it was falling. From what I've seen at practice and postgames in the past two weeks, Greg's got his mental back. And looks what's following right behind that: the physical. He's doing it against some confidence-boosting competition but it's great to see take place. And here's what I mean about him getting his mental back.... Go read his blog entry about turning 21. Then go back and read this blog entry from November. Same person?
Paging Monty Williams: please double the number of extra shots that Nic Batum takes on a daily basis. That stroke is wack right now. Not "needs to be re-tooled" wack but more like "iron the kinks out" wack. Nic with a reliable 3 pointer and a pull up jumper is an all star in 5 years. Book that (what up Fatty).
LaMarcus Aldridge will not become an All Star until he consistently beasts on teams he should beast on. This Clippers team was made for him to put up 25 and 10 in the first half and then call it a day. Instead, he finished with 10 points, 4 missed free throws and 2 turnovers. I liked him running the break and catching a nice dime from Sergio. I also liked his 2 steals, showcasing some nice anticipation. But getting up for Rasheed and KG is only 1/15 of the battle in the NBA. Do work, LMA.
Sergio Rodriguez did a nice job stepping up and prosecuting his game in Steve Blake's absence, finishing with 7 points and 5 assists. He got out and pushed the ball a little bit. He found the right guys on the fast breaks. And, of course, he had the fantastic over-his-head no look dime to Oden for the slam. Was that the single greatest highlight of Sergio's career? I can't remember a better one. As always, Sergio went 1 for 3 from the field but that was less relevant because he knocked down his free throws and because Brandon was on fire, providing the necessary scoring. Another night where I think he can look back and say he outperformed Bayless.
But that's not a huge knock on Rex, who had an up an down game with some real flashes. Bayless finished with 6 assists, finding Brandon a number of times and finding Greg memorably on a lob/shot in which they credited him an assist. Rex still has the "head down going to the basket" thing going on but he pulled up and found teammates a few times tonight when I was sure he was going to bull on through. Progress? Hopefully.
Travis Outlaw didn't seem particularly interested in the game tonight until the fourth quarter, when he got some can't miss looks and didn't miss (8 of 9 for 20 points). He wasn't super active on the boards. No assists; did he even pass the ball? His postgame interview with Haarlow was hilarious.
Rudy found his shot! 3 for 6 from distance on his way to 11 points. Tons of Rudy energy all over the place. Big time 3 to close out a quarter and give the team a lift. He finished with 11/4/4 in 27 minutes. Glad he's on our team. Hope he can continue to hit from outside. We need his shot stretching teams out, no two ways about that.
Joel had his way on the glass and was quite active in keeping balls alive. Basically Joel was Joel. Help me out here: was there anything that stuck out to you as super memorable about Joel's night? Let everyone know in the comments.
Channing Frye is still alive.
Ike Diogu is also still alive.
Neither one scored. Diogu really overwhelmed Frye on the glass (1 rebound to 0) and therefore should probably move ahead of him for good in the depth chart.
Final Thoughts
Given the talent and depth disparity this absolutely had to be a W. Do it again on Wednesday (and again on Saturday) and I'll be impressed.
-- Ben (benjamin.golliver@gmail.com)
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That blog entry is terrific.
I literally LOLed.
by Cablinasian on Jan 26, 2009 11:13 PM PST up reply actions
Greg Oden is one of the "Big Two" here.
If the Portland Trail Blazers win a NBA title within the next five years, then Oden and Brandon Roy will be its franchise cornerstones. Once the organization acquires a third wheel who can shoot efficiently, crash the boards, and play great weakside help defense, the ballclub will be set.
Aldridge is fine
there are bigger needs to address before we worry about his shortcomings. Also, you seem to be the master of tangential topics.
"It’s a good ol’ fashioned Rip City beat down!"
In this case, it boils down to me not liking certain types of skill sets.
With the Portland Trail Blazers, I like what Greg Oden, Brandon Roy, Joel Przybilla, Nicolas Batum, Rudy Fernandez, and Steve Blake bring to the table — even though I’d prefer it if Batum and Blake were backups rather than starters — while LaMarcus Aldridge, Travis Outlaw, and Jerryd Bayless draw my ire for their style of play. Almost everybody harps on Outlaw, though, so my vitriol is mostly geared toward Aldridge and Bayless.
Roy’s defense bugs me, too, but he makes up for it with his outstanding offense; plus, the team could eventually acquire defensive-minded players at small forward and point guard — such as Gerald Wallace and Kirk Hinrich — who can mask his weaknesses and apparent lack of effort on that end of the court.
Also, I’m apathetic toward the benchwarmers (i.e., Channing Frye, Ike Diogu, & Shavlik Randolph), as well as ambivalent toward both Martell Webster and Sergio Rodriguez — which is due to injury and indifference, respectively — so I don’t usually write about them.
Got Opinions?
More than enough, it seems.
Your approach reminds of fantasy league. Collect all the right stats and win. In the real world players are not like underwear that can be changed daily. Players are good at some things and not as good at others. As a fan, you do not get to dictate some “Platonic ideal” player who fits your preconceptions.
Guys in their first three or four years are not finished products. Aldridge, and especially Bayless, are works in progress. Guys with incredible physical tools, good work ethic, and a desire to win. Each has their shortcomings, but both have incredibly high ceilings. I think you are wrong about both guys.
What consistently irritates me is that I have written a half a dozen lengthy comments in response to your continued grinding on both guys and you do not respond. You seem to engage in “hit and run” criticism.
You made up your mind about Bayless before the season, and seem unwilling to reconsider your opinion based on actual play: You complain about his shooting. Well he has been over 50% for the past six games.
You complain about his defense. Well, according to Quick, Nate and the coaches are very high on his defense and think he is going to be very good.
You complain about him being “shoot first.” Well, last night he picked up six assists and one turnover in 22 minutes.
I am not saying the kid is perfect, far from it, the kid has a long way to go especially as a distributor. What I am saying is that your judgements seem premature and your unwillingness to show even a hint of open-mindedness is shortsighted in the extreme.
by upper left corner on Jan 27, 2009 7:33 AM PST up reply actions
Actually, it's the fantasy league mentality that causes people to love Jerryd Bayless.
Bayless is a flashy, me-first shooting guard in the body of a point guard, which is a skill set that’s not condusive to team play and winning at the NBA level. It seems that you’re willing to play someone at point guard who lacks court vision and a selfless attitude due to him having things like “physical tools” — which is an arguable position, as is noted by Bayless’ small wingspan — an intangible quality like “work ethic,” and some asinine ideal that you attempt to quantify as “a desire to win.”
Wow
Actually AK is the opposite of Fantasy League. He likes to build teams with specific skill sets rather than specific stats.
I don’t agree with him some of the time, but his heart and head are in the right place.
by TheThinWhiteDuke on Jan 27, 2009 11:58 PM PST up reply actions
Although I'm definitely hypercritical when it comes to analyzing certain players, ...
you’re absolutely correct that my mindset is the exact opposite of a fantasy leaguer. If someone is to criticize me, then it should be for my rigid, bullheaded nature and inability to sometimes view things from the other side.
Trust me
I only criticize you for your rigid, bullheaded nature and inability to view things from the other side.
I’m there for you. Now if you only learned some tact….
by TheThinWhiteDuke on Jan 28, 2009 12:31 AM PST up reply actions
Rather than show tact, I'd rather poke at people like a sharp tack.
In all seriousness, though, thanks for backing me up in this instance.
At least
he’s willing to admit he was wrong sometimes, when you force him to view things from the other side.
That doesn’t mean it’s good to be so rigid and bullheaded, or to not try to view things from the other side before spouting, but at least he’ll back down sometimes when it is needed. Lots of people won’t.
When I rule the world, everyone will know how to use Excel.
Thanks for trying to be the grown-up
I appreciate your point of view. I promise to be less cranky with AK. Please see my comment below entitled “Look, I don’t mean to be a jerk.”
by upper left corner on Jan 28, 2009 5:16 AM PST up reply actions
Look, I do not mean to be a jerk.
I don’t know you. You are probably a great guy. I think what has irked me, repeatedly, about your posts is your certitude: you project extraordinary confidence in your powers as an evaluator of talent; able to project with certainty the future development of a nineteen year old; gladly willing to substitute your judgements for those of KP, Nate and most of the basketball world.
I’m just a fan. I make comments based on my observations as a fan. I claim no special knowledge. I got drawn into these discussions because I believe that PG defense is an area of real weakness for the team. To my eye, neither Blake or Sergio appear fast enough or strong enough to consistently apply pressure on the ball.
Bayless appears to be someone with the physical tools and attitude to develop into a very good defender at the point. He also appears to be a very good scorer. As has been endlessly discussed, having Roy and Bayless on the court at the same time has the potential to put a lot of stress on the opposing team, provided that they can combine to be effective distributors of the ball.
You seem certain that Bayless is, at best, a mediocre defender, that he is “selfish”, lacks “court vision”, and will never develop into an adequate distributor. OK, that is your opinion. I disagree. Time will tell.
What I would appreciate is if you would acknowledge that your opinion is just that, your opinion. Let’s both be open to evaluating and re-evaluating our opinions based on what actually happens on the floor.
In my mind, the real question is whether or not Bayless can develop into an adequate distributor. Can he use the threat of his ability to drive to get teammates open? Can he learn to drop the ball off to the bigs when he does choose to drive? Will his spot up shooting come around so that he is a legitimate threat when Roy has the ball? Again, time will tell.
This is supposed to be fun. I do not want to waste my time in a senseless flame war. I will try to have a better attitude. I hope you will join me.
by upper left corner on Jan 28, 2009 5:13 AM PST up reply actions
Yeah, I don't want to start a flame war.
It can be fun to get involved in heated arguments, but only if there’s time to cool off afterward and there’s no hard feelings.
Furthermore, you’re absolutely correct that “[t]ime will tell” us the answer to our debate over Jerryd Bayless. For now, our opposing expectations of Bayless is based heavily on conjecture and presumptions that can neither be proven nor disproven at this point.
Regarding point guard defense, I concur that there should soon be an upgrade there over Steve Blake. Rather than gamble on Bayless potentially becoming that option, though, I’d prefer it if Kevin Pritchard swung a deal for Kirk Hinrich.
Heck, not only does Hinrich fill the need of a lockdown perimeter defender in one-on-one situations, but he’s also similar enough to Blake on offense that it won’t disrupt the team’s flow on that end of the court.
That, in essence, is my position on this issue, although whether or not I’m right or wrong here is undetermined at this juncture. In fact, nobody knows what’ll be the ultimate outcome.
Thanks for a thoughtful reply
Sorry I didn’t get back to you in a timely manner. Life is crazy……
Hinrich would be a nice addition, if the price were right. For me, that means not trading Bayless. I think his ceiling is way too high. What would you think of Hinrich as the starter and Bayless as the back-up until he earns the starting job?
By the way, the fact that I don’t always agree with you does not mean that I don’t respect your opinion. You obviously follow the game closely and are well informed. I am more of a casual fan, who has watched the team for decades, but have only gotten back into following the team and the league closely for the past two years. Any way, I hope we have some good debates in the future.
by upper left corner on Jan 31, 2009 6:07 AM PST up reply actions
Oh, really. I wasn't aware that AK had "built" any teams.....
…..I guess I was mistaken.
Your comment totally confirms my point. AK, or you, are apparently of the opinion that he is “building teams.” I thought he was posting comments on a fan blog. I guess I missed the press release announcing his hiring as a GM.
Look, I don’t mean to be overly sarcastic, but AK’s certitude rubs me the wrong way. Thinking that you have the power to definitively project the future development of a nineteen year old strikes me as a teeny, weeny bit arrogant.
by upper left corner on Jan 28, 2009 4:33 AM PST up reply actions
LOL
You don’t mean to be overly sarcastic, but in responding to AK, “overly” sets a high bar.
My sig line used to say, “I’m frequently right, but always certain.” AK could adopt it and only have to change one word….
Certitude isn’t really the problem, though. We’re all pretty certain about some things of which we don’t really have sufficient grounds to really be certain. But AK does sometimes express himself in ways that imply that no one who disagrees with the things of which he is certain has any intelligence whatsoever. I don’t think he means that at all (otherwise, he would never retract things, and he does retract things). But it does come across that way.
OK, I’m done analysing AK. He’s free to express his opinions. If he says something particularly offensive (towards me or someone else) and I see it, I’ll probably respond to him on it. Otherwise, I’ll read about a sentence, and say, “Oh, this is AK,” and if I’m in the mood, I’ll read the rest — if I’m not, I won’t.
When I rule the world, everyone will know how to use Excel.
We all have our moments
Again, thanks for your insight, helps put things in perspective.
by upper left corner on Jan 28, 2009 5:25 AM PST up reply actions
Yeah, I tend to be vigorously forceful when trying to express my projections.
That definitely gives off the vibe of arrogance, but it’s really just overexuberance.
I, moreover, have been both right and wrong about plenty of stuff in life, as has everyone else on here. It’s just that, uh, I’m pretty steadfast and resolute when defending my opinions. Despite my ostensible inflexiblity, however, I’ll almost always concede defeat when my beliefs are disproven by irrefutable evidence.
It's good that you do
I’ve found, though, that life goes better if you learn from those times that you have to concede defeat.
If irrefutable evidence destroys me sometimes (and it does, of course), then I would be well served to conduct myself in a way that acknowledges the possibility it could happen again.
It’s a whole lot less uncomfortable to eat your words when they included, either explicitly or in attitude, the disclaimer that “I don’t think I’m wrong on this, but it’s possible.”
The other thing is, irrefutable evidence isn’t always going to be available. We all have an amazing capacity for being wrong, and it doesn’t take irrefutable evidence to make us wrong, it takes being wrong to make us wrong. Irrefutable evidence is just the proof of it, but if I was wrong, I was wrong, whether anyone can prove it or not.
I tend to assume that if I’ve been proven wrong once, I was probably actually wrong 10 times, and it wasn’t worth anybody’s time to prove me wrong the other 9 times. I tend to think this attitude has helped contribute to the fact that I’ve got a lot of friends, and can count my enemies on the fingers of one hand.
You can consider all that as unasked for advice from an old geezer who’s been around twice as long as you, and take from it what you choose, and discard whatever you choose.
Anyway, thanks for the interesting discussion. I usually enjoy locking horns with you because I feel like there is generally some chance of reaching some level of common ground, even where there is substantive disagreement.
When I rule the world, everyone will know how to use Excel.
In the realm of Blog posting
Aren’t we all “building teams” in our minds. We examine what one guy or another would do on our current team. Or we stand pat and practice patience, which is still “building teams”, just proxying it to KP. That’s the nature of sports message boarding. So is certitude, although I personally don’t go for it- better to consider varying opinions, even if you end up sticking with your own (every time in most cases).
As I’ve said before, AK is absolutely right in most of his opinions, or at least has a chance to be right. It’s the manner that grates. He speaks to my fears of Bayless and LMA. Time will of course tell, as always with the Blazers, as ULC says.
by TheThinWhiteDuke on Jan 28, 2009 1:20 PM PST up reply actions
For someone who apparently has no skill set ...
… you are extremely critical.
You might want to pay attention to what corner says, as he’s spot on. You sound like a typical fantasy leaguer, always wanting to plug in players to get what you think will be a dream lineup. While you are trying to show what a fantastic evaluator of talent you are, you are missing the fact that Portland just happens to have that dream lineup – for real.
hakkaa päälle !
If you think "that Portland just happens to have that dream lineup," then you're an ...
unabashed homer.By the way, a fantasy league mentality would lead someone to love a stat-stuffing loser like, oh, Kevin Durant — whose game I detest with a passion — rather than a team-oriented, defensive anchor at the pivot (e.g., Greg Oden), who’s been getting unfarily lambasted by incompetent sports columnists like Bill Simmons.
#1 complaint about Aldridge
Defensive Rebounding. Gotta mention that if you’re critiquing him. That’s where his lassitude really shows up.
And his defense
Which he strangely gets praised for.
He stands, flat-footed, 5 ft from his man. He may not get burned on the drive, but his guy gets a wide-open 16 footer anytime he chooses.
Not a fan of the D, but I do like LMA’s game. Rasheed-types are great as long as they’re not the first option.
by TheThinWhiteDuke on Jan 28, 2009 12:02 AM PST up reply actions
Who are you talking about
If not LmA then who?
"Only dunk and go to the defense." Rudy Fernandez
by Sabonis4Ever on Jan 27, 2009 1:05 AM PST up reply actions
We have a perfectly capable third wheel. Why you must dig LMA for not good reason is beyond me...
I know how much you love statistical comparisons. Lets compare two players at 23 years old (Pau Gasol and LMA). Pau Gasol is my ideal expectation for LMA long term.
Gasol: 17.7 PPG, .482 FG, 7.7 RPG (2.5 ORPG), 2.5 APG, 2.4 TOPG, 0.6 SPG, 1.7 BPG, 71 FT
Aldridge: 17.6 PPG, .482 FG, 6.9 RPG (2.8 ORPG), 1.9 APG, 1.4 TOPG, 1 SPG, 1 BPG, 75 FT
At age 23 during the 2003-2004 season, Paul Gasol had higher per-minute, pace-adjusted ...
numbers in most areas than LaMarcus Aldridge, 23, has produced thus far this season.
Gasol: 21.7 PER, 54.2 TS %, 13.8 TRB %, 14.9 AST %, 11.9 TOV %, 0.9 STL %, & 3.9 BLK %.
Aldridge: 18.8 PER, 52.0 TS %, 11.8 TRB %, 9.7 AST %, 7.5 TOV %, 1.5 STL %, & 2.3 BLK %.
For per-minute, pace-adjusted comparisons, Juwan Howard is still the best fit for Aldridge.
Between Gasol and Aldridge, however, Gasol’s higher assist rate is canceled out by Aldridge’s lower turnover rate; regardless, the Spaniard trumps the Texan in shooting efficiency, rebounding proficiency, and shot blocking prowess. Gasol also has a superior Player Efficiency Rating, too, which easily gives him the overall nod over Aldridge on offense.
The rebounding is quite simple...
he wasn’t forced to play nearly every single one of his minutes with a DOMINANT rebounding center. Shot blocking is on Gasol’s side, but I’ll take the added steals instead, as they mean an actual definitive change in possession. Aldridge long term is going to be much closer to Gasol than Howard. The length and athleticism alone tell you that. You’re also talking about a player that got considerably worse as he aged. LMA looks to be headed in the exact opposite direction.
Okay, I find a flaw with your following comment.
“[Aldridge] wasn’t forced to play nearly every single one of his minutes with a DOMINANT rebounding center.”
Aldridge reportedly played 17% of the team’s minutes last season at center, with Travis Outlaw — who can’t rebound worth jack, too — playing next to him on the frontline at power forward. Aldridge, however, only improved his rebounding rate by 1.1 board per 48-minutes due to the position change, while also allowing his opponents an extra 3.3 rebounds per 48-minutes — which was probably caused by Joel Przybilla not being in the game to box out anybody in the paint — thus, it shows that Aldridge poor rebounding isn’t because his teammates at the pivot crash the glass, but rather because he’s just not good at it.
http://www.82games.com/0708/07POR10C.HTM
http://www.82games.com/0708/07POR10B.HTM
Well, there you have it.
Exactly, both this year and last year he's a better rebounder at Center
yet he plays an overwhelming majority of his minutes at power forward. Gasol was the only legitimate big on that whole team. The difference in their rebound rates is slight, and easily explained. The fact you’re ignoring he’s getting 7 rebounds THIS year, next to Joel and Greg, while not impressive, is far from bad. On top of all that, do we really have a rebounding issue? I’d rather LMA focus on other parts of his game given that he’ll be playing the majority (if not whole) of his career next to Greg. It sounds like the player you’d prefer would be Al Jefferson, but isn’t that just overkill on the boards, and counterproductive to Greg’s game? Notice how the best teams in the league have bigs that can shoot from outside. The best teams in the league have bigs that can shoot, LA (Gasol -jump shooter), Cle (Z – jump shooter), Orl (Rashard – jump shooter), Bos (Garnett – jump shooter). This philosophy won’t dilute GO’s impact on a game. I also am not a big fan of mid-range jumpers, but after analyzing Mo Williams impact on Cleveland have come to the conclusion that its a necessary evil. You see, while they aren’t the option of choice, they are an option. On the worst of possessions you have a really good jump shooter shooting a mid range shot. Cleveland on bad possessions get Mo’s 48% mid range jump shot. That as your teams bad shots, makes for a team that plays very efficient basketball.
Hey guys
Can we not turn every second post into a side discussion on Lamarcus? We’ve heard these points quite a few times. Maybe a rest for a week or so is in order?
—Dave
by Dave on Jan 27, 2009 2:26 AM PST up reply actions 1 recs
I don't know, we beat the Clipps on the road - what is there really to talk about other than
our second best player disappearing against a crummy team?
Blazer Fan
by leeroyjenkins on Jan 27, 2009 10:23 AM PST up reply actions
I hate Al Jefferson's tame, too.
Jefferson shoots inefficiently from the floor, doesn’t draw fouls at a high enough rate, and can’t effectively guard centers. All in all, Jefferson is similar to a taller, more glorified Zach Randolph.
Anyhow, with regards to mid-range jump shooters, Pau Gasol (48.6% field-goal percentage on jump shots), Dirk Nowitzki (47.4% field-goal percentage on jump shots), Zydrunas Ilgauskas (46.8% field-goal percentage on jump shots), and Kevin Garnett (44.6% field-goal percentage on jump shots) are all more efficient than LaMarcus Aldridge (42.7% field-goal percentage on jump shots) from that part of the court.
I, by the way, didn’t include Rashard Lewis — who you mentioned in the above post — in that list; that’s because he compensates for his lack of mid-range jump shooting efficiency by being an outstanding three-point shooter from the corner.
This will my last post on the subject this week....
Anyhow, with regards to mid-range jump shooters, Pau Gasol (48.6% field-goal percentage on jump shots), Dirk Nowitzki (47.4% field-goal percentage on jump shots), Zydrunas Ilgauskas (46.8% field-goal percentage on jump shots), and Kevin Garnett (44.6% field-goal percentage on jump shots) are all more efficient than LaMarcus Aldridge (42.7% field-goal percentage on jump shots) from that part of the court.
Pau Gasol at 23 – (36)
Z at 26 (as far back as I could find it) – (38)
LMA at 23 – (43)
Amare at 23 – (43)
Bosh at 23 – (41%)
If nothing else, it'll take a few years to see who's right here; thus, ...
even if we continued debating this topic, only time will tell us the answer.
LAST!!!!
Spanish Main: The point of departure for enormous wealth in the form of gold, silver, gems, spices, hardwoods, hides, alley-oops, assists and three pointers.
Pau Gasol has improved immensely, if LMA follows that arc he'll be fine
But you guys seem to think that’s a given for some reason. Meanwhile we see LMA refuse to do anything on offense other than shoot 18 footers, get pushed around by every other PF in the league, and only grab rebounds that land at his feet and we wonder…
That’s the main difference between us and you.
Blazer Fan
by leeroyjenkins on Jan 27, 2009 10:21 AM PST up reply actions
If you're not gonna claim it, then I will.
FIRST!!!!
When I die, I'd like to go out like my grandfather, peacefully in his sleep. Not screaming like the passengers in his car. - jack handy
got prosecute in there.
nice work Golly.
"I saw him in the face"
by RoodiePhirnandizz on Jan 26, 2009 11:16 PM PST reply actions
this was the clippers A game tonight
I’m so glad that we now have a team that even when they bring their B or C game we can still beat a terrible teams A game(couldn’t really say that the last few years)
"Howard, he know me" Rudy
If anyone is able to find a highlight clip from tonight...
please put a link on here.
Very exciting game. Hopefully it wasn’t all because of the opponent.
today was an insane day. the likes of which we may not see again in the near future.
by Ben Golliver on Jan 26, 2009 11:23 PM PST up reply actions
This is the closest thing I've seen
to that first preseason game versus the Kings. It’s REALLY nice to see that they can do this in regular action, even it was the lesser half of the Clips.
they looked solid. took them out to the woodshed when necessary. all the momentum going into tonight said "this should be an easy win." glad to see that worked out.
the buzzword this month is "carry over." i will be thrilled if we jump out on charlotte on wednesday and just drill them.
it should happen.
am worried about blaze though. wish he hadn’t played tonight.
by Ben Golliver on Jan 26, 2009 11:30 PM PST up reply actions
Charlotte is a tougher team than you think.
Larry Brown is a god of a coach, and he’s started to collect better players to fit his philosophies. They’ve actually been over a .500 team recently.
That said, we have worlds more talent than them, and should take this going away.
wasn’t knocking charlotte… have respect for them. they got us last year in the RG. which led to a brief bromance between myself and felton, who just killed.
payback time.
by Ben Golliver on Jan 26, 2009 11:39 PM PST up reply actions
and yet
we take that game in Charlotte with even a normal allottment of free throws—like, tonight’s FT line was lame, but it would have won that game. I gar-on-tee Roy doesn’t put up a stinker like that again. Plus they appear to be a much different road team.
Can’t say Wallace won’t blow up on em again, but this time I think more of the pieces will be working. Sergio has really stepped up his flow IMO.
They'll be on a back to back
after the L@kers….
When I rule the world, everyone will know how to use Excel.
"am worried about blaze though"
Me too…that guy shouldn’t play. The suit is too hot and the giant head knocks him off balance. He is a fantastic leaper, though….if given a trampoline
Larry (the new Johnnie Cochran) Miller: "If we get screwed, we're gonna sue"
by 92wastheyear on Jan 27, 2009 8:34 AM PST up reply actions
They've done this a few times already.
The Chicago game was probably the most dominant exhibition they’ve put on all season.
hakkaa päälle !
a play!
There was definitely a super memorable moment for Pryz—they ran him a play! He was the designated shot taker! He missed, got fouled and if I recall right clanged both—but he was Offensive Guy on a trip down the floor! It’s like the awesome left tackle getting a TD pass on 4th and goal.
Right? Someone back me up, here…
Once they fed him on the left block
but he missed the lefty hook and was not fouled. Fernandez dished to him twice underneath and he was fouled both times, one an absolute phantom foul, but neither of those were run for him. His rebounding was strong in the second half
"its tough to play with one eye, unless you're a pirate." Delonte West
"una canasta a Pau en la cara" Rudy
by Honka Playboy on Jan 27, 2009 5:51 AM PST up reply actions
Another memorable play
The guy who set Rudy up for that last-second 3? Przybilla!! It was a great outlet pass off the made bucket, and something that may not show up in the stat sheet.
"...we have so many experts who think that you have to play defense, you have to rebound, you have to be a possession coach, you have to execute. I just laugh. Explosive offense is not as intimidating as dominant defense. But it is scary when you don't know how to stop someone." - George Karl, Nuggets coach
i don't know why
but i just got all giddy thinking about the playoffs. What if we get matched up against the Hornets and there is an emotional 7-game dual between Roy and Paul. I’M SO EXCITED.
sorry for the randomness.
"I saw him in the face"
by RoodiePhirnandizz on Jan 26, 2009 11:45 PM PST reply actions
Why does it take a full quarter or more for the Blazers to wake up?
I mean, a win is a win, but it would be nice to have it the whole game, and not keep it close for so long.
Rudyculize: The act of Rudy making others look slow, dim and generally oafish.
http://www.myspace.com/y5k
and Pryz and Chandler
Oderint dum metuant
by WhiteRabbit on Jan 27, 2009 12:32 AM PST up reply actions
It's probably like coming to work knowing
that half the day will be spent in some stupid training class, but you still have that project report that has to be completed and sent out.
You don’t really have enough time to work on it before the training class starts and coming out of the class, your motivation is a bit shot. It’s not until you realize that it’s almost the end of the day and the report still needs to go out that you buckle down and actually get productive.
The season is a grind and you can’t fault Portland for looking at the Clippers and not getting all amped up. At least you can’t so long as they win the game – which they did.
I sometimes wonder if it would be effective for the coach to start a game like this with his bench players. Rest his starters, and give the 2nd unit both some extended minutes and the excitement of starting a game. One would think they would start out with a little more energy. A depleted Clipper team seems like the perfect opportunity to test this out.
hakkaa päälle !
Who's idea was it to play Blake?
I hope it was Blake because that would be terrible if it were a coaching decision. I said this before, shoulder seperation/dislocation/subluxation is no joke. This could potential ruin his NBA career. Horrible, just horrible decision. I know what it feels like to play after a shoulder dislocation and it is not easy. Your defense needs to be managed and your shot is not the same.
I’m not sure why I’m so upset about this but Blake needs to take care of that shoulder and be smart about returning because this hero stuff was not the right move to make.
i'm sure glad both teams played hard
How much wood could a woodchuck chuck if a woodchuck was on ice?
by tominhawaii on Jan 27, 2009 3:17 AM PST reply actions 1 recs
Couldn´t understand why they let Blake going into this game.
It was very obvious that he was seriously physically handicapped. What kind of message for Sergio and Bayless? I don´t trust you?
Sergio + Rudy = 16
Sergio + Bayless = 16
Batum 8+8=16
Didn't get that either
With his black shirt and pads/tape, he looked like Larry Hughes out there. Who was out longer in order to not re-injure himself immediately.
Intentional move
to have longer to showcase our young PGs for the upcoming trade, without being obvious about it.
Obviously.
When I rule the world, everyone will know how to use Excel.
I gotta believe
It was Blake being a tough guy and trying to see if he could go in a low-risk, surefire victory type game.
I don’t think he should have come back either, but I can’t imagine it’s the coach/management’s decision… Blake probably really wanted to play, the trainers said that if he feels good enough to play then he can, and so Blake regains his starting role.
I’d love it if he CAN come back, but yeah— no point if he’s just gonna hurt himself out there.
Morty
who starts the game
is a coaching decision, no?
Yeah, BUT
Blake’s decision to play was likely his own decision, and Nate isn’t gonna have someone start in place of his starting PG Blake, if Blake is available.
If Blake is cleared and wants to play, and hasn’t been out THAT long, and no one has taken that starting spot away from him, Nate will look to start his starter again.
If Blake isn’t ready and hurt himself, he needs to be more careful. We need him for the long haul as much as anyone else not named Brandon Roy.
If Roy is hurting, but makes himself available to play, Nate will start him, just like Blake.
Morty
I was shocked to hear he';d be in - -
Sounds like a player decision – - doubt you would find any medical professionals who would have suggested letting him participate..certainly wasn’t the coaches pushing it…like “how we gonna get by without him tonight!!!??!!”
"..[Travis Outlaw] could jump, grab a rafter, eat a sandwich, and then dunk.."
tmundal 12/30/07
Agreed
I’m guessing Blake felt good enough to want to play. Sort of like Joel with his broken wrist. They’re both tough blue-collar players out there – the complete antithesis of certain other players in the NBA (not any current Blazers).
That being said, I probably would have sat him – with that shoulder, he’s not going to be hitting the deep 3-ball well for a while (probably 1-2 weeks). Hopefully he didn’t reinjure it.
The difference
First, mad props to Joel because I’d by curled in the fetal position crying if I took some of the hits on that wrist that he has, but…
Joel isn’t a PG, he can get by with an injured off hand.
Blake’s injury is to his right arm, not left.
Blake shoots a lot more.
Should seperation is more likely to get worse due to playing than Joel’s wrist injury.
All points taken
However, I’m standing by my “Blake felt good enough to want to play” comment – see the story at O-Live (which I read after my first comment) to confirm this hypothesis.
I heard the Mikes and Nate say that it was Blake's decision.
"Aneurysm".
When Outlaw wins a game on a last-second shot, it’s called an "annthefaneurysm". QualityPie
player should not make that decision..
coach in consult with med staff, although player’s opinion is weighed.
In these situations though
The medical staff goes off of what the players say— and really, most situations go off of that.
If the player says it feels okay to play, what can the medical staff say? No, you’re hurt?
For sprains, tweaks, pulled muscles, etc, the medical staff can diagnose it and treat it and all that, but the player is depended upon to tell the staff how much it hurts, where it hurts, and what he can do with the pain and whether he can play through it or not. Blake deserves credit for trying, but he’s gotta be more careful.
The doc can only do what the players tell them. The medical staff actually cleared Blake to play the 2nd half again, as he told them he felt fine (I’m assuming that’s what he told them), but Nate told him he isn’t coming back because Nate didn’t wanna risk hurting him.
Mortimer
What is LMA's problem?
Winning was great and all that, but why can’t LMA get up for each NBA game he plays in?
Blazer Fan
I don't think it is necessarily a 'get up' issue
I have to go back and re-watch the game, but it didn’t seem like he had that many touches (the 7 FG attempts lend creendence to this theory) near the basket. Greg, Travis and, of course, Roy had the hot hands tonight, so they got the majority of touches.
To be honest, I’m more disappointed in his 2-6 FT shooting. Hopefully he’ll have monster games against Charlotte and Utah.
2-6 FT was the only real downside
Fans need to realize that not all guys are going to be on fire on all nights. If someone else seems to be hot the team defers. Starting the 4th, I think Nate had intentions of Sergio/LA coming in to finish the game. Outlaw/Bayless did just fine, so Nate kept them in. Okay, Outlaw did awesome, Bayless did fine.
Roy 33, Outlaw 20, Oden 7-7 shooting. You still want Aldridge to put up 20 with these guys scoring like this? And damn, if we wouldn’t have wasted 11 minutes on Blake Sergio/Bayless could have gotten 4 more points. Portland should have scored 130 tonight, just like every night!
On fire is one thing, giving an effort is another
Do you guys really think anybody on the Clippers stopped LMA last night? Or could have?
LMA only plays hard in certain games, last night was an example of one he took off. Luckily we didn’t need him.
Blazer Fan
by leeroyjenkins on Jan 27, 2009 9:02 AM PST up reply actions
Nobody looks good every night
I don’t think he came out with any less effort than usual. He just realized quickly that it wasn’t hit night and deferred.
Well
I’m not the only one who sees it, there are quite a few people here who also realize that for whatever reason LMA hasn’t, or won’t, put it all together each and every night. You’ll never convince me that a 6’11" man with his length and quickness should average under 7 rpg in 35+ minutes…
I’m not saying LMA is a dog, or that he doesn’t try. I’m saying he coasts at times, too often imo. I’m saying he lacks the win-at-all-costs sort of attitude that his friend Brandon Roy possesses. And therefore I don’t know if LMA will ever be that second superstar that most teams who win titles have.
Blazer Fan
by leeroyjenkins on Jan 27, 2009 10:15 AM PST up reply actions
Probably not
He’ll probably just be the third all-star, after the two superstars.
I can live with that.
When I rule the world, everyone will know how to use Excel.
Aldridge
Got worked on the boards too.
I was at the game and was amazed at how little effort LaMarcus gave.
This is his biggest weakness, IMO
defensive rebounding. And he hurts us there. Free buckets for the opposition.
I find it interesting...
…that our “full garbage time roster” includes a starter.
What does this say about who Nate really covets more, Batum or Outlaw?
Write-in Rudy for All-Star 2009!
its also a sorta youth roster...
it is odd though that nic is out there …was in Philly too with Shav
"..[Travis Outlaw] could jump, grab a rafter, eat a sandwich, and then dunk.."
tmundal 12/30/07
Maybe Monty was channeling Ben?
Paging Monty Williams: please double the number of extra shots that Nic Batum takes on a daily basis. That stroke is wack right now. Not “needs to be re-tooled” wack but more like “iron the kinks out” wack. Nic with a reliable 3 pointer and a pull up jumper is an all star in 5 years.
Perhaps they were playing Batum in order to give him more shot attempts? Also, WRT Travis, he got his for the night – might as well let him get a well-deserved rest rather than risk potential injury in garbage time.
Figures... no Travis love
despite a torrid 4th quarter and dispelling ANY notion the Clippers might have had of coming back, plus giving props to his boys as usual in the post-game interview with Rebecca, …..shiminy cricket….. Travis I don’t care if you are consistent enough for everyone, I think you are DA MAN!
Keep up the good work buddy
"When it comes to compliments, women are ravenous, bloodsucking monsters, always wanting more, more, more! And if you give it to 'em, you'll get plenty back in return." -- Homer
Travis made some nice shots
Offensively he can score sometimes.
How’s that?
Blazer Fan
by leeroyjenkins on Jan 27, 2009 10:16 AM PST up reply actions
better then nuttin'
"When it comes to compliments, women are ravenous, bloodsucking monsters, always wanting more, more, more! And if you give it to 'em, you'll get plenty back in return." -- Homer
I call it "damning with faint praise"
I get what I deserve. I deserve what I get. I have it so I deserve it. I deserve
it for I have it. I get what I deserve. What I deserve - what I deserve what
I get. I have it so I deserve. - Gentle Giant
Ben, hey man, where is the love for Bayless?
Usually, you are a total “JBay homer” just like me. Last night, I think he earned a bit of acknowledgement for his play:
1) Career high in assists. Could of had several more, if guys had made shots.
2) Used the threat of his driving ability to draw defenders and then passed to open teammates on the perimeter. This is going to be there if he can time these passes correctly.
3) +25 for his time on the floor. Obviously, Nate liked what he was seeing because he left him while the Blazers were making their big run and then put him back in later in the fourth.
by upper left corner on Jan 27, 2009 8:12 AM PST reply actions
Reality
1. I am ecstatic that Bayless passed off the dribble finally. (Typically his assists were swinging it around type assists.) Seriously though, GUYS MISS SHOTS. No assists should be a sure thing unless a guy misses a layup/dunk. The team made most of the assist chances that Bayless gave them. On an average shooting night he’d have had less, not more assists.
2. Agreed. First time I’ve seen him head towards the basket and kick it out when he had the option of continuing his drive.
3. Did he ever even come out in the 4th? And credit that +25 more to Outlaw/Roy and the Clippers FINALLY missing their 3s.
1) I get your point, in general, but when the PG hits a player who is wide open and has time to square up and get his feet set, it seems reasonable to expect a decent percentage. Bayless was drawing players away and Roy and Outlaw had wide open 3s.
2) Thanks for acknowledging my point. I think Bayless who is learning PG 101 learned a new trick. Rather than putting his head down and just driving, he was taking two or three steps to draw multiple defenders to him and then hitting the open guy on the perimeter. This is one of the benefits of his strength off the dribble. Teams have to respect the drive so they collapse.
3) I thought Sergio came in for a about three minutes and then Bayless went back in. I could be mistaken.
I think both the young PGs looked good last night. Sergio made some great plays. I have said it before, and will say it again, in the long run, I think Blake’s injury, while unfortunate, is a good thing for the team. Both young PGs are getting experience and the team is getting a better opportunity to evaluate them.
by upper left corner on Jan 27, 2009 6:43 PM PST up reply actions
1. Yeah players should hit most of their wide open shots, but that doesn’t mean you should expect 100. Portland hit 60 of their shots last night so Bayless got most of the assists he should. I think Roy even gave him 2(?) 3s on back to back plays. Even wide open Roy isn’t a knockdown 3 point shooter. 5 or 6 seemed about right for that game to me. That’s still pretty damn good considering his minutes and his past 6-7 games.
2. He’s still a black hole inside the key, but he got a couple steps closer this game. If he can decide when to pass instead of getting blocked inside the key, scary!
3. I think it was Bayless entire time, with both in at the very end? I could also be wrong.
Yeah, the only problem is, Portland is showing that they have 3 guys who are starting caliber PGs. We only get to choose 2!
i was more impressed by his play against better competition like detroit… that’s what i judge someone at his point in development on… it’s easier for rex to look really good against the clippers than it is for him to look good against the pistons.
but i thought he did some nice things… i wrote about him up there… maybe could have given him more credit…
ultimately i thought sergio had the better night…
dave sold me on not buying into the one game +/- thing (especially in a game like yesterday’s) so that’s where i lost you. but otherwise agree totally.
by Ben Golliver on Jan 27, 2009 10:25 AM PST up reply actions
+/- is like most other stats
One night is deceptive, but over the course of 50+ games it works out.
Guys will have 1/11 FG shooting games and 6/9 FG shooting games. Neither is a true average.
Guys will have 10s when they have a great night and +10s when they have an off night. Other factors are in the equation (namely your teammates and the opposition.) In the long run though it is a decent predictor of success. Look at the player combos who lead in +/ for the last couple years. Not too shocking.
Bayless did a great job of staying in front of Gordon
I think his defense is far ahead of his playmaking abilities. Bayless still made some bad errors with the ball, but hopefully he’ll learn.
BINGO, BANGO, BONGO
Mock!! Mock!! Do you mock me, sir?!
I really relate to your siggy and find it most humorous… I’ve got a neighbor until like 11pm outside running his chain saw and using his vehicle for lighting…. hmmmmm
"When it comes to compliments, women are ravenous, bloodsucking monsters, always wanting more, more, more! And if you give it to 'em, you'll get plenty back in return." -- Homer
Nah
I just though it was funny that you and ulc had comments along the same thread and I wanted to join the fun.
How much wood could a woodchuck chuck if a woodchuck was on ice?
I was kind of surprised at how well Steve Novak shot the ball from downtown
I figured he’d only be capable of hook shots.
Consistency is the hobgoblin of small minds.
-Ralph Waldo Emerson
How long before
We see some chucklehead posting a FanShot on trading Travis for Novak?
Tom…I’m looking at you.
Someone already posted the junk drawer
I was leaning towards posting something about LA being a ball hog for blocking the Spanish-oop.
How much wood could a woodchuck chuck if a woodchuck was on ice?
Good teammate
He doesn’t want Rudy to show off any potential Dunk Contest moves until the right time. (The pass wasn’t perfect, so proly would have only been a layup anyway, but LA didn’t know that.)
that was terrible and magnificent
"its tough to play with one eye, unless you're a pirate." Delonte West
"una canasta a Pau en la cara" Rudy
by Honka Playboy on Jan 27, 2009 8:49 AM PST up reply actions
I watched Rudy's D closely and he is improving
With his quick’s and smart’s and hustle he is going to eventually going to be pretty good
by southern oregon on Jan 27, 2009 9:38 AM PST reply actions
the guards and bigs are getting it together
Sure, there wasn’t a huge Clipper inside presence but what I took away from this game was the numerous times the guards (Serge, Bayless, Rudy) seemed to get in the paint and confidently just get the ball in the vacinity of the rim knowing GO or LMA would slam it home. It’s one more sign the guys are learning intuitively where each other is going to be and that’s something playoff teams need to succeed against tight defenses and split second open windows.
Spanish Main: The point of departure for enormous wealth in the form of gold, silver, gems, spices, hardwoods, hides, alley-oops, assists and three pointers.
Clips Nation is baggin' on Oden over there.
Their guy says, he doesn’t “get” Oden.
My favorite teams are the Blazers and any team that is playing the Lakers.
It seems to me
he’s going to “get” about 12 years of Oden dunking on and rebounding over every center the Clips can trot out. Maybe that will clarify things for them.
Oden’s offensive game is looking as smooth as I’ve seen it ever. Of course he’s still not playing against front-line opposing big men. But he’s looking pretty good out there.
—Dave
Nice!
I guess everyone outside of BE want’s him to be Shaq.
My favorite teams are the Blazers and any team that is playing the Lakers.
by OCBlazerFan1 on Jan 27, 2009 11:24 AM PST up reply actions
Haha
Well, if it makes the next 13 years easier, then bag on Oden now, because soon he’ll be putting everyone else in a body bag OHH SNAP.
A huge, ever-more-athletic, soft touch, hard working, 7 foot/7’5" wingspan MONSTER is a hard concept to get. How can it ever work in the NBA?! There’s just nothing there, and he certainly isn’t showing what he can do when he doesn’t foul out.
This year, is a test year. Oden is testing out pretty decently. Later this year, we’ll run some more stressful tests, and learn from that as well. Next year you put Oden 2.0 on the floor and everyone says “OHHHhhhhh… that’s why I knew who Greg Oden was as an 8th grader”.
For the Clippers sake, I hope they aren’t the team that will eventually give DeAndra Jordan waaaay too much money, because of his “potential” and size. He’s long, athletic, but ya can’t fix lazy. And that body has only gotten softer since draft day. The Clippers aren’t exactly a franchise known for development and providing a great place for a low-work-ethic guy to find his way, but I think DeAndre is naturally gifted and talented enough to show a lotta good stuff over the years, and then be paid handsomely for it for way too long.
And then in year one, show why you shouldn’t pay so much for VERY foggy potential and a few hard played games for a contract.
He was a 2nd round pick, right? So he’s already playing for a contract. These injuries, and the non-earned minutes he’s getting, are gonna make someone make a big mistake. I hope it ain’t the Clippers.
I dunno if he made any comparisons between the two players, because I did not read the analysis. I am only going off of what I’ve seen of DeAndre this year, and the “he doesn’t get Oden” quote you offered.
Mortimer
He makes good points though (and he knows DJ has no fundamentals whatsoever and makes Shaq look like a shooter)
Again, it’s expectations. Andrew Bynum went for 42 and 15 against these Clippers (no Kaman, no Camby, no Randolph) last week. I expected/feared that Oden would have a similar break out game. It didn’t happen, so I’m disappointed in him. It’s not fair, I know.
Come to think of it, that’s a big part of what’s going on with my reaction. The Clippers are playing a JV squad. Durant, drafted behind Oden, scored 46 on them. Bynum, not hyped nearly as much as Oden, scored 42.
http://www.clipsnation.com/2009/1/27/737529/portland-113-clippers-88#11757901
6 rebounds in 26 minutes? Yawn. DeAndre Jordan is a 20 year old knucklehead with terrific athleticism and an almost complete lack of fundamentals. Oden should have been feasting on the offensive glass, because DJ hasn’t boxed anyone out in his life – he just turns to look for the ball…
Fair or not, he was the number 1 overall pick in what is looking like a good draft. Once people re-calibrate, and realize he isn’t Shaq or Tim Duncan or David Robinson, then he’ll wind up being a very good Greg Oden, and arguably the exact piece Portland needs given the rest of the roster. (And it seems that Nate needs to get him the ball more in the meantime.)
Need
We didn’t need Oden to go 42/15. The guy shot 7/7 from the field. Obviously if we wanted him to score more he could have. Instead, we ran a balanced offense through everyone. 6 rebounds is a bit low, but there’s an extraenous variable here. THERE WEREN’T MANY MISSED SHOTS!
Portland had 12 first half rebounds, Clippers had 17. That’s not a big number. There were more boards in the second half, but at games end I think it was 62 total rebounds? That’s pretty low. in just over 5% of the gametime he had almost 10% of the rebounds. Not great for a center, but not bad.
Guarantee
Oden has a few 40-point games in his career. In fact fast foward to, say, one year from now in this same situation and if the Blazers give him the ball enough he’ll top 30. He maybe could have gone for 30 last night but the team still isn’t looking for him and he doesn’t want the ball that much. He was scoring whenever he wanted last night.
—Dave
Agreed
He got 16 points without trying and the 6 rebounds isn’t quite as low as it looks. If Roy had not been so dead on early in the game, they might have gone inside more, we just never had a need too.
Either way, if a guy could go 7/7 every game of his career and score 16 every game, I’d nominate him for the hall of fame. That kind of efficiency is just sick. Obviously that’s impossible to do, but just shows how solid of a game Oden actually had.
Needless to say, this is the easiest 16 Oden has gotten this year, and we can expect to see some 15/18 type games in the future.
You can't fix lazy?
Oh crap.
"Only dunk and go to the defense." Rudy Fernandez
by Sabonis4Ever on Jan 28, 2009 12:55 AM PST up reply actions
Good to see Bayless passing
he showed a marked improvement. Now if he can do that and get to the rim in the same game, watch out. Oh, and I don’t care what the Mikes say about his supposed alley-oop to Greg—it was a missed lay-up pure and simple: He was looking at the basket the whole time, never saw Greg coming and had his shot severely altered by the defender.
Oh, and Ben, yeah Sergio was 1-3 but don’t forget that one of those was a 27-foot runner at the half-time buzzer, so really he was 1-2 on real shots—pretty efficient.
"It's like, 'Urrrrrrgh!'" Rodriguez says, his cupped hands turning into fists. "It is a good feeling. Good feeling."
by sergioFTW on Jan 27, 2009 10:11 AM PST reply actions 1 recs
agree with you about the bayless layup. was a shot not a pass.
the one for three thing is just an on-running statistical weirdness. 8 times out of 44 games now he’s gone 1 for 3. doesn’t that seem weird? maybe it’s just me.
i was more taken by him getting to the free throw line than the “real” 1 for 2 given his minutes and the competition.
by Ben Golliver on Jan 27, 2009 10:32 AM PST up reply actions
You actually looked up
how many times he’s gone 1-3? I thought I was, you know, weird about stats and stuff.
When I rule the world, everyone will know how to use Excel.
it’s been an onrunning meme during home games at the RG. i checked his game logs… actually thought it would be higher than that.
we’ve been pushing for him to switch jerseys from #11 to #143.
by Ben Golliver on Jan 27, 2009 11:33 AM PST up reply actions
you can out-weird ben
by looking up in how many of those 1-3 games was one shot a end of quarter buzzer beater.
"It's like, 'Urrrrrrgh!'" Rodriguez says, his cupped hands turning into fists. "It is a good feeling. Good feeling."
Would be a fun stat
See who leads the lead in buzzer beaters attempted and buzzer beaters attempted at least 5 feet behind the 3 pt line.
My goal in life
is not to out-weird Ben.
When I rule the world, everyone will know how to use Excel.
PG shooting %
Bayless/Sergio combined 3/9, not that good. Once you toss out the at the buzzer shots though it’s a more passable 3/7.
I would like to see Sergio really hit a groove on his 3s though. His corner look was wide open as can be.
Oden's production was all the more impressive
Because he didn’t work that hard to get it. He looked like a pro. Of course, he was playing against the Clippers.
Nice recap Ben
I purposely looked for holes in it too, but didn’t really find any (not that i have any great editing skillz).
It’s funny that AK got a LMA debate burning all late last night; you know what they say, when the cat’s away, the mice in thier mom’s basement will play (just kidding AK, you’re cool :-)
- Rookie fe[a]st 2009 -
by appel82 on Jan 27, 2009 10:34 AM PST reply actions 1 recs
Yeah, I should have said that
Really a nice recap.
When I rule the world, everyone will know how to use Excel.
agree.
Sorry I didn’t mention that Ben!
My favorite teams are the Blazers and any team that is playing the Lakers.
by OCBlazerFan1 on Jan 27, 2009 11:44 AM PST up reply actions
Did anybody notice
that the Clippers had, I believe, FOUR shot clock violations? I can’t say I’ve seen that many in a game before, which I think shows either good Blazers D, poor Clippers offense, or maybe a combination of both.
On another note, Staples was so empty that at halftime, I went down from the 300 level to the 100 level and sat not too far behind Portland’s bench. Any other Blazers Edgers in section 102 last night? It seemed like by the end I was surrounded by only Portland fans.
young point guards. we have issues with the clock too when bayless is on the ball.
by Ben Golliver on Jan 27, 2009 3:33 PM PST up reply actions
Rudy's play
As much as I loved the dunk by BRoy, that play at the end of the 3rd quarter by Rudy was once of the savviest plays I have seen in a long time, and it was a huge backbreaker for the Clips as well.
Pryz threw a nice arcing lob pass near midcourt, and Rudy feinted that he was about to touch/dribble the ball, which caused the defender to lay off and allow the ball to travel farther without the clock starting. He managed to position himself near the 3 point line just as he touched the ball with 2.5 seconds left, and that gave him plenty of time to use a dribble and a ball fake to shed a defender and hoist a dagger of a 3. I jumped out of my La-z-boy went it went in. Just a brilliant, brilliant play. Kudos to you, Rudy.
MLB2PDX!!! (someday...)
by The Cactus Leaguer on Jan 27, 2009 12:52 PM PST reply actions 1 recs
typical selfless comments
the kind of statements good teammates make
"When it comes to compliments, women are ravenous, bloodsucking monsters, always wanting more, more, more! And if you give it to 'em, you'll get plenty back in return." -- Homer
Is there video of his postgame interview somewhere?
"Aneurysm".
When Outlaw wins a game on a last-second shot, it’s called an "annthefaneurysm". QualityPie
Thanks Alfredo! You always come through with the goods.
"Aneurysm".
When Outlaw wins a game on a last-second shot, it’s called an "annthefaneurysm". QualityPie
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