Blazer's Edge - 2018 NBA Playoffs: Trail Blazers vs. Pelicans Game 1The ultimate coverage and analysis of the Portland Trail Blazershttps://cdn.vox-cdn.com/community_logos/47543/blazersedge-fave.png2018-04-15T18:19:48-07:00http://www.blazersedge.com/rss/stream/170055592018-04-15T18:19:48-07:002018-04-15T18:19:48-07:00Blazers Reflect On Game 1, But Focus On Task Ahead
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<p>Portland surrendered home-court advantage, but a long series awaits. The players talked to reporters about what happened, and the work to come.</p> <p id="oYugJy">The <a href="https://www.blazersedge.com/">Portland Trail Blazers</a> opened the <a href="http://www.sbnation.com/nba-playoffs">NBA Playoffs</a> with a thud, losing at home against the <a href="https://www.thebirdwrites.com/">New Orleans Pelicans</a>. A poor first-half offensive performance — only 36 points at halftime — put the Blazers in a hole they spent all second half cracking away at. The clearest sign of troubles? <span>Damian Lillard</span> and <span>CJ McCollum</span>. Portland’s back-court tandem struggled in the first half, combining to go 1-for-15, with McCollum 0-for-6 with zero points.</p>
<p id="yN24Tw">After the loss, <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X1vBEidk_Ac">McCollum said</a>, “If I played better in the first quarter, I think we’d win that game.” But the first quarter was not the only letdown; after halftime, the Pelicans grew their lead, culminating with a 69-50 score with 4:25 left in the third. “I think the third quarter was tough. They went on a little run, they got up by 17, 18, I can’t remember how many points it was exactly. But that kind of change the game, blew it open a little bit,” McCollum added.</p>
<div class="c-float-right"><aside id="kSa9lb"><q>“If Dame has the ball in his hands, I feel good about it.” - Terry Stotts</q></aside></div>
<p id="jouoHz">But the Blazers kept at it. McCollum’s shooting turned around, culminating with a 7-for-12 second half performance. Meanwhile, Lillard went 5-for-14 (with three 3-pointers) after intermission, and Portland found its spark on offense. At the same time, Portland’s defense prevented New Orleans from responding. “Mentally, we’ve got to be better. But I didn’t think we had a bad defensive game,” <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BSj617wy5M4">Lillard told reporters</a>. With the strong effort at both ends, Portland stormed back, climbing within four. And when Lillard fed McCollum for a key 3-pointer, it was a suddenly a one-point game with 59 seconds left. The home crowd was ready to erupt.</p>
<p id="twOgff">Then it became the Jrue Holiday Show.</p>
<p id="BUHMpF"><span>Evan Turner</span> got a steal and McCollum took it in transition, but he turned the ball over as Holiday absorbed his pass. The very next possession, Lillard also had a chance to take the lead, but threw up an off-balance shot with Holiday hounding him and missed. Terry Stotts stood by that decision. “I wanted to get the ball in his hands,” he said, later adding, “If Dame has the ball in his hands, I feel good about it.”</p>
<p id="s9GQM3">Next up? <a href="https://www.blazersedge.com/2018/4/14/17239356/breaking-down-the-meyers-leonard-backcut">The Meyers Leonard Play</a> with 12 seconds left, where Holiday disrupted a bucket that would’ve cut Portland’s deficit back to one. Then Portland’s chances of winning went out the window when Holiday erased <span>Pat Connaughton</span>’s layup. “I have a lot of respect for his game,” <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0o6YjPG7_LQ">Terry Stotts said after the game</a> about Holiday.</p>
<p id="DlJMpP">Lillard broke down the play that Holiday messed with in post-game:</p>
<blockquote><p id="8jUx1u">I know [Evan Turner] was trying to find me on that play -- we talked about it -- but [Pat] was wide open, slipping right underneath the basket. Jrue just made a great defensive play.</p></blockquote>
<p id="StHFIy">The Blazers could dwell on what went wrong, but instead they’re focused on not repeating the same effort in Game 2. Lillard acknowledges the pressure from dropping Game 1 with home-court advantage:</p>
<blockquote><p id="NuRwbY">I think it puts some pressure on us. You come in with home court the first two games on your floor, and you lose the first one. And now they’re saying in their locker room, ‘we got one, why not go get another one?’</p></blockquote>
<p id="1SzLQN">Portland has its next chance against New Orleans on Tuesday, the second game of a potentially long series. The players echoed that sentiment. “You never want to drop a game at home, but, you know, it’s the first of four,” McCollum said.</p>
<p id="n2tWVb">The playoff-veteran Lillard is prepared. “Our job is to defend the home court. So it’s one game at a time.”</p>
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https://www.blazersedge.com/2018/4/15/17240690/nba-playoffs-trail-blazers-interview-quotes-damian-lillard-cj-mccollum-terry-stottsIsaiah De los Santos2018-04-15T16:13:53-07:002018-04-15T16:13:53-07:00In-Arena Report: Trail Blazers vs. Pelicans, Game 1
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<p>Steve Dewald recaps the sights and sounds from Game 1 of the NBA playoff series between the Trail Blazers and Pelicans.</p> <p id="NZNNoF">The <a href="http://www.sbnation.com/nba-playoffs">NBA Playoffs</a> are underway, and the <a href="https://www.blazersedge.com/">Portland Trail Blazers</a> had a less-than-stellar performance against the <a href="https://www.thebirdwrites.com/">New Orleans Pelicans</a> in the opening game of the series. Despite the outcome, the city was buzzing with enthusiasm from the Rip City faithful. Here is a chronicle of what I saw and heard from my vantage point in the 300 level.</p>
<h2 id="qGPtSm">Packed Pregame</h2>
<p id="RdUwyy">Like most Blazers outings, I started my night crammed inside the electric confines of Spirit of 77. It was already shoulder to shoulder two hours before tip off, but our small group was able to nab a few open spots with vulture-like accuracy. Even with the lopsided score of the <a href="https://www.libertyballers.com/">Philadelphia 76ers</a> and <a href="https://www.hothothoops.com/">Miami Heat</a> game, the crowd inside remained focused on the broadcast that would periodically reveal players warming up and arriving for the final act of the night. Anytime the face of <span>Anthony Davis</span> flashed across the screen a chorus of boos would fill the air of Spirit of 77’s vaulted ceilings.</p>
<h2 id="QQCLBv">Arrival And Introductions</h2>
<p id="GP1BsV">I’m a sucker for the spectacle of NBA Playoff introductions, and this year’s presentation didn’t disappoint. Much like previous years, the crowd was equipped with a light-up bracelet, only this time a large cloth cylinder descended from the center court scoreboard to carry an enhanced version of pregame introductions. The corresponding music, lights, and cheers from the crowd served as a solid reminder of how special the postseason is in Portland. If you weren’t pumped after that presentation, you might want to see a doctor.</p>
<h2 id="RfBuDQ">Meet The Heels</h2>
<p id="2yfP0X"><span>Anthony Davis</span>’ talent is no secret, but it was interesting to hear how the crowd reacted to the Pelicans’ supporting cast. <span>Jrue Holiday</span> and <span>Nikola Mirotic</span> both had crowd-silencing moments during last night’s contest. The silence is important to mention, as the crowd was almost entirely made up for Portland fans. The last two postseasons featured series against the <a href="https://www.goldenstateofmind.com/">Warriors</a>, which brought in a healthy amount of Golden State fans as a result. When Stephen Curry was rolling, the Moda Center maintained a playoff atmosphere despite the home team’s struggles. The silence wasn’t forever last night, as the restless groans of Blazers fans began to gain steam during the Pelicans’ extended run in the mid-to-late third quarter. </p>
<h2 id="iYVKJt">A Reason To Believe</h2>
<p id="bU2qiF">Thanks to a deficit-reducing run in the fourth quarter, Blazers fans got to show off why they are some of the best in the business. A three-pointer from <span>Damian Lillard</span> at the 9:07 mark brought the entire stadium back into the game, and it set the atmosphere for the remainder of the contest. A <span>CJ McCollum</span> basket from beyond the arc seemed to erase the nightmare of the first three quarters, as it was hard to believe that Portland could lose after pulling within a single point. The crowd was on its feet for the... </p>
<h2 id="DOPOIb">Misery</h2>
<p id="umXxY4">Even with the hope-inspiring run of the fourth quarter, the Pelicans were determined to steal homecourt away from the Blazers. The groans from the third quarter quarter returned after a strange inbound play that put the ball in the hands of a ice-cold Meyers Leonard. <a href="https://www.blazersedge.com/2018/4/14/17239356/breaking-down-the-meyers-leonard-backcut">Our own Eric Griffith and Brian Freeman explained the play</a>, but no analysis was going to quell the discontent in the stairwells after the game. Frustrated with the team’s performance and the squandering of home court advantage, the once-welcome matchup with the Pelicans transformed into much bigger hurdle.</p>
<h2 id="FZOSZ9">Odds & Ends</h2>
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<li id="73gREF">Outside of a pair of three-pointers from CJ McCollum and Damian Lillard, <span>Ed Davis</span> received the biggest cheers from the crowd. </li>
<li id="5F0Rgj">Make sure you have your tickets on your phone or on paper if you normally use your season ticket card to get in. I missed this bit of information, so I got to stand in the rain a little longer as I retrieved my ticket.</li>
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https://www.blazersedge.com/2018/4/15/17240418/arena-report-playoffs-trail-blazers-pelicans-game-oneSteve Dewald2018-04-14T23:57:13-07:002018-04-14T23:57:13-07:00Pelicans Steal Homecourt from Blazers in Game 1
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<figcaption>Troy Wayrynen-USA TODAY Sports</figcaption>
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<p>Portland mounted one of their famous comebacks, but New Orleans’ defense was too much.</p> <p id="crGDs4">The <a href="https://www.blazersedge.com/">Portland Trail Blazers</a> pulled out their greatest hits from the regular season as they faced the <a href="https://www.thebirdwrites.com/">New Orleans Pelicans</a> in Game 1 of their first-round <a href="http://www.sbnation.com/nba-playoffs">NBA Playoffs</a> matchup. After getting down by a seemingly-insurmountable margin, the Blazers used energy and sweet shooting from <span>Damian Lillard</span> and <span>CJ McCollum</span> to crawl back into the game late. But the playoffs are not the same as the regular season, and the Pelicans are not an ordinary team. Fantastic defense from <span>Anthony Davis</span> and <span>Jrue Holiday</span> allowed New Orleans to weather the storm, escaping with a 97-95 victory and a 1-0 lead in the best-of-seven series.</p>
<h3 id="O2bPvn">Can’t Tell the Players Without a Program</h3>
<p id="50Am3o">The Blazers opened the game doing a couple things straight off the white board: rebounding hard and passing around Pelicans defenders. From the start, New Orleans committed to stopping Damian Lillard. This left either open jumpers or isolation sets for Lillard’s teammates, and they took full advantage. <span>Evan Turner</span> took 7 shots and scored 9 in the first quarter. <span>Zach Collins</span> and <span>Ed Davis</span> also looked good. Portland had a hard time stopping <span>Anthony Davis</span> (8 points) and <span>Jrue Holiday</span> (11 points), but when the buzzer sounded they trailed only 21-18. For a deficit, it was small...abnormally so considering Lillard and CJ McCollum had contributed only 3 of those points. It also foreshadowed a low overall score, which was definitely to Portland’s advantage against the pace-intensive Pelicans.</p>
<p id="HmU2Cg">Portland’s bench, including Collins and <span>Pat Connaughton</span>, continued showing promise through the second period. Rebounding remained strong early in the frame. Portland’s bench forced turnovers and held their own. But midway through the period, around the time the starters came back in, New Orleans turned the tide. They picked up their energy on the glass and defense. All of a sudden Portland was committing turnovers while New Orleans profited. With Lillard and McCollum still running dry, the Pelicans reeled off a 14-0 run to earn a 45-36 halftime lead. 45 points against an opponent who would prefer to score 110 for the game screamed success for the Blazers, but 36 on their own side did not.</p>
<h3 id="sg4htS">All About the Timing</h3>
<p id="1GRpKb">Lillard and McCollum were not going to remain silent for another half. The question was, could the Blazers provide enough infrastructure to support a guard-based comeback, or would the guards redeem themselves without really eating into the lead?</p>
<p id="Q1SFeI">At first it looked like the Pelicans would allow Portland back in. Their approach to the early minutes of the second half was scattered. The Blazers scored on possession after possession. But Portland never got a solid hold on the defensive end themselves. Davis continue to do damage, then <span>Nikola Mirotic</span> came alive with a flurry of comeback-crushing three-pointers. Salt in a few turnovers, and even 8 points from a resurgent Lillard couldn’t help the Blazers much. They got down by as many as 19 in the third. A couple of threes in the final 90 seconds helped, but as the fourth period commenced the Blazers still stared at the wrong end of a 75-63 scoreboard.</p>
<p id="Xy4vPZ">Portland picked up both defense and tempo early in the fourth, reclaiming their mastery of the boards as well. They stopped the Pelicans from inflating the margin. A little scoring on the Blazers end would have made a huge difference. It didn’t come. New Orleans still led 86-72 when Anthony Davis dunked a <span>Rajon Rondo</span> pass with 6:09 remaining. Groans filled the Moda Center.</p>
<p id="6mCXav">A couple of philosophical changes would alter the course of the final six minutes, allowing the Blazers to creep back into, and nearly steal, the game.</p>
<p id="uN8SZQ">First, New Orleans started playing “prevent” offense, milking the clock and their lead. That would have been fine with 3:30 remaining, but halfway through the period was way too soon, considering slow-down is definitely not the Pelicans game.</p>
<p id="QPPjgU">Just as the Pelicans stopped going hard, the Blazers finally began. New Orleans had made a deal with the devil defensively most of the evening, making sure Lillard got no good looks, playing catch as catch can with everyone else. The approach was sound, partly because Portland’s other scorers didn’t carry the load much past the first quarter, partly because they bludgeoned Lillard into quasi-passivity. Damian touched the ball plenty, but he didn’t look for his own shot. When he did approach the rim off of drives, the shadow of Anthony Davis defense caused him to think twice. He drove without finishing hard. The rest of the non-Evan-Turner Blazers more or less followed suit.</p>
<p id="sDDhdJ">At some point it must have clicked that if the Pelicans could force the ball away from Lillard or make him pull up in unaccustomed fashion, their defense had <em>already</em> won no matter what else happened. The realization came late, but it still made a difference. A couple of jumpers followed by hard-nosed finishes sparked Lillard’s offense, which in turn buoyed Portland’s other scorers. The Blazers also adjusted so that instead of Turner or Al-Farouq Aminu receiving Lillard’s passes, McCollum caught them. CJ made a couple shots and the Blazers roared to life.</p>
<p id="TVhxoo">Just as two factors spurred Portland’s comeback, two more kept the resurgence from turning into an actual victory.</p>
<p id="x29F6w">Through most of the second half the Blazers defended the lane with all the effectiveness of milk and cookies defending Santa Claus. Eventually <span>Mirotic</span>’s devastating jumpers stopped falling, but New Orleans drives off of the high pick and roll never did. Nor could Portland defenders get close to Pelicans pull-up shooters. They tried, but separation was too easy for Davis, Holiday, and <span>Rondo</span>.</p>
<p id="cP82DQ">Unfortunately for Portland, the Pelicans had no such trouble defending them. Fear of Anthony Davis radiated outward from the bucket in a 10-foot radius, causing everyone in the area to make saving throws instead of concentrating on conversions. Beyond that, Holiday turned in two <em>monstrous</em> game-saving plays. He stripped McCollum solo in the open court when CJ got hung up between a dribble and a pass on the break, then he turned in a massive block on a <span>Connaughton</span> layup attempt with 6.3 seconds remaining and the Blazers down 3. At that point, all Davis had to do was hit free throws to ice it, and he did.</p>
<h3 id="NM2pR9">What Happened?</h3>
<p id="QzPJ0o">35 points for Anthony Davis, 50% shooting for Holiday, 17 Rondo assists, and a quartet of triples from Mirotic will all be cited as reasons the Pelicans prevailed tonight, but the real knockout blow was their defense. It was intimidating, fairly consistent, and enough to keep the Blazers from following through on their trademark comeback.</p>
<p id="lbf7Yp">Similarly, people will point to 3 combined points for Lillard and McCollum in the first half, 13-41 shooting for the game (31.7%) as the striking Portland numbers in this loss. That’s not incorrect, but it’s also not sufficient. The much bigger numbers are Lillard going 2-2 on foul shots, McCollum 1-1. The two guards averaged 10.5 free throw attempts between them during the regular season, but managed only 3 tonight.</p>
<p id="jQQHoA">The combination of Davis’ defense and making the “right” play (read: passing to the open man) conspired to keep Portland’s guards from finishing hard, which in turn kept them off the line. And if Lillard and McCollum weren’t getting foul shots, you know no other Blazers were. Portland ended up 9 free throw attempts short of their season average, which translates to 7 critical points they couldn’t draw on. Those missing foul shots were the difference between 18 and 19 points for Lillard/McCollum and topping 20 each despite their poor shooting.</p>
<p id="QEtxSI">Portland found early, heartening production from ancillary scorers, camouflaging their other issues. In the first half, Turner and Collins appeared to be worth every ounce of trust that the Blazers invested in them. Ed Davis rebounded well throughout; Connaughton and <span>Shabazz Napier</span> hit shots.</p>
<p id="DDTV0D">As soon as that stopped working and they got down by double digits with the game winding onward, it should have been Lillard and McCollum time no matter who else was on the court. Somehow it never quite was. The guards hit shots, but seldom did you get the sense that this was their playoffs...that the entire series could hang on a single play, mandating every ounce of aggressiveness in the arsenal. Nobody drew contact at the rim, forcing the refs to make a decision. Nobody shoved the dagger in over and over, clawing for life. For some stretches, nobody could find an open shot or hold onto the ball. At best this felt like a typical Blazers comeback...maybe a halfway-assumed one at that. After all, Holiday didn’t block a laser-focused, vicious Connaughton dunk attempt in that fateful final play. Instead he blocked a rather ordinary looking layup that, granted, normally would be converted, but still... If everybody knew everything was on the line and everybody was committed to giving their all, would the game have looked like that?</p>
<p id="PshEIF">The post-season demands more than teams usually give. The Pelicans answered that call tonight. The Blazers, for the most part, didn’t. Or at least they didn’t answer it from the top, as New Orleans did. Nor did they answer it long or well enough.</p>
<p id="kxYt0l">Portland did do a couple fantastic things. They secured 15 offensive rebounds, a huge potential advantage. They also forced 15 New Orleans turnovers, a stat that could have been decisive had the Blazers not also committed 12 of their own.</p>
<p id="JwgQpt">Other than that, New Orleans’ defensive intimidation factor prevailed. The Pelicans registered 12 blocked shots, forcing the Blazers farther away from the basket than they wanted to be. The result was a 37-98, 37.8% shooting clip for Portland. Even more impressive, the Pelicans countered Portland’s three-point attack, the usual response to interior pressure. The Blazers shot only 12-39, 30.8% from the arc. Al-Farouq Aminu and Evan Turner combined for 1-9 shooting from distance, Portland’s bench 2-11.</p>
<p id="U9FEMJ">Even though Lillard spent two-thirds of the game passing, he netted only 7 assists, as everyone was missing shots. Lillard did go 4-9 from deep, McCollum 4-10. Those are great percentages, but Damian shot just 2-14 inside the arc, CJ 3-8. And, as mentioned above, they combined for three foul shots. Unless you hit ALL your threes, that’s just not going to cut it.</p>
<h3 id="VQ9ECe">Onward</h3>
<p id="LbklBN">Losing the first game of a seven-game series is not a good sign, but there’s a reason they play seven games instead of one. The Blazers will get a chance to redeem themselves on Tuesday night. After they scored just 3 points in the first half, you knew Lillard and McCollum would come out firing in the second half, and they did. They’ll have three days to contemplate how a little more aggressiveness from them—a little more playing like the stars they’re supposed to be—could have turned this game around early enough to matter. The interval between games should function as another, extended halftime for them. Expect a nastier, more motivated backcourt on Tuesday, and buckle up.</p>
<p id="BNAqtl"><a href="http://www.espn.com/nba/boxscore?gameId=401029459">Boxscore</a></p>
<p id="PIsnsW"><a href="https://www.blazersedge.com/2018/4/14/17238922/video-highlights-blazers-pelicans-playoffs">Instant Recap</a></p>
<p id="TpdikT"><a href="https://www.thebirdwrites.com/">The Bird Writes</a> will give the opposing point of view.</p>
<p id="C94iKU">—Dave / <a href="https://twitter.com/davedeckard">@davedeckard</a> / <a href="https://twitter.com/blazersedge">@blazersedge</a> / blazersub@gmail.com</p>
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https://www.blazersedge.com/2018/4/14/17239338/pelicans-blazers-game-1-nba-playoffs-2018-davis-holiday-lillard-rondo-assistsDave Deckard2018-04-14T23:30:04-07:002018-04-14T23:30:04-07:00Explaining Why Meyers Leonard Got the Ball in the Clutch
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<img alt="NBA: Playoffs-New Orleans Pelicans at Portland Trail Blazers" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/h8s10fSsrHwhGXiDjseiIWAywjQ=/4x0:3108x2069/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/59395395/usa_today_10786675.0.jpg" />
<figcaption>Troy Wayrynen-USA TODAY Sports</figcaption>
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<p>Trail Blazers coach Terry Stotts made an ::ahem:: unusual choice in the final seconds of the Trail Blazers game one loss to the Pelicans. Here’s how Meyers Leonard ended up with the ball in his hands.</p> <p id="sHyu0W">The <a href="https://www.blazersedge.com/">Trail Blazers</a> found themselves down three points to the <a href="https://www.thebirdwrites.com/">Pelicans</a> with 12 seconds remaining in game one of their playoff series. Naturally, Blazers coach <span>Terry Stotts</span> draws up a play that results in a ...BACK CUT FOR MEYERS LEONARD?!</p>
<p id="gNnoz6">No, seriously, look for yourself:</p>
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<p id="ngMuN6">What in the heck happened on this play and why is <span>Meyers Leonard</span>, who did not play at all for the game’s first 47:48 involved at all? Let’s break it down.</p>
<h3 id="Z97uxe"><strong>What Were the Blazers Trying To Do?</strong></h3>
<p id="Mor9Xy">The play starts with <span>Damian Lillard</span> making a move toward the ball out beyond the 3-point line, while <span>Evan Turner</span> simultaneously cuts to the elbow. Dame’s move to the ball is intended to convince the defense he’s going to receive the inbound and go to work against Jrue Holiday. This opens the door for Turner to catch the ball in a playmaking position.</p>
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<p id="Cwg8QP">The Blazers now have three options to choose from. First, they’ll take advantage of the defense overplaying the in-bound pass to Lillard by having Leonard set a flare screen, hopefully springing Lillard for a three if Leonard’s man plays him tight while Lillard’s man is hung up on the screen.</p>
<p id="MAbLLL">Turner’s looking directly at Lillard after the backscreen in this screen shot, hoping Dame will have enough room for a tying shot:</p>
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<p id="MqQwoD">Unfortunately Nikola Mirotic sags off Leonard and stays in position to harass Lillard on the cut.</p>
<p id="DXIl3z">This prompts Turner to the next option: Leonard rolling to the hoop in a mismatch after Lillard flairs to the elbow. You can see Leonard cutting to the hoop in this screen shot with the much smaller Holiday defending:</p>
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<p id="OB3Ig2">Leonard can’t get enough room for a clean pass so Holiday gets his hand on the ball, knocks it out of bounds, and leaves the Blazers stuck on the baseline down by three with no timeouts and only nine seconds to play.</p>
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<p id="Mtm3kY">After inbounding the ball Connaughton also tried to create a third option by setting a down screen for <span>CJ McCollum</span> in the corner, designed to open CJ for a triple from the elbow. But McCollum never got open, and Turner never looked their way.</p>
<h3 id="ymdKLu"><strong>Who’s At Fault and Why Was Meyers in the Game?</strong></h3>
<p id="iBqmk8">Bluntly, there’s a ton of blame to go around on this play. The on-court execution was sloppy, fating the Blazers to a contested shot, at best. Turner gets locked in on Lillard and probably should have forced the pass so Dame could go to work on Mirotic. On the other side, McCollum cuts well before Connaughton is in position to make the screen, guaranteeing that he won’t get open (not that Turner was looking for him anyway).</p>
<p id="xFgRfs">Of course, the players are not entirely to blame. Stotts must take most of the heat for the inexplicable decision to put a very cold Leonard into a one-possession playoff game with only seconds remaining. </p>
<p id="e7ic4p">Presumably, Leonard was out there because he could set a solid screen for Lillard while also being a 3-point threat. Leonard’s outside shooting would have, theoretically, forced the Pelicans to cover him tightly, setting up a back cut for an easy two points in the open space around the rim or distracted the Pelicans from covering Lillard on the flare. </p>
<p id="Th63IY"><span>Jusuf Nurkic</span> could have set the screen, but the defense would have been able to sag off, preventing a back cut, while <span>Zach Collins</span> could have drawn the defender out of the paint, but can’t screen nearly as well as Leonard. </p>
<p id="M5HGlL">Given the play that was called, putting Leonard on the court makes sense.</p>
<p id="UrLTEx">But here’s the thing: If the called set requires Meyers Leonard to make a clutch play in a playoff game after sitting on the bench for 2.5 hours it’s probably best to draw up something else. </p>
<p id="vCkBg7">And this ignores the flawed design of the flare screen for Lillard, which needed a massive matchup failure from the Pelicans to actually work. There’s almost no way this play was better than calling for a pick and roll with Lillard and Nurkic.</p>
<p id="LaEuMX">The players deserve a bit of blame for poor execution, but Stotts will justifiably take a lion’s share of heat for this play call.</p>
<h3 id="EXYrPm"><strong>What Shouldn’t be blamed?</strong></h3>
<p id="l8U7Iq">Leonard, obviously, should not be blamed for what happened. He ran the play that was called and was one Holiday swipe away from an easy dunk.</p>
<p id="mSMzIk">Stotts also shouldn’t be blamed for drawing up a play with a two-point basket as a <strong>secondary </strong>option. Even without timeouts, twelve seconds should be sufficient time to get a quick two-pointer, foul, and still have about nine seconds to score again. </p>
<p id="QXIAH1">The subsequent baseline out of bounds play that resulted in another two-point attempt deserves some criticism, as well, but it’s admittedly much more difficult to get a 3-pointer from that position without a preceding timeout, thus paling in comparison to the prior play.</p>
<p id="1TYBKo">The Blazers will now need to collect themselves and prepare for game two on Tuesday night in Portland. Hopefully that game won’t come down to the final seconds.</p>
https://www.blazersedge.com/2018/4/14/17239356/breaking-down-the-meyers-leonard-backcutEric GriffithBrian Freeman2018-04-14T22:15:19-07:002018-04-14T22:15:19-07:00Pelicans Sneak Past Blazers 97-95 in Game 1
<figure>
<img alt="NBA: Playoffs-New Orleans Pelicans at Portland Trail Blazers" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/oCgjZZWn147xxq6I7zS8rFFHwyk=/0x0:3157x2105/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/59395091/usa_today_10786660.0.jpg" />
<figcaption>Troy Wayrynen-USA TODAY Sports</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>Portland’s fourth quarter rally came up just short in the playoff opener.</p> <p id="mmfrOI">Despite some fourth quarter magic, the <a href="https://www.blazersedge.com/">Portland Trail Blazers</a> dropped Game 1 of their playoff series against the <a href="https://www.thebirdwrites.com/">New Orleans Pelicans</a> on Saturday night at Moda Center. The Blazers trailed almost the entire night, but managed to cut a double-digit fourth quarter deficit to a single point with under a minute remaining. They couldn’t come up with the big shot when it mattered, however, and the Pelicans eked out the 97-95 victory.</p>
<p id="WPUeNM"><span>Anthony Davis</span> had 35 points, 14 rebounds and four blocks for New Orleans, and <span>Jrue Holiday</span> chipped in 21 points. <span>CJ McCollum</span> led the Blazers with 19 points and <span>Damian Lillard</span> had 18 points, seven rebounds and seven assists.</p>
<p id="5a6vCw">Here are a few takeaway’s from tonight’s game:</p>
<ul>
<li id="ncLqC3">
<strong>Star disparity.</strong> Lillard and McCollum combined to go just 1/15 from the field in the first half, while <span>Davis</span> and <span>Holiday</span> combined for 32 points. Things improved for Portland in the second half, but Davis and Holiday still finished with a combined 56 points to Lillard and McCollum’s 37 points.</li>
<li id="0d5eXl">
<strong>Playoff Rondo.</strong> Rajon Rondo again showed his knack for turning it on when the lights shine brightest. The veteran guard finished with six points, eight rebounds and a game-high 17 assists for the Pelicans, while also playing hard-nosed defense throughout the night.</li>
<li id="7p482l">
<strong>Block party. </strong>The Pelicans had 12 blocks as a team, including a key block in the final seconds by Holiday to keep the lead at three points. Davis and <span>Nikola Mirotic</span> each had four rejections on the night.</li>
</ul>
<p id="JKeZzG"><a href="http://www.espn.com/nba/game?gameId=401029459">Box Score</a></p>
<h2 id="CBmoWW">Highlights</h2>
<div id="YhA9sd">
<blockquote class="twitter-video">
<p lang="en" dir="ltr">Dame gets the second chance three, Nurk rejects on the other end <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/ripcity?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#ripcity</a> <a href="https://t.co/Q7dncn6uxC">https://t.co/Q7dncn6uxC</a> <a href="https://t.co/lB15MLZZ8U">pic.twitter.com/lB15MLZZ8U</a></p>— NBC Sports Northwest (@NBCSNorthwest) <a href="https://twitter.com/NBCSNorthwest/status/985349829671858179?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 15, 2018</a>
</blockquote>
<script async="" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
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<div id="xiPAjl">
<blockquote class="twitter-video">
<p lang="en" dir="ltr">ET with the right-handed reverse <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/ripcity?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#ripcity</a> <a href="https://t.co/Q7dncn6uxC">https://t.co/Q7dncn6uxC</a> <a href="https://t.co/mqIv1tgJFi">pic.twitter.com/mqIv1tgJFi</a></p>— NBC Sports Northwest (@NBCSNorthwest) <a href="https://twitter.com/NBCSNorthwest/status/985351165469589504?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 15, 2018</a>
</blockquote>
<script async="" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
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<div id="CN2zCa">
<blockquote class="twitter-video">
<p lang="en" dir="ltr">Ed Davis says GIMME THAT, slams it home <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/ripcity?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#ripcity</a> <a href="https://t.co/Q7dncn6uxC">https://t.co/Q7dncn6uxC</a> <a href="https://t.co/9ujd7kS4JZ">pic.twitter.com/9ujd7kS4JZ</a></p>— NBC Sports Northwest (@NBCSNorthwest) <a href="https://twitter.com/NBCSNorthwest/status/985353115456040961?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 15, 2018</a>
</blockquote>
<script async="" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
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<div id="840rAe">
<blockquote class="twitter-video">
<p lang="en" dir="ltr">Z Nowitzki with the fallaway jumper <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/ripcity?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#ripcity</a> <a href="https://t.co/Q7dncn6uxC">https://t.co/Q7dncn6uxC</a> <a href="https://t.co/jh41Z2K3tX">pic.twitter.com/jh41Z2K3tX</a></p>— NBC Sports Northwest (@NBCSNorthwest) <a href="https://twitter.com/NBCSNorthwest/status/985354835850477568?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 15, 2018</a>
</blockquote>
<script async="" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
</div>
<div id="lEa45k">
<blockquote class="twitter-video">
<p lang="en" dir="ltr">Z with another fallaway jumper, this time featuring a mean mug <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/ripcity?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#ripcity</a> <a href="https://t.co/Q7dncn6uxC">https://t.co/Q7dncn6uxC</a> <a href="https://t.co/tBmuCIoj7x">pic.twitter.com/tBmuCIoj7x</a></p>— NBC Sports Northwest (@NBCSNorthwest) <a href="https://twitter.com/NBCSNorthwest/status/985356949913944065?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 15, 2018</a>
</blockquote>
<script async="" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
</div>
<div id="lJBxA3">
<blockquote class="twitter-video">
<p lang="en" dir="ltr">Turner goes baseline for the second chance bucket <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/ripcity?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#ripcity</a> <a href="https://t.co/Q7dncn6uxC">https://t.co/Q7dncn6uxC</a> <a href="https://t.co/sPVF9BZKGv">pic.twitter.com/sPVF9BZKGv</a></p>— NBC Sports Northwest (@NBCSNorthwest) <a href="https://twitter.com/NBCSNorthwest/status/985369692050153472?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 15, 2018</a>
</blockquote>
<script async="" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
</div>
<div id="Rn3BEW">
<blockquote class="twitter-video">
<p lang="en" dir="ltr">When the whole arena yells at you to shoot it... Z with the uncontested three <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/ripcity?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#ripcity</a> <a href="https://t.co/Q7dncn6uxC">https://t.co/Q7dncn6uxC</a> <a href="https://t.co/yt1eoyJ14O">pic.twitter.com/yt1eoyJ14O</a></p>— NBC Sports Northwest (@NBCSNorthwest) <a href="https://twitter.com/NBCSNorthwest/status/985371942621364225?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 15, 2018</a>
</blockquote>
<script async="" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
</div>
<div id="DKIUzc">
<blockquote class="twitter-video">
<p lang="en" dir="ltr">Patty C gets the transition bucket to go <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/ripcity?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#ripcity</a> <a href="https://t.co/Q7dncn6uxC">https://t.co/Q7dncn6uxC</a> <a href="https://t.co/fqzQXRTtTY">pic.twitter.com/fqzQXRTtTY</a></p>— NBC Sports Northwest (@NBCSNorthwest) <a href="https://twitter.com/NBCSNorthwest/status/985375748398526466?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 15, 2018</a>
</blockquote>
<script async="" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
</div>
<div id="fX2TwB">
<blockquote class="twitter-video">
<p lang="en" dir="ltr">CJ & 1... need a lot more of that <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/ripcity?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#ripcity</a> <a href="https://t.co/Q7dncn6uxC">https://t.co/Q7dncn6uxC</a> <a href="https://t.co/OvvylqIfZT">pic.twitter.com/OvvylqIfZT</a></p>— NBC Sports Northwest (@NBCSNorthwest) <a href="https://twitter.com/NBCSNorthwest/status/985377597134520320?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 15, 2018</a>
</blockquote>
<script async="" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
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<div id="76AbIT">
<blockquote class="twitter-video">
<p lang="en" dir="ltr">HOW?! ET with the putback bucket <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/ripcity?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#ripcity</a> <a href="https://t.co/Q7dncn6uxC">https://t.co/Q7dncn6uxC</a> <a href="https://t.co/A5NDxTcm3Y">pic.twitter.com/A5NDxTcm3Y</a></p>— NBC Sports Northwest (@NBCSNorthwest) <a href="https://twitter.com/NBCSNorthwest/status/985380643050672128?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 15, 2018</a>
</blockquote>
<script async="" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
</div>
<div id="EbRFKS">
<blockquote class="twitter-video">
<p lang="en" dir="ltr">CJ with ANOTHER clutch three <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/ripcity?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#ripcity</a> <a href="https://t.co/Q7dncn6uxC">https://t.co/Q7dncn6uxC</a> <a href="https://t.co/BOl4fvOVCN">pic.twitter.com/BOl4fvOVCN</a></p>— NBC Sports Northwest (@NBCSNorthwest) <a href="https://twitter.com/NBCSNorthwest/status/985380281551962114?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 15, 2018</a>
</blockquote>
<script async="" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
</div>
<h2 id="X3RuPW">What’s Next</h2>
<p id="p8HSmf">Game 2 will be Tuesday night at Moda Center, with a 7:30 pm PT tip-off scheduled. Stay tuned for more analysis on tonight’s game from Blazer’s Edge.</p>
<p id="9TlXYi"></p>
https://www.blazersedge.com/2018/4/14/17238922/video-highlights-blazers-pelicans-playoffsRyne Buchanan2018-04-14T17:00:22-07:002018-04-14T17:00:22-07:00Chat: Pelicans vs. Blazers, Game 1!
<figure>
<img alt="NBA: Portland Trail Blazers at New Orleans Pelicans" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/Ek2I6XZFan8F7otrO2a6Uq6W-7I=/489x503:1623x1259/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/59388519/usa_today_10741822.0.jpg" />
<figcaption>Derick E. Hingle-USA TODAY Sports</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>The Blazers and Pelicans tip off their playoff series at 7:30 pm tonight on NBC Sports Northwest and ESPN.</p> <p id="e15GY3"><strong>Tip-off:</strong> 7:30 pm PT<br><strong>TV: </strong>NBC Sports Northwest | ESPN<br><strong>Online Streaming:</strong> <a href="http://www.nbcsports.com/northwest/live-faq">NBC Sports</a> and <a href="http://www.espn.com/watch/">ESPN</a> sites and apps (if you have a subscription)<br><strong>Radio:</strong> Rip City Radio, 620 am</p>
<ul>
<li id="qBnG7H">
<strong>Blazers injuries:</strong> <strong>Moe Harkless </strong>(knee) is out due to arthroscopic surgery.</li>
<li id="ptgO0T">
<strong>Pelicans Injuries: DeMarcus Cousins </strong>and <strong>Alexis Ajinca </strong>are done for the season. </li>
</ul>
<p id="rOJwj1"><strong>The Gameday Thread Rules!</strong></p>
<p id="8d5Epw">There are a few extra rules we emphasize for Gameday Threads. We appreciate your support!</p>
<p id="6eZdtr"> 1. <strong>No videos or pictures</strong> please, including embedded stuff from Twitter.</p>
<p id="quGM5E"> 2. <strong>No discussion of video streams</strong> that aren't sanctioned by the NBA, or how to work around television broadcast/streaming rules.</p>
<p id="zrLR1v"> 3. <strong>No swearing please.</strong> Yep, even when the game sucks or the refs mess up.</p>
<p id="VGm22v"> 4. <strong>Be excellent to each other!</strong> For visitors from our SBN companions, please have a mutual respect and remember this is a Blazers community.</p>
<p id="QIA3Y2"></p>
<p id="D7ewNU"> </p>
https://www.blazersedge.com/2018/4/14/17237222/nba-playoffs-2018-blazers-time-tv-channel-watch-onlineTimmay!