Game 68 Preview: Blazers vs. Kings

by Dave on Mar 12, 2010 12:08 AM PST in News

Game Time: 7:00 p.m. Pacific TV: KGW

Didn't we just see these guys two games ago? Indeed we did. So the detailed preview of them is here, with the following edits:

1. This isn't precisely back-to-back against Sacramento, but it's close enough. It's hard to beat any team twice in such a short span because the second game they tend to be more ready for you than you are for them.

2. This is doubly so since their two stars, Tyreke Evans and Carl Landry, had decent-but-not-amazing outings in the last game. At home they're going to want to exact revenge. The Blazers, in particular Nicolas Batum and the bigs, better be ready.

3. Sacramento can score more than they showed on Tuesday but they're also capable of giving up far more. Some easy offense would be appreciated...a good idea in fact.

4. The Blazers have a great track record this year on the second night of back-to-backs but they also just ran hard against Golden State. Those folks who got fewer minutes last night--I'm looking at Batum, Webster, Fernandez, and Bayless--would do us a great service by showing up with energy, focus, and production tonight.

You can check out the doings at SactownRoyalty and enter the Jersey Contest form for this game here.

--Dave (blazersub@yahoo.com)

Tweet Comment 40 comments | 0 recs |

Do you like this story?

Comments

i hope we see more than <1 min of dante tonight

and i hope that when we do see dante he is playing with his fellow super help defense brothers( aka dante, nic and camby)

the few, the proud, the blazers

by HD on Mar 12, 2010 12:16 AM PST reply actions

dante and his brother dante?

by Natsthecat on Mar 12, 2010 10:32 AM PST up reply actions

Looking at the games up until Washington I had thought the Blazers would win them all after losing to Denver.

They just have to beat Sac, Toronto, and Washington. Both at home after this game. That will put us 14 games over .500 and it will be great.

I’m hoping Brandon Roy has a big game.

by BRoyInThe4th on Mar 12, 2010 12:20 AM PST reply actions

Roy may be REALLY tired after last night's game.

by Natsthecat on Mar 12, 2010 10:33 AM PST up reply actions

woo kgw

i get to see the game legally

Awesomeness (ô'səm-nes)
1. n. Something that inspires awe
2. n. Nicolas Batum

by thomasikehara on Mar 12, 2010 12:21 AM PST reply actions

I am worried that roy would be tired because the way he played today

So everyone steps up
blazers win

by chinafansheartroy on Mar 12, 2010 12:45 AM PST reply actions

Maybe Miller will step up in his place

by tominhawaii on Mar 12, 2010 5:47 AM PST up reply actions

WOW

Tom expressing hope for the Miller? I thought I was going to be served my crow garnished with pineapple after Miller’s driving performance last night.

by thebigoutdoors on Mar 12, 2010 7:36 AM PST up reply actions

Hope for the best

Expect the worst

by tominhawaii on Mar 12, 2010 8:40 AM PST up reply actions

That's right. Keep that bar nice and low and then you will be pleased w the results!

by Natsthecat on Mar 12, 2010 10:34 AM PST up reply actions

My bar for the Blazers point guard is so high, that Miller could not jump over it

Literally and figuratively

by tominhawaii on Mar 12, 2010 11:46 AM PST up reply actions

by Billy Hoyle on Mar 12, 2010 12:58 PM PST up reply actions

i feel spoiled it’s back to back

loveisrespect

by portlandgiirl91 on Mar 12, 2010 12:52 AM PST reply actions

Indeed.

by thetsaiguy on Mar 12, 2010 1:02 AM PST up reply actions

The rest the Blazers have gotten recently

Has screwed with my internal Blazer clock. Never thought I’d be this happy for a back-to-back

by momomoses7 on Mar 12, 2010 1:05 AM PST up reply actions

yeah but i also don’t think it’ll be an easy one either.

loveisrespect

by portlandgiirl91 on Mar 12, 2010 1:16 AM PST up reply actions

This may be easier to win

BRoy was having a rotten time shooting in the first Sac game. I hope he does an encore from last night. In fact the whole team was sleepy.

by BBK on Mar 12, 2010 8:08 AM PST up reply actions

Do you think that is bad???/

According to my calendar, after Sunday’s game with Toronto we don’t play again until Friday. That is five days of withdrawal. In that time the Blazers might forget how to play BB completely.

by BBK on Mar 12, 2010 10:40 AM PST up reply actions

YES!!!!!!!!!!

Back to Back TV Games for me.

by BBK on Mar 12, 2010 8:03 AM PST up reply actions

Go Blazers!

by tominhawaii on Mar 12, 2010 5:46 AM PST reply actions 2 recs

I have a question:

how is this person, the same as this?

Talk about saving you legs for the once in a decade dunk

Awesomeness (ô'səm-nes)
1. n. Something that inspires awe
2. n. Nicolas Batum

by thomasikehara on Mar 12, 2010 7:43 AM PST reply actions

The option of the dish

This is my (maybe lame) excuse. When Dre last dunked he was all alone down court. Last night’s failed lay ups were after the half court was set. Miller knows to drive in and hold the ball long as one can and maintain control by keeping your feet so you can dish to the open man at the last second, go for the rim if there is daylight, or lean into a defender for the foul. Not all of these things can one do while flying through the air for the flush. While maintaining floor contact and with some skill a good PG can get the ball around or under a defender, go up for the hoop, or change speed and/or direction to draw a foul. It is not about conserving one’s physical health or legs that a point guard shies away from a dunk. If Miller really wanted to stay healthy he would stay out of the paint. Miller is anything but squeamish. And I believe it has been three years (by Andre’s account) that he last dunked, not ten.

by thebigoutdoors on Mar 12, 2010 8:07 AM PST up reply actions

Thank You

Not lame by any means, I was wondering why some PG never dunk. Steve doesn’t, Dre doesn’t. I never knew why. Now that you mention it, I recall many times JBay gets in trouble because he has left the floor and had no place to go.

by BBK on Mar 12, 2010 8:13 AM PST up reply actions

i dont know if steve can

Awesomeness (ô'səm-nes)
1. n. Something that inspires awe
2. n. Nicolas Batum

by thomasikehara on Mar 12, 2010 8:17 AM PST up reply actions

Bayless

I like the man as a SG but I often refer to him as Clueless when he attempts to be a PG.

by thebigoutdoors on Mar 12, 2010 8:19 AM PST up reply actions

It was reported

In the first summer of Greg’s career, Steve and Greg were playing together and Steve was learning to dunk. At that time or shortly after he pulled his hamstring and missed the first part of the season and never attempted a dunk since.

I do not know first hand, if the dunking was the cause of the hamstring pull or if that is the reason Steve never tried dunking again. Heck we couldn’t even get him to make a lay-up often. he would dribble in for a lay-up and dribble out the other side without shooting LOL.

by BBK on Mar 12, 2010 9:31 AM PST up reply actions

I think Barrett said Steve dunked on LAL once

by Natsthecat on Mar 12, 2010 10:37 AM PST up reply actions

of course he would say that

Awesomeness (ô'səm-nes)
1. n. Something that inspires awe
2. n. Nicolas Batum

by thomasikehara on Mar 12, 2010 11:00 AM PST up reply actions

This is a paste of my reply to Dave's recap

I think Dre could not buy a lay up last night because (this is a stretch) he could not find daylight under the arms and hands of the little guys. He sometimes makes those impossible shots under the high limbs of the big trees or draws a foul but last night had difficulty hacking through the underbrush. The little guys were quick enough to keep away from his leaning, dipping shoulder and were at eye level to get in his face. Frustration at its worst.

by thebigoutdoors on Mar 12, 2010 8:41 AM PST up reply actions

I forgot

Holding the ball for as long and as deep into the key as you can draws defenders in and away from the three point line. Andre has made many a three point assist using this strategy. Go Blazers

by thebigoutdoors on Mar 12, 2010 8:14 AM PST up reply actions

there was actually a great article a couple days ago

on hardwood paroxysm about exactly that. They were breaking down the types of assists (assists for dunks/layins, 2pts, 3pts) that was pretty interesting. Here’s the link:

http://www.hardwoodparoxysm.com/2010/03/10/nba-hd-adjusting-how-we-measure-and-view-assists/

by Billy Hoyle on Mar 12, 2010 9:15 AM PST up reply actions