Preseason Game 8: Blazers 113 Suns 93
by Ben Golliver on Oct 22, 2009 9:37 PM PDT
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In their 8th and final game of the exhibition season, the Blazers ran out to a big first quarter lead, nearly gave the whole thing back in the second quarter, blew the game open again in the third, stretched their lead to 20+ early in the fourth, and cruised to a 113-93 victory over the Phoenix Suns in Vancouver, BC.
All five Blazers starters finished with +/-'s over 20, while all 5 Phoenix Suns starters finished with +/-s of -15 or less. So that pretty much sums this one up: Portland's five took their five.
The Blazers were paced by Brandon Roy, who played the entire first and third quarters on his way to a very Brandon-like 22 points, 4 rebounds and 4 assists. Roy set the tone by tallying 17 points in the first quarter, more points than he had scored in any other game this preseason. Thanks for showing up!
LaMarcus Aldridge was initially listed as a game-time decision but was swayed into action by the Blazers training staff, who vigorously rubbed his contusion with big-faced hundred dollar bills. LMA repaid the favor by chipping in a very LaMarcus-like 17 points and 9 rebounds.
The Suns cooled off from their hot-shooting night in the Memorial Coliseum and were paced by Steve Nash (14 points, 4 boards, 7 assists) and Amar'e Stoudemire (13 points, 2 boards). Apparently they didn't play much defense.
The Blazers have now concluded their exhibition season with a record of 4-4.
The regular season begins Tuesday night, at home in the Rose Garden against the Houston Rockets. The game will be televised. Thank God.
More links...
Joe Freeman writes what many were starting to assume...
But despite this discouraging truth, as the Blazers wrapped up their exhibition season Thursday night with a 113-93 win against the Phoenix Suns at General Motors Place, one thing seemed clear: Blake will open this season as the Blazers' starting point guard. Although coach Nate McMillan has not made this official, a variety of reasons point to the reality and all surfaced in the opening minutes against the Suns.
On the Blazers' first scoring possession, Blake drove into the lane and kicked the ball out to Brandon Roy, who swished a three-pointer for a 3-0 lead. Moments later, Blake helped push that lead to 7-0 when he passed to a wide-open LaMarcus Aldridge for another jumper. A long fast-break pass to Aldridge here, another assist to Roy there, and the Blazers led 20-11.
Mike Barrett, Blazers.com
I think it's pretty clear that Nate McMillan has settled on a starting lineup. If he was needing to see this unit perform well together to put his mind at ease then this game certainly did that.
The starting group of Blake, Roy, Batum, Aldridge, and Oden was spectacular on this night, quickly getting Portland off to a 14-point lead. Even though the second unit gave that entire lead up in the second quarter, the starters were able to come back in the third quarter and build it right back.
"We did a good job of setting the tone defensively," Roy said. "On offense, I thought that led to the looks that we've been working on."
The Trail Blazers outrebounded the smaller Suns 50-28, including 16-4 on the offensive glass.
"We've got big Greg (Oden)," Roy said. "He gets in there and causes a lot of havoc inside. Any time our big men can get tips and hands on basketballs it's only going to help us out. They can get us more shots."
Fans remembering the Vancouver Grizzlies, who left in 2001 for Memphis, waved signs saying "David Stern, give us back the NBA," and "Vancouver wants the NBA." Several members of the NHL's Vancouver Canucks had courtside seats.
In the first half, both coaches relied heavily on what will be their likely starting lineups when the curtain rises on the regular season.
Portland led 36-25 after 12 minutes when Roy, a Seattle native in his fourth NBA season, drained 17 points, hitting five of six shots, including three from beyond the arc.
Mike Schmitz, Valley of the Suns.
In the Suns' 113-93 preseason finale loss to the Portland Trail Blazers, Steve Nash and the Phoenix Suns didn't exactly give the Vancouver Nash-aholics the basketball performance they were expecting. For what seems like the 100th time this preseason, the Suns were absolutely murdered on the boards en route to an embarrassing loss.
Steve Kerr and Alvin Gentry have talked over and over about the Suns' "gang rebounding" strategy and the team's new commitment to defense. Well, prove it. It is one thing to say you are going to do something, but going out and actually doing it is a completely different story.
AZCentral.com has game photos.
Video of Steve Nash leaving the arena, courtesy of Jared Dudley.
-- Ben (benjamin.golliver@gmail.com)
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Comments
This should put some wary blazer fans at ease.
Good to see the starting 5 clicking on all cylinders.
"Ain't nothin' in this world for free."
How many points did Oden have?!
How many rebounds?!
I need to know!
"And in the end
The love you take
Is equal to the love you make." -The Beatles
well...ok
I feel better now
"And in the end
The love you take
Is equal to the love you make." -The Beatles
by 92wastheyear on Oct 22, 2009 9:50 PM PDT up reply actions
Wait!
How many fouls?!
"And in the end
The love you take
Is equal to the love you make." -The Beatles
by 92wastheyear on Oct 22, 2009 9:51 PM PDT up reply actions
Little early to say that
What about the Bulls with a frontcourt involving Scottie Pippen and Dennis Rodman? Admittedly Luc Longley wasn’t a stopper, but the other two were arguably the two best on defense at their respective positions all time.
Hee hee
I’m jus’ joshin’, it’ll take more than 1 game of 3 blocks for Oden and 3 steals for LMA to be considered one of the best ever.
A minimum is 2 games of three steals and three blocks is what I need to see.
Mortimer
You want to see three rebounds, too?
I can tell you how to make an Excel spreadsheet that proves Portland wins 62 games this year.
If only Smooth would get MEAN . . .
Maurice “The Enforcer” Lucas.
Perhaps " The Smooth Enforcer" ?
It's GO time !
It's just the way he was raised . . .
his momma taught him some manners !!
Please COINCAST sign a deal !
COINSY – “NO THANK YOU”
Errrrr – You SUCK !
It's GO time !
yes.
"If the Lakers are Hollywood, then we are South Central." - Clipper fan.
by Cablinasian on Oct 22, 2009 10:49 PM PDT up reply actions
Who wrote this?
This person didn’t sign their name, I am now fully confused…
by Rudiculous on Oct 23, 2009 1:38 AM PDT up reply actions 1 recs
I'm bringing this recent comment of mine over from the previous thread.
A nice performance by all of the regular rotation players — excluding Jerryd Bayless, who’ll sit whenever Rudy Fernandez finally returns from his injury — and I’ve finally solidified my position on supporting Steve Blake starting at point guard. Andre Miller should get plenty of playing time and a lot of burn with Greg Oden — who should inarguably start and set his career into full blast — yet, for the sake of Brandon Roy, Blake shall have his name introduced by the PA announcers each and every game.
I’m still hoping for a consolidation trade to get a banger 4/5 to backup LaMarcus Aldridge — or even a simple swap such as Travis Outlaw for Kurt Thomas — meanwhile, though, #25 can receive his 12 to 16 minutes of action per game until that point in time. Oh, and if Outlaw gets any playing time at the 3, then it better be at the expense of Martell Webster rather than Nicolas Batum. Batum > Webster, end of story.
Stupid people have stupid ideas.
we have a banger behind LMA
his name is Juwan Howard…duh.
"No disrespect to Jeff Blake"
by Eat Politicians on Oct 22, 2009 10:17 PM PDT up reply actions
More reason we shoulda kept Collins
Do we want Oden and LMA injured from banging with Juwan every practice?!?!
.m.
"Juwan Howard" and "banger" don't belong in the same sentence, ...
unless you decide to add the prefix anti- right in front of the word “banger.”
Stupid people have stupid ideas.
dude he had his unicorn horn cut off
Is that not Hardcore enough? Maybe if he got a tattoo of a penis on his forehead you image whores would leave him alone. Juwan howard will CUT YOU! HE WILL CUT YOU!
"No disrespect to Jeff Blake"
by Eat Politicians on Oct 22, 2009 10:41 PM PDT up reply actions
Can't admit you were wrong?
"Either way we have two phenomenal units. I'm excited to play with either one." - Martell Webster
lee, Juwon Howard has had himself a nice career, and may be a useful bench player in short minutes next year
but he has been a really, really bad rebounder throughout his career. He is not anything close to a banger.
What about Juwan Howard makes him a banger?
Howard, 36, is an inefficient mid-range jump shooter, mediocre high-post facilitator, and piss-poor defender/rebounder at the 4. Suffice it to say, that so-so skill set of his doesn’t constitute him being a “banger” whatsoever.
On a more important note, however, I’m most often the first to admit when I’m “wrong.” It just doesn’t happen all that often, y’know.
Stupid people have stupid ideas.
They brought in a brick wall for Juwan to bang against in practice
He was just SHATTERING the ribs and hips of Oden and Joel, we can’t afford it.
Dude is straight BANGIN’.
—M
I didn't know that Jarron Collins was nicknamed "brick wall."
I hate to break it to you, Mort, but “brick wall” was let go ‘cause Patty Mills’ bum foot was frightened by it.
Stupid people have stupid ideas.
whatever dude
Anybody that has a nose that flat is in the mafia. And therefore…banger.
He moved to england as a child just because he heard they have food there called bangers and mash.
Then he moved to Maine, that’s right, Bangor.
He bought a toyota because it had a 4-banger.
He likes Susan Saradon because she was in the Banger Sisters.
Need I go on?
"No disrespect to Jeff Blake"
by Eat Politicians on Oct 22, 2009 11:38 PM PDT up reply actions 1 recs
You had me 'til "[h]e likes Susan Saradon because she was in the Banger Sisters."
What if Juwan Howard is just another cult follower of The Rocky Horror Picture Show?
Stupid people have stupid ideas.
why do you think he moved to Portland?
It wasn’t the rain…
That’s right…now imagine what he’s wearing under that uniform. Yeah, let that image burn inside your brain for a while…
"No disrespect to Jeff Blake"
by Eat Politicians on Oct 23, 2009 12:45 AM PDT up reply actions
they could be in the same sentence a number of ways
Juwan Howard is not a banger.
I wish Juwan Howard was more of a banger.
At his age, Juwan Howard doesn’t have much chance of changing his game to resemble a banger’s game.
If you think Juwan Howard is a banger, you’re crazy.
Juwan Howard went to England and had Bangers and Mash for breakfast.
They belong together.
I wrote this particular comment over a year ago.
I was savin’ it for a special occasion, and I guess this is as good a time as any.
by CatMan2 on Oct 23, 2009 12:05 AM PDT up reply actions 1 recs
Thanks for SHOWING up BRoy & Smooth !
I’m heading to the gym for my workout, then
coming home to rub my knee with some quarters.
Just not the same without the green !
GO BLAZERS !!
& !!!!!!!
It's GO time !
Thank you, levelhed!
And others who made it possible for me to hear the preseason games from many, many miles away. And thank you, Internet.
YW
Good luck to everyone who needs to pickup a video stream.
That’s technology I do not have…
We would have been devestated without you. Thank you a million times.
"Aneurysm".
When Outlaw wins a game on a last-second shot, it’s called an "annthefaneurysm". QualityPie
Someone who can stream Coincast games
should come forth and make him/her self known. If you want to stay anonymous… just make sure you post a link during every gameday thread.
Us unfortunate fans need SOMETHING for the coming season, other than TNT and KGW games.
Chuck Norris' tears cure cancer. Too bad he has never cried.
by FiveOhThree-RipCity!! on Oct 22, 2009 11:21 PM PDT up reply actions
Its not like that would necessarily cost Comcost anything
considering: THEY AINT GOT A CABLE IN MY NEIGHBORHOOD !!
I did pay when they did…. but I moved.
EXCUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUSE ME !!!!!!!!!
No TNT or KGW for you?
I get those…. but that certainly is not enough.
Chuck Norris' tears cure cancer. Too bad he has never cried.
by FiveOhThree-RipCity!! on Oct 23, 2009 11:57 AM PDT up reply actions
I have Al Gore over at my house right now
Hey wanted me to tell you, “you’re welcome.”
by Montavilla Steve on Oct 22, 2009 10:13 PM PDT up reply actions
I hate you levelhed
"We didn't start the fire. It was always burning. Since the world's been turning." - E. E. Cummings
by Sexual Tyrannosaurus on Oct 22, 2009 10:15 PM PDT up reply actions
We're on the same team Rex
Here’s where I divulge the extreme lengths we go to for the stream…
You know I'm only just kidding right?
Good job!
"We didn't start the fire. It was always burning. Since the world's been turning." - E. E. Cummings
by Sexual Tyrannosaurus on Oct 22, 2009 10:40 PM PDT up reply actions
SexRex ...
… what’s your streaming schedule like?
It works for my iPhone whereas Justin does not, at least for audio.
I have to work Tuesday and Wednesday nights (Portland time) and can’t watch/listen to the games other than on the iPhone.
Are there any other audio options anyone knows for mobile Blazer pleasure?
Reading comments here is cool, but kinda hard to follow the game.
"Is it always like this?" Collins said after the scrimmage. "It was like the first game of the NBA playoffs or something."
I can't do every game since I'm using my iphone to do it
but you’re interested in the radio stuff I’m sure something could be figured out
isnt there a ustream app out?
"We didn't start the fire. It was always burning. Since the world's been turning." - E. E. Cummings
by Sexual Tyrannosaurus on Oct 22, 2009 11:49 PM PDT up reply actions
you are awesome, levelhed.
"If the Lakers are Hollywood, then we are South Central." - Clipper fan.
by Cablinasian on Oct 22, 2009 10:50 PM PDT up reply actions
Computer, microphone, clock radio
…and you become Mr. Popular.
Levehed ... do you live in a hotel room?
Either way, excellent work. I have depended on you so heavily … and (sniffle) I … I love you man.
"Is it always like this?" Collins said after the scrimmage. "It was like the first game of the NBA playoffs or something."
I like the micriphone and clock radio
"And in the end
The love you take
Is equal to the love you make." -The Beatles
by 92wastheyear on Oct 22, 2009 10:43 PM PDT up reply actions
I must say
I do have the coolest clock radio ever. Boston Receptor radio. It’s a marvel of simplicity and nice sound quality.
Got one on the other side of the bed too. :)
preseason is finally done!!
hopefully somebody is streaming the first game… I am going to be ticked if I cant watch the first game of the season.
"The difference between a democracy and a dictatorship is that in a democracy you vote first and take orders later; in a dictatorship you don't have to waste your time voting"
"I don't like jail, they got the wrong kind of bars in there"
Charles Bukowski
Ben, I loved this:
LaMarcus Aldridge was initially listed as a game-time decision but was swayed into action by the Blazers training staff, who vigorously rubbed his contusion with big-faced hundred dollar bills.
I’m still chuckling!
by Montavilla Steve on Oct 22, 2009 10:07 PM PDT reply actions
made me literally laugh out loud (llol) as well.
You can measure skill and talent with your eyes, but productivity is shown through statistics.
Finaly Blazers show some of this...
by undutchable on Oct 22, 2009 10:09 PM PDT reply actions 6 recs
+1
Chuck Norris' tears cure cancer. Too bad he has never cried.
by FiveOhThree-RipCity!! on Oct 22, 2009 11:25 PM PDT up reply actions
Box score notes.
BRoy & Smooth showed up ! If Smooth can average 9 boards
and 2 steals per game color me RED & Happy !
GO & Martell couldn’t hit from the field, but GO is going to earn lots of
trips to the line and Marty had 5 boards and will get his stroke going.
Typical Silent Steve game. I can picture the scrappy long rebounding
and opponents running at him when open outside. Ok says Steve, "I’ll swing it "!
Juwan Howard is going to be a valuable player for the Blazers, both On
& OFF the court.
I like Dante. He’s going to be a player. He could be combining with BRex
in next year as our fire off the bench. Release the Beasts !
It's GO time !
i sort of watched the LA/DEN game with the sound off
LA looks formidable but Anderson really looks like he has lost a step,he got owned on D and the boards.
by southern oregon on Oct 22, 2009 10:19 PM PDT reply actions
LA looks really good. Denver not.
I see in the Sports Illustrated today that they have the Blazers as 3 in the West and Denver was, I think, 6, which seems right to me.
"A bizarre and extremely rare hybrid Blazer/Laker fan, Timbo has always struggled to contain the Beast Within, like Dr. Jekyll, Bruce Banner, or Ted Kennedy." — Miled Animal
Losing Kleza to Europe
Will hurt them more than they think.
"Good evening Blazer fans, wherever you may be!"-Bill Schonely
For Denver's sake, it's too bad that Wally Szczerbiak didn't sign on with the team.
Stupid people have stupid ideas.
I read they want Ime
But Wally is still out there isn’t he?
"Either way we have two phenomenal units. I'm excited to play with either one." - Martell Webster
I'm not sure what the deal is with Wally Szczerbiak, as he might just up and call it quits.
As it is, I argue Ime Udoka would be a better fit than Joey Graham for the Denver Nuggets. Graham, who’s physically a massive guy, isn’t as disciplined defensively as Udoka — let’s think BBIQ here — and has nowhere near the range on his shot. At this point, though, the Nuggets seem satisfied to go into the season with Graham as Carmelo Anthony’s backup at the 3, while Aaron Afflalo and J.R. Smith split time at the 2.
Stupid people have stupid ideas.
I ain't checked the numbers
But everytime I watched Wally World the last 2 seasons, he was AWFUL. Made-me-cringe-level-awful.
Wally Szczerbiak would be fine next to solid defenders at the 4 and 2, which ...
Renaldo Balkman and a motivated J.R. Smith would give him. Anthony Carter and Ty Lawson can sure dish the rock, too. Yet, with Joey Graham backing up Carmelo Anthony at the 3, Balkman will likely sit and Malik Allen — who’s an okay mid-range jump shooter — should get more burn behind Kenyon Martin at the 4.
Stupid people have stupid ideas.
the leap from him to Joey Graham is pretty massive… and they need shooters to space the floor for their playmakers.
Kleiza killed us last year. He always found spaces in our defense.
I really hope the games start streaming on Blazers.com soon.
If I had to term the present situation, it would have to be a series of unfortunate events.
by Cablinasian on Oct 22, 2009 11:00 PM PDT up reply actions
While I respect Pelton and view him as one of the best NBA analysts around, I don’t think his metric accounts fully for Kleiza spacing the floor.
More importantly, Kleiza going to Europe specifically helps us against them.
I really hope the games start streaming on Blazers.com soon.
If I had to term the present situation, it would have to be a series of unfortunate events.
by Cablinasian on Oct 22, 2009 11:04 PM PDT up reply actions
I think it's a loss
But I also think Kleiza is way overrated, especially by us since he always seemed to score against us.
Overall, he was pretty average.
M
oh, he wasn’t even a great three point shooter for being a three point specialist. but he did kill us in the first game at Denver, maybe even proving to be the difference in that game.
I really hope the games start streaming on Blazers.com soon.
If I had to term the present situation, it would have to be a series of unfortunate events.
by Cablinasian on Oct 22, 2009 11:12 PM PDT up reply actions
i dunno
it probably just means more JR Smith, who is better than Kleiza. If it means Graham plays, then that’s a good thing for us.
We should for sure win the early game where Smith is suspended.
Chris Anderson IS pretty old
He was also playing for a contract, though he seemed intense and hardworking enough not to just be playing that well for a deal…
—M
LA ate him alive tonite but he might have just been mailing it in.
by southern oregon on Oct 22, 2009 10:29 PM PDT up reply actions
I thought pretty much the whole Denver team
mailed it in. If that is ANY indication of how they are starting the season, they are in a world of hurt.
"I'm a man, but I can change.....if I have to......I guess." - Red Green
by antediluvian on Oct 23, 2009 9:00 AM PDT up reply actions
I hope the Blazers stop Lawson from getting to the rim better than the Fakers did...
"That's just how I get down"........ Andre Miller
by FrenchieFan on Oct 23, 2009 10:38 AM PDT up reply actions
It's odd how Chris Andersen and Josh Voskuhl are the same age, 31, but one seems young and ...
one seems done. Yet, with regards to Andersen, his body may’ve been aided by the two years he was suspended fromt he NBA.
Stupid people have stupid ideas.
Years of drug abuse can take a toll an a human body
by southern oregon on Oct 22, 2009 10:39 PM PDT up reply actions
It can also give it a distinctive flavor
by southern oregon on Oct 22, 2009 10:41 PM PDT up reply actions
Really?
Chuck Norris' tears cure cancer. Too bad he has never cried.
by FiveOhThree-RipCity!! on Oct 22, 2009 11:27 PM PDT up reply actions
I tol you that smokin crack from a lead pipe with arsenic sprinkled on it was bad for you
jus yesterday
"And in the end
The love you take
Is equal to the love you make." -The Beatles
by 92wastheyear on Oct 22, 2009 10:42 PM PDT up reply actions
Years of drinking is what I blame for calling Jake Voskuhl "Josh" in my above comment.
Stupid people have stupid ideas.
Your not old enough to have drank that much.
"BEER IS LIVING PROOF THAT GOD LOVES US"
- Benjamin Franklin-
Ah, but WHO were the Portland Five, grasshopper?
All five Blazers starters finished with +/-‘s over 20, while all 5 Phoenix Suns starters finished with +/-s of -15 or less. So that pretty much sums this one up: Portland’s five took their five.
"A bizarre and extremely rare hybrid Blazer/Laker fan, Timbo has always struggled to contain the Beast Within, like Dr. Jekyll, Bruce Banner, or Ted Kennedy." — Miled Animal
The Suns run in the 2nd was their starters vs our bench
by southern oregon on Oct 22, 2009 10:23 PM PDT up reply actions
Channing's line ...
31+ minutes.
40% FG
0% (0-4) 3PM
1 Reb (def)
2 fouls
3 turnovers
9 points
This is the Suns’ starting center.
Trouble.
Love Channing the man; best to let Phoenix have Channing the baller.
"Is it always like this?" Collins said after the scrimmage. "It was like the first game of the NBA playoffs or something."
He's not really their starting C is he?
Can’t be…
Reportedly what the coach says
"Either way we have two phenomenal units. I'm excited to play with either one." - Martell Webster
Let me show Frye's stat line
From the game Tuesday night.
pos min fgm-a 3pm-a ftm-a +/- off def tot ast pf st to bs ba pts
C. Frye C 35:12 9-12 4-5 7-7 +33 1 2 3 2 4 0 1 0 0 29
Sure this was vs Sacramento but my point is he can produce when given minutes. The Blazer’s Big’s are better than Channing. The sun’s will cope against team’s without solid centers.
He had a hot shooting night, nothing more.
3 rebounds for a starting Center playing 35 minutes is abysmal. Just straight up putrid. Channing is more likely to have an off shooting night than an “on” one. He can’t drain 4-5 from distance regularly.
"Ain't nothin' in this world for free."
People keep saying that Houston will miss the playoffs, but Phoenix will be the worse team this year.
Stupid people have stupid ideas.
They likely are
"Either way we have two phenomenal units. I'm excited to play with either one." - Martell Webster
Maybe so, but I feel like Channing is going to have at least an acceptable season
And maybe Sergio too. Good for them if they do.
I am very confident Channing's stats will at least look decent
Whether they actually help since it won’t be efficient, won’t shoot FTs, and doesn’t play good defense, but it’ll look okay.
Sergio will do the same, IF he can beat out Beno. They are committed to Tyreke (and they should be), but they also have a financial commitment to Beno so they may feel they have to play him. He isn’t very good, but he’s done more than Sergio thus far, so I dunno.
I hope he beats out Beno. He HAS to.
=-m
If I'm in Paul Westphal shoes, I'd honestly start Tyreke Evans at small forward and let Sergio ...
Rodriguez and Beno Udrih split playing time at the 1. With Evans’ length, slashing abilities, and defensive talents — in conjunction with his propensity for turnovers and inefficient shot from long range — he’s built to play the 3 next to shooting guard Kevin Martin.
I see the Kings plan on starting Desmond Mason at the 3, but he’d be better served coming off the bench in a high-energy unit featuring Andres Nocioni, Omri Casspi, and Rodriguez — even though undersized fatass Sean May would probably man the middle and slow things down a notch — yet, Westphal won’t do it.
Stupid people have stupid ideas.
I don't disagree
I like Tyreke’s potential, but I don’t think he’s a PG either.
They just wanna put the ball in his hands and set him free, and I think that will hurt him when it comes to refining his game. However, since the team is going nowhere right now, I understand if developing him takes priority over playing him where he properly should be played to be a better team.
If the Sacramento Kings are hellbent on playing Tyreke Evans at point guard, then the ...
front office should strongly attempt to sway the New York Knicks into dealing Jared Jeffries and Wilson Chandler for the Kenny Thomas’ decaying contract.
For the Knicks, Donnie Walsh might as well kill two birds with one stone by cutting costs and caving into Mike D’Antoni. This season, D’Antoni would have free reign to start Danilo Gallinari at the 3 by playing him heavy minutes and, moreover, Walsh would get a bit more financial wiggle room to make a run at LeBron James and Amar’e Stoudemire come 2010.
For the Kings, Paul Westphal would have two distinct lineups to run and, moreover, Geoff Petrie would get his wish of having the coaching staff make Evans sink or swim at point guard. Spencer Hawes, Jason Thompson, Chandler, Kevin Martin, and Evans would form the starting quartet, while the undersized, yet high-octante second unit would then feature Jeffries, Andres Nocioni, Omri Casspi, Desmond Mason — at least until Francisco Garcia returned from his freak injury — and Sergio Rodriguez. Though, that’d leave Sean May and Beno Udrih — as well as Jon Brockman, of course — riding the pine.
Stupid people have stupid ideas.
If you think Evans should play the three,
maybe now is the time to experiment with that while Garcia is out.
How does one clasp his hands in-akwardly? (Photo caption in main post)
Do photographers take their cue from ESPN or Can’tzano?
"Either way we have two phenomenal units. I'm excited to play with either one." - Martell Webster
He looks
relaxed and confident to me. Much better than last year. It’s all about perception.
by blazinagain on Oct 22, 2009 10:56 PM PDT up reply actions
exactly - bias in the media? Nah....
"Either way we have two phenomenal units. I'm excited to play with either one." - Martell Webster
wow.
I really hope the games start streaming on Blazers.com soon.
If I had to term the present situation, it would have to be a series of unfortunate events.
by Cablinasian on Oct 22, 2009 11:03 PM PDT up reply actions
Ol' Nellie will keel over and die from cirrhosis of the liver before he returns to the playoffs.
Stupid people have stupid ideas.
But they won by a lot!
You just don’t get it, AK. Good teams win games, and they just won, ergo ipso facto quid pro quo, Dubs for 5th seed.
If Roy went down for a while we would still have some options
If Paul went down they might as well forfiet the games
by southern oregon on Oct 22, 2009 11:11 PM PDT up reply actions
I haven't followed his preseason
but Darren Collison has a chance to be a giant upgrade over Antonio Daniels as Paul’s backup this year. That is something worth tracking.
yeah
they are a better team this year than they were last year. Very little doubt in my mind. Pelton has them 3rd in the West, above us, and while I don’t quite see that, its definitely possible.
Okafor has become really underrated since he was drafted
And erroneously labeled as injury prone. I like him.
Not a GREAT center, but very solid and good.
Maybe Okafor is one reason why the pundits have been
underating Oden, recently (although this preseason is starting to get him some love).
by blacknoiseNW on Oct 23, 2009 10:37 AM PDT up reply actions
I don't want "Zoolander" on the Portland Trail Blazers ...
and complained about him constantly when he was with the Seattle SuperSonics, but his one-dimensional skill that involves long-distance spot-up shooting would fit on the Denver Nuggets.
Yet, if Szczerbiak isn’t up for playing in the high altitude of Denver, then he should just hang up his sneakers.
Stupid people have stupid ideas.
Meh, I'm probably one of the few guys who's apathetic ...
toward Tyler Hansbrough. Some view at him as “The Great White Hope” — such as sabonis4ever and TiH, although the latter might’ve been being sarcastic — due to his decorated college career; yet, others are overly harsh by comparing him to freakin’ Mark Madsen.
Stupid people have stupid ideas.
I am apathetic towards him as well
He might be okay, he might be bad… I can’t get excited enough to care one way or another. I have no attachment to him.
I don't like his bug eyes
So maybe I am biased.
by Mortimer on Oct 22, 2009 11:49 PM PDT up reply actions 1 recs
Yup
Houston fans seemed to hate him, think he was a flopper, which I never thought really applied to Jor-el.
Songaila is on the Hornets?
Must have used his CP3 connection. As an alumni, I wonder if I could use the same connection for a tryout.
Collison is good
i have some friends who are moving back to the Bay Area and I am pretty sure I have some GS home games in my future
by southern oregon on Oct 22, 2009 11:17 PM PDT up reply actions
Okafor will help them
And West is fine, but yeah… if Roy goes down, it becomes the Andre Miller show. Still a very good playmaker. We got two good post dudes. Bench scoring.
We can absorb Roy going down MUCH better than they could absorb Paul… but God forbid either happening.
yeah but ...
Paul, West (and Ike Diagu) did not play.
Preseason.
"Is it always like this?" Collins said after the scrimmage. "It was like the first game of the NBA playoffs or something."
I'm not asking you to draw any conclusions
I’m asking you to look at some cool boxscore lines.
Morrow is going to be a good fantasy player in deep (ie 16-20 team) leagues. Steph Curry will be interesting to follow. They are going to score like crazy and give up points like even crazier.
My conclusion is Peja is done for
shooting 2 for 9 over all at 1for 6 from 3. Yikes
Morrow played 48minutes, that’s crazy.
When Nelly gives Morrow 12 minutes a game the nexty few games
This 48 minutes tonight will make his per game minutes stat look like he is playing him enough.
Nelly is tricky!
No CP3 and no David West
and that team would be lucky to win 5 games all year.
"Ain't nothin' in this world for free."
no
"We didn't start the fire. It was always burning. Since the world's been turning." - E. E. Cummings
by Sexual Tyrannosaurus on Oct 22, 2009 11:41 PM PDT up reply actions 2 recs
I'm glad the Blazers won because Kenny Vance is really starting to get on my nerves
"We didn't start the fire. It was always burning. Since the world's been turning." - E. E. Cummings
by Sexual Tyrannosaurus on Oct 22, 2009 11:43 PM PDT reply actions
He freaked about how Brandon Roy answered a postgame question last night
the guy is a bit of a drama queen. It was pretty funny that Antonio Harvey started making fun of him about that tonight over the air.
"We didn't start the fire. It was always burning. Since the world's been turning." - E. E. Cummings
by Sexual Tyrannosaurus on Oct 23, 2009 12:02 AM PDT up reply actions
Normal I guess
but Vance Romance thought BRoy was either throwing the team under the bus
"We didn't start the fire. It was always burning. Since the world's been turning." - E. E. Cummings
by Sexual Tyrannosaurus on Oct 23, 2009 12:07 AM PDT up reply actions
He GRATES on my last nerve.
"Aneurysm".
When Outlaw wins a game on a last-second shot, it’s called an "annthefaneurysm". QualityPie
I heard he had to lay down for like 12 hours during the day as part of rehab for his eye. That's crazy,
I’d wear the glasses to. Not worth risking having to go through that again.
by BRoyInThe4th on Oct 23, 2009 12:38 AM PDT up reply actions
he had to lay down on his stomach for 22 hours a day
for 10 days. He said he read books and read wikipedia pages about leadership while he was laying there.
He fashioned the nickname sun-tzu, the name that he wants everyone to call him now, after reading sun tzu’s book, The Art of War, which talks about war strategies.
I read that book too
That is now my nickname
Henceforth and forever
"And in the end
The love you take
Is equal to the love you make." -The Beatles
by 92wastheyear on Oct 23, 2009 1:19 PM PDT up reply actions
I prefer the diminutive ....
….Tzuey
"And in the end
The love you take
Is equal to the love you make." -The Beatles
by 92wastheyear on Oct 23, 2009 5:31 PM PDT up reply actions
I suppose it's save to say Martell won't start anymore this season until further notice
"I think he can still play" - Kevin Pritchard on Juwan Howard
yeah Martell I think tries to do too much sometimes.
He’ll be better coming off the bench, and the team is better for it also.
Looks like Brandon Roy was selfish again tonight. Only 4 assists in such a high scoring game.
I hate how we get no highlights, I want to see those Oden blocks.
you're selfish for wanting highlights
What does your desire to see the trailblazers in preseason have to do with coincast making endless amounts of filthy profit? Huh? What about coincasts needs?
"No disrespect to Jeff Blake"
by Eat Politicians on Oct 23, 2009 12:43 AM PDT up reply actions
"Video of Steve Nash leaving the arena, courtesy of Jared Dudley."
The exact opposite reaction would’ve happened if this game had been played at the Key Arena.
Stupid people have stupid ideas.
Nice work on the player captions their AZcentral.com.....
Howard is apparently patty mills, and Outlaw STILL cant get no respect…
He was only Mills for like 2 photos. They got it right in the last one. Then Outlaw is apparently Blake. The captions for those are clearly phoned in. “The number on the jersey… I can only see a 2. It MIGHT say 25 but, I’m going with 2. Steve Blake. Who was white in the other picture.”
Bring the bling to Rip City, Natch'
Trade John Canzano!
http://www.azcentral.com/commphotos/azcentral/12558/26/26
Steve blake sure got a lot darker in the off season.
"Ain't nothin' in this world for free."
bigs
If Oden keeps out of foul trouble, I expect to see quite a few minutes this year where both Oden and Przybilla are in at the same time.
this guy should have more pictures of the game in the coming days
http://pa.photoshelter.com/c/pshizzy/gallery-list
He’s had photos for the past few Suns preseason games made available to brightsideofthesun.com and ktar.com
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