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Around SBN: Tiger Woods, Tony Romo Grouped Together At Pebble Beach

That was depressing, but it was just Game 1

True, that was a bummer.  But in some ways a blowout loss is better than a one-point heartbreaker.  Realistically, the youngsters had to get initiated into playoff basketball, and now they have been.  Contrary to what the ESPN announcers were saying, tonight's result was not a shock.  Or at least it shouldn't have been.  "The physical, playoff-tested veteran team kicks the youngsters' butts in Game 1."  Nothing new about that story.   

And here's how the next chapter generally goes.  First, the national media all jump off the flavor-of-the-week team's bandwagon.  Even locally, many fans bail.  But the veteran team relaxes slightly in Game 2, feeling that now, having "taken home court advantage," they're in the drivers' seat.  Meanwhile, the youngsters regroup, their coach makes adjustments (e.g., shortening the rotation and fronting Yao), and the team comes out with a focused, determined effort in Game 2.  No more "deer in the headlights"; they probably win going away.  

Star-divide

After that, though, the story of this series is hard to predict.  The Blazers have serious problems matching up with the Rockets, and now they have to win a game in Houston--as well as the rest of their home games.  Still, if the Rockets do relax enough to lose Game 2, they may be in trouble.  That's because what "home court advantage" in the playoffs is truly about is the right to play a Game 7 at home.  Losing an early game at home isn't that big a deal if you're talented enough to win one on the other team's floor, and I think the Blazers are.  Conversely, it's almost impossible to win a Game 7 on the road.  (Mainly because of home cooking, in my opinion.)  

So this idea that the Blazers have now "lost home court advantage" is really a misconception.  If the Blazers win Game 2, their whole psychology will change, and they'll likely go into Houston and win one.  They won't be playoff newbies anymore; the nerves and shock at the physicality of playoff basketball will have worn off.  And they'll still have the huge advantage that home court in a Game 7 brings.   

Still, there's those pesky matchup problems.  The Blazers couldn't deal with the Rockets' physicality during the regular season.  So how are they going to do so in the playoffs, when officials allow more aggressiveness?  While I still think the Blazers will defy the new overnight media consensus by making this a series, they probably will need another year of maturation--and the addition of a "Maxsap" or two--before they can make a serious playoff run. No worries; this team (unlike the suddenly over-the-hill Celtics) is built for the long haul.

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Matchups and not experience were and are the problem imo

"The Rockets broke the heart-shaped lock on our diary and read it. They know our shirt sizes AND our shoe sizes. They know our ballboy’s girlfriend’s nickname. They own us." - nightbluefruit

by Sabonis4Ever on Apr 19, 2009 12:12 AM PDT reply actions  

lol experience had nothing to do with this people

Chris Paul’s Hornets did just fine last year vs. Dallas.

Derrick Rose did just fine in his game ON THE ROAD.

Aaron Brooks did as well.

The Scott Skiles “Baby Bulls” from a few years ago did just fine.

Our guys came out soft and got beat down. Youth and experience are not excuses for what we witnessed.

Let’s see how they respond.

by jksnake99 on Apr 19, 2009 12:15 AM PDT reply actions  

I wouldn't say "nothing"...

but I would agree that it isn’t an excuse. The most important thing is how they respond after getting punched in the mouth. If they come out with the same energy and allow the Rockets to control the game again, I would say the problem is more than experience. If they come out and match blows for blows, I would lean toward experience being a major factor in the Game 1 loss.

PTB Liberation Day - 2/10/04

by tssbro on Apr 19, 2009 10:43 AM PDT up reply actions  

No, experience was a factor: there's an adjustment curve to playoff physicality, intensity, & officiating

Yes, the Hornets had a great opening series last year. But the greater physicality of the playoffs played in their favor, because their opponent (the Mavs) are a finesse team. Remember when West got in Dirk’s face and actually head-butted him a little?

By contrast, the Blazers are facing an opponent that is not only more experienced, but that is naturally more physical in its style of play. The Blazers can and will adjust, I feel. For instance, they can exploit GO’s physicality better. You’ll notice, he was BENEFITTING from playoff officiating. Poor Motumbo was reduced to crying to the refs again & again.

But in Game 1, the Blazers were down 11-2 before they even knew what had hit them. Suddenly the Rockets were confident, the crowd was nervous, and the Blazers were shell-shocked. Remember, the Rockets had lost in the first round SIX STRAIGHT TIMES. That’ll light a fire under any team, and the Blazers took the brunt of that determination and experience in Game 1.

Now it’s time for the worm to turn—or so we can hope.

BTW, I don’t think Brooks’ performance last night proves a thing. He was just riding the wave of his veteran team’s performance & confidence. Had his team fallen behind early, you can bet that Brooks would have experienced playoff jitters & shellshock, just as the young Blazers did. In that scenario, those Brooks jumpers that hit nothing but net last night would have been lucky to draw iron.

"We don't back down to nobody." --Joel Przybilla

by hurryup09 on Apr 19, 2009 4:20 PM PDT up reply actions  

we lost home court advantage

if and only if we beat Houston in Game 2.

by Blazin' on Apr 19, 2009 1:17 AM PDT reply actions  

It's almost entirely about matchups.

As far as I can tell the only favorable matchup we have is Bayless, and that’s a stretch. Other teams have been posting up Brooks with bigger, stronger point guards and it’s worked really well. If all else fails it might be worth giving Bayless a shot.

When I came here (in 2004), guys like Nick (Van Exel) and Damon, they were a breath of fresh air for me,'' Przybilla

by Nick Van Excellent on Apr 19, 2009 5:51 AM PDT reply actions  

The match-ups look a lot worse...

when you miss your open shots and allow the defense to collapse on your interior players. LaMarcus just did not show up last night at all. Part of it was what I mentioned above, some of it was Scola receiving zero foul calls, and the most important part was how he did not respond by taking the fight to them. They manhandled him in Game 1 but that doesn’t mean he won’t be a favorable match-up with their PFs in the rest of the series. He has to respond with energy and fire.

The other problem was the Rockets shooting percentage. They struggle with transition defense and the Blazers either need to force more missed shots (I choose this option) or run off of made baskets not just to shoot early in the clock but to help Aldridge get better position and/or catch them in mismatches.

PTB Liberation Day - 2/10/04

by tssbro on Apr 19, 2009 10:56 AM PDT up reply actions  

We were just embarassed on national television AGAIN....

This is Painful…

The Faith don't panic, the faith freaks out burns out farms and torchs small villages in the name of The Faith.

by faith on Apr 19, 2009 8:17 AM PDT reply actions  

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