Game 79 Recap: Blazers 86, Kings 103

by Dave on Apr 12, 2008 2:27 AM PDT in News Comment 20 comments

Wow, that was an amazingly tough game to watch. I stopped taking notes after the second quarter. If you want to get the flavor of this game, go find a dead opossum, stick it down the throat of a skunk, wrap the whole think in the intestine of a yak, and leave it in the back of your fridge for about a month. Yeah, it was that good.

I don't know how much this game is even worth talking about, but let's start by saying we got outscored in the paint 52-36 by a team featuring Mikki Moore, Spencer Hawes, John Salmons, and Shelden Williams up front. Now mind you, I'm not downplaying Hawes and Salmons. I like them both. But they're not exactly terrors of the deep if you know what I mean. Kevin Martin only scored 16 and Beno Udrih 11 and the Kings barely cared. That's just wrong. Even wronger: EVERYBODY for them scored in double figures except for Williams. That's right...everybody who played. We weren't an opponent, we were a merry-go-round. We never covered them inside or out. They ended up shooting 56% from the field and 42% from the three-point line.

Then there was our play...

I have not seen a more passive effort from Brandon Roy this season, even when he was hurt. (Might he still be?) My first-half notes are covered with variations of "Where is Brandon?!?" I know we wanted to run the offense through the big men against the weak Kings front line, but there's no excuse for Roy not even touching the ball, let alone getting a look at the basket. It was like we were kickboxing with our shoes tied together. Brandon didn't even look to shoot until the second half and basically never drove the ball at any point during the game. Something was up.

Lamarcus and Channing had very good games. Lamarcus had 24 points, 15 rebounds, 3 steals, and 3 blocks. Channing added 15 points and 14 rebounds. Jarrett was decent with 10 points and 7 assists. Outlaw hit 7-14 for 18 total points but everything tonight for him was one-on-one. After that it was stink bomb city. Steve Blake went 0-9 with 4 turnovers. James Jones went 0-6 himself. It was just painful.

I'm certainly hoping we'll see a bounce-back game at home against Dallas. If we pull another one of these out of our hats we may lose 200-60.

--Dave (blazersub@yahoo.com)

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Roy

I could be wrong, but I strongly suspect that Roy was hurting--a lot. When they showed the replay of the infamous Odom/Gasol foul, you could see that Brandon hadn't been able to break his fall at ALL. In fact, he fell so hard he actually bounced. My guess is that Roy could hardly move the next day, and that he's still black & blue all along his lower back & butt.

Trouper that he is, Roy tried to play facilitator vs the Kings, but the Blazers probably would have been better off without him. Not that Roy's absence would have helped Blake or Jones throw it in the ocean. And where was the defense??

"Ime caught the guy in mid-air with a fist and calmly continued his dispatching of oncoming people." -Gabe Muoneke

by hurryup09 on Apr 12, 2008 3:05 AM PDT reply actions 0 recs

Did I forget to mention...

that I too found the game almost unwatchable? I viewed it on my DVR, and from the mid-third quarter on I couldn't resist hitting the 30-second skip button every time the Blazers missed or turned it over. Seeing the anemic Kings come downcourt yet again and score without resistance was too much for me.

"Ime caught the guy in mid-air with a fist and calmly continued his dispatching of oncoming people." -Gabe Muoneke

by hurryup09 on Apr 12, 2008 3:11 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

Then he should sit

If he's out there, he should play like it matters. Brandon Roy just picked up his first strike with me last night. Pathetic.

by leeroyjenkins on Apr 12, 2008 4:17 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

That was the first

time I saw that Odom/Roy play, and wow, he did hit the floor hard. It pained me to the core so I can imagine how he felt. To me though, it did not look like a flagrant.

Even though it appeared Roy was playing hurt last night and wasn't looking to shoot at all during the 1st half, he was till valuable as he drew double teams whenever he received the ball and would then pass to an open man.

by TwoDeep on Apr 12, 2008 7:51 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

Once again, excuses are weak

And it's tough to watch your favorite team basiaclly admit they've thrown in the towel. Maybe they should give their salaries back for these last few games. Embarassing.

SACRAMENTO DOESN'T HAVE ANYTHING LEFT TO PLAY FOR EITHER, FOOLS.

by leeroyjenkins on Apr 12, 2008 4:13 AM PDT reply actions 0 recs

ps. wasnt this the same team...

that was outraged a week ago when it was suggested they were going through the motions??!

Heh.

by leeroyjenkins on Apr 12, 2008 4:21 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

pps. pride, a competitive nature..

Those are important traits. I can pretty much guarantee you Michael Jordan would never say "Eh, these games don't really mean anything, I don't have to try my hardest."

Just sayin'...

Ok ok I'm spent.

by leeroyjenkins on Apr 12, 2008 4:25 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

Good

by rburg on Apr 12, 2008 8:09 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

Amen

Yeah, Roy & the Blazers really sucked vs the Lakers the game before, didn't they? No heart at all. Wow, one stinker performance and they're a bunch of dogs. Some fan.

"Ime caught the guy in mid-air with a fist and calmly continued his dispatching of oncoming people." -Gabe Muoneke

by hurryup09 on Apr 12, 2008 9:47 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

You're spent

yes, it is very tiring to insult your team online, isn't it.

by Section323 on Apr 12, 2008 10:17 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

I do not understand these comments

this team has said over and over that they want to finish the year above .500. They will not, but last night was the deciding game. You really think they woke up yesterday and said, "You know, I think I'll just dog it tonight. .500 isn't that important."

The suggestion that they are "disinterested" is ludicrous.

They have terrible games, they lose focus, their basketball IQ gets lost, they are tired and injured, yes, but dialing it in? I don't think so.

And their last game was the LA game? They should return their salaries for that one?

by Section323 on Apr 12, 2008 10:16 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

I stopped watching after the 1st quarter

They didn't care to play and got whipped. Enough said.

by blzrfan on Apr 12, 2008 10:45 AM PDT reply actions 0 recs

They've started slowly before

I'm surprised you'd just give up after one quarter. They did cut it to single digits late.

by jamon51 on Apr 12, 2008 11:26 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

Three reasons we lost

Brandon Roy had an awful game
Steve Blake had an awful game
James Jones had an awful game

That's it. That's why the Blazers lost. Everyone else who played, played well.

by jamon51 on Apr 12, 2008 11:21 AM PDT reply actions 0 recs

And let's narrow it down a little more

Blake basically did well on the defensive end, but didn't do well offensively. So it's Roy, Jones, and Blake's shooting that lost the game.

by jamon51 on Apr 12, 2008 11:24 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

I wouldn't narrow it THAT far

That really was a stinker performance by our guys. Frye continued to bring the "shock & awe" with his hustle and rebounding (he must really like starting), and LMA continued to play great. But most of the other guys really struggled, not only with their shooting but with defense. The Kings shot well over 60% in the first half, and ultimately that was too much to overcome.

Tonight's another night, though. The Mavs are mighty, but the Blazers have surprised us before...

"Ime caught the guy in mid-air with a fist and calmly continued his dispatching of oncoming people." -Gabe Muoneke

by hurryup09 on Apr 12, 2008 12:19 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

Brandon wasn't going to play

until he read marktwain's diary about him being a sissy.

I remember supporting the Blazers under sniper fire.

by MiledAnimal on Apr 12, 2008 1:00 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs

I heard he's been inquiring...

about who is this Mark Twain and where does he live. Someone tried to throw him off the scent by telling him that Mark's real name is Samuel Clemens. But that won't work for long.

Don't let that high voice fool you: Brandon Roy has a mean streak a mile long, and he reads every post @ Blazersedge.

"Ime caught the guy in mid-air with a fist and calmly continued his dispatching of oncoming people." -Gabe Muoneke

by hurryup09 on Apr 12, 2008 1:41 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

And

he wants to rule the world.

He's the most egotistical person in the world, but only lets it come out on line. It's part of his cover.

He pretends he's posting from a distant country so no one will guess....

I'm frequently right, but always certain

by jscot on Apr 12, 2008 1:46 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

No Need to get Worked Up

I watched the game and the Blazers were clearly hungover, from the party and the after party. I think our boys went on a two-day bender after beating the L*kers. Just another mistake of a young team. A veteran team knows how to handle their alcohol and they have methods to get ready for the game. No need to worry about the Blazers, they'll learn, and in the mean time, Bobby Medina needs to learn about Chaser.

Early to Bedge and early to rise makes a man healthy, wealthy, and wise.

by tominhawaii on Apr 12, 2008 3:42 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs