Game 64 Recap: Blazers 89, Mavericks 93
by Dave on Mar 12, 2009 12:34 AM PDT
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I have to be honest with you. Even though I was on the edge of my seat most of the night because of what this game meant and how many times the Blazers came back, it was still tough for me to watch. It was like seeing a great puncher go up against a guy who really knows how to box. The Blazers were throwing wild lefts and rights and then trying to catch their breath. Meanwhile the Mavericks were saying, "Wait for it...wait for it... jab...jab...BOOM! Ratta-tatta-tatta! Wait for it...jab, duck...BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!" Every time the Blazers would land one on their chin they'd just back off and come back with a smart combination. In the end it went to the judge's decision, but the Mavs clearly won. AUGGGHHH! But for a few more years and a couple more players healthy! Stupid, stupid Trevor Ariza! You are now officially on my "I don't <3 you" list!
As was semi-expected the Blazers came out of the gate slowly. The TV crew mentioned several times that they were a step behind. The Mavericks came out to push people around and score, and that they did. In the opening minutes the Blazers were launching jumpers and were one-and-done...the greatest fear playing against the Mavs. Then Nicolas Batum turned things around with an amazing transition block from behind on a sure Dallas layup and Portland's defensive intensity picked up. Joel Przybilla started giving marvelous help defense and offensive rebounding on the other end. Channing Frye came in and gave a good defensive effort as well. Portland hit a few shots and threw the clamps down on Dallas and we found ourselves up 1 coming out of what could have been a disaster of a quarter.
Then the second unit hit.
Or wait... "hit" and "second unit" should not be used in the same sentence tonight without including the word "bottom" somewhere in there. As soon as Dallas saw Portland's reserves they threw up a zone defense. Almost immediately Portland's offense looked uglier than an Arby's dumpster at midnight. We saw horrific jumpers. We saw late-clock possessions. We saw point guards unable to get anybody into the offense. It was frustration city. You had players in there who weren't used to each other, the situation, or the zone. This is the fallacy in the argument, "Why doesn't Nate just throw in Player X or give Player Y more minutes?"
Once they smelled blood the Mavericks really pinched the Blazers even when Portland's starters returned. Their late-quarter technique was to get physical with anybody who came in the lane. The refs were calling the game loose on both ends. Pretty soon nobody in red and black wanted anything to do with the paint. The Blazers looked tentative and at times lost. The result was a 30-19 quarter for the Mavericks and a depressing deficit going into the half.
The third quarter started with Dallas employing an old, familiar Blazer-killing technique: the screen and roll. For a couple of minutes there the game looked to be a painful rout. But the play leveled off and the Blazers stayed even until about six minutes left in the period. Then, out of the sky...what is it? Could it be? Is he back? It's...it's... Is it Super Trout? Well, yes, he showed up briefly in the second half, but forget that. Who's the guy standing next to him? He's throwing down dunks!!! He's blocking shots!!! He's wagging a finger at Dirk Nowitzki and saying, "No more crazy shots for you! Take THIS! And THAT! And hi-ya-choppa smacky-smacky... whazzat? WHOOP! Made ya look! Ka-POW! Ka-SPLAT! Did you eat your Wheaties today? No, you couldn't have ‘cuz I ate the WHOLE DAMN BOX!!!" My gosh...I do believe it's LAMARCUS MAN!!! And OH, LaMarcus Man was a sight to behold! He literally took this team by the scruff of its neck, pulled it up to his face, and told it to get its butt back in this game. And get back in the game we did. All of a sudden that middle looked far more open and nobody was paying the slightest attention to the Mavericks throwing their weight around. The refs started tagging Dallas with and-ones and the score looked respectable again.
The game fell apart briefly when the second unit came in again at the end of the third and the beginning of the fourth, but they didn't get much of an audition this time. Things remained pretty tight throughout the rest of the game. The Blazers would climb within 2 or 3 and then the Mavericks would stretch it out again. The Blazers would reel them back and then they'd escape. LaMarcus continued to play spectacularly and Outlaw made some great buckets but Roy looked worn down. The TV guys speculated he could be ill. They said he was chugging Pepto on the bench. I'd guess it was a sponsorship deal but Nate would be the more natural choice for that. "Need something to stop you from running?" (OK, that's a cheap shot. Nate was actually telling the Blazers to push it tonight. But when you have the slowest-paced offense in the league you're going to get some of those jokes.)
The Blazers ended up losing for a couple of reasons.
First, the Mavericks put the zone back on and even our vaunted fourth-quarter offensive guys looked flummoxed by it. Each player was holding the ball for 2-3 seconds before making any basketball-like move. The idea behind beating a zone is movement and quick attack. You want that ball and those feet to slip through the cracks in the defense. You want to force the defenders to make tough decisions about who to cover and where. When you hold the ball at all against a zone it just lets everybody recover and set up anew. Against a man-to-man you can set up a great individual move that way, but that's not what the Mavs were playing.
Second, every time the Blazers got within 2-3 points it was Steve Blake or Travis Outlaw taking the shot to tie or put us ahead. Granted Blake was hitting his threes early and Travis had a very nice offensive night, but you got back in the game on the backs of Aldridge and a little bit of Roy. Meanwhile every time Dallas needed a critical shot they got the ball in the hands of Dirk Nowitzki and Jason Terry. I'm guessing they will take those odds (Nowitzki and Terry versus Outlaw and Blake) every time. They panned out tonight for sure.
The Blazers never took the lead and eventually time just ran out after one too many dagger thrusts from the Dallas stars and one too many mistakes from a Portland team trying to rush to get over the hump. Because of the shorthanded rotation we had the wrong guys taking the wrong shots. We needed some Rudy. Even a little Oden would have helped. Without them we just couldn't keep the fire hot enough.
The Blazers didn't play a bad game. The major deficits came in field goal percentage (41% to 46.3%) and in not taking a rebounding advantage. But Portland scored more points at the line and from the arc. Dallas just knew what they wanted and knew how to get it. The Blazers didn't. And there we are.
Individual Observations
--You cannot say enough about the job LaMarcus Aldridge did in the second half. Offense, defense, rebounding...he was the superstar tonight. The way he stared down Nowitzki and then shut him down during the middle minutes of the half was amazing. It was everything you've ever hoped to see out of LMA. His aggression on offense was well-timed and executed. 23 points, 9-16 shooting, 5-5 from the free throw line, 10 defensive rebounds (YAY!), 11 overall rebounds, 4 assists, a steal, and a block. He better pick up some more fans after this.
--Brandon Roy had 22 points on a rough night when he mostly followed in LaMarcus' wake. He was fine when he got to the rim. He picked up a ton of fouls. But he was brutal with his jumper and his defense looked labored. 7-20 shooting, 7-8 from the foul line, 6 assists, 3 rebounds, but 4 turnovers.
--If Joel Przybilla were a girl and I had a stepladder I'd kiss him full on the lips for the job he's doing the last few weeks. He's been solid all season but he's really been amazing since Oden has been out. His help defense tonight was a thing of beauty. He just trailed people and timed their shots and swatted them into the next time zone. 15 rebounds, 6 offensive, 5 blocks, 9 points.
--Nicolas Batum actually did a pretty good job on Jason Kidd tonight I thought. I appreciate how he's quick and anticipatory enough to deal with screens. The block mentioned above was a real catalyst. I wish the confidence in the jumper would come back. The one time Nic was really set up clearly in the corner Blake hesitated big-time giving it to him. Nicolas showed why the hesitation was warranted by missing handily. The effort is still there and he really changed the game with his defense but we so need him to be a threat offensively...at least a minor one. He could stay in the game longer that way.
--Steve Blake started out the night as the only guy who could hit a shot. And all the shots he hit were threes. Unfortunately he never hit a three after the first quarter buzzer sounded and ended up 5-12 overall for 13 points. He had 4 assists and was really the only true point guard we could go with tonight. His 1 turnover killed us though. Travis Outlaw had just poked the ball away from Jason Kidd on the defensive stand of the night with 41 seconds in the game and the Blazers down 2. Outlaw dove on the floor to rescue the ball and shoved it up to Blake. Blake turned and fired a pass downcourt straight to...Antoine Wright. No, that's not a Blazer. It would be royally unfair to pin the loss on that play but it pretty much summarized the frustration of the night.
--Travis Outlaw played as poorly as the rest of the bench early on but came around late in the game. He was a complete non-factor on the boards and his defense left something to be desired until the possessions really started to matter. But when the game got crazy intense it was go-time, as usual. 7-13 for the night, 4-5 from distance, 20 points.
--Channing Frye played 16 minutes and looked keenly aware that his defense would help preserve this game. He was more active than effective but at least he knew what time it was. He tried to bother Dirk as much as possible. He never connected on a shot. He got 3 boards.
--The backup point guards were, in a word, horrible. I know somebody's going to point out Sergio's 4 assists in 12 minutes but those were isolated zip passes in a sea of blech. His shots wouldn't have gone in if the rim were the size of a kiddie pool and his defense was...hmmmm...not sterling? And Bayless' 8 minutes were worse. The only guy who would have solved this problem tonight was Rudy. As it was Steve Blake couldn't get back in quickly enough. Sorry, I don't mean to be all harsh on the young guys. But this was playoff basketball time and we have to look at things in that light at this point. They weren't ready and they're probably not expected to be.
Final Thoughts
We're still OK overall even though this loss was to a team in the thick of the Western Conference race with us. Remember the record that matters belongs to the Phoenix Suns, who now stand at 34-30. That's 6 more losses than the Blazers have. As long as Portland beats out one team in this race they're in the playoffs. The very best thing the Blazers can do (had better do, really) is beat New Jersey on Friday. That makes a 2-1 record in a tough week, 3-1 on the homestand overall. That's plenty acceptable. Just don't lose Friday.
Hear Mavs fans celebrating at MavsMoneyball.
Check out your almost-certainly pathetic Jersey Contest tally and enter the next game form here.
--Dave (blazersub@yahoo.com)
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Comments
I'm tired of the idea that the 8 seed is the goal for the Blazers
I expect more than just finishing ahead of the Suns. We have the 2nd best point differential in the West. We’re alive for the division crown. Its not ok to finish 8th. Would it be a disaster that renders the improvements from this year moot? Of course not, but this team can do better.
This game caused a 2 game swing as far as our race with Dallas. If we end up losing 4-0 to the Lakers while Dallas gives SA everything they can handle (yes, there is a HUGE difference between LA and SA), we’ll remember back to this game.
When any team— even Boston or Cleveland— plays in the Rose Garden on a back to back, the Blazers should be expected to win. They won’t win them all, but the losses should be considered major disappointments.
small mistake
SA has passed us in pace adjusted efficiency differential (offensive efficiency – defensive effeciency) so we are actually 3rd in the West in that department now.
The rest of my post still stands.
I sure hope we have home court advantage in the first round
that would be awesome. – Elgin
Blazers win BDL 2 on 2 tournament!
Skeets: i’ll close it down now … congrats. you bastards
Being tired of reality
doesn’t change reality though. The Blazers, given their age, experience, and injuries, should be expected to finish in the 7-8 range unless there’s just NO separation between 4 and 8 (kind of like it is now). That would be a fine accomplishment for the year overall. Anything more would be ultra-fantastic.
Losing a game in the thick of a playoff race to a team fielding players who have been to the Finals is not a stretch. I’m not overjoyed about it, but it’s not wholly unexpected. A win against New Jersey would go a long ways towards setting things right.
—Dave
by Dave on Mar 12, 2009 12:50 AM PDT up reply actions 1 recs
so being 3rd in the West in point differential and having a very legitimate shot at the division isn't reality?
The Blazers have achieved that despite their lack of experience. There is still a chance the Blazers can be this year’s “last year’s Hornets.” Unlikely, but very possible.
Portland has dominated teams on back-2-backs this year. This should have been a win.
Dallas is already a bad matchup for us.
Without Rudy this was almost a guaranteed loss.
by Nick Van Excellent on Mar 12, 2009 12:57 AM PDT up reply actions
I couldn't disagree more.
we beat them twice last year when we were clearly the inferior team. This year, we’re statistically the superior team. 3 games is not enough to prove they have our number. They played a tight, emotional game last night. We should have run them out of the gym.
I would have given us a ~70-75% chance to win tonight.
There is never a 70% chance we win against a top 10 team in this league.
Especially without Rudy and Greg.
by Nick Van Excellent on Mar 12, 2009 1:05 AM PDT up reply actions
we are 8-4 at home against the other Western playoff contenders
that’s without taking back to backs into account.
my mistake
8-3, even after this loss… that’s 72%. One of those 3 losses (to NO) was without Roy. This was our 3rd loss to a team on a back-2-back all year, and the first such situation where the Blazers weren’t on a back-2-back also.
We are without Rudy.
It’s a lot easier for them to throw up a zone when we’ve got Bayless and Sergio on the court. Rudy would have hit a couple threes, made some nice passes, and freed people to work inside more. Sergio air-balled two of his attempts, which I’m not sure he would have even taken if Rudy was playing. The team just didn’t seem very comfortable playing in that rotation.
by Nick Van Excellent on Mar 12, 2009 1:14 AM PDT up reply actions
Everyone forgets about Martell.
Martell is nails from beyond the arc. Nic the Brick is usually 1-5 or 2-7 from the field each game. I love Nic, but a 15-minute-per-game rookie is not a suitable replacement for a sharpshooting veteran. With Greg and Rudy also out, we were missing two starters and three of our top seven players. No shame in this loss.
We’ve had to give substantial minutes to our rookies this season, so I’m as surprised as I am pleased that we are almost a lock to make the playoffs. We probably won’t beat any of the other West teams in a first-round matchup, regardless of where we are seeded, so I say #8 is fine — bring on the Lakers!
I don't understand the defeatist attitude
we have the 3rd best point differential in the West— all without Martell. People should raise their expectations.
You think I sound defeatist?
Snake, you’re the one who’s all doom-and-gloom over this game. lol
Expectations are overrated. This isn’t life-or-death. Relax and enjoy the games.
I don't understand the idea that the 8 seed is fine
The 8 seed is not fine. This team has a legitimate shot to win the division.
by jksnake99 on Mar 12, 2009 9:56 AM PDT up reply actions 1 recs
Why get bent outta shape over it?
It’s not like your dissatisfaction or my satisfaction with the team’s performance translates into more or fewer wins. The only difference is that I’m having more fun than you.
by MiledAnimal on Mar 12, 2009 9:59 AM PDT up reply actions 2 recs
But you're valuing seeds
and somewhat point differential as if everybody wasn’t bunched all together. I’m a huge believer in point differential separating the good teams from the bad, but at this point the only team that’s truly separated is L.A. Portland isn’t clearly better than Utah or San Antonio or Houston or New Orleans or Denver. On a given night they’re apparently not even clearly better than Dallas or Phoenix.
Given the experience factor alone I’d be inclined to say that almost every other team in the race has a better chance that Portland in a game-for-game battle. Could the Blazers finish higher? Sure. But they’d be overcoming that factor in order to do it. That would be worthy of praise. It’s not a given or even an expectation.
Obviously the team is (and should be) out to win every game and they shouldn’t accept a loss as being “good enough”. And I don’t think they are. But in the big, overall picture any playoff berth this year would be just fine…a good accomplishment and a sign the team is right on track. It wouldn’t be a defeat of any kind.
—Dave
by Dave on Mar 12, 2009 10:06 AM PDT up reply actions 1 recs
Right. Point diff is not a magic amulet
that translates into wins on any given night, else the Lakers would have beaten us on Monday.
by MiledAnimal on Mar 12, 2009 10:34 AM PDT up reply actions
I see your point, and you made it very well
In this particular year, the 2 seed is not much different than the 8 seed. That’s what makes each game so big though. The difference between the 4 seed an a good chance at a 1st round win and the 8 seed and a possible sweep is tiny. I want us to have the best possible chance to win the first round, and that’s why a home loss to a team on a back-2-back (and a team that is statistically worse than us) is such a killer.
You are right that long term, being the 8 seed versus the 4 seed when there is such a small difference is not huge our long term hopes. I am with you there.
Its just that I think a first round win is very possible with the 4 seed, possibly with the 7 seed, and virtually impossible with the 8 seed. That’s why I want each game so bad.
My take is
Shoot for 3rd.
Be happy with anything 4-7.
Take the 8th seed if that is what we get.
If we somehow miss the playoffs…. fire Nate, trade Sergio, Outlaw and Frye… just kidding… but I will be disappointed.
Shoot for 3rd?
And play Dallas in the first round? no thanks
Hi fans it Brandon Roy.
And ME.....LaMarcus Aldridge
Are you saying Dallas is a lock for the 6th seed?
A little early for that, don’t you think?
6th or 7th
I think Dallas is probably going to finish in that 6th to 7th area. They wont finish top 4 because they wont win their division, and I dont think they will top New Orleans or Denver down the stretch.
Dallas has a tough road ahead and I think they finish 6-8.
Hi fans it Brandon Roy.
And ME.....LaMarcus Aldridge
we had three shots to exercise demons
and the Demons kept haunting us. Dallas just has our # right now.
Hi fans it Brandon Roy.
And ME.....LaMarcus Aldridge
Agree, but I tempered my expectations a few weeks ago when it became pretty obvious we're a second or third tier level team
There’s only so many big games the Blazers can dog before you realize they just aren’t as good as the top teams.
Blazer Fan
by leeroyjenkins on Mar 12, 2009 7:54 AM PDT up reply actions
Have to agree
Portland is just as talented as the other 3-8 teams in the west, except for maybe Utah. Should’ve taken care of business tonight, and should still be expected to finish above the 8 seed. The 8 seed might’ve been acceptable going into the season, but at this point, it would be very disappointing.
Phoenix is virtually out of it. Not out of it completely, but close. The fat lady is warming up her pipes. The Blazers are playing for a seed now.
This was a big loss. Blazers are still in decent shape, no question, but this was still a huge missed opportunity. Blazers should’ve been fired up to avenge Christmas day, and they weren’t.
Q: Is Greg favoring his knee?
Frye: He favors dunking on your head, that's what he favors.
by KP Corleone on Mar 12, 2009 11:20 AM PDT up reply actions
I miss Jack.
He was such a better backup PG than either Sergio or Bayless. It feels like we traded in a Toyota Corolla for a DeLorean. I am officially tired of project point guards.
by Nick Van Excellent on Mar 12, 2009 12:46 AM PDT reply actions
i think he was taken for granted
im sure nate would kill to have him running the 2nd unit
I am starting the coalition to BRING BACK IKE.
It would be weird
with Rudy taking the two-guard minutes though. Jack and Blake had different strengths but neither one really stood out above the other. Having them play for point guard primacy probably would have resulted in a mess. Or at least you wouldn’t have seen the Jack you’re seeing in Indiana right now. Likely he would have gotten 18-20 minutes a game and would still have been frustrated and looked out of place.
That said, I didn’t regard Jack’s game as harshly as some.
—Dave
I don't know about that Dave . . .
If JJ could have conquered the jump pass to
nobody and stepping on the sideline once a game,
he was a better driver, more physical defender and
a great FT shooter. Another guy who could finish at
the rim or get to the line. Not as good of an assist man
or deep shooter as Blake, but very good driver/scorer.
Neither could guard quick slashers or waterbugs,
but perhaps BRex will develop into our JJ with better quicks
on the perimeter. My UA Cats former roomie is sure Bayless
will be a starter soon !
It's GO time !
He was horrible on the break.
Brandon Roy just destroyed everything in his path. There's your rational analysis -- Dave
Also: COMCAST SUCKS!
Oh, Ex-roomie has BIG time bias.
Widesy once argued that D. Stoudamire was a top 3 PG
in the NBA (97-98 season I think). He even tried to
argue that Mousey was as good as Stockton ! Even though
I hated the Jazz at the time, I loved Stockton’s game and
all I had to do was pull out career FG % numbers. Of course,
assists, steals, defense, toughness, etc, etc proved the case
hands down.
BRex has many positives, even for a rookie. Looking past
the rookie mistakes & ups/downs.
1. Extreme work ethic.
2. Extreme competative drive !
3. Great strength (Core & lower body)
4. Great athleticism (quickness & leaping ability)
5. Ability to get to the rim (right & left)
6. Very good ball handling
7. Great pull up elevation (straight up – Widesy hit this hard
in his post draft scouting report)
8. Very good lateral quickness / Strength defender.
9. Finishing ability – Great elevation & ability to take contact at rim.
10. Intelligence
11. Very good FT shooter
Weaknesses
1. Rookie Inexperience
2. Shooter 1st, passer 2nd
3. Outside shot (3pt specifically)
4. Lack of experience in setting offense
5. Unfamiliarity with officiating
6. Team Defensive schemes & switches
7. Depth chart
8. Overaggressiveness
9. Decision making
I think these shortcomings can be cured by hard work and
experience. After all he is a rookie and just like GO, he needs
time to mature and get better. There are very few BRoy’s, who
go all four years of college and come out game ready for battle
with the big boys. Just be patient.
It's GO time !
Jack is a 2 guard
He was awful as a PG in Indy earlier this year and is having success now that he’s at the 2.
Good thing we have Bayless the pure point holding things down.
by Nick Van Excellent on Mar 12, 2009 12:55 AM PDT up reply actions
lol
at least Bayless has potential to D up PGs someday, something Jack never showed he can do. Bayless might someday fit extremely well with the first unit (playing PG on D and SG on O), but he’s not a great fit with the 2nd unit because he’s not a pure point.
There is a reason Sergio is still the backup PG. He’s a better option for that than either Bayless or Jack. He’s not consistent or dependable, but he’s the best we’ve got.
If Bayless isn't scoring he is worthless
He has shown this for the last 2 weeks. At very least Sergio is creating shots, even when his aren’t falling. (Terrible shooting night tonight Sergio.) If Bayless isn’t hitting shots or getting to the line he is a complete liability. The -8 for him showed tonight.
(Terrible shooting night tonight Sergio.)
Sergio’s 4 assists in 12 minutes but those were isolated zip passes in a sea of blech. His shots wouldn’t have gone in if the rim were the size of a kiddie pool
Two of Sergio’s 3 pointer were easily 2 feet “too long” air balls. All that work with Townsend this summer on his shooting form and now…this?
I think Sergio needs a new prescription because he’s shooting like he’s near-sighted
Not entirely true.
Bayless plays better defense. He’s not completely worthless.
by Nick Van Excellent on Mar 12, 2009 9:44 PM PDT up reply actions
Both Bayless and Sergio are good in their own ways
They’re just overmatched on nights like this.
—Dave
Meh
Sergio needs to go back to hitting wide open 3s, not airballing them. 3 of his 4 shots were open looks, he just needs to quit missing. The 4th shot was Roy giving him the ball with 4-5 to shoot, that was weird. Roy had to have been not feeling well if he did that.
But this would have been a great game for Rudy. Sergio drove and kicked to Outlaw twice for wide open 3s. Given another option to do that to would have been nice.
Kirk Hinrich
would’ve been a nice option to have, last night
(I have a feeling I’ll be feeling this way again, in the postseason…)
I agree Kidd and The Jet are pretty good.
Anyone else notice that Dallas played quite a bit with 3 PG’s…. I realize Kidd is pretty stout but our gaurds should of at least tried to post up when Dallas went that small.
When you have a freak like Kidd you can try that
He grabs more rebounds than most SFs do anyway. Also we used 3 guards a bit for whatever reason, and when Batum is out they can afford to use 3 guards since he isn’t an offensive powerhouse yet.
clearly the Blazers had no answer defensively for Terry
or Nowitzki. Both are just way too awesome for anyone on the Blazers to try to guard. – Elgin
Blazers win BDL 2 on 2 tournament!
Skeets: i’ll close it down now … congrats. you bastards
Terry would look good running the point for the Blazers
at least on the offensive end. Does he play enough defense to help compensate for our other defensive weaknesses? – Elgin
Blazers win BDL 2 on 2 tournament!
Skeets: i’ll close it down now … congrats. you bastards
No
He is quick and about the size of Steve, but not an awesome defender. Devin Harris and Vince Carter ran circles around him.
Also, one of his offensive specialties is to stop on the spot and go up for a jump shot during fast breaks instead of going to the hoop or waiting for the wings to catch up. He hits those at a high rate, but I’m not sure Nate would appreciate that.
Terry's not a PG !
He’s a combo guard at the least. He’s a poor
man’s AI. Shoot 1st, shoot often !
It's GO time !
he's got great handles
I insist he’d be dynamite on the offensive end for the Blazers doing the Blake-ish thing and getting to the hoop much more often.
He is getting long in the tooth and probably won’t be at this level next year.
My question is, is he enough of an upgrade defensively to help the people who need help at that end of the floor? The answer is probably No. – Elgin
Blazers win BDL 2 on 2 tournament!
Skeets: i’ll close it down now … congrats. you bastards
I like Terry a lot, but at this price I would take Hinrich over him for the Blazers
Jamaal Crawford might be a remote option, since his days in GS seem limited. Or Sessions, though he has question marks regarding his shot like Jerryd.
Uhhggggg !
Keep Jamal Crawford away from my
team at all costs. Thor and I will stand guard
around the team if we have to spend all
summer in Portland !
It's GO time !
Of all the people who might start talking about guys we need ...
… you’d be on the list of ones I wouldn’t expect it from.
hakkaa päälle !
Yep.
I’ve been saying the same thing since we drafted Rudy. Crawford has all the same skills Rudy has and more.(except moving without the ball and being a likable Spaniard) He’s more capable running the point and throws a pretty darn good entry pass. He’s a high character guy and obviously doesn’t mind playing in the PNW.
For some crazy reason Blazer fans love to criticize his shot selection, but I’m not sure it’s any worse than Rudy’s. If he opts out of his contract the Blazers could probably pick him up for cheap. Crawford would probably make a better sixth man than Outlaw, making him especially valuable if we lost Travis in a trade over the summer. Talk about instant offense off the bench.
by Nick Van Excellent on Mar 12, 2009 9:51 PM PDT up reply actions
true
im just frustrated with the backup pg situation, so right now jack getting 20 minutes a game sounds appealing. if they cant do better than what they did tonight i think it might be time to sign a ten day to a d league guy
I am starting the coalition to BRING BACK IKE.
you must have forgotten
the 11% conversions on fast breaks, and the nightly stepping out of bounds during crucial moments.
The most hated Blazer is like the least hottest supermodel - Sabonis4Ever
by Philthyanimal on Mar 12, 2009 11:11 AM PDT up reply actions
Jack
wouldn’t have been happy playing spot minutes behind Blake, Brandon and Rudy. Sure he’d be great to have when one of those guys was injured, but the other 90% of the time Jarrett would’ve chafed sitting on the bench when the other guards (deservedly) got more PT
let’s move on, please
I'd consider him a combo guard . . .
ala Joe Dumars – Vinnie Johnson. (BREX is the same)
He was a very good PG in college at G Tech. He’s obviously
not the player that either of the Bad boys legends were, but
they were undersized compared to the taller 2’s (Clyde, Jordan, Richmond, etc),
but could and would pass/distribute. Jack bore the brunt
of a lot of critics that have never played basketball at a high
level. PG is a very difficult position in college and the pros.
It's GO time !
I feel like Jack's ankle is now finally healed
and he is finally showing the promise that he showed at Georgia Tech, where he looked like he was going to be a superb pro. It looks in the last few weeks like that is finally coming true for him. – Elgin
Blazers win BDL 2 on 2 tournament!
Skeets: i’ll close it down now … congrats. you bastards
if Jack could run the fastbreak like Clyde
he’d still be around. Unfortunately, when Jarrett put his head down and drove to the basket, he didn’t have court vision, he had tunnel vision (similar to Trout, but at least no one expects Travis to be a “point guard”)
They are happy with him in Indy, especially his all-around professionalism, but not sure they can pay him this offseason
KP made a gamble that was expected to be more in the favor of the Pacers initially and more in our favor later. I still think it was a fair trade for both team.s
Hey, A DeLorean is still a cool car
IF you like the Back to the Future movies and have a stainless steel fetish
Blazers win!
I'd take one if they were giving them away
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Tough loss !
Thank you KGW !! I actually got to watch a game.
I thought were going to come back after the TO pick
of Kidd. Maybe we could have gotten the call on that
play when Travis went down. In retrospect it would have been
great if Blake would have pulled it back, but so it goes.
It was probably a little bit of a letdown after hammering TFFM
so bad on Monday, but Dallas sees to be a bad matchup for
us. Dirk couldn’t miss in the first half & Terry, Bass and Damphier
always seem to kill us ! NJ on Friday is big.
COINCAST SUCKS & Larry Miller wants to make the Blazers
a GLOBAL brand !
Memo to LM – Get the product to Oregon 1st ! Tell PA to nudge
Charter into making a deal ! He is the majority
stockholder after all !!
It's GO time !
I too blame KGW
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the KGW curse
I wonder what the TB’s winning percentage is over the years on KGW? Up until recently, they only showed road games against popular rivalry teams (L*kers, Sonics, etc) and naturally TV victories were few and far between, even during the “glory” years.
Rumor has it
That PA sold the last of his stock in Charter because of how fast he’s losing $$$
Blazers win!
Roy was not sick at all tonight.
In his interview he was asked if he caught the bug that our team had, he said not at all, and that he does not know why he was a step slow tonight. I think it was mental and emotional let down from the L@ker game
And Oden, once again, is a rookie, so non-stop fast break basketball is like fast-forwarding a song while he's trying to learn the lyrics.
If Brandon said he was sick, that would be an excuse.
Brandon does not make excuses.
Karma
by Sabonis4Ever on Mar 12, 2009 3:17 AM PDT up reply actions
Odom said
“I didn’t go nowhere”
It is clearly a double negative that means that he wen’t out on the court.
Good time to learn what a Playoff team might toss against ya
Dallas always seems to have games against the Blazers like this. Best thing that could happen is that we learn about what frustrated us tonite. Totally pathetic against the zone tonite,so now there is certainly something to work on, cuz we know what we will face in the playoffs. Mavs overall execution and desire throughout the game showed.
I would rather see us take a loss like this now and learn, knowing we could have had this game tonite…
by Blaze n da Couv on Mar 12, 2009 1:45 AM PDT reply actions
Batum got his shot blocked
Outran our entire team and blocked it back. Superior hustle and amazing play.
Karma
Nice Recap.
Dallas is tough for us. Someone mentioned the difficult matchups, and I agree with this. We were right in it at the end.
Some fans of the opposition came away less impressed by our squad in the game thread comments than we might have hoped for (and FYI they generally don't think very highly of theirs at the moment)
and not to beat a dead horse but if i’m a trailblazers fan, i’m very concerned. maybe roy is hurt but they just have the wrong people willing to take shots at the end. if i’m their fan, i hope that’s all it is. still, they don’t have any other options after roy not named outlaw?
I think the problem is that Batum isn’t good offensively (yet), Blake isn’t very creative in the half court, Aldridge isn’t a very smart basketball player, and their centers are pretty "meh". Also, Outlaw is a nice player, but, from my experience watching Portland games, he has Stackhouse/Howard syndrome, which entails making a couple shots, then believing you’re Jordan and can’t miss. – brettgardner
if all of that is really the problem then this isn’t a real good team. but they’re obviously a little better than that given their record. For instance, they didn’t really play like they were better than the Suns. And I have no clue how they would have beaten the Lakers. Maybe these are all issues that are exposed more in close games. – ab03
I don’t think That they’re very good. I envision a pretty quick disposal in the playoffs. Once they trim the fat, however, I think they’ll be well on their way. Keep Roy happy, get a real PG, lose some of the shoot-first players, and, in my opinion, jettison Aldridge for way more than he’s worth. Also, no more draft-pick stocking—it’s time to get a vet or two. – brettgardner
Norsktroll tries to explain the problems Roy had, etc. ;-)
ok i’ll buy that. you’ve seen more games than i have. otherwise, i just don’t see what the big deal is with your team. somebody needs to step up and take a clutch shot – not named outlaw. – ab03
Just a thought I wanted to throw that out there. As usual, I think there are some things a pair of fresh eyes that are not used to watching a different team don’t see, and some they do that we don’t. We were undermanned, but there might be some truth to that. Any middle ground? (Oh, and as usual the opposition feels THEY were the ones the refs didn’t call a thing for when their players got hacked. So lets just assume that argument doesn’t count.)
lol sorry but that's all pretty ridiculous, even more so coming from Dallas fans
I was going to address what part is ridiculous, but it’s all pretty dumb.
Blazer Fan
by leeroyjenkins on Mar 12, 2009 6:51 AM PDT up reply actions
Yeah Aldridge is bad
We’ll ignore that he played on par with Dirk tonight. Unfortunately for us, our team didn’t give LA the ball late in the 4th as mentioned. We let Blake and Outlaw take shots.
"Blake isn't very creative in the half court"
He didn’t want to take it anywhere near the hoop last night – is Dampier that much of a deterrent?
I think they’re daft about Aldridge, and if they continue to draft like they did last year (Batum and Bayless – this year he’ll swipe DaJuan Blair), why would you need another vet? In his fourth year, Roy is a vet, and he’s the team leader.
Yeah I think the Blazers were a little fat and sassy after the Laker win – then they immediately negated that win by losing the very next game to a team they should beat on their home court. Dallas ain’t chopped liver, but we should beat them when we play them at home. – Elgin
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ab03 was talking trash about our team the entire gameday thread
I had to delete about 20 comments and just let it go.
Karma
by Sabonis4Ever on Mar 12, 2009 1:37 PM PDT up reply actions
Also, no more draft-pick stocking—it’s time to get a vet or two. – brettgardner
This I can agree with, and 30 days ago would’ve been a great time to do this…but Michael Ruffin was the only “calvary” that showed up
Not here to hate or rub salt into the wound
Just wanted to say that I enjoyed a highly competitive game and I applaud the effort of your team. It’s not easy to come out after that huge Lakers L*kers win and bring the same intensity. I still think the Blazers are a team to watch out for in the post season, especially when everyone is healthy.
Hope Roy feels better soon and that the injured players have a speedy recovery. Now I can get back to liking the Blazers again :)
'Cause I'm a high plains drifter, the best that you can get
A strapped shoplifter, a pirate on cassette
thanks Marie
Dallas was better last night because of Terry and Nowitzki – we’ll have a hard time beating you guys until we can figure out some way to defend them. Good luck the rest of this year and maybe we’ll see you guys in the playoffs. – Elgin
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Our team isn't ready for these kinds of games, Dallas was
Letting a team below you in the standings come into your building and dominate you (and yes, Dallas was in control the entire game despite the somewhat close ending) at this time of year is pretty bad. Luckily we won’t be facing Dallas in the playoffs because they’ll beat us 90% of the time. For whatever reason we can’t match up with them.
One of the worst games I’ve ever seen Brandon play, physically and mentally. One possession in particular Terry stayed back to complain about the refs about a non-call (hands up in the air and everything) and the Blazers were five on four. Four Blazers are sprinting to their basket. And here comes Brandon, plodding up the floor…too cool for school. I get that Brandon thinks every possession late in the fourth has to be a high pick and roll but c’mon…
Blazer Fan
P.S. What's up with Blake and the late game mistakes?
That pass off the steal was absurd. Dribbling it off his foot the other night in the back-court was absurd.
Blazer Fan
by leeroyjenkins on Mar 12, 2009 6:53 AM PDT up reply actions
he rushed on that one play
it’s pretty hard to make generalizations based on the one play. – Elgin
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Well I was thinking about all those missed FT's too.
But he has come through more times than he has failed so I guess my original comment was a bit over the top.
I don't get how Dallas dominated the Blazers...
…when the Blazers won every quarter except the 2nd. It was a nip and tuck battle throughout the game with the exception of horrendous bench play.
The cake is a lie. Do not bake it.
We better get over the "can't bring it the night after a big game" syndrome...
Every game IS that big. A little reality is that some of the thoughts from our friends in Dallas ring true. Not many, but Dallas dominated last night. We set ourselves up every night with a slow start, and when we couldnt finish on top we look at Roy as the reason we didnt win. Outlaw, Mr 4th Quarter usually gets us to where we need 4th quarter heroics by not appearing during the rest of the game. His, and others A.D.D. (Attention Deficit Defense) causes lapses that will constantly be exposed by the better teams.
I appreciate that we do have great players to finish and get us great wins, but I watch how we still arent the championship team because we dig a hole and hope the other team lends us a hand to get us out.
Sorry, not trying to be sour grapes, I love this team, but perimeter shooting, with no offensive board crashing only leads to hoping for wins that we should be absolutely nailing, from the time we step on the floor.
by Blaze n da Couv on Mar 12, 2009 7:03 AM PDT reply actions 1 recs
Dirk Nowitzki
I was puzzled during the game.
LA did a good job defending Dirk Nowitzki,
but it clearly wasn’t enough. He’s that good.
Any ideas on why we didn’t double team him.
Dallas didn’t have a problem double teaming are clutch players ?
You can double him when he's in the corner...
But when he’s in the middle, if you double him, you’re letting them have an open 3.
That is what makes Dirk one of the elite players in the league, you really can’t stop him if he’s hitting.
In addition to what they said
with the kind of shots he was hitting unless that second guy was dropping from the ceiling on a line he wasn’t going to affect Dirk at all. He was hitting those off-balance, leaning back, straight-over-your-head Dirk jumpers. That’s his trademark, of course, but it’s still amazing to see him put that many through. Every one of them you’re thinking, “That’s a rotten shot!” The two seconds later you’re like, “But…it’s Dirk.”
—Dave
Travis does that for us but in the minds of some BEdgers
Nowitzki’s an MVP and Trout’s a bum.
by MiledAnimal on Mar 12, 2009 10:02 AM PDT up reply actions
Okay okay I'll take the bait
Outlaw: 46/41/70, 4pg, 1apg, 12.7ppg, .6spg, .7bpg, 1.1to in 27.7 minutes.
Dirk: 48/37/90, 8.4rpg, 2.5apg, 25.5ppg, .8spg, .8bpg, 2.1to in 37.8 minutes.
Better FG%, although Outlaw has gone way up this year. 2x the rebounds, 2.5x the assists, 2x the points all in only 1.36x the minutes. Outlaw has a .1 and .3 edge in steals and blocks per minute, and he gets .5 less turnovers a game. Yippy! Oh, Dirk plays better defense too, even if it’s not great.
Outlaw's D was good last night
except for one play where Dirk made him look sick and another play where he fouled on a breakaway right after missing an open jumper. – Elgin
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There are just a handful of defenders in the league who can give Dirk trouble one on one (i.e. keep him at around 15 points)
His “nightmare defender” is Shawn Marion as he admitted during All-Star weekend, but even Marion is losing a step. Battier, Bowen, Jackson, … the list doesn’t get much longer.
I don't expect Outlaw to stop Dirk :-)
But comparing the two outside of both hitting some “orly” shots is kinda silly.
He was talking about the shot selection
Not overall game. Quit trying to stir up an argument.
Karma
by Sabonis4Ever on Mar 12, 2009 1:39 PM PDT up reply actions
But. That's. What we do....
Considering many call him a bust and injury prone and never amount to anything. If he plays one more game this regular season, he will have played one more game than any time in bynums career, the one non-playing year excepted. Yet NO ONE in LA complains about Bynum being injury prone, all they ever do is talk about how they can’t wait until he comes back.
I think some of it is that Portland remembers Bowie, and secondly that donkeys always REMIND us of that when they talk trash and it angers us that Oden cant prove them wrong until he is healthy. - GreatOden'sRaven
He also a great & willing passer.
When you are 7’0" and have great touch/fadeaway,
defenders make the mistake of getting too close.
He’s learned the little tricks to draw the foul or up and under
drive. Basically, if he’s on you can’t stop him !! It’s whether
he gets help.
It's GO time !
I was at the game last night.
The game was lost from about 3 min to go in the first to 4 min to go in the 2nd. When the bench guys started coming in, the Blazers had totaled 6 points in the paint.
After the starters came back in, they still had 6 points in the paint. A 12 MINUTE points in the paint drought is totally inexcusable.
They switched to a zone
You don’t reallt beat a zone with PIP barring breaks, you beat it with 3 point shooting! We actually shot 6-9 in the first half, but we also didn’t have many 2s.
or passing
if the ball moves faster than the defense, you can beat a zone that way. – Elgin
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Yeah, still has to end with someone hitting an open shot.
That someone wasn’t Bayless, Frye, or Sergio last night sadly, although Sergio wins the prize for worst miss.
No one took it anywhere remotely near the hoop last night
We didn’t make Dampier move side to side enough.
A couple of 3 pointers would have helped. But when you’re not hitting them you need to get something going to the hoop and we had nothing. – Elgin
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er, with the exception of Aldridge's super slam.
which was totally awesome and I hope we see much more of that sort of thing.
That’s how you deal with Dampier – make him foul out. – Elgin
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The whole game it felt like we were just RIGHT there
It felt like getting in front would have changed the entire landscape of the game… if we could… just… get over… the hump… but we couldn’t of course. A+ on defensive intensity though. We didn’t lose this game because of laziness on that end (save a few earlier lapses), that at least is encouraging. Now I’m going to go practice my Dirk Nowitzki “Impossible jumper.”
"Travis has more hops than a bunny in a brewery. He elevates so high his seat doubles as a flotation device."
-Dave
I wonder what Dirk's percentage is on that fallaway elbow jumper.
Like really, I have watched probably 7 or 8 Mavs games this year and he does not miss from there. That little one-footed, fadeaway jumper is just bread and butter for him. It got to the point last night where if he put himself on the elbow and picked up his dribble I said “Crap, give Dallas two more points.”
wow, a lack of defencive effort is part of why I thought we lost this game.
We just weren’t getting out on there shooters with any consistancy. Aldridge, Roy, Trav, Chan-Chan, even Nick the brick was hit and miss. We just weren’t bothering there shooters, we weren’t getting a hand in their face. It seriously looked like a couple of the guys would just duck under the shot. That lack of effort, giving up on the play, lets their guys get all comphy and cozy. No fear of contact, no hand in the face, clear line of sight and all, quite comphy. I could have made shots against that defence.
Considering many call him a bust and injury prone and never amount to anything. If he plays one more game this regular season, he will have played one more game than any time in bynums career, the one non-playing year excepted. Yet NO ONE in LA complains about Bynum being injury prone, all they ever do is talk about how they can’t wait until he comes back.
I think some of it is that Portland remembers Bowie, and secondly that donkeys always REMIND us of that when they talk trash and it angers us that Oden cant prove them wrong until he is healthy. - GreatOden'sRaven
Someone send tape of that first half Batum block to Ariza
and tell him, “that is how you block someone from behind you cheap shot artist”… lol
That's about what I yelled during the game
Wasn’t quite as nice. I know Ariza heard me from wherever he is though.
I lost a bit of respect for Dirk
not his game he is a tremendous player. I just don’t like guys like him and Kobe that are always barking at the officials even though he was clearly getting calls. It is one thing to bark when you aren’t getting calls or if you think that a call was missed but he was just barking last night for the sake of complaining. Anyone else think this? Or am I just a completely biased Blazer fan?
Biased
Dirk seemed fine last night. Roy does that too. Besides, barking when you take a bad shot saves face a bit!
All-right I will buy it
That is funny. Dirk is thinking, "man I missed that shot… It didn’t feel like I got fouled but I must have because that is the only way I would miss.
Basically
And even if you didn’t get fouled that time, if you convince the ref you did, then the next time you take a bad shot and miss it you might get the call.
It’s ugly, but we’ve had the discussions that most of the good players do it and Stern won’t change it anytime soon.
Yeah but it is making Roy into a monster
He used to never say anything to the officials… oh well… if you can’t beat em join em… right?
Roy even said himself
That every star has to get in the officials grill to get calls. Being the nice guy doesnt go as far as people think. As long as he doesnt get Techs, Im fine with him engaging in some animated conversation
You gotta bitch and whine to get the Zebra’s attention.
The refs in the NBA hurt my soul. Just so inconsistant. I dont know how that play where Roy hit the layup over Damp was not an And-1. Craziness
Hi fans it Brandon Roy.
And ME.....LaMarcus Aldridge
Yup the one key
Make sure you don’t stop to complain when the other team is running. The best time to do it is when the ball gets knocked out of bounds.
for sure
the refs fell asleep on that non-call. – Elgin
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Agreed, and it's a ridiculous league where every guy screams in agony whenever touched
Blazer Fan
by leeroyjenkins on Mar 12, 2009 11:18 AM PDT up reply actions
If I ruled the world
(not to threaten jscot in any way whatsoever) NBA refereeing would be vastly different than it is right now. – Elgin.
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I've said it before...
and I’ll say it again. Sergio is terrible. I’ve been pegged as a negative nelly for being so harsh, and I know that this site is geared more towards constructive critisism than outright bashing of people. But Sergio is just really really bad. He has some good passing ability, but his jumpshot is horrific.
The unfortunate thing is that Bayless has been looking just as bad lately, only with better defense.
Man we really needed Rudy and Greg out there tonight. There is only so much Eric Dampier acting tough that I can stomach. This was one of the most frustrating games I have watched all year. Terry and Nowitzki just bombing away and hitting over and over again. The turnover after Outlaw’s steal was really bad too. Blake and Roy both seemed careless with the ball last night.
I just hope we dont play Dallas in the playoffs.
Hi fans it Brandon Roy.
And ME.....LaMarcus Aldridge
Bayless is terrible on defense
Sergio gets beat on the pick and roll, that’s pretty much it. Bayless gets lost all the time and he got outright schooled last night. Bayless also shoots equally as bad, can’t pass, and is no longer getting to the line because teams understand what he is going to do now.
In the future Bayless might surpass Sergio. Right now, there isn’t a debate. And despite his poor shooting last night, Sergio had a -1 in his time on the floor. Bayless had a -8. This stat can be deceiving, but last night it was not.
Give me one, single play to defend
and I’ll take Bayless, even right now. But in the overall scheme of things I think you’re right.
—Dave
True
Bayless has looked bad as well, but at least he gets in people’s grill. Serg just gets muscled and taken wherever the offensive player wants to go.
I guess I am a little more forgiving of Bayless because he is a rook. But both have been really bad lately.
This is Sergio’s 3rd year and he still couldnt hit water if he was throwing the ball into the ocean. His jumpshot / flat-footed set shot is truely one of the most regretable things I have ever seen. Flat as a pancake. Not to mention that he is absolutely no threat to finish at the rim.
Hi fans it Brandon Roy.
And ME.....LaMarcus Aldridge
That's not fair
The ocean is miles away! Not even Kevin Love has that kind of range. (His shot has gone back to the crapper since not starting though.)
And saying Sergio isn’t a threat to finish at the rim is kind of wrong since he finishes at a decent rate when he gets there. Last night he couldn’t because the zone was collapsing on him, hence the kickouts for open 3s.
What Sergio are you watching??
When does he ever get to the rim and finish with contact? It happens maybe once every 2-3 games.
If he could play D like you say and finish at the rim, dont you think Nate would stop yanking him after 5 minutes???
Hi fans it Brandon Roy.
And ME.....LaMarcus Aldridge
You can't just change your argument.
“Not to mention that he is absolutely no threat to finish at the rim.”
“When does he ever get to the rim and finish with contact?”
Those are not the same things. Will your next post be finishing at the rim, with contact, and a free throw?
There is usually contact at the rim
any player in the NBA can hit a layup with no contact.
Contact or no contact, he doesnt get to the rim and finish. Its a hard skill to develop, and the only people we have on our team that can do it are Roy and Bayless. Unfortunately Bayless has no jumper so teams have taken away his penetration. Serg is the opposite, he has no jumpshot so team dare him to drive the ball and if nobody is open, it ends up bing a fall-away 10 footer off the rim.
Hi fans it Brandon Roy.
And ME.....LaMarcus Aldridge
correction
They both have no jumper. But teams wont allow Bayless to go the hole anymore because they know he can finish.
Serg has neither a jumper or finishing ability, so teams really dont even have to care what he is doing.
Hi fans it Brandon Roy.
And ME.....LaMarcus Aldridge
He will have his jumper back soon.
He’s a rookie, with great elevation on that
jumper. Don’t discount the improvement between
the rookie and sophomore years !
It's GO time !
Sergio has finishing ability, he just doesn't drive as often
Someone posted Bayless and Sergio’s % of FGs made in the key once and Sergio was higher, Bayless just does it more frequently.
Sergio is also smart enough not to drive into the lane and force up a shot against a zone. He prefers his misses to be deeper!
Pick and Roll and thats about it??
How about 1 on 1? In the post? Picks with no roll? Closing out on shooters?
Serg gets beat in just about every facet of defense.
Hi fans it Brandon Roy.
And ME.....LaMarcus Aldridge
what numbers?
What numbers do you have that could possibly prove that Serg is good on D?? Please show them to me.
And + / – does not prove anything when it comes to individual D.
Hi fans it Brandon Roy.
And ME.....LaMarcus Aldridge
Opponent FG%?
This has been discussed before. Call it a fluke or call it what you want, but for whatever reason, opponents shoot worse when Sergio is on the floor.
“OMG that’s because Sergio plays against the second unit.”
Which is weird, because so does Frye/Bayless/Outlaw/Rudy/Przybilla most of the time, and yet only Rudy shares this stat with him.
My best guess is that just like with his turnover “problems” people remember the boneheaded moves Sergio makes on defense. It seems like when he messed up, he goes all out. That’s why people always thought he was turnover prone, when it simply wasn’t true. His turnovers were just pretty blatant (ala Jack) so they were remembered.
Rudy goes the same thing, but with Rudy we remember the good. He has made some terrible defensive plays and taken plenty of God awful shots, but people just remember the good stuff.
This seems to be even MORE true with Bayless. He plays 1 possession of good defense, and people ignore that 3 possessions where he is useless. He “gets in a guys face” and fouls him, but it’s a bye. He “gets to the rim” and gets blocked, but it’s okay because he was aggressive. When Sergio does the same stuff it’s “Sergio is too slow on defense and fouls” or “Sergio can’t finish.”
This is my biggest problem with the Bayless vs Sergio debates. To be honest, I think Bayless will have the better NBA career, but I’m also not going to sit here and watch people just make stuff up when as of now Sergio is the better player.
"Call it a fluke"
Okay. Its a fluke.
Please explain what Serg does that makes teams shoot a worse percentage because I dont see it.
Hi fans it Brandon Roy.
And ME.....LaMarcus Aldridge
Who knows?
Blocks passing lanes better, better rotation, forces opposing PGs to drive the baseline right into Przybilla? All I know is the end result.
And calling a season wide trend a fluke is kind of silly. If you’re going to ignore a stat without giving a reason why, there isn’t much point in discussing anything with you.
Stat Watching
You can rattle off all the + / – and PER stuff all you want. All I know is that when i watch Sergio play, his jumper, his D, and his finishing ability are not good.
And apparently the coach feels the same way because Serg is constantly being benched for poor defense or terrbile shots.
There is a reason that a mojority of Blazer fans I run across complain about his D. Put down the computer and watch the games!
Based on your stats, Rudy and Serg are really strong defenders. I would think most people would laugh at that. Including me. HA HA HA HA
Hi fans it Brandon Roy.
And ME.....LaMarcus Aldridge
By your own logic
The coaches think Sergio is better than Bayless, who is on the bench more.
And just remember, Sergio’s defense helped give us a chance to come back into this game. His final play of the game was stripping the ball from Dirk, who otherwise would have been guarded by Blake I believe. It also led to a free bucket. 3 point game instead of a probable 7 point game.
that was an excellent play by Sergio
in a game where he didn’t do much else that was good besides that one play. – Elgin
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Im not arguing for Bayless
Im just bashing Sergio. I said multiple times that Bayless has been bad of late as well.
Bayless is a rookie. Serg is 3 years in, so I would expect some improvement.\
Dont worry Dave, nobody is getting heated. Just a spirited debate over a polarizing Blazer. Stats say one thing to Zaig, while my eyes are telling me something else.
Hi fans it Brandon Roy.
And ME.....LaMarcus Aldridge
Sergio is quicker than Blake and better at staying in fromt of his man
Bayless is probably even quicker than Sergio, but he makes a lot of rookie mistakes and picks up a lot of pointless fouls.
I wouldn’t consider Sergio a good defender, but neither are Blake or Bayless. I think it is plausible that Sergio is a better defender than the other point guards. At this point Sergio’s biggest weakness is his offense and his inability to score, rather than his defense.
Blake aint bad
I definitely think Blake is the best out of all three of them.
I have rarely seen Blake get abused the way Sergio has. Just in the past few games Serg got dominated by Indiana and Dallas.
Hi fans it Brandon Roy.
And ME.....LaMarcus Aldridge
Blake gets abused every single time we play a team that has a quick point guard
Nate Robinson, Chris Paul, Tony Parker, TJ Ford, etc. are all able to get past Blake really easily. Blake doesn’t really make a lot of mistakes, but he is just too slow to be effective.
Those are all top flight point guards
And Nate Robinson is just a pure scorer. He puts up numbers on lots of people.
Who doesnt get abused by CP3, Parker, or D Will ?
I’m guessing Serg would get destroyed far worse than Blake by any of those guys.
Hi fans it Brandon Roy.
And ME.....LaMarcus Aldridge
With that logic
Shouldnt we be starting Sergio then? Opponents shoot worse with him on the floor so he must be a lock down defender.
And I would venture to guess that most 2nd units shoot a worse percentage than starters.
Hi fans it Brandon Roy.
And ME.....LaMarcus Aldridge
No
Because our offense dropped when Sergio started over Blake. Sergio didn’tspread the floor for the starting unit like Blake does.
And I already told you not to bring in the second unit issue because none of our other second unit guys can say the same about the FG%.
"remembering bad things"
Jarrett Jack actually did turn the ball over at a rate much higher than blake, and pretty close to what most starting point guards average. The difference is that he didnt get any assists to offset those turnovers, and he played much less minutes to average around 2.5 per game while in Portland.
I dont think Serg is careless with the ball. I just think he cant do much besides make the occasional awesome pass.
Hi fans it Brandon Roy.
And ME.....LaMarcus Aldridge
Sergio is awful...when you pair him with Rudy he becomes better...but still awful
Kidd got a smile a mile wide when he saw Sergio trying to guard him.
Blazer Fan
by leeroyjenkins on Mar 12, 2009 11:00 AM PDT up reply actions
Umm duh
And Gomes was giddy was Bayless got stuck on him down low.
If Sergio is awful then we have to think up a new word for Bayless. I’m not even trying to argue that Sergio is a good player as of late, I’m simply arguing that Bayless has been worse, but that this fact is being ignored.
very erratic
like a rookie. – Elgin
Blazers win BDL 2 on 2 tournament!
Skeets: i’ll close it down now … congrats. you bastards
Sergio
Looked like someone who needs a mentor
Become a mormon Sergio
And seek out John Stockton!
Sergio just needs to hit the gym and work on his jumper. The same 2 things I’ve been asking for all year. (This work is better done seriously in off season though.)
Hopefully
Rudy will help him with his shooting this offseason.
As soon as Roy goes out of the game, the second unit is awful
Look at McMillan’s substitution pattern at the end of the first quarter. In comes Sergio, Trout, Rudy and Frye. Aldridge plays until Roy is subbed back in. Not one of those guys plays in the paint on the offensive side of the ball. The only shots in the paint are typically coming off of a fast break or offensive rebound. Otherwise it’s watch Sergio dribble until the end of the shot clock which results in a fadeaway 3 pointer by Rudy, a long two point shot by Frye or Aldridge, a crazy Trout jumper, or worst of all a flat as a pancake jumper by Sergio. Our points in the paint suffers terribly with this lineup. That is why I am all for bringing Oden off the bench to play with this unit. Because LaMarcus has not shown the willingness to play in the paint with this unit….so someone has to be a scoring threat inside. Otherwise we become a jumpshooting team with no inside presence on offesense which equals terrible contested jumpers against the shot clock.
Great review as always Dave
Excellent insights. Different angles than the ones I was thinking of (see above) but you do great work, and I always appreciate it, and sometimes I thank you, like I am thanking you now.
Thanks Dave! – Elgin
Blazers win BDL 2 on 2 tournament!
Skeets: i’ll close it down now … congrats. you bastards
by 22baylor on Mar 12, 2009 11:00 AM PDT reply actions 1 recs
Dallas is weird
I don’t know why we have so much trouble with them. They always just seem to find a way to beat us. Last night we clearly could have used Rudy, the spot beyond the arc was open all night.
I guess we could have used a lot of things in that game. LA is becoming the beast he’s supposed to be. Batum gets better every game but I would like to see more of him and Outlaw in the game, that way when we get caught with a defensive switch it’s basically the same guy guarding.
Oh, and a question for everyone. Is Dampier the black version of Joel?
Life is hilarious.
Damp hurts
that guy was trying to dunk and make a scene because LMA bashed on his face, but he really only gets 5 inches off the ground and then hangs on the rim like an idiot.
Hi fans it Brandon Roy.
And ME.....LaMarcus Aldridge
Great job Dave
Man oh man… Could have been a blowout without Przybilla. I was impressed with Frye’s post defense. I want to see more hustle plays like when he skied over Dirk for that steal. I think this offseason & his performance next season will really decide if he has any remote chance of starting at PG for us. Aldridge has been really stepping up.
If any of us were asked at the beginning of the week ...
… if we thought a split of the first two games was totally acceptable, who would have said no?
We split games against two experienced playoff teams. We even won the game against the better of the two teams.
Yet some people are disappointed. Probably the same folks who, after winning an Oregon Megabucks $4.6 million jackpot, would be disappointed and complain that it wasn’t the $56 million Lotto.
hakkaa päälle !
thanks dave.
The Faith don't panic, the faith freaks out burns out farms and torchs small villages in the name of The Faith.
Hey Dave!
Just want to say how much I appreciate your post mortems, especially following a loss.
I always admire your peerless prose, for its quantity as well as its quality! And, in general I think you do a great job of analyzing the games, and usually your remarks regarding team play and that of individuals is right on.
But, I think it’s your ability to offer a useful perspective on a loss that I most value. I always feel better after reading your comments, though you don’t sugar-coat anything. You always remind us of the big-picture, long-term goals and progress of the team.
So, I just want to say “thanks”!
I find I'm really at a loss here.
You cannot say enough about the job LaMarcus Aldridge did in the second half. Offense, defense, rebounding…he was the superstar tonight. The way he stared down Nowitzki and then shut him down during the middle minutes of the half was amazing.
Am I crazy or didn’t Dirk destroy us to the tune of 29 and 10 last night? LaMarcus did have a couple of good defensive possessions but two or three good ones out of 25 doesn’t really get it done…
meant to write "... and 1 or 2 others."
I will say that it took Dirk quite a few shots to get those points— I can live with 29 points on 24 shots from him, but I kind of chuckle at the idea that LMA “shut him down.”
I am constantly stunned by the ratio of comments I cancel posting in reply to your comments
It seems like you expect the Blazers to shut down every superstar in the league while putting up 20 and 10 a night. With an 8 man rotation, the Blazers should be putting up 160 a night and shutting out the other team.
by Dragline on Mar 13, 2009 3:58 AM PDT up reply actions 1 recs
I don't *expect* LMA to play fantastic defense
but I do think it’s extremely weird when I see him getting praised for his defense by bedgers and by the two Mikes the night after he played what I saw as a frustratingly incomplete defensive game.
Listen: there’s a reason why a lot of our worst matchups around the league are teams that feature great pfs (dallas, phoenix, spurs) but we’re much more competitive with teams that have their stars in other positions.
There’s also a reason why we give up so many points in the paint in the half court, and despite the finger pointing from Nate, the Mikes, and the bedgers, it’s not our guards. In the no-handcheck on the perimeter age, our guards don’t play significantly worse defense than most other backcourts, partly because there’s a limit on how much of a defensive impact they’re capable of making.
by howlingfantods on Mar 13, 2009 11:12 AM PDT up reply actions
The Spurs are our worst matchup?
A) not true
B) because of Parker and Manu not Duncan
Karma
by Sabonis4Ever on Mar 13, 2009 1:02 PM PDT up reply actions
Go back and look at
the shots he was forcing Dirk to make in the second half. He made a big difference and helped keep us close.
—Dave
But those are shots Dirk likes to take.
Those crazy off-balance fallaways are Dirk’s bread and butter. Defending a guy into taking his preferred shots isn’t really a win, I don’t think.
Dirk’s 3 point shot was missing, which is the only thing that makes this look like a good Dirk game instead of a great Dirk game. Oh and the very uncharacteristic two misses from the line. He could easily have had 34 instead of 29 — Dirk doesn’t go 0 for 3 from long range or 3 for 5 from the line too often.
I mean, LMA didn’t play terrible defense. But I’ve seen Dirk defended much better many many many times.
by howlingfantods on Mar 12, 2009 4:32 PM PDT up reply actions
Dirk was ridiculous
He hit 3-4 shots that had no business going in.
Hi fans it Brandon Roy.
And ME.....LaMarcus Aldridge
Blake's Block
Was I the only one who saw Blake block a layup attempt last night? I forget when in the game it was, and who was shooting, but I’m pretty sure it was a guard. The Mikes didn’t mention it when it happened, and Blake didn’t get stat credit for it. Maybe I’m taking crazy pills and it didn’t happen, but I THOUGHT I saw it. Anyone else?
Looking back at my chat record from last night...
It happened about 3 minutes (real time, not game clock) after Nic hurt his shoulder. 8:38pm.
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