Game 64 Recap: Blazers 105, Heat 96
by Dave on Mar 8, 2011 9:25 PM PST
in News
Email
Print
In a Nutshell
LeBron James and Dwyane Wade do their worst but Portland responds with heroic efforts from Gerald Wallace, LaMarcus Aldridge, and Brandon Roy to out-Big-Three the Big Three. Andre Miller, Nicolas Batum, and Wesley Matthews also provide critical buckets as Portland's supporting cast outclasses Miami's counterparts in every aspect of the game.
Game Flow
As so often happens the Blazers announced their intentions in this game from the opening tip. Usually when we say that we're talking about jogging up the court or giving up offensive rebounds indicating a lethargic game forthcoming. This time we're talking about zippy passing on offense, sweet cuts down the lane, made jump shots, and a defense that never got down on itself even when a future Hall-of-Famer scored, rather poking away steals and grabbing rebounds with authority. When Nicolas Batum caught LeBron James napping on defense a couple times for easy scores you thought this might be a good game. When Andre Miller's jumper also started falling you knew it would be a great one. Portland didn't stop Miami (the Heat shot over 50% for the game) but they did limit them via forced turnovers and good rebounding. The Heat had one shot at scoring all night. The Heat had to get passes past Portland's rangy defenders to do that. In practice this meant their scoring came only from James and Wade one-on-one. Both superstars abused the Blazers from the get-go but without any help even 30+ from each wouldn't win the game. Exhibit A: Portland stayed even with Miami 25-25 after one. Miami wasn't going to overpower the Blazers. Could the Blazers overcome?
The answer to that came right away in the second period through the play of one Gerald Wallace. Miami's stars looked smooth but never dominating. Wallace didn't play smooth, he played rough. That means ripped-a-rebound-from-you rough. That means just-drove-on-your-lazy-butts-and-put-it-home-with-my-off-hand rough. That means just-swiped-your-alley-oop-pass and don't-even-THINK-about-putting-that-shot-up-over-me-Mike-Miller rough. Most guys block shots with their fingertips. Wallace was blocking them with his armpit tonight. Wallace amped up the turnover rate, ramped up the rebounding even more, and looked at LeBron James roughly the same way your grandma looks at a stain on her carpet. That's not to say he shut James down, but there was no deference there...LBJ was something to be sprayed and wiped up. Even worse for the Heat, guess who else showed up off the bench? If you said "#7 Brandon Roy, dawg" give yourself a cookie. Give yourself a big, old jumper-hitting, foul-drawing, three-point swishing cookie with victory frosting on top. Roy didn't look dominant as much as opportunistic. Case in point: You know how the Blazers have been begging for someone to hit an open three off of other player's penetration? 7:10 left, Blazers down 2, Rudy Fernandez makes a move and Roy is open. Rudy dishes Brandon the ball. WHOOP! There's your open triple. A minute later, same situation with Patty Mills. WHOOP-DEE-DOOP! There's another one! Roy had 11 points in the period. With LaMarcus Aldridge, Wesley Matthews, and Wallace doing a little clean-up work late the Blazers carried a 57-51 lead into the half.
In the third Miami came out determined to get their home court back from these usurpers, a steely look of menace on their south-Florida faces. Ha ha ha! Of course I'm kidding. These are the Heat. They thought they could pull it out in the fourth. Instead the Blazers outworked Miami for every loose ball and rebound. Wallace and Aldridge went heavy to the defensive glass especially. Aldridge also came alive on offense, pounding or shooting over whomever the Heat sent. Plus he was able to pass with effectiveness when Miami doubled him because (gasp!) the Blazers were hitting their jumpers tonight. Three things kept this from being a totally dominant quarter for Portland. First the Blazers turned over the ball too much. Second the Heat kept their offense rolling at the foul line. Third, in order to get everybody rested for the fourth quarter Coach McMillan played a lineup of Patty Mills, Rudy Fernadez, and Wesley Matthews at the end of the third. Each of those guys has had their consistency pictured on the side of a milk carton and tonight none of them were that on, especially when playing together. Portland's offense dried up at the end of the period and Miami made a mini-comeback, closing to 77-75 by the end of the third.
The story of the fourth was simple. LeBron James and Dwyane Wade tried to take over for Miami but Wade was the only effective player. 'Bron scored his points but took a lot of time and multiple possessions to do it. The rest of the Heat, on the outside looking in on offense, played like they were strangers on defense as well. Portland, meanwhile, played with cohesiveness and purpose. Wallace and Miller scored the bulk of Portland's points but Aldridge, Roy, Fernandez, and Matthews contributed. Miami didn't know where the score was coming from. Mostly they feared it was coming from Aldridge but the supporting cast proved them wrong. All credit goes to those veteran players who knew when their shot was coming and actually had the confidence to hit it. The rebounding prowess continued unabated too. The Blazers played like manly men and the Heat played like stars. In the end five or six manly men beat two stars and Portland walked away with a hard-fought but secure 105-96 victory.
Individual Notes
Gerald Wallace, if loving you is wrong I don't want to be right. Aided and abetted by Miami's lack of centers, allowing him to play big minutes against like-sized people, Wallace showed exactly why the Blazers acquired him. He scored at the rim. He rebounded. He blocked shots. He was the spark that lit the fire for Portland tonight. His utter lack of intimidation in the face of the Heat is something all of the younger Blazers can learn from. He didn't play like he wanted these guys' autographs, he played like he wanted to carve their tombstone. Every minute Wallace was off the court you wished he would hurry and get back in. 8-14 shooting, 22 points, 9 rebounds, 2 steals, and a block.
LaMarcus Aldridge hit 11-20 shots for 26 points. He only had 4 rebounds but the team rebounded well around him. He was the third-quarter gasoline ignited by Wallace's spark. When he got grinding the Heat had no answer. Chris Bosh? 3-11, 7 points, 4 rebounds.
Brandon Roy hit 5-8 shots but more importantly 3-3 from distance. He helped spread the floor making the accomplishments of Wallace and Aldridge possible. He didn't look comfortable off of the dribble but he gave the Blazers exactly what they needed. 14 points in 23 minutes playing mostly off of the ball.
Andre Miller went 6-8 for 14 points with 5 assists. As is his wont, he shot early and attacked the rim late in this game but played incognito in the middle, feeding other guys. He's like the extra gun in the cowboy's boot for when the revolver is out of bullets. Think you got me? BAM! Guess not.
Nicolas Batum only played 22 minutes tonight but played some inspired ball on both ends early. He 4-5 for 11 points plus 4 rebounds. He didn't look that intimidated either. He made a great 1-2 forward punch with Wallace.
Wesley Matthews struggled intermittently but did hit 3-7 shots for 10 points and kept himself useful by dishing 5 assists. Whenever Matthews fills up multiple columns in the boxscore the Blazers have a better chance of winning. If it's 22, 0, and 0 for him he's not nearly as effective. His defense was occasionally brilliant, occasionally ineffective. He did hit a three late in the fourth to twist the dagger in.
Marcus Camby played 20 minutes and contributed 8 rebounds. He wasn't at his most useful against this opponent but the boards were sorely needed.
Rudy Fernandez played 21 minutes and was one of a couple Blazers to miss copious shots, going 1-6 for 3 points. He did have 2 assists and 2 steals.
Patty Mills went 1-5 in 15 minutes but tried to up the tempo a little and dished 4 assists.
Stats of the Night
- Heat 51.4% shooting, Blazers 50.6%. But between the forced turnovers and the good rebounding Portland attempted 7 more shots than Miami.
- Blazers 7-17 threes. Hallelujah!
- Blazers and Heat both attempt 19 free throws. Nice parity, reflecting Portland's aggressiveness.
Odd Notes and Links
Peninsula is Mightier doesn't feel that mighty right now, I'll wager.
Jersey Contest scoreboard and Charlotte game form.
Now some of you long-time readers go down to the preview thread and tell those foos what happens every time Dave gives Portland no chance to win in a big-game preview. Oh, and I see somebody's already gone crazy in the Fanposts too.
363 comments
|
2 recs |
Do you like this story?
Comments
Blazers always do best against the longest odds.
Zero is about as long of odds as you’ll ever see. Loved it. I do wish I would have got the chance to see it, but still loved it.
"The madman is not the man who has lost his reason. The madman is the man who has lost everything except his reason." - G. K. Chesterton, Orthodoxy, 1909
Blazersedge.com || New to Blazersedge?
Actions -> Rec and Flag. Blazersedge works right when you use these two things.
It was pretty good
The best part was, it wasn’t like a brilliant performance, once-in-a-lifetime thing. It was just all these guys doing what they could do more or less at the same time. I think the experiment is repeatable if they will latch onto what made the game good.
—Dave
by Dave on Mar 8, 2011 9:31 PM PST up reply actions 3 recs
The Heat didn't play badly and we didn't play great.
And there was still no doubt who deserved the win. Agree that that was the best part of this win. Let’s get Patty and Rudy hitting some shots and then we’ll really be rollin’.
by 52therim on Mar 8, 2011 10:51 PM PST via mobile up reply actions
The Heat's glass is still half full
Of tears.
by ODEN on a stick on Mar 8, 2011 11:10 PM PST up reply actions 5 recs
What's happening is that we keep turning up the pressure
The game starts and the first unit can play almost all other first units even. Then Wallace and Brandon enter. So what is happening is that instead of a second unit that tries to maintain the status quo, we turn up the pressue on the other team. Then Patty Mills enters and amps up the speed of the game even more. When the Blazers play this way, only a few teams can keep up.
-jayfisher
A very satisfying team effort, totally appropriate follow-through on Nate's contract extension
At the beginning of this pivotal road trip, I wrote that we will soon know what our team is made of. Now we are beginning to find out.
Win the day!
by Blzr fan on Mar 8, 2011 9:32 PM PST via mobile reply actions
i just feel so good about that game!
much love for g wally and brandon. the team played so solid and together. a preview of what’s to come.
Such a great line Dave lol
He didn’t play like he wanted these guys’ autographs, he played like he wanted to carve their tombstone
I liked the "carved their gravestones" line better
maybe because I haven’t had a grandma for awhile, and these days I have to take care of those carpet stains when the dog is left home alone a little too long?
When reached 40 years of following Portland basketball you have, be as passionate of the Trail Blazers you will not!
Nate McMillan for Coach of the Year!
Fire Johnson and hire Brown - I'm telling you Thorn was smoking somethin' when he let Brown slip away in the night.
by diehardNFFLbarnone on Mar 13, 2011 9:13 AM PST up reply actions
That was good, but I liked this one even better...
LBJ was something to be sprayed and wiped up.
that has SIG written all over it…
Are you a Mexi-CAN or a Mexi-CAN'T?
one really stupid quibble...
but let’s admit that it was Andre that was the third of our Big Three tonight!
I'd still honk once!
by bklynblazr on Mar 8, 2011 9:37 PM PST reply actions 1 recs
CLAP CLAP CLAP! And Im talking about Andre not LeBrons latest visit to the Gyno :)
Besides they aren’t winning the title this year anyway so by default they avoid the only other definition of "waste" that matters.
—Dave
by TheOdenator52 on Mar 8, 2011 10:09 PM PST up reply actions
i LOVED that!
you could hear his claps echoing in the arena. i rewound to show my wife, who’s a big Dre fan (god i love that woman!).
I'd still honk once!
Love this line too
Most guys block shots with their fingertips. Wallace was blocking them with his armpit tonight.
Porter, Drexler, Kersey, Williams, Duckworth. The greatest starting 5 ever.
Seeing Roy hit that 3 in his defender's face
More of that please. If he can do that from the perimeter despite being defended it solves a whole lot of problems for us.
by poorwebguy on Mar 8, 2011 9:38 PM PST reply actions 2 recs
A lot of guys have had their shot blocked...
…but thanks for the positive spin.
If you watch again a couple other bad things happened too! Feel free to share.
#7
GO BLAZERS!!!
by Ilikeemall on Mar 8, 2011 9:42 PM PST up reply actions 1 recs
I will.
Not to be a debbie downer but it was just an obversation. One that would be glaring if we had lost.
Being a Blazer fan is not exactly healthy.
You couldn't possibly be a Debbie Downer after this win!..
…and we didn’t lose… That’s what’s glaring to me.
It’s what we choose to observe that counts.
#7
GO BLAZERS!!!
I choose to observe his misspelling of the word " Observation "! So obviously he is drunk from happiness from the WIN!
Besides they aren’t winning the title this year anyway so by default they avoid the only other definition of "waste" that matters.
—Dave
by TheOdenator52 on Mar 8, 2011 10:16 PM PST up reply actions
If we had lost
A blocked shot would have been a glaring observation? That’s a really weird thing to say. That possession ended in a missed FG for Roy, one of his three for the game. His five made FG made his average 62.5%. Sometiimes in a game a player has both successful and unsuccessful outcomes, I have noticed.
That was a nice pass by Miller!
“he also had that turnover”
That was a nice block by Wallace
“did you see where he fouled that guy”
That rebound by Camby sure was great.
“I saw him NOT get a rebound. It was glaring.”
Nate made good coaching decisions.
“He called a play that didn’t work.”
That was a great job by Mills taking that charge!
“sometimes he doesnt take a charge. Hate that!”
Gotta have some perspective
by Matt29 on Mar 8, 2011 10:22 PM PST up reply actions 5 recs
Gawd, bustabucket you're so stupid, don't you know it doesn't matter because he's not Roy.
When will you learn, only Roys mistakes get called out you big dummy.
#52
Thanks for the re-cap Dave...
I just can’t get enough of this game!!!…
Great win!..
#7
GO BLAZERS!!!
Great Recap
…except for the end. I’m not buying it. If the blazers lost it would be “I told you so.” And Dave, please don’t refer to yourself in the third person.
but we won and I’m CRAZY HAPPY.
by htuss on Mar 8, 2011 9:41 PM PST reply actions 2 recs
I refer to him in the third person all the time though....
"The madman is not the man who has lost his reason. The madman is the man who has lost everything except his reason." - G. K. Chesterton, Orthodoxy, 1909
Blazersedge.com || New to Blazersedge?
Actions -> Rec and Flag. Blazersedge works right when you use these two things.
by T Darkstar on Mar 8, 2011 10:03 PM PST up reply actions 1 recs
I wouldnt buy it either if I didn't know it was kind of an inside joke
If you’ve been reading Dave’s previews for awhile you notice that he always pretty much does the same thing – sets the stage, describes the key players and plot lines and then charts out what a blazer victory would look like. Except every once in a blue moon he comes on and guarantees a Blazer loss and heaps over-effusive praise on the opponent. Strangely his record with these “reverse curse” previews is eerily good. Can’t blame you for not buying it but if you read the preview I think you’ll see the tongue in cheek
It's the Lou Holtz strategy
back when he was still coaching a dominant team…
When reached 40 years of following Portland basketball you have, be as passionate of the Trail Blazers you will not!
Hey Dave.
Maybe it is because I have been a homer since birth. But I feel there should never be doubt that our team can pull off big wins. They have done it many times in the past. Even if it was a reverse curse preview, I’m not a fan of the writing.
Just a regular lurker speaking his opinion.
Oh no, Dave...
I just re-read the preview…you can’t honestly say you thought we’d win. Tongue in cheek and all, we were ‘catching a team on the wrong night’…
#20
IIbdII
O'erweening
Awesome word. Even if I have no idea what it means.
"I tell you the truth," Canzano answered, "Before Abraham was, I suck."
when the baby gets too much milk, or for too long
that’s o’erweening
When reached 40 years of following Portland basketball you have, be as passionate of the Trail Blazers you will not!
ok ok good point, so he wouldn't exactly say "I told you so"
but more of a “Well it is Miami and nobody expected a fifth straight loss.”
That is correct
I would have said that. But that’s not “I told you so”. In fact I would have probably admitted that the reverse-jinx thing didn’t work. Besides, it’s not like I knew it would work. I was still expecting a loss, which obviously I didn’t get. So had I been forced to predict this game as a straight up win/loss thing I would have gotten it wrong.
—Dave
cool beans
I’m starting to feel the wrath of blazersedge, I feel I overextended my stay as a commenter. I continue on being a faithful reader.
Don't leave, please stay. Whatever happened is now the past, let's move on.
Enjoy the victory with all of us.
#52
don't let the turkeys get you down
Imagine what Bedge would be like today if Dave had decided to withdraw to the shadows and lurk
When reached 40 years of following Portland basketball you have, be as passionate of the Trail Blazers you will not!
Watching our team clicking today was pure joy.
The Heat beat us in the waning minutes at the RG with sheer star power. Few things feel righter than getting sweet revenge and doing it with great team basketball.
Best win
Best win of the season, I was standing the whole time
Eat tofurky, pal. You were WRONG!
Seriously though, who’d a thunk it? What a fun game to watch — I hope it was a good glimpse into the team’s future and they can take the positives and run with it.
Wiggada Wiggada Zers!
Gerrrrald WALLACE Wallace wallace!
You guys are starting to see why Crash is my favorite player of all time. Also, the Blazers are my Western Conference team now! Nice win tonight! Mcmillan is crazy if he doesnt start Crash soon. Wallace is someone you need on the court 40 minutes a game.
I'll admit to surprise
I would have expected a good game if the Blazers hit some threes – and they did. But they also beat the Heat from the FT line (!), had more assists, fewer turnovers more rebounds and more blocks!!!
The Blazers picked a really good time to put a complete game together – something that kind of comes out of the blue.
Law of Logical Argument
Anything is possible if you don't know what you are talking about.
NBA League Pass - no show when on NBAtv...ouch!
I finally broke down to buy the 1/2 price season pass thinking i could watch a game tonight, even though I had prepared myself for a loss…thinking like most others that the HEAT were going to be on fire. But the way Portland would fire back was too awesome…it was like Tyson and Holyfield…remember that fight when they stood in the center of the ring and just went at it, back and forth, back and forth. I was pulled away from my phone for the last quarter…again preparing myself for a loss..surely the Heat would do it…boom…reboot the phone and there it was…BLAZERS win! How fantastic. By the way, I am new to the blog and want to give kudos to Dave on a well written piece…the part about the Grandma and the stain on the carpet…hilarious…whoever wrote the recap on the Denver game where Roy hit the 3 for overtime…that was so damn funny… BLING BLING BLING BLING BLING BLING…
Oh man that sucks dude
I’ve thought about getting LPBB but idk if I’m willing to drop the $$
by CaptainSexyJacob on Mar 8, 2011 10:12 PM PST up reply actions
This team has the capability to put together a run for the division
and if they do, people will point to this game as the catalyst.
Great recap
and to those who do not see the value of reverse psychology (and tongue-in-cheek humor) please read the game preview Dave wrote.
I don't know why
no one mentions….what iced the game was ALDRIDGE PASSING OUT OF THE DOUBLE TEAM for a three point assist to Roy!
repeat
ALDRIDGE PASSING OUT OF THE DOUBLE TEAM!
by XBlazerfan on Mar 8, 2011 9:58 PM PST reply actions 1 recs
Matthew's three pointer over Bibby iced the game
when it dropped you had to admit “OK, no miracle finish for James tonight, this one is in the frig”
When reached 40 years of following Portland basketball you have, be as passionate of the Trail Blazers you will not!
Yeah dagger was there
The Heat almost visibly deflated on that shop.
Sure that was solid frost, But it was a two point game
around three minutes ball is into Aldridge…He gets the double team…
perfect pass to Roy (huh?)..double teamed…beautiful pass….up 5
ie: rap on Aldridge: ’Can’t pass out of the double team’
The announcers I was listening to on the internet said it complete froze LeBron.
Miller’s lay up extended it to 7…. time out
Wade three…..Mathews answers.
forgot
Wade had intermittent threes with Aldridge hitting the open base line jumper in between.
But see how that works…passes out of the double team so next time around he is single covered and wide open for the short jumper. Which was my point in the first place. Aldridge has matured.
Just saw Matthews three again on a recap at a fitness center. He’s good!
Hey, I saw that.
And it was a thing of beauty.
"...everybody who...has been saying that Brandon Roy is bad for this offense, you can shush now... No...shush. Really...tssszt. Here's a cookie. Here's a pat on the head. Shhh." - Dave
by conspirator5 on Mar 8, 2011 10:10 PM PST up reply actions
The True Beauty Lies in Hitting Shots...Which the Blazers did Tonight! WINNER WINNER CHICKEN DINNER!
Besides they aren’t winning the title this year anyway so by default they avoid the only other definition of "waste" that matters.
—Dave
by TheOdenator52 on Mar 8, 2011 10:13 PM PST up reply actions
I remember as recently as this past off season, practically EVERYONE around here was ready to trade LMA and half of his teammates to get Chris Bosh
I never got that one.
I still believe in Greg Oden. The Blazers' medical staff? Not so much.
I'd change my handle to "bringback'09," but I'm too lazy.
that was LMA 1.0
LMA 2.0 > Bosh
Win the day!
by Blzr fan on Mar 8, 2011 10:04 PM PST via mobile up reply actions 1 recs
I wanted Tony Parker
but that was in anticipation of Oden’s return to smashing and LMA being reduced to an overpaid shooter of 20 footers
(it never hurts to dream big, acquiring Crash was a solid “consolation prize” at the deadline)
Now I wonder how AK1984 is feeling about the Heat dominating the finals for the next 5 years? Perhaps all they need is for Jeff van Gundy or Mike Fratello to come coach them?
When reached 40 years of following Portland basketball you have, be as passionate of the Trail Blazers you will not!
by two4larue on Mar 8, 2011 10:13 PM PST up reply actions 1 recs
I would have done it straight up
At this point it looks stupid. Then again, if LMA were playing alongside James and Wade he’d likely look more Boshian right now.
—Dave
I think it'd be scary
LMA wouldn’t get double teams at all with Wade and James floating around. They’d probably stick him at center and be impossible to beat.
People accuse LMA of being intimidated by "big brother" Brandon.
The heat are struggling late in games and I think it’s because everyone not named James or Wade is intimated to take a shot in the 4th quarter. LMA would struggle in the pressure of that situation. Bosh is a good player and is having trouble staying mentally in it.
by 52therim on Mar 8, 2011 11:00 PM PST via mobile up reply actions
I sort of agree with this...
although my take is that LeBron and Wade have no confidence or trust in anyone else on the floor which ends up deflating their teammates even more…
#20
IIbdII
Guys like James Jones, Mike Miller, Mike Bibby, Mario Chalmers, Zydrunas Ilgauskas, ...
Joel Anthony, and Erick Dampier seem to be doing their jobs accordingly alongside LeBron James and Dwyane Wade. The only one of them who’s slightly underperforming this season is Miller, although that’s due almost enitrely to his hand injury bothering him.
So, with that said, this leaves only Chris Bosh as the guy who’s not living up to expectations.
Why’s that? Well, unfortunately for the MIami Heat, it’s ‘cause Bosh is miscast as an ancillary option. By turning Bosh into a supplemental piece, it takes away from his skill set as dribble-drive iso threat — whether it’s from the elbow, mid block, or baseline — who can blow by his man to score inside or draw a foul.
Yet, with the Heat next to LeBron James and Dwyane Wade, Bosh has now become mainly a spot-up mid-range jump shooter — as noted here with how the location of his shot attempts has changed from Toronto to Miami: http://www.hoopdata.com/player.aspx?name=Chris%20Bosh — which takes away from his proven skill as a proficient, as well as efficient scorer with the ball in his hands and renders him less effective.
"They say it has no memory. That’s where I want to live the rest of my life. A warm place with no memory."
by AK1984 on Mar 9, 2011 12:27 PM PST up reply actions 1 recs
I get your point, but...
I’m not sure it accounts for the late game problems that the Heat are having. Last night as an exception, they are building leads and failing to hold them. Is the point that Lebron/Wade/Bosh changes his shot selection in late game situations? It seems like his shot selection is consistent throughout the game. Do they shoot the ball better early and choke in the clutch? Lebron’s clutchness has certainly been questioned, but it seems like it is more than just that. I’m still of the opinion that sharing the ball in the 4th is a problem. MJ would draw the defense, but was fine if Paxson or Pippen was the guy to hit the key shot. The star player helped the team. There wasn’t much “team play” in the late game sets of the Heat. I’m convinced the ancillary players are more comfortable shooting early in the game than they are in the 4th. Lots of players feel “pressure” in the clutch, but it elevates the pressure if you feel like you are taking a shot that coaches or teammates don’t think you should take.
True, the Miami Heat's crunch-time issues are an altogether different matter.
I’m not sure how they should go about fixing it, either.
"They say it has no memory. That’s where I want to live the rest of my life. A warm place with no memory."
Jeff Van Gundy?
Mike Fratello?
When reached 40 years of following Portland basketball you have, be as passionate of the Trail Blazers you will not!
JVG in Miami would be entertaining, but Mike Fratello may be the calming, ...
well-respected voice that the team needs down there. The only drawback with Fratello is I feel the Heat are one of the few teams that should take advantage of fast break opportunities at times, but other than that he’d be the perfect fit.
"They say it has no memory. That’s where I want to live the rest of my life. A warm place with no memory."
Nope, LaMarcus Aldridge would almost assuredly float in Miami like Chris Bosh has done there.
We’ve witnessed that song and dance before with Aldridge here in Portland — for he’s like Bosh, as both guys who needs touches to be effective — and have also seen how well Bosh has done with a higher usage load.
Some players perform well with a high usage load, while others perform well with a low usage load. Let’s take the Knicks for example, as Carmelo Anthony and Landry Fields are wing players who are vastly different from each other. Yet, due to Anthony being a ball-dominant player who needs touches to make a substantial impact and Fields being a low-usage guy who does best by picking his spots periodically while playing off the ball, they’re complementary pieces.
"They say it has no memory. That’s where I want to live the rest of my life. A warm place with no memory."
Can't agree
Though my opinion appears to be in the minority. It also depends somewhat on how you frame the hypothetical situation.
Are we talking the LMA that already knows he can be the primary option or the LMA that never quite figured it out when Roy went down last year?
I honestly hope we never find out.
LMA's interview with NBAtv last night was real interesting
To paraphrase, he said that he was disappointed with himself after last years playoffs. He felt that he didn’t respond well when Brandon originally went down just before the Phoenix series. This prompted his work in the off season to get bigger and his determination play more on the block (who doesn’t think it was a good decision to fore-go Team USA for offseason work now) . We saw him working the low block a lot more even earlier in the season (with limited success), but when Brandon went down on December 15th LMA was poised to respond ….boy was he ever. Wow!
Harry Bosch: "Everybody counts....or nobody counts."
i can't believe that they don't run a million pick and rolls with bosh moving to the hoop.
they would be unstoppable with solid pick and rolls:
wade/bosh
lebron/bosh
wade/lebron
if the opponent overplays, kick it over to the weak side to the other guy who is in single coverage at best…
As Dave alluded to
Bosh went from being the unquestioned number 1 option to an oft forgotten 3rd option. Aldridge, on the other hand, went from a jump shooting second option to a back to the basket first option.
If you swapped those guys I think we would see Bosh putting up a solid statistical year as a number 1 option and Aldridge fading into the background behind the two superstars in Miami.
#52
Yeah, they're essentially the same type of player stylistically.
"They say it has no memory. That’s where I want to live the rest of my life. A warm place with no memory."
Chris Bosh and LaMarcus Aldridge are in the same exact boat, y'see. That's noted by analyzing the ...
circumstances behind their current performances combined with Bosh’s impressive on-court production in Toronto and Aldridge’s past struggles in Portland as an ancillary option.
Both need touches to be effective and, more importantly, each of them wither when their usage is lessened.
For whatever reason, neither guy has the ability to be an effective 3rd option. To me, Miami needs a frontline player not like Bosh or Aldridge; rather, someone such as Nene — who’s an ultra-efficient, medium-usage center — would work best as the third wheel alongside LeBron James and Dwyane Wade.
Not sure if either franchise would look into making such a move this off-season, though. It’d be a high-risk proposition, as the Miami Heat invested a lot into its “Big Three” and the Denver Nuggets would be taking a shot on another high-profile player after their last one just left them high and dry.
But yeah, I don’t think that many folks are looking at this complicated, yet still understandable topic with the nuisance and objectivity that it deserves here. Oh well, that’s to be expected.
"They say it has no memory. That’s where I want to live the rest of my life. A warm place with no memory."
LaMarcus in the NBA TV interview on his approach to Miami losing 4 in a row
“Brandon told me he read somewhere they would smack us in the mouth, and I just took it personally” LOL
see, Dave’s preview set LMA on fire!
by Section323 on Mar 8, 2011 10:12 PM PST up reply actions 1 recs
I'm tellin ' ya
what’s written on BE gets back to the players
Every. Single. Word.
(So be good, for goodness sake!)
When reached 40 years of following Portland basketball you have, be as passionate of the Trail Blazers you will not!
I can just picture Cho's Wife in the Locker Room Now ...
Besides they aren’t winning the title this year anyway so by default they avoid the only other definition of "waste" that matters.
—Dave
by TheOdenator52 on Mar 8, 2011 10:21 PM PST up reply actions 1 recs
I heard that she said she's going to smack the blazers in the mouth.
Proud to be a Republican.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
><> ><> ><> ><> ><> ><> ><> ><> ><> ><> ><> ><>
That is why PA got Wallace and extended Nate;
because I ’ve been telling him here on the BE for a year. He did the right thing finally getting Wallace and extending Nate. So now I will reprieve him from my insults and, instead I will give him a deserved “job well done” for taking on a little payroll and upgrading us when we desperately needed it. Way to go PA. Now we can put to rest this nonsense about getting past the first round, or else. Go Nate, go BRoy, go Blazers.
Now we can put to rest this nonsense about getting past the first round, or else
That’s still the goal. If the team falls short again it won’t reflect well on the coach or the players, but now we know it won’t prompt an offseason “decision” on the head coach’s short-term future
Blazer fans shouldn’t be ecstatic about this. If the organization becomes content with “just reaching the playoffs” they can settle into a rut that’s hard to shake out of (drafting in the middle of the first round, young players getting older and costing more, even though the results are mediocre—16 out of 30 teams reach the post season every season) I agree the Wallace deal was a step in the right direction, but “staying the course” with McMillian could be a blessing or a burden, depending on playoff results this season and next (assuming the 2011-2012 season is played)
I think the fact that Nate’s extension was only for 2 years was telling. The team showed confidence in McMillain, but not beyond the 2012 season. The expectations are still high and there’s still unfinished business, but the “evaluation process” continues
When reached 40 years of following Portland basketball you have, be as passionate of the Trail Blazers you will not!
Two years is the right amount in a short-term business like the NBA
Sorry about the carpet stains. Being responsible isn’t always easy.
this fall, we were saying
because of his knees, Roy was going to have to adjust his game from needing the ball in his hands to being a floor spreader? Well, we’re seeing that happen right before our eyes
I also said I hoped that Brandon would eventually embrace the 6th man role…check
7 + 3 = 6th men. The Natural and Crash are like twin booster rockets. At the beginning of each half, the starters break the pull of the planet’s gravity, and now suddenly the bench is pulling the level and sending the ship into hyperdrive
“I told you I’d lose them…don’t everybody thank me at once” — Han Solo
When reached 40 years of following Portland basketball you have, be as passionate of the Trail Blazers you will not!
by two4larue on Mar 8, 2011 10:02 PM PST reply actions 2 recs
Yeah, I remember. It was right after you wanted to trade LMA, which was after you wanted LMA to play small forward and shoot 3's
to make room for Milsap.
Don’t look now but IF (big IF – no one knows) Brandon’s knee’s hold up he’ll be starting again before the playoffs. Notice he has played every minute of the 4th quarter in the last two games. Nate’s still managing his minutes so he can get 12 from him in the 4th quarter now. He’s still Nate’s guy. When (if) Roy can go 28-30 minutes a game again he will be starting again. (As will Wallace soon). Nate’s 4th quarter lineup (LMA, Wallace, Roy, Miller, and Wesley/Camby/Batum depending on match ups) that finishes games now will be next month’s starting lineup as we move to the playoffs. They are learning to play together now at the end of games, so there will be no problem starting them soon.
I’m glad to have Wesley, but he is too inexperienced and inconsistent to be the #2 guy now, and the game slows down in the playoffs making Roy’s offense even more important than now. LMA still has to be the new #1 man, but it’s also harder to score inside during the playoffs when the zebras will allow more physical defense against him. Roy may not be Roy 1.0 ever again, but Roy 1.5 as an outside/midrange scorer can still be very good if those knees will just hold up.
"You're not too smart, are you? I like that in a man." - Matty Walker in Body Heat (1981)
by BlazerFanSince1970 on Mar 9, 2011 12:29 AM PST up reply actions
I am confident that you are wrong
nobody loves the two unit concept like Nate and right now LMA, Nic, Mathews all need each other to function at their best. LMA needs to be the focus to be his best, Nic needs Lma to take attention to get his shots as does Mathews. They are great defensively together and also allow miller to handle the ball almost exclusively. Roy, Wallace, and rudy off the bench annihilate any other bench and rotations throughout the game take care of minutes, Wallace will play starter minutes and roy( knees willing) will too, but I believe the starting unit stays.
It's a different game in the playoffs and experience counts. Matthews and Batum don't have the experience of Roy and Wallace.
Everyone would agree that you play your best combination of players down the stretch in the 4th quarter and right now Nate clearly believes that is Roy, Wallace, LMA, Miller, and Matthews. In the last two games Wallace and Roy have played the entire 4th quarter. In Orlando LMA also played the entire 4th quarter with them, and he played the last 10 minutes tonight (he got a 3 minute rest at the end of the 3rd and start of the 4th). Miller played the last 8 minutes and the last 9 minutes in those two games. Matthews played the last 9 minutes in Orlando, and the last 5 minutes tonight. Batum never played in the 4th quarter of either game.
The playoffs are a completely different game than the regular season. You get down 10-12 in the first quarter in the regular season you always get a chance to come back. Not so in the playoffs. If you start 10-12 behind in the playoffs you usually finish behind. The game slows down in the playoffs. The refs allow a lot more contact inside and its harder to score in the post. It becomes a shooters game in the playoffs and if we have any chance to win we’ll need Brandon’s experience and consistency (if he can go the minutes) and Wallace’s toughness to start games. Camby will start because he brings toughness and experience rebounding and shot blocking.
I suspect Matthews will be first off the bench for Camby, who has to get some rest early so he can spell LMA for about 3 minutes in the middle of each half. Batum and Rudy will get the other rotation minutes proportioned by how well they play. Mills will spell Andre for 4-5 minutes a half.
"You're not too smart, are you? I like that in a man." - Matty Walker in Body Heat (1981)
by BlazerFanSince1970 on Mar 9, 2011 6:58 AM PST up reply actions
mathews had a pretty solid playoffs last season with jazz
and he was guarding kobe
Matthews has more playoff experience than does Roy...so think again
by RVUStudentDoc on Mar 9, 2011 8:02 AM PST up reply actions
Get real. I'm talking years and games of NBA experience.
Roy has been one of the most effective clutch closers in the league and 3 time all-star.
BTW, Roy’s PER in the playoffs is over 20 and that includes 3 of 9 games when he was hurt last year. Matthews PER in the playoffs is under 12. In Brandon’s 6 playoff games the year he wasn’t hurt he shot 46% from the field and 47% from 3-pt and averaged 26.7 pts per game. Matthews shot 39%/36% in 10 games last year. So take your chances with Matthews if you want, but I’ll Brandon in a big game situation, even now.
But it won’t be for you or me to decide. If Brandon is healthy enough to play 30 minutes or more in the playoff Nate will decide, and I have zero doubt who would start. The same guy that is playing 12 minutes in the 4th quarter now.
"You're not too smart, are you? I like that in a man." - Matty Walker in Body Heat (1981)
by BlazerFanSince1970 on Mar 9, 2011 8:45 AM PST up reply actions 2 recs
whoop, there it is
"If I had a dime for every basket I made today, you'd still suck!" - from the book 'John Dies @ the End'
Which player has played in the 2nd round???
by RVUStudentDoc on Mar 9, 2011 2:09 PM PST up reply actions
Which player got lit up by Kobe Bryant in the Western Conference Semifinals?
Game 1: http://www.basketball-reference.com/boxscores/201005020LAL.html
Game 2: http://www.basketball-reference.com/boxscores/201005040LAL.html
Game 3: http://www.basketball-reference.com/boxscores/201005080UTA.html
Game 4: http://www.basketball-reference.com/boxscores/201005100UTA.html
Byrant made mincemeat out of Matthews, who got roasted, toasted, and burnt to a crisp. An outright embarrassment, really.
"They say it has no memory. That’s where I want to live the rest of my life. A warm place with no memory."
To be fair Wes was a rookie
and Kobe in the playoffs is a freakishly tough cover. Better defenders have probably done worse.
starting backcourt defense
would be weaker with Miller-Roy as compared to Miller-Matthews
but I think the main reason Nate will stick with the starting 5 he brought to the dance is that Miller-Matthews-Batum-Camby have become accustomed to playing “off” of LMA the low-post hub. The ball movement is good, the chemistry has been developed over time—at both ends. This is not to say that Roy and Wallace couldn’t do the same, but that’s not going to happen overnight, and now there are 19 regular season games to go
When reached 40 years of following Portland basketball you have, be as passionate of the Trail Blazers you will not!
It isn't going to happen overnight but Nate is playing Roy and Wallace with LMA and Miller in the 4th quarter.
They will easily have the chemistry as starters together before the playoffs. That isn’t going to be a problem. If the team was really stronger without Roy and Wallace in the lineup, then they wouldn’t be playing the 4th quarters now.
The only issue that would stop Nate from starting Roy is if Roy can’t play 30 minutes a game by the playoffs. Then it makes no sense starting him because his minutes get broke up so badly he never develops a rhythm in the game.
Wallace will start – there’s no doubt about that. He’s already pushed Batum’s minutes down to about 22 the last two games. Wallace is our Pau Gasol gift deal. We got an all-star level player and a first team all-defensive NBA player for nothing. Wallace is our Buck Williams. Do you put Gasol or Buck on the bench when you get them in a trade? Wallace is very much like Buck in that he sets an energy level and team toughness at the start of the game, and will disrupt one of the other team’s top scorers to start the game. He is exactly what we need starting and it will become more evident in the playoffs.
(I dream of a team with Oden at even 90%, LMA, Wallace, Roy – 30 minutes, and yes … Miller starting next year. Bring Camby, Batum, and Matthews off the bench and find a backup PG in the offseason. Give Roy a week off to rest his knees every 5 or 6 weeks during the season and that is contending team. It’s may be a Walton Window for Roy, but take a shot. Please Paul/Cho, don’t let Oden get away!)
Now is exactly the right time to work Wallace and Roy (if he can play the minutes) into the starting lineup. You don’t wait until you’ve lost a couple of playoff games and then start making lineup changes. I like what Nate is doing playing them together with Miller and LMA in the 4th quarter. In a few games it will become very easy to start them and get them acclimated to playing with Camby.
"You're not too smart, are you? I like that in a man." - Matty Walker in Body Heat (1981)
by BlazerFanSince1970 on Mar 9, 2011 4:56 PM PST up reply actions
We'll see if you're right
Andre’s lasted in Portland a lot longer than you thought he ever would
I expect we’ll see your dream lineup after the lockout, and not before the playoffs. Nate is rotating his “finishers” at the end of games when the matchups dictate, and when those players are in a rhythm.
You’ve made a connection that “who plays the 4th should also start the game” but this pattern has never been 100% true in Nate’s recent history (how many games did Travis Outlaw start? How consistently was the starting PG Steve Blake out on the floor at the end of games, etc)
When it comes to McMillian, we can throw conventional wisdom out the window and attempt to appreciate the Picasso (even if you’re not sure which direction is correct to hang the painting, if Pablo failed to sign it at the bottom right) because Nate’s rotations are more abstract than a paint by numbers kit
When reached 40 years of following Portland basketball you have, be as passionate of the Trail Blazers you will not!
I figured Miller would be moved by the trade deadline, but that's a complex statement.
At the beginning of the year I thought they would move Miller this year because he didn’t fit with Roy 1.0. But then Roy’s situation completely changed the need to do that.
Then when Roy’s situation appeared ominous (and may still turn out to be in another month or so) I expected (and wanted them) to start rebuilding around LMA (which is not the same thing as blowing up the team and starting over) by getting a younger prospect or draft picks for Miller while he still had trade value. I still think by all reports (which of course are not necessarily reliable) that was Cho’s 1st choice to do, but he couldn’t make a deal (quite possibly Utah stole his guy when they traded Williams in that mess). Cho was probably trying to get both Wallace and Harris – they aren’t necessarily mutually exclusive, although they may have been if our draft picks were involved in both deals. We shall never know about that.
In any event, he didn’t or couldn’t move Miller, but he got a fantastic deal in Wallace. So now we are where we are and we formulate a new long term strategy while playing out this year with what we have. With Wallace and Roy 1.5 (what we’e seen the last few games) for 30 minutes a game, I think the Blazers have a chance to get out of the first round. Wallace is not only a good player, but exactly the player we need. He is Batum’s unlikely ceiling a couple years down the road, IMO. If Roy can give us 30 minutes with his rhythm and shooting stroke back, if Camby can stay healthy, and if Matthew’s or Rudy’s streaky shooting happens to arrive coincident with the playoffs, we could get out the first round. Our chances in the first round? Probably 50% if Roy can play those minutes in good form. Otherwise, maybe 30%-35%.
More interesting is what to do now for a long term strategy. It’s all about Oden and Roy in my mind. If somehow we can re-sign Oden to a 4-5 year deal (which I’m very doubtful he will stay here past next year – I’m sure he will sign the QO and then probably leave the following summer) we have a chance to build a contender. But then Roy is the wild card. If it looks like he could go another 2 years at 30 minutes a game as Roy 1.5, then I target 2012-13 when Oden should really be recovered from his latest MF, and resign Miller for that year. But if Roy fizzles out this year or in the first half of next year, then I move Miller and Camby by next year’s trade deadline (if there is such a thing after the lockout) and try to build that contender about LMA and Oden a year or two later.
So the long term strategy is going to be complex now because of the uncertainty about Roy and Oden. But we will know a lot more about both of them by the time the lockout ends, and we can’t do anything (except dream about a healthy Oden and a playable Roy) until then anyway.
"You're not too smart, are you? I like that in a man." - Matty Walker in Body Heat (1981)
by BlazerFanSince1970 on Mar 9, 2011 8:10 PM PST up reply actions
Roy quotes from Quick's article
Coach Nate McMillan has remained noncommital toward Roy’s role moving forward. But it has become clear that he views Roy as a fourth-quarter closer. In his second game back, Roy forced overtime against Denver with a leaning three-pointer with five seconds left. He finished with 18 points and the Blazers won.
Whatever his role evolves into – reserve, starter, closer – Roy insists he will not disrupt the chemistry and vibe the team established in his absence, when the Blazers went 20-10.
He says people don’t understand that for much of his life, he has been in the shadows. At first he was Tony Roy’s son, or Ed Roy’s little brother. Then when he arrived at the University of Washington, he played in the shadows of Nate Robinson.
“I’ve always felt my biggest gift as a basketball player, and even as a person, has been I adjust well,” Roy said. “I’ve always fit in. So being in a situation where I’m no longer the focal point, and just part of the team? I’m more comfortable with that than I was being ‘The Man.’”
That doesn’t sound like a guy who’s itching to get back into the starting lineup. Nate’s comments after the game indicated that he likes his 2 units the way they are (this is classic McMillian, he never stops thinking in terms of black and white teams) I keep repeating this, but I don’t expect a lineup change—not unless another injury crops up.
I’m not going to worry about Oden and the future right now, there will be plenty of time to contemplate that during the lockout. April 16 is the goal, as Roy said. That’s when the 2011 final exam begins.
When reached 40 years of following Portland basketball you have, be as passionate of the Trail Blazers you will not!
and this
In the meantime, he says he will be focused on blending in with the team, accepting a role to provide scoring pop off the bench.
“I just want to come in and help the team,” Roy said. " I don’t want people waiting for me, or thinking about me being back. Guys have to just continue and play, and then if I come in and take my punch, that’s great, you know? If you have Nic (Batum) and Wesley (Matthews) scrapping and guarding the way they do, and then me and Gerald (Wallace) come in with Rudy (Fernandez) and Patty (Mills), and we create and score, then I think we can all be really good.
“But we can’t get to where we see I’m playing, and people thinking they need to score because that’s why I’m playing,” Roy said. “We have to keep in our roles, and if one guy dominates one night and another doesn’t play a lot, then you have to be ‘Cool, but tomorrow night might be my night, so I’ve got to be ready.’ If we can get into that rhythm, and buy into roles, we can be tough. But we have to buy in. We have to be all in.”
I couldn’t have said it any better
When reached 40 years of following Portland basketball you have, be as passionate of the Trail Blazers you will not!
Nothing whatsoever in there at all inconsistent with what I said.
Roy doesn’t say he will never start again, or that he doesn’t want to, or wouldn’t if asked. He simply says what everyone should have already known, he will adapt to whatever role he is able to play. Right now, he’s only allowed to play 25 minutes and as I said repeatedly, that isn’t enough to start. That would only mess up his rhythm.
There’s no quote from Nate saying he won’t start Roy if Roy is able to play longer minutes again. Nate isn’t going to say anything about that now one way or another because that is not the current situation.
If Roy gets back to playing 30 minutes or more per game then the situation will change and his role will be reassessed by Nate. Nate could hardly wait to get Brandon back as part of his 4th quarter closers. He isn’t going to suddenly decide that it is bad for the team to start Brandon if he can play the necessary minutes. Until then, he isn’t going to talk about something that isn’t possible yet and upset Matthews or anyone else for nothing.
As the article says:
Coach Nate McMillan has remained noncommital toward Roy’s role moving forward. But it has become clear that he views Roy as a fourth-quarter closer. … Whatever his role evolves into – reserve, starter, closer – Roy insists he will not disrupt the chemistry and vibe the team established in his absence…
This is exactly the attitude he should have, and the attitude I knew he would have once he got over feeling an obligation to “earn” his huge contract. Now he realizes he can only do what he is physically able to at this time, and he wants to make the best of whatever that is now, and in the future if things change.
I’m not at a disadvantage. Physically, I felt like I was at a disadvantage. I couldn’t attack because I was hurt. But now, I’m starting to build and build. And knowing that I can be even stronger come April 16 from where I’m at now …
That’s not someone saying things are fixed and won’t change. In fact he says he expects to play better by the playoffs and I’m confident he means contribute more by then.
"You're not too smart, are you? I like that in a man." - Matty Walker in Body Heat (1981)
by BlazerFanSince1970 on Mar 9, 2011 11:58 PM PST up reply actions
Nate seems to be testing the theory that it doesn't matter who starts, but who finishes
and that finishing 5 can vary from game to game, only Miller and LMA have been “constants” all season
Roy and Wallace have bought into their roles until the end of the season, I don’t see where it benefits the team for fans and media to keep focusing on more lineup changes
7 straight road wins speaks for itself
When reached 40 years of following Portland basketball you have, be as passionate of the Trail Blazers you will not!
indeed, it is all about finishing!
That’s what matters to our team’s success. Let’s get the focus off of who starts.
Win the day!
by Blzr fan on Mar 9, 2011 12:17 PM PST via mobile up reply actions
Mills will spell Andre for 4-5 minutes a half.
I’m much more concerned about this than who starts at SG or SF during the post season
When reached 40 years of following Portland basketball you have, be as passionate of the Trail Blazers you will not!
Theres that elephant in the room again,
The heat are not contenders in the east. No matter how much the media tries to make them one. Lebron has bad karma, and is a terrible teammate. Still only one ball that I can see.
Chicago is the only team in the east who will challenge Boston. Imo.
My jury is still out on who will challenge the lakers out west between OKC and Dallas. Mills will be a liability whoever the Blazers draw, if Mr Allen likes it or not.
"We've got to get stops ! " ...... Nate McMillan
I agree with most of the first half of your comment
but I still wouldn’t sleep on the Heatles completely after seeing the heights that Lebron has taken teams to in playoffs past.
I also think the West is more open than you give it credit for. I do consider LA firmly ahead, with Dallas and San Antonio on the tier below that, and Portland and OKC on the tier below that. Depending on who faces who and in what round, I could see any number of things happen. But I don’t count us out of making a run, nor do I count San Antonio out, and I put Dallas ahead of OKC.
"If I had a dime for every basket I made today, you'd still suck!" - from the book 'John Dies @ the End'
Don’t look now but IF (big IF – no one knows) Brandon’s knee’s hold up he’ll be starting again before the playoffs
.
Hope not. With his injury, the law of diminishing returns apply. I’d rather have a rested Roy playing on the second units then being fresh for an enitre 4Q run then starting him in games. Roy off the bench, at least for this season, is where it’s at.
I didn't think Roy could or would adjust to a bench role
I also felt that, even if Roy accepted such a role, his knees would make him a defensive liability.
Well, last night Roy played the instant offense 6th man role to a “t.” And playing alongside Gerald Wallace, his defensive limitations didn’t seem so critical.
Fingers crossed that those developments continue…
I still believe in Greg Oden. The Blazers' medical staff? Not so much.
I'd change my handle to "bringback'09," but I'm too lazy.
That's a big key...
“And playing alongside Gerald Wallace, his defensive limitations didn’t seem so critical.”
I think there is much more to this than just meets the eye. Wallace is such a dynamic defender that he can cover up some of the defensive deficiencies in that 2nd unit.
by RVUStudentDoc on Mar 9, 2011 2:12 PM PST up reply actions
So enjoyable to watch a team play as a Constellation instead of just a Star in a Galaxy Far Far Away!
Besides they aren’t winning the title this year anyway so by default they avoid the only other definition of "waste" that matters.
—Dave
And by that I say...This game was FRAKKING AWESOME! WOOT!
Besides they aren’t winning the title this year anyway so by default they avoid the only other definition of "waste" that matters.
—Dave
by TheOdenator52 on Mar 8, 2011 10:07 PM PST up reply actions
Dave
I knew what you were doing all along in that preview. Bravo sir! I think we can all agree on one sentiment… GO BLAZERS!!!
I called out Dwight Jaynes on twitter for picking the Heat to beat us by 20, and said something about how he's always wrong.
He messaged me back this morning with a sarcastic remark about how I am right that the Blazers are really up there with Miami.
Jaynes is a fool. He doesn’t know basketball, he should stick to Ducks football.
no, let Dwight write/chat about the Beavers
the Ducks have enough troubles without having to listen to Jaynes complain about ’em
When reached 40 years of following Portland basketball you have, be as passionate of the Trail Blazers you will not!
Remember when Dwight Jaynes was retiring? haha
I like him sometimes, but sometimes he’s a fool
The Leeroy Rule: being insistent >>>> being correct
by leeroyjenkins on Mar 9, 2011 7:14 AM PST up reply actions
In portland media no one retires
They become blazer insiders
No one in the world can beat me at RBI baseball 3(nes).
He hit some daggers tonight at the end of the shot clock
by RVUStudentDoc on Mar 8, 2011 10:16 PM PST up reply actions
And Much MUCH More
Besides they aren’t winning the title this year anyway so by default they avoid the only other definition of "waste" that matters.
—Dave
by TheOdenator52 on Mar 8, 2011 10:19 PM PST up reply actions
Andre's timing
with those jumpers and his attack in general has improved, like, 6000% this year. More familiarity with the team I suppose. One of the things I said consistently this summer is that ‘Dre is not going to give up his offense. He’s proving me wrong on that.
—Dave
lob passes
everywhere Miller’s gone, he’s made his big men more money
the ball movement revival started with ’Dre and then when Camby joined the team there was no stopping it
When reached 40 years of following Portland basketball you have, be as passionate of the Trail Blazers you will not!
Quick said today that Nate has changed in the last 18 months
McMillian is less set in his ways, more willing to listen to new ideas and admit when he’s wrong, more able to let his veteran PG run the show instead of calling every play
Change for the better, I wonder if anyone still regrets the FA summer of ’09, anymore?
When reached 40 years of following Portland basketball you have, be as passionate of the Trail Blazers you will not!
never regretted picking up 'Dre here!
That guy is a straight up gangster, cold-blooded killer, and best team mate a guy could have. He’s got your back and will give you everything every night. He knows what to do every single time down the court…
#20
IIbdII
He's always got a plan
he may turn the ball over, or burp up an ugly shot
but he’s always got a plan
When reached 40 years of following Portland basketball you have, be as passionate of the Trail Blazers you will not!
LMA echoed this closely
when interviewed about Nate’s coaching extension.
Dre has been playing marvelous basketball for months and
with Roy seldom able to go to the hoop anymore, Miller is also no longer an impediment to Roy’s now nearly non-existent driving game.
Ironically, since Roy now has to focus most of his offense on taking outside/midrange shots Roy complements that one serious shortcoming in Dre’s game. While Miller never made Roy 1.0 better (as he has LMA), Roy 1.5 can now make Miller more effective by providing him a more reliable outside shooting threat to pass to, and one that can still get a shot on his own as the clock is running down. And now Miller can make Roy 1.5 better by getting the ball to Roy for those outside shots when he is open.
I’d still rather have Roy 1.0 magically back with a PG that can shoot, but things are as they are, and now Miller and Roy 1.5 actually complement each other.
"You're not too smart, are you? I like that in a man." - Matty Walker in Body Heat (1981)
by BlazerFanSince1970 on Mar 9, 2011 1:00 AM PST up reply actions
my how the worm does turn
Brandon is now Steve Blake, and Miller is handling the ball (kind of) like the “old” Roy
It’s not a prefect comparision, of course. But it’s ironic how their role have reversed, due to Brandon’s limitations and Nate’s trust in his veteran PG
BTW, Roy can receive kick-out passes from many other Blazers, not just Andre
When reached 40 years of following Portland basketball you have, be as passionate of the Trail Blazers you will not!
It's Bizarro Blazer World!
Roy’s playing style resembles Blake’s (not so much, but what the heck, I’ll go with it) and now fits with Miller, Miller’s playing streak is ended by a suspension when a rookie gets his goat, Gerald Wallace is finally a Blazer (for practically nothing in trade), LMA wins NBA WC Player of the Month for his low-post game, Patty Mills is getting minutes and putting up numbers, and Rudy’s still here. Oh yeah, and Nate signs a new contract 3/4 way through his “wait and we’ll see” year. Who could have predicted all of that ….?
"You're not too smart, are you? I like that in a man." - Matty Walker in Body Heat (1981)
by BlazerFanSince1970 on Mar 9, 2011 6:36 PM PST up reply actions
It just goes to show you
nobody should give a fellow Bedger too much grief for making outrageous suggestions, because as we’ve seen reality can be stranger than fiction
(For example)
“Greg Oden will return and begin a consecutive games-played streak that won’t end for over 10 seasons. And like Wilt he’ll never foul out of a game!”
I dare anyone to say that this can’t happen… when it’s weighed against the improbable series of events during the past 6 months
When reached 40 years of following Portland basketball you have, be as passionate of the Trail Blazers you will not!
Regarding ex-Blazers, I'd say Brandon Roy's style of play is now close to Steve Smith.
"They say it has no memory. That’s where I want to live the rest of my life. A warm place with no memory."
and that ain't bad either
Harry Bosch: "Everybody counts....or nobody counts."
by 92wastheyear on Mar 10, 2011 8:11 AM PST up reply actions
Change for the better, I wonder if anyone still regrets the FA summer of ’09, anymore?
Are you kidding me? Andre Miller was a terrific pickup for this team; doubly so because of Roy’s injury. And to think he was 3rd on the wish list behind Hedo Turkuglu! OMG I cringe when I think of what could have been.
4th on the list
they flirted with Lee, as well
When reached 40 years of following Portland basketball you have, be as passionate of the Trail Blazers you will not!
I see this too, for what it's worth
I think also Nate is far less excuse-prone this year. I like his demeanor this year a lot better than I ever have.
Now if someone can go all Chip Kelly on his offense.
The Leeroy Rule: being insistent >>>> being correct
by leeroyjenkins on Mar 9, 2011 7:13 AM PST up reply actions
andre often makes the pass that leads to the pass that gets the open shot
doesnt show up in his stats, but integral part of the game. he tries to do what is needed is best way to describe him, and what is needed varies night to night, and often quarter to quarter within the game
If only Oden was alive and not at a Corvallis Bar...Oh Wait one of those are true.
Lock Andre up this this summer for another team option for 2012 and the dream of the lob to Oden is alive in Portland!
Besides they aren’t winning the title this year anyway so by default they avoid the only other definition of "waste" that matters.
—Dave
by TheOdenator52 on Mar 8, 2011 10:30 PM PST up reply actions 1 recs
I LOVE Dre running the show.
He’s such a smart player that he knows when to look to pass, and he knows when he needs to just drive and get a bucket. We need to extend him for next season, nobody we will get this offseason will be better for this team than Dre. We should target Sessions though, I’d love for Sessions to learn some things from Dre then let him take over the show once Dre is ready to retire.
with those jumpers and his attack in general has improved, like, 6000% this year. More familiarity with the team I suppose. One of the things I said consistently this summer is that ‘Dre is not going to give up his offense. He’s proving me wrong on that.
This comment puzzles me Dave. As a longtime Miller watcher, it’s been obvious since he entered the NBA that he is a pass first PG. Andre intuitively looks for his shot when he feels he has advantage, or if other teammates aren’t hitting. He needed to be a scorer last year than most, hence he looked for his offense more. But Miller has always played his best as the 3rd or 4th option, because his biggest strength is running the offense and opportunistic scoring. With a healthy roster with multiple scoring options, this will bring out the best in Miller.
Definitely agree with the idea that this is eminently repeatable
We beat the heat and there were definitely things we could have done better, wasn’t some freak game where our play will go downhill from here. It feels like our play might go UP!
Awesome stuff.
I've never seen Andre so animated in a game before.
I’m curious what was behind it, beside just really wanting to win?
#52
Seemed to be directed at Bibby whom Dre has faced a lot in the past and he and Bibby were chippy during the game
Besides they aren’t winning the title this year anyway so by default they avoid the only other definition of "waste" that matters.
—Dave
by TheOdenator52 on Mar 8, 2011 10:28 PM PST up reply actions
Hes the White Ghost of Pryzbilla trapped in an ageing amazing point guard body
Besides they aren’t winning the title this year anyway so by default they avoid the only other definition of "waste" that matters.
—Dave
by TheOdenator52 on Mar 8, 2011 10:35 PM PST up reply actions
I think Andre see's something special here
Can’t imagine what we’d look like with Oden at this point.
by Bowerz101 on Mar 8, 2011 10:42 PM PST up reply actions 1 recs
Most happy moment of the game for me:
Near the end of the game on the LMA double-team kickout to Roy for three, watch LMA carefully. Someone mentioned this in the earlier thread, but you ought to see it yourself (it is in most of the highlight montages).
Before Roy has even lifted off for the shot, LMA is signaling “its good” with his arm and walking easily back to the Blazers side of the court. Serious trust there, and it is something I’ve never seen between those two in the past.
Proud to be a Republican.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
><> ><> ><> ><> ><> ><> ><> ><> ><> ><> ><> ><>
Love it!
and am loving the BRoy is finding himself again! He is playing the exact role he needs to right now. A killer off the bench. I mean really? What is the other guy thinking when they see him check into the game? ‘Uh-oh (or more likely ’expletive’), BRoy is coming in and I gotta guard him? I’m about to get crossed up, lose my jock, and see a step back jumper get stuck right in my eye! Great, just what I needed!’
Thank you BRoy! You are still a ‘real baller’!
#20
IIbdII
more of a catch and shoot guy now
but still works for me.
i was thinking that too.
“oh crap, i forgot roy was on this team… i thought rudy was coming in”
not to be confused with.
“wait, what? gerald wallace is on this team. oh no… where’s that cunningham kid?”
here's video of LA on nba tv, great interview!
by bustabucket on Mar 8, 2011 10:38 PM PST reply actions 1 recs
Probably the best LMA interview I've seen....
He’s seems a lot more confident and comfortable talking with the media even just since last year.
I like that he took it personal about how he didn't step up last year after Roy got hurt.
He came back this year with something to prove.
#52
I remember after fan fest
Me and my mom were talking how he seemed more comfortable and confident. Hate to sound like a hippie, but he had a different aura about him. To make up for the use of aura I’m going to go burn styrofoam and protest the use of hemp products
No one in the world can beat me at RBI baseball 3(nes).
But wait, protesting anything puts me deeper down the rabbit hole
Haha. My bad I was so excited after that game I didn’t start my homework til one and still haven’t slept
No one in the world can beat me at RBI baseball 3(nes).
Awesome
Somebody finally got LMA to talk about himself…and he threw out some props to Bayno
Like Aldridge said to the media when he decided not to play for team USA last summer, “you all should have trusted me”
never again big guy, we’ll never doubt you again
When reached 40 years of following Portland basketball you have, be as passionate of the Trail Blazers you will not!
by two4larue on Mar 8, 2011 10:53 PM PST up reply actions 1 recs
just want to add.
he really got some nice praise from the two great big men who interviewed him in kevin mchale and chris webber. another all-start snub reference from webber as well. very cool.
Anyone think Miami regrets giving Bosh that max contract at this point?
Aldridge absolutely owned him. LA>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>Bosh
...not a max contract...
Proud to be a Republican.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
><> ><> ><> ><> ><> ><> ><> ><> ><> ><> ><> ><>
Semantics...close enough to it
by ilikescotch on Mar 8, 2011 10:57 PM PST via mobile up reply actions
people don't even refer to Miami's "Big 3" that much anymore
I LOVE THE NEW YORK KNICKERBOCKERS.
They beat the Miami Heat. TWICE.
And lost to the Cleveland Cavaliers. THREE TIMES.
Yeah, but as some stats people have said, Miami is at its worst when he isn't on the floor.
They can handle resting Wade or James, but the game falls apart without Bosh on the floor.
Even before LMA broke out, the Blazers had the same phenomena. If LMA wasn’t on the court, we were losing points. If he was on the court, we were winning. He could have a weak boxscore and it would still be just a true.
Proud to be a Republican.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
><> ><> ><> ><> ><> ><> ><> ><> ><> ><> ><> ><>
the guy doesn't touch the ball
LA couldn’t be dominant on that team either.
Most expensive 18 foot jump shot in the league
No one in the world can beat me at RBI baseball 3(nes).
Way to go guys.
You kick the Heat’s ass.
If only you would lose to the Cavs…then you’d be my favorites.
I LOVE THE NEW YORK KNICKERBOCKERS.
They beat the Miami Heat. TWICE.
And lost to the Cleveland Cavaliers. THREE TIMES.
we're really good at pleasing everyone
except when we play against big market cities like Los Angeles or New York.
I LOVE THE NEW YORK KNICKERBOCKERS.
They beat the Miami Heat. TWICE.
And lost to the Cleveland Cavaliers. THREE TIMES.
thanks for beating L*A
any Cav’s games left against OKC? If so, you know what to do…
When reached 40 years of following Portland basketball you have, be as passionate of the Trail Blazers you will not!
they'll kill us
if golden state whacked us at home, what chance do we have?
I LOVE THE NEW YORK KNICKERBOCKERS.
They beat the Miami Heat. TWICE.
And lost to the Cleveland Cavaliers. THREE TIMES.
You need a reverse jinx game preview
from Dave. That should do it!
You can still jump on the bandwagon after we beat the Cavs. Not like beating the Cavs mean a lot.
Unless Your a Knick Fan. HAHAHA!
Besides they aren’t winning the title this year anyway so by default they avoid the only other definition of "waste" that matters.
—Dave
by TheOdenator52 on Mar 8, 2011 10:49 PM PST up reply actions
which of those 5 logos is not like the other
I LOVE THE NEW YORK KNICKERBOCKERS.
They beat the Miami Heat. TWICE.
And lost to the Cleveland Cavaliers. THREE TIMES.
Only one has a leprechaun?
Just giving you a bad time. :p
"The madman is not the man who has lost his reason. The madman is the man who has lost everything except his reason." - G. K. Chesterton, Orthodoxy, 1909
Blazersedge.com || New to Blazersedge?
Actions -> Rec and Flag. Blazersedge works right when you use these two things.
you're good
I’ve heard way worse.
I LOVE THE NEW YORK KNICKERBOCKERS.
They beat the Miami Heat. TWICE.
And lost to the Cleveland Cavaliers. THREE TIMES.
Speaking of logos,
does Miami’s logo remind anyone else of a flaming bag?
It reminds me more of a flaming sac.
Or rather a flaming tear drop from their weeping eyes.
Those tears sting. Much like our beatdown did to them.
Thank you!
Blazers fan since '91
REST IN PEACE MAURICE LUCAS 1952-2010 R.I.P #20
"We're family because of this stupid, stinkin' team." - Dave
by rise_stand_resist on Mar 8, 2011 10:51 PM PST up reply actions
WINNING!!!!!
His nickname is G-Force, not Crash!
On the preview I believe I gave almost the exact formula that happened
Blazers shot better than 40% from three, they got it in to LA who dominated Bosh and he kicked it to open shooters, such as Wallace, Roy, Batum and Miller. Gerald came in and changed the game and the Blazers limited Miami’s transition plays, especially late in the game. They made Miami make some tough shots in the halfcourt and really bothered them and forced tunrovers. If the Blazers move the ball like that, and Roy is hitting the threes and they can play good defense, Portland will be really difficult to beat.
Yeah, right.
You didn’t say that.
Proud to be a Republican.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
><> ><> ><> ><> ><> ><> ><> ><> ><> ><> ><> ><>
Go and read it in the preview
Then tell me I didn’t predict most of what happened. I didn’t think Portland would win by as much by everything else I was pretty spot on
by JTDBlazers23 on Mar 8, 2011 11:08 PM PST up reply actions
I'm just teasing.
I won’t look. I believed you from when you first claimed this.
Proud to be a Republican.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
><> ><> ><> ><> ><> ><> ><> ><> ><> ><> ><> ><>
Most enjoyable game I’ve watched in quite a while.
Not just because we beat Miami.
Not just because we went 2-0 in FLA.
Not just because we have 7 road wins a row.
But because of how we played – as a team.
Roy playing better D in the first half than I’ve ever seen him play.
The Blazers obviously enjoying themselves, and each other.
Wallace with a monster reject, all night hustle, and huge points…
LMA another hohum 20 +.
Dre leading, cajoling, orchestrating this team. Did you see him clapping his hands at the end? You go, Dre! He’s all riled up…
And Batum-shakalaka…. Wow… You had to see it to appreciate it.
Great D on LeBron by Nic and company.
Great team D all night.
Great, great victory….
(It’s all a plot to get me to renew my season tix, for the awesome playoff run…)
But because of how we played – as a team.
The Blazers obviously enjoying themselves, and each other.
What a difference a week makes, eh?
(It’s all a plot to get me to renew my season tix, for the awesome playoff run…)
And they re-signed Nate earlier today, just to make you think twice!
When reached 40 years of following Portland basketball you have, be as passionate of the Trail Blazers you will not!
Think they won one for Nate tonight?
Much happier plane trip.. Maybe Sarge’ll take it easy on the guys tomorrow….
Speaking of Nate, he also had an excellent night...
I particularly remember two times when he called timeout, both times after a mini Miami run that actually made that pitiful collection of Floridians “fans” stand up and cheer…
Both times, I said, good call Nate…
(I think two was the number of times I said that all last year… So yeah, Nate’s growin)
off day tomorrow
I’m guessing Patty will arrange a pool party and BBQ at Wallace’s house in Charlotte
When reached 40 years of following Portland basketball you have, be as passionate of the Trail Blazers you will not!
roy did not play any good d
I’m glad to see him back and effective, but claiming he is anything other than a liability on D is crazy. Dude is still clutch, but D? good game though!
Actually, in the first half...
He was moving, hustling, getting in guys faces, aggressive around the ball…
You know me, I’m not a BRoy homer, but I saw some excellent effort from him in the first half…
Second half, he must have been out of pain meds, because he was back to being pretty awful then….
I've actually been more impressed with his d after his return
He did a great job on kobe his first game back
No one in the world can beat me at RBI baseball 3(nes).
I just watched the ESPN video recap of the Blazers-Heat game
And it was just like the boyz at ESPN had the highlights prepared before the final score came through to them. There were a total of about 7 highlight plays from tonight’s game, and the first five were all Heat player highlights of the Heat on offense running breakaways or alley oops and such to Lebron and Wade yada yad yada. Not a single Blazer play highlight until the last 5 seconds of the recap, and then just two highlights: the Roy 3 and then the Matthews 3. If you hadn’t been paying attention to the boxscore you’d have thought the freaking Heat won the game!
Nauseating. Just nauseating. The league and the stupid media bosses (especially ESPN) insist on making mega-stars out of freaks like Lebron and Carmelo, even to the point where they flat out ignore these players’ glaring character flaws – even let them get away with tawdry and morally reprehensible behavior – then play their dunks on highlight reels even though their teams aren’t very good. Disgustingly corrupt. Teams and players ought to be recognized for the purity and unselfishness of their approach to the game. Lebron is the exact opposite of that. And the NBA lionizes players who are the exact opposite of that. Ego over humility.
Ignorance more frequently begets confidence than does knowledge.
- Charles Darwin
by Love on Mar 8, 2011 11:32 PM PST reply actions 1 recs
Actually the first highlight was a Fernandez highlight.
Then three or four boring Heat ones… the best one was by Mike Miller strangely enough.
Then they finished up with our two daggers from Roy & Wes.
Proud to be a Republican.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
><> ><> ><> ><> ><> ><> ><> ><> ><> ><> ><> ><>
To be fair, the blazers just didn't have that many highlight worthy plays.
There were no Rudy/LA pick and roll lobs for instance. The only plays that really seem like snubs are Crash’s blocks.
You don’t need to see the winning team score more highlights to know who won, that’s why they tell you the score. I know that if LA has a sick dunk I want it on the recap real, regardless of whether we win..
I would also argue that the NBA doesn’t try to promote the more egoistic players. The fact is, players like Melo and Lebron are very good players, and the NBA is in the business of making money. They aren’t promoted because they’re selfish jerks. In fact, they are probably promoted despite that. The “media bosses” would much rather have Durant as the best player in the league instead of Lebron, but they can’t control who the best players are.
i was disappointed also.
i think there should be a rule that the winning team gets more highlights and it shouldn’t be that close. i notice this happening a lot to the blazers when they play hyped teams: 3-5 opponent highlights and then 1-2 showing blazer shots at the very end of the game.
i also was expecting a bigger recap and larger highlight package since we were playing the espn heat, but oh well.
I've come to accept that the blazers aren't a highlight friendly team.
Just like mchale was saying last night, simple smart basketball. Casual fans don’t want to see swing passes and dre hitting cutters. While the heat are a nba jam team with less depth, I kept on expecting the ball catch fire and wade to take off from half court after riles hit left down a b b a. Same reason griffin is about to get his own espn channel and LMA might get shown hitting a late jumper followed by “this guy has been playing like an allstar” I had to face that one cherry picked dunk is worth 10 back down or running hooks according to the highlight world
No one in the world can beat me at RBI baseball 3(nes).
On Patty Mills
I thought he had a pretty good game tonight. His stat-line is a little misleading in regards to his shooting. Mills was not looking for his shot tonight, and 2 of the 5 shots he took he had to force because someone passed him the ball with 1-2 seconds left on the shot clock. Two shots were open jumpers that he just plain missed, and the one he made was that awkward looking shot that ended the 3rd quarter. He was definitely trying to play more of a distributor role in this game.
Also, some people may not like the way Mills often flops, but he is forcing 1 or 2 valuable turnovers a game with those flops. The hit he took from James tonight though, that was no flop. That was the real deal my friends.
by Benny A La Vikings on Mar 8, 2011 11:52 PM PST reply actions
I spent most of the 4th quarter trying to get some audio of the game
as I watched the score scroll under the l*ker post-game. Horrible experience.
But, Dave, reading your summary, again, was magnificent. Thank you for what you do. I can’t believe you’re a preacher as your day job.
"Coach said to always be careful around Greg, because Greg costs a lot and even the slightest amount of basketball can damage him." -- The Onion
sad truth
I live in La, where you get to see every blazer game on league pass broadband
Same here, but I live in oregon and have to tell dish I live in houston.
Comcast sports net, where the only other show is wanted adventure women
No one in the world can beat me at RBI baseball 3(nes).
I will say after watching most games by the other teams broadcasts
That rice might be a homer, but he knows about every player in the league. Most color guys don’t watch any games but their own. They usually start each game talking how LMA doesn’t like to work in the paint. The hornets color guy is the worst
No one in the world can beat me at RBI baseball 3(nes).
And the headline is...
Heat lose five in a row.
wow really? who’d they lose to? not sure I’ll check.
Nobody has mentioned dre’s steal at the end of the game. I feel that may have been the final nail.
by Rockys' on Mar 9, 2011 1:11 AM PST via mobile reply actions
My favorite play as well--
he totally mugged Wade; it was glorious.
RenoMillerFan
by RenoBlazerFan on Mar 9, 2011 9:15 AM PST up reply actions
I remember when 'Dre did the same thing to Jarrett Jack
back when Denver was playing Portland
When reached 40 years of following Portland basketball you have, be as passionate of the Trail Blazers you will not!
Chicago beat Miami, it's all over ESPN, and they go on for an hour on Mike and Mike about that game. Blazers win, they show a 20 second highlight clip.
They are talking about football on Mike and Mike. ESPN is pathetic.
Must-win game against Bobcats:
from ESPN: "The win over the Heat is the 7th straight on the road for the Trail Blazers, their longest road winning streak in almost 20 years and the third longest such streak in franchise history. Each of the two previous times Portland has gone on a longer road win streaks, they made the Western Conference Finals."
"All is vanity and vexation of spirit."
http://year5000.bandcamp.com
i'm glad they're not playing charlotte tomorrow.
i’m worried about a let down game, but hopefully they can use the next day or so to revel in the win and then get focused for charlotte.
wallace will definitely be focused – hopefully the team shows him some respect by helping him get a big win for his homecoming.
How is Patty Mills...
…not everything you want in a backup PG??
Yeah, he was short with all his shots tonight, but he ran the floor great, plays in your face defense, and is an awesome teammate! All this talk about TJ Ford, Bibby, etc…..really?
I'd like it if he had one good/great skill to bring to the table
He seems like he’s geared to be a change of pace score first PG, but he’s not that good of a shooter.
#52
Although Mills isn't a PG
The one I do like about his in the PG role is his ball handling. The ball is attached to his hand. He at least gets the offense into their sets quickly because he dribbles so well. He’s just not an especially good passer, but as a contrast to Miller, it might actually be OK to have a shoot first “PG”.
Mills looks over at Nate for a play, before each possession
so he’s the de facto backup PG, even if he’s far from a pure, pass-first PG (and this can probably be debated re: over 50% of the starting “PGs” in the league…)
When reached 40 years of following Portland basketball you have, be as passionate of the Trail Blazers you will not!
Mills
I think Mills has the talent to be an excellent shooter, but it is going to take him a couple years in the rotation before he develops good consistency in making his shots.
I think the only thing that stops someone with good shooting talent from developing consistency is if they are afraid to take the open shot, and Mills doesn’t suffer from that problem.
I do have to give credit to Patty for being a better defender than I would expect from an undersized second rounder pg...
He’s ok, but I’m still on my Ramon Sessions man crush, we need to get him in a Blazers uni.
Patty is definitely a PG who can score
but I see him as a ‘make-a-play’ first PG, and as a guard that can shoot, he’s going to take a good look. His play-making passing and decision making will improve with minutes but he’s already very good at the pick’n’pop and improving at the NBA pick’n’roll. His ability to score off his shot is something to be encouraged for a change of pace backup PG, but he’s clearly not just a Nate Robinson or an Eddie House, he is running the team with purpose when he’s out there. i expect him to improve given his determination.
it so funny to go over to the miami blog and read about who they think is better...
LA or Bosh. They agree it’s LA but that he’s soft just like Bosh. I just have to laugh and think that they haven’t been watching many Blazer games this year. LA is a beast! Great Win. Plus, I think it probably would have done Miami good if they had just signed LBJ and Wade so they could have some cap room to sign some good roll players in the future because most of the roll players they have now are crapola. When your best roll player is Mario Chalmers—your team has a problem.
Go to Heaven for the climate, Hell for the company.
Now that was a win
The guy I feel the best for is G. Wallace. As down in the dumps as he looked the other night after the back-to-back home losses, he must’ve been feeling the exact opposite last night. Because he was in the East, I never really got a true appreciation for his non-stop motor and knack for being in the right place at the right time. Good show, G. Wallace, good show. Also nice to get a big win like that in the first game after Nate got his extension.
What can I gripe about, jeebus, everyone filled their roles to perfection. LMA, get more rebounds?
Miami is a mess. I feel for Coach Spoelstra. I can’t see that team coming out of the East. Bosh is like a poor man’s LMA, how is he one of the “Big Three”??? More like the Big Two-and-a-Half.
The Leeroy Rule: being insistent >>>> being correct
True about the player formerly known as crash (going to fly next month and don't want to get water boarded by tsa)
You could tell that in the forth quarter of the magic game and last night he felt like a member of this team
No one in the world can beat me at RBI baseball 3(nes).
Don't feel too bad for Coach Spoelstra
he started off the season on thin ice, then recovered, and now his team is back in meltdown mode
he will come out of this ok – - – everyone realizes that he has a team that is nearly uncoachable, except with a coach that is truly extraordinary
Win the day!
Yep, you need a guy that commands respect to handle that.
Hard to try to earn it on the fly with that crew.
No one in the world can beat me at RBI baseball 3(nes).
Whenever I'm about to feel sorry for anyone in professional sports I immediatly picture them in the back teller line waiting to deposit their pay check
Not saying they don’t earn it, just saying life ain’t that bad when you got got a annual income that uses three commas
No one in the world can beat me at RBI baseball 3(nes).
yeah, and if coaching doesn't work out, there is always the sweet media gig
for those who can speak intelligently, that is
Win the day!
Brandon hit shots tonight, but he still looked terrible out there. What are we still doing (Nate?) running plays where brandon starts with the ball? He can barely move, does not pass it, and you saw his effectiveness once again last night as wade guarded him one on one, blocked his shot, got the ball, then dunked it on Aldridge… Roy is an OFF THE BALL Player now. I can’t believe they resigned this guy for two more years…Can’t believe we had Roy trying to guard wade down the stretch either. Then wade hit three in a row and they put Matthews on him. With Roy’s lack of mobility when they start playing teams that run any sort of an offensive gameplan, he is going to start hurting the team. I don’t see having to hide such a limited player on both offense and defense down the stretch (especially when we’re already hiding miller). Batum has shown this year he can hit big shots at the end of games, at this point Batum is a better player than Brandon. Nate needs to coach and start rotating Batum back in with the starters at the end of games like he deserves.
by heybabydrinkyourmilk on Mar 9, 2011 7:41 AM PST via mobile reply actions
Looked terrible? I most of been watching a different game or have different expectations
He wasn’t d wade but he wasn’t chris bosh either. I don’t know, I’m the kind of guy that gets excited when I see the sun, not irritated that I hadn’t seen it for a week
No one in the world can beat me at RBI baseball 3(nes).
This post is wrong on so manu levels
A) I don’t think Brandon monopolized the ball too much at all, and played off the ball most of the time
B) Roy’s defense is not great, but it wasn’t that bad.
C) We’re certainly not hiding Miller on defense. He in fact contributes to it from a team defense standpoint. Try looking at the boxscores and see what who consistently comes out ahead sometime.
D) Batum has not shown the ability to hit big endgame shots consistently. He’s areally an inconsistent player on all levels at this point, and that includes defense.
Don't listen to the debbie downers
They even complain about blow outs. Like some of the calls to the msp, trying to play winning back to back in florida cause dwight was out and heat are sinking. Blazer fans should know best that just cause your star is wearing a suit doesn’t count you out. There is a reason why everyone on the roster are millionaires too
No one in the world can beat me at RBI baseball 3(nes).
Winners always look for ways to improve
Having too very slow guards on the perimeter at the end of games is going to start hurting the team. Doesn’t seem like such an out there point of view to me. Great win! There are still some changes that need to happen though.
by heybabydrinkyourmilk on Mar 9, 2011 8:02 AM PST via mobile up reply actions
What are you talking about
Our perimiter defense came up 7’s against Wade down the stretch. Miller had a great steal, and we totally blew them out in the final 4 minutes. Our defense rotates a lot anyway, so Miller or Roy aren’t necessary guarding the top of the key all the time. That’s one of the things that makes Miller a solid defender actually – his ability to switch of the perimeter and guard a 3 or 4 credibly in the key. Your post makes no sense, and you especially severely underestimate Miller as a defender.
If Miller or Roy were defendeing in one-on-one isolation sets, there may be a point. But its not the case.
how do you explain the opponents shooting percentages being so high then?
the heat shot over 51% last night… how does that happen?
by heybabydrinkyourmilk on Mar 9, 2011 8:23 AM PST up reply actions
Well, to starters
They have 3 All Stars on their team, including 2 surefire 1 ballot HOF’ers. LeBron James went 14-20. I’m not saying we can’t tighten things up defensively, but those “issues” are mostly on the inside NOT perimeter defending. Wes, Batum (when he’s out there) Miller and Fernandez are doing the job on the perimeter. And I agree with you that Roy isn’t the best defender now, and wasn’t more than about average in his prime. But Roy’s endgame defense can be masked my Wallace + company, and Miller continues to be solid there, as he has been his whole career.
i believe it’s because guys are getting too much space on the perimeter. slow on rotation, rotating in the first place to hide our slowness on the perimeter, and guys just flat out going around miller and roy and shooting over them easily because they give up too much space. look at the stats, any teams with good guards shoot 50% on us. you know how many playoff teams will have good guards this year – all of them.
by heybabydrinkyourmilk on Mar 9, 2011 8:34 AM PST up reply actions
I guess we're doomed
"If I had a dime for every basket I made today, you'd still suck!" - from the book 'John Dies @ the End'
I'll live with giving up a high percentage shooting if it's just those two shooting
They get a boost in their fg% cause they score alot of easy buckets in the open court. When the defense is set and their trying to figure how come they keep getting in each others way, I would guess their fg% is in the low 30s. This being blazer edge, I bet someone will pull out some enhanced advanced stat from a swedish pay site to prove me wrong right about now
No one in the world can beat me at RBI baseball 3(nes).
You mean Jameer Nelson going 1-7 with 5 TO
Against Orlando? Or Beno Udrih going 5-13 3 games ago against Sacramento? I could go on. but Im at work. The defensive problems on this team are mostly inside, not out.
Or what about Dj Augustine
going 5-12 with 3 AST and 6 TO’s against Chalotte? For a bad perimeter defense, we’re sure holding some opposing PG to bad percentages
That last point guard I can remember burning us was derrick rose
Who pretty much gave all his points back trying to guard dre
No one in the world can beat me at RBI baseball 3(nes).
Besides Kyle Lowry on March 1st
You might have to go back 13 or 14 games to find a PG with better overall numbers than Miller. He clearly had a better game than Rose when they played on Feb 7. My internet is very slow at work today, so I cant verify when.
Of course, not all of this has to do with Miller since he isn’t usually guarding the opposing PG the whole game, but a lot of it does.
My bad, I had deleted that houston game from my memory
Btw I really have always liked lowery. Kind of reminds me of dre, doesn’t really have your typical skill set but uses his strength to get to where he wants to go
No one in the world can beat me at RBI baseball 3(nes).
Didn't memphis pretty much donate him to houston
No one in the world can beat me at RBI baseball 3(nes).
for the record
my post was about roy, not miller
by heybabydrinkyourmilk on Mar 9, 2011 9:39 AM PST up reply actions
Don't know why we thought you were talking about dre. Might has to do with you saying dre is to slow a couple times and everyone going around him
No one in the world can beat me at RBI baseball 3(nes).
dre is slow and people do go around him
still like everyone else has pointed out, we can compensate for one guy. when you add roy to that, then we have one less player to compensate with, and one more to compensate for.
by heybabydrinkyourmilk on Mar 9, 2011 10:00 AM PST up reply actions
My bad for being a hater
I just get tired of so many people sleeping on dre
No one in the world can beat me at RBI baseball 3(nes).
Nelson gets punked by miller every time they face off
He is one of the many of the nba’s new breed of small, quick and finishing point guards that has been punked by dre. I’m thinking about starting a support group
No one in the world can beat me at RBI baseball 3(nes).
Nelson got destroyed twice this year
Im pretty sure its been the same in the past. Nelson may be quicker, but Dre’s strength bothers him. Dre gives him just leeway where he drive easily, yet can bother his shot if he fires away. It’s just a bloodbath out there SVG pulled him after 22 minutes in spite of a shorter bench.
Yep, it's true.
We usually end up winning the point guard match up. Magic were running a double at dre when he got the ball at the perimeter on monday
No one in the world can beat me at RBI baseball 3(nes).
The Heat sent a double team out on Andre numerous times
during the game. Just goes to show how much they wanted the ball out of his hands.
Because anyone not with a six or a 3 on their heat jersey had a combined 7 shots last night
And that roy or dre had little or no time covering the divas. That’s like blaming camby fire jason richardson lighting us up from the arc on monday
No one in the world can beat me at RBI baseball 3(nes).
Always ways to improve but I remember dre bringing up the ball most the time
And even though dre might be slow, it doesn’t him back. He can’t jump, shoot and run but stol has been one of the most consistent point guards in the league year end and year out
No one in the world can beat me at RBI baseball 3(nes).
This is the NBA
Even the most laterally quick guards get penetrated on almost at will with the rules the way they are. Time and time again people mistake lack of quickness to poor defender, and thats not necessarily the case. Upper body strength, defensive spacing, the ability to switch are just as important. And Miller does this well and Roy does this not as well, but ok.
are people not seeing opposing offenses rotate the ball around until it finds the guy that roy is guarding?
because that is what is happening.
by heybabydrinkyourmilk on Mar 9, 2011 8:54 AM PST up reply actions
I agree that Roy is still a liability on D
that he causes us to switch in situations that we wouldn’t necessarily…but it doesn’t matter. It’s way worth it to have a guy like him out there. Who can knock down big shots and be clutch.
"If I had a dime for every basket I made today, you'd still suck!" - from the book 'John Dies @ the End'
Not a big enough one that he can't handle a third or fourth option on most teams
By drink milks theory of late game line ups guys like melo, nash well pretty much all of phoenix, j rich, hedo, fisher and so on would never be left out late in games
No one in the world can beat me at RBI baseball 3(nes).
wondering if brandon had not made that three if people would be so quick to disagree with me. had he only gotten blocked by wade 1:1/lost the ball for a dunk, stalled the offense numerous times, once passing to a guarded mills in the corner with one on the clock, gotten abused by wade three straight times on defense to let them close the gap. he made one three – that’s it. i don’t mean to be such a hater, i would love it if roy could still play well enough to deserve to finish the games, but i don’t think he does, and time will tell.
by heybabydrinkyourmilk on Mar 9, 2011 12:21 PM PST up reply actions
yeah, I didn't see it either
I think Roy needs to be on the floor in crunch time. He came in for the end of the first half, the end of the 3rd quarter, and played the whole 4th.
"If I had a dime for every basket I made today, you'd still suck!" - from the book 'John Dies @ the End'
Yeah....I concur....he hasn't stalled the offense since he came back
except in specific situations at the end of quarters and so forth.
Harry Bosch: "Everybody counts....or nobody counts."
how about at the end of the 3rd when we used Roy as a decoy
so Patty could be in iso with no help against Bibby? My brother thought it was terrible coaching, I thought it was a much better one on one matchup than Roy v. Lebron. Brilliant and in direct contrast with how we handled the end of the 2nd…Nate had em guessing.
"If I had a dime for every basket I made today, you'd still suck!" - from the book 'John Dies @ the End'
Yep.......this is true
and doesn’t invalidate my point …which is he doesn’t stall the offense…unless it is intentional (such as winding clock). One on one moves is not “stalling the offense” any more than when LMA, Rudy, Patty or Dre does them. Only Roy gets accused of this this …and everyone on the team does them from time to time depending on the situation.
Harry Bosch: "Everybody counts....or nobody counts."
agree wholeheartedly
I didn’t make that comment to counter your point, but rather to highlight one aspect of Roy’s value
"If I had a dime for every basket I made today, you'd still suck!" - from the book 'John Dies @ the End'
word
I’ve always enjoyed your profile photo
"If I had a dime for every basket I made today, you'd still suck!" - from the book 'John Dies @ the End'
Touching moment between 92wastheyear and sammymohawk
This is the reason we comment on blazersedge
No one in the world can beat me at RBI baseball 3(nes).
Like when he "stalled" the offense when he drove and kicked out to LA
for a buzzer beater? or maybe when he drove right baseline in crunch time and found Wallace cutting for a lay in?
I’m just not seeing it. I agree that the D-wade block was cringe worthy but D-wade does that to alot of people and it didn’t cost us the game. In fact, Roy hit the 3 to put us up by 5 a few minutes later so at least it didn’t affect his confidence or cause him to become unaggressive.
BTW – why doesn’t Matthews get any flack like this? He turns over the ball wayyy too much even on a simple drives! Newsflash, unless he’s spotting up for a 3 pointer or speeding in for a transition bucket, you don’t want Matthews handling the ball…I love We$ but let’s not ignore the truth.
well i wish i was seeing something else than what i am
but brandon looks the same to me as he did when he last left. barely able to move. he just looks like he is trying to do less and thus, looks less pitiful, and has hit his open shots in the offense. maybe i’m unwilling to admit that he’s better, maybe i’m trying to save myself from that great disappointment again. of course it took the whole city until the laker game this year to admit to themselves that roy maybe wasn’t in very good shape so maybe everybody else is just trying to fool themselves. time will tell i guess. to me though, being able to hit an open shot isn’t enough to warrant staying in the game when you have a guy like batum that can also hit that shot, and has hit big shots this year just like that one roy hit to put games out of reach, that are monsters on d and give our team, i would say, a solid 5 extra possessions a game (tip-outs, on-ball defense that leads to steals for others).
maybe if you think of it like wallace is finishing games over roy then you might feel better, because that’s really the case.
by heybabydrinkyourmilk on Mar 10, 2011 2:57 PM PST up reply actions
When has Batum hit one of these "wide open" shots??
Harry Bosch: "Everybody counts....or nobody counts."
by 92wastheyear on Mar 10, 2011 9:34 PM PST up reply actions
http://www.miamiherald.com/2011/03/03/2094952/recap-sacramento-vs-portland.html
going all the way back to the third
by heybabydrinkyourmilk on Mar 11, 2011 9:49 AM PST up reply actions
Seriously?
The game continued to be back-and-forth, and it was knotted at 95 with three minutes to play. Batum then sank a three-pointer and Wallace had a thunderous dunk to put Portland up 100-95 with 2:30 remaining.
You are equating a wide open 3 pointer by Batum with 3 minutes left to play….to an extremely covered 3 pointer by Roy with 5.8 seconds left??
If you can’t see why those are different then I can’t explain it
Harry Bosch: "Everybody counts....or nobody counts."
by 92wastheyear on Mar 11, 2011 11:04 AM PST up reply actions
Yes, Roy is a liability
But not a big enough one when he his the only liability on the floor compared to his big shooting ability.
You just refered to something that could cause the world to implode if said aloud
The heat and ball rotation. Those two things can not co exist. If your talking about how roy got caught on ryan anderson after a switch a couple times, then I’ll agree with you that roy has a tough time guarding 6 10 power forwards. But in that game I think nate was baiting the magic to let anderson have that matchup if it kept the ball out of j rich and hedo’s. What would you rather give up, Ryan anderson being given the ball and have to make a play or let hedo and richardson have the ball in their hands. By no means is roy an elite defender, never has been, but when you surround him with guys like batum, matthews and wallace it doesn’t hurt having him out there
No one in the world can beat me at RBI baseball 3(nes).
there is a reason why every contender made a run at corey brewer and were willing to pay him millions for many years
Has no other skill besides being a stopper, which I can’t see how he can be a good one when just about every blazer perimeter player has their career high against the wolves. But anyways, stick a guy like that next to a scorer with bad d and it’s all gravy. Speaking of dallas, the next time dirk plays d will be the first time in a long chandler next to him all of a sudden you don’t notice dirk thinking about crazy chick con artists
No one in the world can beat me at RBI baseball 3(nes).
I'll admit I was worried about having Roy over Batum in the fourth there.
Especially since Roy didn’t look too good defensively in the second half and I think in at least two possessions he tried to do too much and revert to the old one-on-one. But I understood why Nate had him in (for clutch scoring). In the end it worked perfectly with how it should work from here on out: the ball should go through Aldridge first, and if he can’t get a nice look or go to the line, then he’ll kick it out to a dependable shooter. Which is exactly what happened. Roy was dead-eye with that 3. I just hope Roy will “feel it” most nights.
Gotta love the people who find things to dump on
instead of minor quibbles after a huge win.
Same people that trash on super models and call some random thing out that makes them ugly.
No one in the world can beat me at RBI baseball 3(nes).
boooo
Roy is our best clutch player hands down, you want him on the court at the end of games. Reading your post you’d think we just got blown out by the Bucks. We soundly beat the Heat yo!! No reason to complain! Our team has legit talent now!
"If I had a dime for every basket I made today, you'd still suck!" - from the book 'John Dies @ the End'
Since Roy went out this season...
Aldridge has been pretty clutch lately as well
by RVUStudentDoc on Mar 9, 2011 2:19 PM PST up reply actions
100% from 3pt against a high seeded EC playoff team
Roy is just what the doctor ordered for clogged paint…and our finishing line-up was dynamite. LMA, Crash and Dre approve mightily!
Yes, happy with Aldridge in the 4th this year
but he doesn’t have the clutch credentials of Roy (few do). Rudy has also hit some clutch shots this year, but he won’t be in our closing lineup now that Gerald is here and BRoy is back.
"If I had a dime for every basket I made today, you'd still suck!" - from the book 'John Dies @ the End'
McMillan signs extension - Blazers play best game of season
Good time to play that card, Mr. Cho.
Law of Logical Argument
Anything is possible if you don't know what you are talking about.
Minus the worthless draft last year, kp's finger in the air out the door, blazer brass has been on fire
Getting camby for two guys who were running short on their blazer years anyways, proved everyone wrong by stealing matthews for what is looking like a bargin now and getting crash for a one legged prz and a 6 6 non athletic 4 and late picks. And considering prz is coming back and allen buys late first round picks anyways, we basically got crash for donte and a lease out on joel
No one in the world can beat me at RBI baseball 3(nes).
We have a team that can compete against anyone
Wallace gives us that 4 that can still pull rebounds and guard down low, now we can run. Between Matthews, Batum, Wallace, Aldridge, Camby, and Fernandez, and even Mills we have a group of defenders that are going to smother people all night long. We can switch on picks any time we want. We are over the cap for crying out loud. Let’s all stop wondering how Nate’s been able to coach this team through losing Oden and Roy and start realizing that the group we still have is right up there with any team in the league. Hoping Collins can start getting some minutes because we are going to need him if we get into a series with the lakers or another very large team.
by heybabydrinkyourmilk on Mar 9, 2011 7:55 AM PST via mobile reply actions
in the playoffs, the rotation will get shorter
even players who get significant minutes in the regular season won’t be seen much in the post-season
don’t count on seeing Collins play
Win the day!
Now they should be called the Miami Bleat.
Because they were crying again after this one, I’m sure.
Any fool can cause pain but spreading joy is a true accomplishment.
“in the playoffs, the rotation will get shorter even players who get significant minutes in the regular season won’t be seen much in the post-season”
Let’s say a 7 man rotation. Camby, Miller, Batum, Matthews, Aldridge, Roy, Wallace. Won’t be many teams that can put up 7 guys equal to that group.
As long as Camby doesn't try to score too.
I don’t know what happened to his shot, but it’s definitely not the same as last season.
by Stryder9 on Mar 9, 2011 9:54 AM PST up reply actions 1 recs
This.
Why on Earth is Camby shooting from 17-18 feet…that is LA’s shot and I love you Marcus but you’re not LA….Grab some boards/tip em’ out, Do the high-low pass thing, Play great help D and get timely blocks – here’s the rub we don’t want you shooting from that far away because when you miss, you’re not in the paint to rebound it…
LOVED the Miller clap thing at the end
I don’t see Miller trying to show up Bibby. I think he was trying to show up the NBA and STERN. I have seen enough interviews with Miller to tell he HATES the double standard in the NBA for stars.
by LicketyBrindleDowntheMiddle on Mar 9, 2011 9:04 AM PST reply actions
pen is mighty actually has a poll
and the leading vote is for trading lebron for a “carmelo” style comeback.
That game was friggin epic.
I’ll be keeping that one on the DVR. Good timing for Wallace’s breakout game as a blazer, eh?
RenoMillerFan
I thought Brandon wouldn't play in the second of back-to-backs to protect his knees.
Does anyone know if that changed?
Sorry if this was posted earlier. I don’t see an answer.
Yeah ....that was also changed when his minutes allotment was recently increased
Harry Bosch: "Everybody counts....or nobody counts."
Yep but I thought I heard only 15 minutes but nate was saying it's more like 20.
Smart move by nate keeping him out the whole third so he didn’t have to worry about jensen tapping his shoulder late in the fourth
No one in the world can beat me at RBI baseball 3(nes).
Man, it's been great to read and participate in a positive post
that wasn’t jammed with hate Nate and BRoy comments. I’m told that’s how new fans are this day and age but I can’t quite take all the negativity towards the team and believe they are really fans. In fact, I believe they are not really fans and I hope they continue to stay away. Maybe I see them wrong.
I don't miss those "Allen is running the franchise into the ground" posts either
Everybody’s got their axe to grind at one time or another. Debate team > mutual admiration society
When reached 40 years of following Portland basketball you have, be as passionate of the Trail Blazers you will not!
As long as there are union busting sentiments there will always be some anti-management sentiment
but for the time-being it makes sense to allow people to quietly resolve problems. Many questions werre answered with the extension for coach Nate.
Comments For This Post Are Closed
Secondary Sidebar
User Tools
NBA Playoffs Content Module
Related FanPosts on Blazer's Edge
Related FanShots on Blazer's Edge
FanPosts
Community blog posts and discussion.
Recommended FanPosts
Recent FanPosts
FanShots
Quick hits of video, photos, quotes, chats, links and lists that you find around the web.
Recommended FanShots
Recent FanShots
In Association With
Ball Don't Lie - NBA - Yahoo! Sport
- Behind the Box Score, where the Boston Celtics are moving on to the conference finals
- NBA Playoffs Fan Fiction: San Antonio Spurs vs. Oklahoma City Thunder
- The Indiana Pacers? Gone till November
- Shaquille O’Neal is in a Chinese beer commercial, too (VIDEO)
- ‘Deep Thoughts’ and Cheap Thoughts: San Antonio Spurs vs. Oklahoma City Thunder
