Game 43 Preview: Blazers vs. Sixers
by Dave on Jan 20, 2010 12:01 AM PST
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PrintGame Time: 4:00 p.m. Pacific TV: Comcast
Three weeks ago, in the midst of an otherwise rosy stretch of play, the Portland Trail Blazers came up against their arch-nemesis, the Philadelphia 76'ers. Elton Brand rose like a zombie from the graveyard of mediocrity, clubbing the Blazers over the head with 25 points and 9 rebounds, leading the Sixers to a double-digit win on the Blazers' home court. This marked the latest in a string of Philadelphia victories which respect neither arena nor record nor personnel. So you will pardon me for thinking that if the Blazers couldn't handle the 7-22 76'ers at home in the middle of their hottest streak of the season they're going to have to work extra hard to conquer the 13-27 76'ers on the road coming off of a lackluster game.
The Sixers work off of a couple basic themes: get physical on offense, beat down your door, and score as close to the hoop as they can. They enjoy contact. They enjoy free throws. Andre Iguodala, Allen Iverson, Elton Brand, Marreese Speights...all of these guys will bowl right into you without a care. Iguodala and backcourt mate Lou Williams will shoot the three often enough, but for the most part Philly wants it rough and ugly with a few sweet buckets by forward Thaddeus Young interspersed throughout.
In the last game between these two team the Sixers' defense also shone. They appeared to read the Blazers' plays right out of the book, beating Portland to the spot and smothering the Blazers whenever they touched the ball in the paint. Portland's outside shooting couldn't compensate for the destruction Philadelphia wrought inside, and that was the ballgame.
Philadelphia loves to create chaos with the turnover and the blocked shot. They're slow-paced but opportunistic, depending on quick-hitting defense to get them easy buckets. They surround center Samuel Delambert with a bunch of guys willing to work on the boards. Portland will have to fight to make a dent there tonight.
Keys to the Game
1. The best way to win would be to make this game pretty. One thing the Sixers do rather poorly is recover to the perimeter. Stroke those jumpers. Also work your cutters. They're more physical on defense than adept and committed. If you make them move too much they tend to give up. Under no circumstances should Portland let them set and then go one-on-one. That's your recipe for trouble (and blocked shots).
2. The Blazers have to find a way to deny the paint to their offense. This is the thing that killed the Blazers last time. It can be done but Portland may have to commit extra men to make it happen. If so, do so. You'd rather take your chance with the Sixers bombing than grinding.
3. Take care of the ball. Don't give the opportunists opportunity.
4. This feels like a game for LaMarcus Aldridge and Andre Miller on offense. Miller should have a strength/size/experience mismatch against Williams. LaMarcus gives up those same areas against Brand but he's far more mobile and Brand won't stop his turn-around. Maybe we won't see LMA in the lane but seeing him stroke from between 10-12 feet would be nice.
5. If Bayless starts again he needs to make Iguodala defend him. If the Sixers switch and put Williams on Bayless then Jerryd should go to town (and to the hoop).
See the Philly point of view at LibertyBallers.
Enter tonight's Jersey Contest form here.
--Dave (blazersub@yahoo.com)
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I was more confident going into the L*kers game.
Matchups really matter in the NBA, and this isn’t a very good matchup for the Blazers. I don’t want to sound pessimistic, but I doubt we come away with a W tonight.
Get well Greg! Rip City is still behind you!
There's no real reason to expect it
given the history, but I expect it anyway.
Brandon Roy will play, will be in Destroy mode, and we will win this game.
#10 #25 #52 #88 -- #5 is back!
Seeing as how well the Sixers play us...
a win tonight, no matter how ugly, would be a great statement for this team and wipe away bad juju from Monday’s loss.
Let's face it, the key to EVERY game is
making jump shots. Show me a victory where the J wasn’t dropping and the Blazers won.
Especially 3 pointers.
There’s no way our Roy-less team would have beaten the Magic without an uncanny number of those falling. And if just a decent amount would have fallen against the Wiz, that game would be chalked up on the plus side.
On average I think we expect something in between those two examples on most nights, and with Roy playing that is usually enough. Without him though, we need to shoot lights out to have a chance. I think we can expect Bayless to shoot well about every 10th game. I hope he’s due again tonight.
I have my fingers so tightly crossed that Brandon doesn’t further damage his hamstring tonight. I’d rather see him sit again but B-Roy will have none of that.
If this Blazer team doesn't light your fire, then your wood is wet!
I think you are mistaken about the Magic
We hit 11 of 21, right? 8 of 21 would be about our average percentage, which would hit us for 9 points. That would mean the lead would have gotten narrower than we like, but we would have been in control, and would have won.
In general, we do need to make 3s, though. That’s especially true against a team with both a center and a strong PF like Brand.
#10 #25 #52 #88 -- #5 is back!
You look to be right jscot.
I didn’t examine the statistics that much. But still, at least to me, shooting over 50% from the 3 point line IS lights out.
If this Blazer team doesn't light your fire, then your wood is wet!
You are correct on that
It wasn’t determinate in that game, because our volume wasn’t extremely high. The reason we blew them out was outstanding defense compounded by poor offense from Orlando, meaning they got totally shut down until it was too late.
Basically, they didn’t show up, and since we played very good D, it meant a blowout.
#10 #25 #52 #88 -- #5 is back!
If the Blazers are able to hold Dwight Howard to
11 pts and 11 boards… you darn well can do that with Elton Brand.
Not So
Elton Brand has an offensive game and can attack our weak spot- namely getting into the paint off the dribble. Dwight Howard has no quality moves off the dribble.
Hopefully we post up their guards this time
Obviously Andre can manhandle Williams/Holiday, but Brandon (if he plays) recently hinted he might be working in the post more too.
Blazers have a nice edge in that area, let’s use it!
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