Blazer's Edge - Blazers 116, Lakers 106: Complete CoverageThe ultimate coverage and analysis of the Portland Trail Blazershttps://cdn.vox-cdn.com/community_logos/47543/blazersedge-fave.png2012-11-02T10:11:38-07:00http://www.blazersedge.com/rss/stream/33470672012-11-02T10:11:38-07:002012-11-02T10:11:38-07:00Blazers/Lakers Opener Sets NBA TV Ratings Record
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<figcaption>Jaime Valdez-US PRESSWIRE</figcaption>
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<p>The opening night game between the Portland Trail Blazers and Los Angeles Lakers proved to be record-setting.</p> <p>Damian Lillard wasn't the only person to <a href="http://www.blazersedge.com/2012/11/1/3583420/media-row-report-blazers-116-lakers-106" target="_blank">set records with his debut</a> on Wednesday.</p>
<p>The NBA announced Friday that the opening night game between the Los Angeles Lakers and Portland Trail Blazers was record-setting from a television ratings perspective.</p>
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<p><b>NBA TV's Coverage of Lakers vs. Trail Blazers Generates Network's Most-Viewed Telecast Ever</b> <br><b> </b> <br><b>Most-Viewed Opening Night in NBA TV History</b> <br><b> </b><br>NBA TV's telecast featuring the Los Angeles Lakers, with offseason acquisitions Dwight Howard and Steve Nash, visiting the Portland Trail Blazers on Wednesday, Oct. 31, at 10:30 p.m. ET generated an average of 868,000 total viewers to become the network's most-viewed telecast ever. The prior mark was set by NBA TV's premiere of the <i>Dream Team</i> documentary with an average of 847,000 total viewers. Previously, the most-viewed NBA game airing on the network was an NBA Playoff Game 5 between the Memphis Grizzlies and San Antonio Spurs on April 27, 2011, with an average of 835,000 total viewers. <br><br>The network's opening night doubleheader - San Antonio Spurs vs. New Orleans Hornets at 8 p.m., with an average of 638,000 total viewers leading into the Lakers/Trail Blazers game - averaged 758,000 total viewers to net NBA TV's most-viewed opening night ever. The doubleheader peaked with an average of 950,000 total viewers from 10:15-10:30 p.m.</p>
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<p>The Blazers defeated the Lakers 116-106.</p>
<p>-- Ben Golliver | benjamin.golliver | <a href="http://www.twitter.com/blazersedge" target="_blank">Twitter</a></p>
https://www.blazersedge.com/2012/11/2/3591024/blazers-vs-lakers-season-opener-set-nba-tv-ratings-recordBen Golliver2012-11-01T02:21:15-07:002012-11-01T02:21:15-07:00Media Row Report: Blazers 116, Lakers 106
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<figcaption>Russ Isabella-US PRESSWIRE</figcaption>
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<p>The Portland Trail Blazers defeated the Los Angeles Lakers, 116-106, at the Rose Garden on Wednesday night.</p> <p>The Portland Trail Blazers defeated the Los Angeles Lakers, 116-106, in their regular season opener at the Rose Garden on Wednesday night.</p>
<p>Blazers rookie guard Damian Lillard doesn't belong in the NBA. Oh, he can play. He made that clear in his first professional game. He just doesn't fit in a league where LeBron James celebrated his title 23 months before he won it, where Kobe Bryant used a foot injury to drive traffic to his Facebook page and plug his shoe sponsor, and where Dwight Howard turned to a Lakers staffer, after a double-digit loss, to ask if he can have his candy for making his free throws. Lillard, after becoming the first rookie since James to score 23 points and dish at least nine assists in his debut and just the third rookie ever to debut with at least 20 points and at least 10 assists, deflected the credit, held himself accountable for his six turnovers, and worried out loud about the fact that he wasn't sure what to pack for his first real road trip.</p>
<p>Lillard is Barry Sanders on morphine; before handing the ball to the referee after scoring a touchdown, he gets down into a yoga position and then paints an empty lake. Untouched bodies of water come to mind because he is simply placid, so serene after defeating the Lakers that he made you hope that when the cameras are off and the room clears out, he breaks character, throwing a fist into the air and hurdling in place while squealing. That mental image is funny to think about but also impossible to imagine. There's not much artifice here; he doesn't break character because he's not a caricature.</p>
<p>"I think the world of him," Kobe Bryant told <b>Dwight Jaynes</b> of <b>CSNNW.com</b> <a href="http://www.csnnw.com/pages/landingdwight?Kobe-Bryant-Postgame-Damian-Lillard-Has-=1&blockID=796045&feedID=8351" target="_blank">after the game</a>, in which he scored 30 points and had six rebounds and three assists. "This was my first time really watching him play outside of the preseason. He has a great deal of talent. He seems to be fearless. I think he has a bright future."</p>
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<span style="line-height: 9px;">Pau Gasol added: "</span>He plays aggressively, gets in the lane, plays with a lot of confidence. He's got the starting position locked up pretty much so he plays with a lot of confidence. He's a talented player and had a great game tonight. Athletic. He's got a lot of potential. He could be a great player in this league."</div>
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<div>"He's a very, very talented point guard," Lakers coach Mike Brown said. "He's going to be really, really good."</div>
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<p>"He was huge," Blazers forward Nicolas Batum, who finished with 26 points, six rebounds and three steals, said. "He did a good job. The way he can score, pass, defense, shoot threes, penetrate. He balances the game."</p>
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<p>"He played great," Blazers guard Wesley Matthews, who added 22 points, two rebounds, two assists and four steals, said. "He was the engine, he pushed the tempo and we all fed off of that. There was times where he fed off of us, that's just how this team is going to go."</p>
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<div>"I played a good game," Lillard said, after triple prodding. "But we've got 81 more games. I just want to try to be consistent and keep my level of play up to a level where I can help the team win games. It was great for me to come out and have those type of numbers but it's more important for us to have a win."</div>
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<div>Those type of numbers -- 23 points, 11 assists, three rebounds, one steal and the six turnovers, to be exact -- put him in a group with Hall of Famers Oscar Robertson and Isiah Thomas as the only other 20-points/10-assists debut guys. His 11 assists were the most in a debut since future Hall of Famer Jason Kidd in 1994. As noted, his 23-points, nine-plus assists debut was the first since James, another future Hall of Famer, in 2003. His debut topped Brandon Roy's 20-points, three assists, two rebounds, and was better than the first game played by the likes of Clyde Drexler, Terry Porter, Jerome Kersey, LaRue Martin, Sam Bowie, LaMarcus Aldridge and Greg Oden.</div>
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<div>Bill Walton's 18 points, 24 rebounds, four blocks and five assists takes the cake for best all-time Blazers debut. But it says something, hopefully, when Kevin Pelton and I found ourselves digging through scanned versions of newspapers transferred from microfiche to find comparable performances.</div>
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<p>"I felt real comfortable," Lillard said, enunciating clearly while keeping a flat tone, as if imitating a more masculine Siri. "It's a lot easier when [Aldridge] is making shots, Wes is making shots, Nic is making shots. I've got to give credit to them, they made shots and everything came easier for me."</p>
<p>Lillard knocked down his shots, picked his spots, threw a lob and dished a behind-the-back pass to Aldridge with a flourish. He ran clock when appropriate and had a gorgeous, Roy-esque herky-jerk drive that finished with a banker to close the third quarter, a play that brought the Rose Garden to its feet. Even more remarkably, after the game, he restrained himself from giving out his home address and inviting people to come fight him. I'm telling you. The focus of this guy is astonishing.</p>
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<div>His emphasis on the team was right on; that was clear as day. This was a Terry Stotts blueprint win in virtually every way: all five starters in double figures, 9-for-20 shooting from deep, +13 in the turnover differential and +13 in fast break points. It was fun, too, deriving from the up-tempo, high-intensity style. "It was everything I expected," Stotts said of his first Rose Garden win. "It was great."</div>
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<p>Stotts is the truest believer in his young team, as he should be, although Matthews offers some stiff competition for that title.</p>
<p>"There's a lot of doubters against us, a lot of people writing us off. This isn't going to silence them, but it's just going to certify our belief in ourselves," he said.</p>
<div>Batum too. "We know nobody expects anything from us this year," he said. "We know we want to surprise and try to do something this year. It was a good win, a good first win."</div>
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<div>I won't front. I was fishing hard for someone to go overboard in extrapolating the importance of the win, to gloat at the expense of the Lakers, to really let loose and get ahead of himself. It didn't happen. "Just one games, 81 more" was the message time and again, as if implanted by Stotts into their brains. That was one very positive post-game indicator. There were others on the court.</div>
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<div>For starters, Portland's ability to force turnovers, its ability to capitalize on unforced turnovers and its ability to push with confidence when the situation warranted. No Nate McMillan team, with the exception of Gerald Wallace, ever flew out in transition without looking back like this group did. There will be nights, perhaps many, when that produces more groans than applause. Not this one. Lots of buckets cashed in with ease and lots of frustrated Lakers bodies, shoulders slumping and arms waving.</div>
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<p>"We was flying around," Lillard said. "Our activity and how hard we tried kind of wore on them. They had a game last night, a tough loss last night, and they had to come here and we came out with a lot of energy. We made things hard for them."</p>
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<div>As often happens in these games, the Blazers jumped the Lakers early, capitalizing on the home crowd adrenaline rush to take an early lead. For a young team, Portland's ability to maintain a stranglehold on the game was noteworthy. It came about mostly through ball pressure on defense and in-rhythm shooting on offense. Also, the Lakers are clearly working through early season chemistry issues, complicated by the loss of point guard Steve Nash to a lower leg contusion. They simply couldn't dig out of the hole in the second half. At least three times, Portland kept L.A. at bay, fending off short runs and pushing its lead back to double-digits</div>
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<p>"We had to [jump them]," Matthews said. "It's their second game on a back-to-back early in the season. They're older than us. Dwight [Howard] is still not healthy. That was our edge. Our edge is going to be the fact that we can run on almost everybody... There were parts in the first quarter where we were controlling the game but we were only up one... We just stayed with what we were doing, believed in ourselves and didn't let up.<span style="line-height: 9px;">... </span>We didn't panic [when the Lakers tried to come back]. We stayed poised, we stayed together. We kept doing what we've been doing."</p>
<p>Doing what they've been doing, in this case, also means beating the Lakers in the Rose Garden. Portland is now 17-4 against L.A. in the last 21 games between the two teams in Portland.</p>
<p>"Everybody wants to say the Blazers have a rivalry with the Lakers," Brown said before the game. "Shoot, I think the Lakers have a rivalry with everybody."</p>
<p>The game was probably over as soon as he said those words, but Lillard and the Blazers didn't leave anything to chance. Even with a few late turnovers and miscues, the Blazers defeated one of the favorites to win the Western Conference by double-digits.</p>
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<p>"I was happy," Lillard said, finally. "We really flowed tonight. Everybody got to spots where they like to get [to]. Everybody was comfortable. There was a lot of flow in our offense. Everything went smooth."</p>
<p>"If you asked me about anybody who played, I'm going to tell you they played great," Stotts said.</p>
<p><b><u>Random Game Notes</u></b></p>
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<li>The Rose Garden was announced as a sell out and just about every seat was full. Very loud, excellent crowd throughout. Multiple standing ovations, "Beat L.A." chants and tons of Halloween costumes. Exactly the type of festive atmosphere you would expect on opening night. The ticket office will be busy on Thursday.The Blazers' performance surely sold thousands of future tickets. Not exaggerating or being flip. (I shouldn't have to add that disclaimer but you guys know how I can get.)</li>
<li>I told you I'm getting obsessed with the iPhone 5's panorama. Here's what the Rose Garden looked like <a href="http://twitpic.com/b9alp7" target="_blank">early in the first quarter</a>. Click on the image there to get a huge version.</li>
<li>Some audio of recent radio interviews <a href="http://www.blazersedge.com/2012/10/31/3582536/blazers-lakers-and-nba-season-preview-audio-plugs" target="_blank">can be found here</a>. Posted this pre-game; re-running here.</li>
<li>Luke Babbitt got a DNP-CD. Did anyone else notice? Just me? OK, cool. He was the only non-rookie who was available and didn't play. Will Barton, Joel Freeland and Victor Claver all sat too. Ronnie Price (ankle) went through some pre-game shooting and such but wasn't cleared to play.</li>
<li>Stotts' rotation was interesting. He went just nine deep and used Nolan Smith in the middle of quarters to stagger some of Lillard's minutes. Sasha Pavlovic was also a surprise as an early sub and he had an intriguing second-half streak where he rebounded his own missed free throw for a basket. Stotts praised Pavlovic a bit below. Otherwise, Stotts rode his starters, hard. Batum played 40 minutes. Could he be in for the type of playing time treatment that Tom Thibodeau gives Luol Deng?</li>
<li>The Blazers had their starting lineup introductions unfold with the players coming down from the crowd. So there was at least one tradition carried over from last season.</li>
<li>Batum was cheered loudly during introductions.</li>
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<b>Kevin Pelton</b> made the trip down tonight and even wore a pocket square in his suit, poking fun at recent criticism he received from Reggie Miller, who called <b>Basketball Prospectus</b> a bunch of "<a target="_blank" href="http://nba.si.com/2012/10/27/reggie-miller-basketball-prospectus/">lab geek rats</a>" during a TNT broadcast. Yes, that happened.</li>
<li>LaMarcus Aldridge, who finished with 19 points and three rebounds, addressed the crowd at center court before the game. He kept it extraordinarily short and sweet. "I just want to say thank you for your support. I'm looking forward to a real fun season."</li>
<li>The highlight of the night from the Lakers' perspective was a fabulous block on Lillard by Howard.<b>LakersNation.com</b> has <a href="http://www.lakersnation.com/lakers-vs-trail-blazers-video-highlights-oct-31-2012/2012/10/31/" target="_blank">video here</a>.</li>
<li>Signs in the crowd: "NBA Sellouts Unite in LA" and "Dwight, the real Superman wears red, not purple."</li>
<li>Lillard's touch pass alley-oop to Meyers Leonard for a one-hand flush was special. It was Leonard's only basket in 23 minutes but they don't get much prettier.</li>
<li>Batum's two-hand baseline drive and dunk over Howard might have Leonard's beat though.</li>
<li>Batum on the win: "The energy was there. Dwight got his number, Kobe got his number, Pau got his number, but we still got a win. We still won this game. That's a good team win."</li>
<li>Lillard said that he didn't keep the game ball because he wasn't aware of protocol: "I gave it up. I don't know how that works. I just had the ball when time ran out, I was just walking, getting the crowd up, someone came and took it from me."</li>
<li>Lillard's response when asked about how well the team took care of the ball given just 12 turnovers: "I probably had a lot of them. I've been trying to take care of the ball. I'm happy we won the game, I'll go back and try to fix myself to see what I can do better."</li>
<li>Lillard on the main difference between the preseason and the regular season: "Guys weren't as friendly as the preseason. When they come out to tip the ball up, everybody was shaking hands and conversing. Today, it was silent. It was just like, let's play. I immediately saw the difference between preseason and regular season."</li>
<li>Dwight Howard after the loss: "L.A. wasn't built in a day."</li>
<li>Portland sent Howard to the free throw line 19 times, and he connected on 15. He led all scorers with 33 points and added 14 rebounds, five assists, one block and one steal. All of that, and it wasn't nearly enough.</li>
<li>Before the game, Mike Brown suggested that Charles Barkley and other critics of his offensive system call Steve Nash, who would verify that he has the freedom to run as many pick-and-rolls as he wants. "Steve Nash has the right to play pick-and-roll if he wants to. Steve Nash has said it himself. They can call him if they want, he's said it himself. He doesn't feel like he's as burdened because he doesn't have to make every play for everybody all the time, with what we are trying to do. He can give it up and get it back. He says he's felt as fresh as he's ever felt in his career because he doesn't feel the pressure of making every single play."</li>
<li>Maybe win at least one game before you start managing pressure?</li>
<li>The Lakers are now 0-2. They are not yet mathematically eliminated from the playoffs but it sure feels like it. Not really, but it's fun to joke about. Someone actually asked Howard if the Lakers have the chemistry to make the playoffs. His response: "Do we have the chemistry to make it to the playoffs? We actually met with one of the best chemists in the world. The other day, he mixed up a couple potions for us."</li>
<li>One very sad note to conclude: <b>Larry</b>, a long-time friend of Blazersedge and someone with whom I've spent dozens of hours talking hoops, both in Portland and at Summer Leagues in Las Vegas over the years, passed away on Wednesday. Deepest condolences and best wishes to <b>Georgia</b>.</li>
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<p><b><u>Terry Stotts' Post-Game Comments</u></b></p>
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<p><b>Opening comments</b></p>
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<p>Obviously it was a good win for us. We played the style of game we wanted to play offensively. We probably could have done a better job defensively. We didn't defend the free throw line very well. It was a good win. Everybody contributed. We got stops when we needed them. I liked the tempo of the game.</p>
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<p><b>Damian Lillard</b></p>
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<p>Damian played well. We still have to work on his turnovers but a couple possessions where I felt like he tried to do a little too much, but really on the whole, for his outing, to have 23 and 11 in a game like this, it was pretty impressive.</p>
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<p><b>Dwight Howard 15-for-19 from free throw line</b></p>
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<p>Stats are a funny thing. They shot more free throws, they out-rebounded us by a ton and we win the game. There are a lot of ways to win games. Dallas beat them last night and they didn't make free throws. They made their free throws tonight and we won. That's just part of basketball.</p>
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<p><b>Surprised how quickly offense has been picked up</b></p>
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<p>We have a lot of good basketball players who have a good sense for the game. They pick up the sets pretty well. They play off of each other pretty well. We are concerned about our turnovers after our first two preseason games and then we have 12 turnovers in a game like this, that's pretty good. All our guys have a good sense for playing basketball together. Even though we do have sets, a lot of it is that we ask them to make basketball plays rather than have plays run. They did a nice job of that.</p>
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<p><b>First game in the Rose Garden</b></p>
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<p>It was everything I expected. It was great. I've said from day one that this is one of the best homecourts, if not the best, in the league. Portland fans are terrific opening night, they were into the game from the tip. They had a big part in getting the win. We're a relatively young team and we fed off their energy.</p>
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<p><b>Did Dwight Howard earn all of his fouls?</b></p>
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<p>He earned every foul he got. It wasn't Hack-a-Dwight or anything like that. He got the ball in the paint, he may have had one and-one, maybe two. He got the ball deep and we fouled him. That was kind of the gameplan. If he gets the ball that deep, it's better to foul him. He made his free throws. My hat's off to him.</p>
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<p><b>Wesley Matthews' defense</b></p>
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<p>I thought Wes was into his defense all game. His one-on-one defense on Kobe, he took the challenge every possession. Kobe is going to score and he made some tough shots, but I thought Wes took a lot of pride in that match-up and made Kobe work.</p>
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<p><b>Meyers Leonard on Dwight Howard</b></p>
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<p>Same thing with Meyers. I think he relished the physical nature of the match-up. He held his ground. Dwight is an All-Star. He made some good moves but Meyers didn't back down. He didn't quit, he didn't throw his arms up, he just kept playing next play. For him to come out against a guy like Dwight and have that much competition, it was good to see.</p>
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<p><b>Sasha Pavlovic in third quarter</b></p>
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<p>That little stretch that he had was really kind of opened it up. Our bench was solid. Guys coming off the bench were all solid and had a solid role. That little stretch that Sasha had, getting the steal was big, getting the rebound on his free throw was big. That sequence energized our team when we were kind of wobbly. It could have gone either way. It turned the game at that point.</p>
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<p><b>Nicolas Batum</b></p>
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<p>Nic scored well. Seemed like he made timely shots. When we needed a little run, when we needed some energy. He plays a game that kind of flows, certainly I run some plays for him but he's a great flow player. He finds open shots. We played him a lot of minutes and he had some tough defensive assignments as well. If you asked me about anybody who played, I'm going to tell you they played great.</p>
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<p><b>Killer instinct</b></p>
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<p>I can't say I'm surprised. Especially from our starters. That group has played a lot of minutes together. Last year, they played very well. They are a competitive group. They are very good basketball players. Killer instinct? I think it was just the way we finished the third quarter. They had their bench in and we were able to take advantage of that. I would have liked to finish the last three or four minutes a little better but it was a solid win from start to finish. I don't know if you would say killer instinct or just being professional in going about your business, making one good play upon another.</p>
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<p><b>Limiting turnovers after lots of turnovers in preseason</b></p>
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<p>Everybody was aware of it. Both of those high turnover games were against Utah, maybe that had something to do with it, different type of defense. Maybe it was because preseason, I don't know. It was something that after the preseason games we said that it's an area of concern. We've got to keep it under 13, 14, 12 turnovers, to be competitive in this league, you can't consistently have high turnovers.</p>
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<p>-- Ben Golliver | benjamin.golliver@gmail.com | <a target="_blank" href="http://www.twitter.com/blazersedge">Twitter</a></p>
https://www.blazersedge.com/2012/11/1/3583420/media-row-report-blazers-116-lakers-106Ben Golliver2012-10-31T23:47:53-07:002012-10-31T23:47:53-07:00Blazers Swamp Lakers with Shrewd Game Plan, Heroes
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<figcaption>Jayne Kamin-Oncea-US PRESSWIRE</figcaption>
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<p>The Portland Trail Blazers defeat the Los Angeles Lakers 116-106 behind 9 players executing a tailored plan while sprinkling in plenty of individual heroics.</p> <p>Congratulations, Blazer fans! Tonight you got a chance to see <i>nouveau </i>Trail Blazers basketball as it was meant to be played. Better yet, you got to see it played against the Los Angeles Lakers in front of a Rose Garden seeded with semi-noisy (and no-doubt smug) Lakers fans who got to walk home in silence at the end of the game. Could you wish for a better opening night? I think not.</p>
<p>Of all the factors that played into this game, three stood out above all others.</p>
<p>1. It doesn't show in the boxscore, but the Blazers took control of this game by rebounding...by far the most surprising development of the night. Portland stood toe to toe, nose to nose with the Lakers and refused to be dominated on the glass. If anything, Portland did the dominating. This set up everything else for the Blazers. It made their defense count. It keyed the break. It set a physical tone. L.A. made up for lost time as the game closed and the final stats look like a Lakers landslide on the boards: 45-30. That happened after the game was, if not decided, at least heavily in Portland's favor.</p>
<p>2. The Blazers exploited speed. The first admission here is that the Lakers looked s...l...o...w. It started with Kobe and filtered down through the entire lineup. Laterally, up and down the court, L.A. trudged in mud tonight. But the Blazers could have matched them, trading blow for blow. They didn't. Portland ran, shot quickly, opened up the game. 19 fast break points, quick and decisive passes for the first three quarters, the Blazers saw weakness and exploited it.</p>
<p>3. Again the boxscore may claim differently, but this game belonged to Damian Lillard. His only slip-ups came as the game closed and he needed to be calmed down by his more veteran teammates in the face of Laker and game-clock pressure. Up until then this guy was brilliant. The Lakers started the game trapping him on screens, trying to get him flustered and coughing up the ball. He responded by passing through or around them, setting up LaMarcus Aldridge for an amazing first half feasting on single coverage. When the Lakers tried to guard Lillard with a single point guard he responded by getting in the lane and dishing or finishing. His fantastic early shooting was icing on the cake. L.A. thought they'd abuse the youngster and stymie Portland's attack at its source. They got schooled instead. That this guy is a rookie in his <i>first NBA game ever </i>makes that performance even more astounding.</p>
<p>Beyond that, the Blazers rode two strategies to success. First off, they clogged the lane on Dwight Howard in the first half. They routinely send two and three men after him inside. Their mission was simple: get in front of him and foul whenever necessary. Again that tricky boxscore will tell you Howard scored 33 and hit 15-19 from the foul line, which seems like a brilliant game. The foul line was literally the <i>only </i>place he looked brilliant in the first half. Every time he got the ball on the move it was a disaster. He fumbled it, threw awful passes, or got hacked without converting the shot. The end result was L.A. relying on jumpers for most of their non-foul-line points. That's Portland's game.</p>
<p>Portland played that game with success. Nicolas Batum and Wesley Matthews each hit early threes, opening up the court against the slow-moving defense. Having to respect the perimeter, the Lakers couldn't recover well enough to stop dribble penetration for mid-range pull-ups and the occasional flush. Howard was their only defense and he picked up fouls in the process.</p>
<p>This would change in the second half as Howard dominated in single coverage and Portland's advantages started to melt away, but by that time the Blazers were up 12-16 points. L.A. had neither the stamina nor the bench power to overcome the difference. When they pulled close, the Blazers streaked away with a few shots.</p>
<p>Some will point to Steve Nash's ankle injury as a possible cause of the loss for the Lakers. Don't let that fool you. L.A. actually took better advantage of mismatches with Nash out. Howard's field goals came with Nash off the court. Kobe saw the ball far more as well. But both Howard's and Kobe's shot attempts took time, adding slow onto slow.</p>
<p>A foot injury and Portland's wing defense both hampered Kobe's driving attempts, meaning his shots were over the top and contested. He made plenty, but he worked hard for those lower-percentage looks. One wonders if this part of the experiment will be repeatable. Were I the Lakers I'd come into the next game against Portland with a fairly simple game plan: feed Howard early each quarter until Portland had four team fouls, then give the ball to Kobe and let him drive repeatedly for endless foul shots. That didn't happen tonight, though.</p>
<p>Considering their relative inexperience and the talent across the floor from them, this has to be considered a near-perfect night for the Blazers. Credit goes to the coaching staff for taking the right risks and to the players for committing to execution. This was one heck of a way to welcome the season.</p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><b>Individual Notes</b></p>
<p style="text-align: left;">Nicolas Batum was the high scorer for the Blazers with 26 on 9-16 shooting. 9 of his attempts were from the three-point arc, of which he made 3. More importantly he drew 7 foul shots, making 5. Those foul shots reflected his aggression on the night, appropriately noted by Portland's broadcasting crew and probably every fan in attendance at the Rose Garden. Not every shot from Batum was perfect but we saw little hesitation even on his (ahem) <i>bolder</i> attempts. He also translated that aggression to defense and rebounding, which is critical. He still scored in fits and starts, but having more consistency (or at least different fits and starts) on the other end made his night complete.</p>
<p style="text-align: left;">LaMarcus Aldridge started this game on fire. He had the jumper working early, keying off of the defensive pressure devoted to Lillard. At the beginning of the second half he came out on the left block, giving us some classic LaMarcus moments. He faded as the game closed but there's no telling if that was fatigue, the inability of Lillard to find him, or just not being needed to carry the offense with a double-digit lead. Time will tell. LaMarcus wasn't the most obvious guy out there tonight but he was critical.</p>
<p style="text-align: left;">Damian Lillard...what more can you say? 23 points on 7-17 shooting, 8-8 from the foul line, 11 assists with some back-breaking passing early, and not entirely bad defense (though to be fair the Lakers helped him some with that). We've already praised him above, so just take a moment to let it sink in. Wow.</p>
<p style="text-align: left;">Wesley Matthews did two critical things tonight. First of all he made the Lakers pay every time they forgot him, especially from distance. He shot 4-6 from the arc en route to 22 points, 7-11 shooting overall. Without him hitting those shots the Lakers sag more, hampering Lillard's drives, grabbing more rebounds, cutting off anything Batum did except streaky jumpers. This wasn't a "Wesley dominates the game" 20-point effort. It was Wesley taking the opportunities given him and making the most of them. Plus Matthews showed no mercy on Bryant or anybody else who came his way as he defended. He had 4 steals, but even more than that he stayed in front of (the admittedly slow-moving) Kobe and kept Portland strong at that end. Huge game for Matthews in many ways.</p>
<p style="text-align: left;">J.J. Hickson deserves plenty of credit for playing two different halves. In the first two quarters he did his job defensively, staying in front of Howard. Saying he stopped Howard would be wildly inaccurate. But he held his ground long enough that help could arrive. He also contributed fouls when necessary. In the second half Hickson suffered as much as anyone when left in single coverage. But the critical contribution here was rebounding. He wormed his way in for boards on both ends, keeping the Lakers at bay even when they got hot. He finished the game with a team-high 10 rebounds, plus an opportunistic 13 points. At no point did you get the feeling that J.J. was playing outside himself even in situations that were beyond him. Well done.</p>
<p style="text-align: left;">Meyers Leonard led all bench players with 23 minutes. His stat line of 4 points and 3 rebounds doesn't really matter. Here's what you need to know. He got schooled by Howard repeatedly but at no point did he hang his head, nor did teammates hang their heads around him. Instead he stood in there, took hard "pick on the rookie" fouls, and kept on playing. As a result he filled those 23 minutes without hurting the Blazers any more than they were going to get hurt at that position anyway. It was a heady game, all in all.</p>
<p style="text-align: left;">Sasha Pavlovic proved the importance of a veteran off the bench, splashing 3 of 4 shots in 18 minutes and cooling a second-half Lakers run. Did I mention this was a night when everything went right for the Blazers?</p>
<p style="text-align: left;">Nolan Smith played a little point, a little two-guard, and though he still looked like the game was moving fast for him he only attempted 2 shots, making 1, and didn't obliterate Portland's offense with those banzai attacks he's become famous for. Again, any time Portland's bench players buy time for the starters they have succeeded. Nolan succeeded tonight.</p>
<p style="text-align: left;"> </p>
<p style="text-align: left;">One of the questions trailing the evening will be how much of this is "real" and dependable? The first impulse, and probably the best, is to say, "Who cares? Just enjoy it!" Enjoyment should remain the strongest impression from the evening.</p>
<p style="text-align: left;">As far as the rest, this style of play is going to be a Blazer hallmark throughout the season. In that way the Blazers are actually ahead of the Lakers, who will have to alter some things fairly soon if they want to excel. It's unlikely the results will be as dependable as the attempt. How many times will injuries hamper the opponent, will an experienced team like the Lakers commit 24 turnovers, or will the Blazers shoot 51% from the field? The 50% rate for the opponent will be more likely. Also, how many times can Portland play 9 guys and how much energy will the starters be able to give as the season progresses? Those are questions for another time. As we've said, there will be nights like this when those shots fall and the opponent is caught flat-footed. This is less a night for "Hmmm..." and more a night for "Woot!"</p>
<p style="text-align: left;">Let the wooting commence.</p>
<p style="text-align: left;"><a target="_blank" href="http://www.blazersedge.com/2012/10/31/3584176/lillard-blazers-lambaste-the-lakers-116-106">Timmay's quarter-by-quarter recap.</a></p>
<p style="text-align: left;"><span>Lakers vs Trail Blazers boxscore</span></p>
<p style="text-align: left;"><a href="http://www.silverscreenandroll.com/">Silver Screen and Roll</a> will have a...<a target="_blank" href="http://www.silverscreenandroll.com/2012/10/31/3584518/nash-hurt-as-lakers-fumble-their-way-to-0-2">slightly different view of the proceedings tonight.</a></p>
<p style="text-align: left;">Blazers tickets for upcoming games available via <a target="_blank" href="http://www.tiqiq.com/BlazersEdge/NBA/Portland-Trail-Blazers-Tickets">Blazer's Edge sponsor TiqIQ</a>.</p>
<p style="text-align: left;"><b>Update: </b>Jersey Contest form for the Oklahoma City game is <a href="http://blazersedge.urbanishment.com/gameform.php" target="_blank">HERE</a>.</p>
<p style="text-align: left;">--Dave (blazersub@gmail.com)</p>
https://www.blazersedge.com/2012/10/31/3584378/portland-trail-blazers-vs-los-angeles-lakers-2012Dave Deckard2012-10-31T23:38:00-07:002012-10-31T23:38:00-07:00Final: Blazers Lambaste the Lakers, 116-106
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<figcaption>Russ Isabella-US PRESSWIRE</figcaption>
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<p>Preseason? Forget about it! The Portland Trail Blazers, behind electric rookie Damian Lillard, showed poise, energy, and defense, slicing through the Los Angeles Lakers for a huge Opening Night victory. The 0-2 Lakers were left frustrated all night as the inspired Blazers took an early lead and held off all challenges.</p> <p>The Blazers were led by... wow, everyone. The team was nearly everything we could hope for on opening night. But all eyes were on Damian Lillard, who lit up the Lakers for a double-double (23 points, 11 assists) in his first NBA game. Nicolas Batum (26 points) and Wesley Matthews (22 points) enjoyed monster games, and LaMarcus Aldridge (19 points) was quietly solid. Sasha Pavlovic deserves a special mention for his 7 points in one minute, destroying a Laker rally.</p>
<p>With the crowd abuzz, the Blazers opened the game looking like a the brand new team they are. Forget Summer League or Preseason, they were ready to play and it showed. Active at both ends, the Blazers caused trouble on defense and took advantage of it at the bucket. Wesley, Nic, LaMarcus and Damian all looked like seasoned pro's, ready to take it to the NBA's New Hotness. The Lakers kept it close through the first quarter thanks to Kobe, Pau and Dwight, but a late Matthews three gave the Blazers a 4 point lead as the horn sounded.</p>
<blockquote>
<p>Where in the heck did this team come from? They are playing a completely different game. I suppose it shouldn’t be a surprise with so many new faces AND a new coach – but that Blazers red is flying!<br>by <b>Diggidy</b></p>
</blockquote>
<p>Second quarter? More of the same. Before the Lakers could get started, Wesley and Damian made it a 9 point lead. From there, Dwight Howard kept them in the game. He was 11-14 from the free throw line, and was the Laker's rock in the middle, just as they've hoped. The Blazer lead slowly dwindled as the quarter progressed, but they wouldn't break. Late in the quarter, bad luck for the Lakers: Nash and Lillard bumped knees, and Nash took the worst of it. He limped to the locker room. From there, the Blazers kept their slim lead. A last-second Batum three send the Blazers to the locker room with a 5 point lead.</p>
<p>There was no denying it: This first half was FUN.</p>
<blockquote>
<p>These guys are so much more fun to watch than last year...LOL, and I'm just listening on the radio<br>by <b>Hermistonmelons</b></p>
</blockquote>
<p>Steve Nash returned for the second half. After a few minutes of clear hobbling, the Lakers quickly took him out and replaced him with The Other Steve. Dwight Howard continued to keep the Lakers somewhat close, but the Blazers were in complete control. Back to back dunks by Batum and Matthews pushed the lead to 10, and led to an LA timeout. Giving Dwight some support Kobe and Blake hit three's to bring the Lakers within 2. Then, Sasha Pavlovic walked onto the court. A steal. Scored plus a foul. Missed the free throw, but got the rebound and scored on his own! Then, for three... YES! And just like that, a 12 point run gave the Blazers a 14 point lead. As the clock ticked down, Lillard drives to the hoop through three Lakers... and hits a layup! The Blazers left the court with an unlikely 92-76 lead, and the Lakers look shell-shocked.</p>
<blockquote>
<p>CALLED SASHA PRE-GAME AS THE X-FACTOR<br>by <b>Norsktroll</b> (who did indeed call it in pregame)</p>
</blockquote>
<p>The Lakers immediately attempted to claw back into the game as the fourth quarter began, but Lillard clawed back, giving the Blazers an 18 point lead. Finally, Kobe had enough, picking up a technical foul with 8 minutes left in the game. MWP finally took a hack at Batum in frustration. Then, it was time for another comeback. A Kobe three-point play cut the lead to 11 with 5 minutes left. However, a clutch Batum three stemmed the tide. An extremely tired, vocal and angry Kobe tried to place the Lakers on his back for one last run, down double-digits with 3 minutes left. The Blazers obliged by providing them with a few turnovers. But shortly after, the Rose Garden faithful were rewarded with streamers.</p>
<p>The second half was EVEN MORE FUN!</p>
<p>The next game is Friday, as the Blazers go from the LA frying pan into the OKC fire. Stay tuned tonight, Dave's analysis will surely be interesting, and Ben's Media Row report will be too. -- Tim</p>
<p><a target="_blank" style="color: #d80000;" href="http://scores.espn.go.com/nba/boxscore?gameId=400277732">Box Score</a> || <a target="_blank" style="color: #d80000;" href="http://www.tiqiq.com/BlazersEdge/NBA/Portland-Trail-Blazers-Tickets">Blazers Tickets for upcoming games available through Blazer's Edge sponsor TiqIQ</a></p>
<p></p>
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<table class="box-score">
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<th class="td-left"> <span>Final - 10.31.2012 </span> </th> <th>1</th> <th>2</th> <th>3</th> <th>4</th> <th>Total</th>
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<td class="td-name"><span class="loss"> <a href="https://www.silverscreenandroll.com/">Los Angeles Lakers</a> </span></td>
<td>26</td>
<td>31</td>
<td>19</td>
<td>30</td>
<td class="highlight">106</td>
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<td class="td-name"><span class="win"> <a href="https://www.blazersedge.com/">Portland Trail Blazers</a> </span></td>
<td>30</td>
<td>32</td>
<td>30</td>
<td>24</td>
<td class="highlight">116</td>
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<p class="foot clearfix"><span class="link-more"><span>Complete Coverage ></span></span></p>
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https://www.blazersedge.com/2012/10/31/3584176/lillard-blazers-lambaste-the-lakers-116-106Timmay!2012-10-31T20:49:27-07:002012-10-31T20:49:27-07:00Second half live! Blazer upset in the making?
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<figcaption>Russ Isabella-US PRESSWIRE</figcaption>
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<p>Chat here about the second half of the Portland Trail Blazers' opening night, at home against the Los Angeles Lakers.</p> <p><b>Halftime score: Lakers 57, Blazers 62</b></p>
<p><b>Steve Nash left the game in the second quarter with a hurt knee, his status is unknown.</b></p>
<p><u>How to watch</u><br>Portland area: <b>KGW</b> <i>[NOT Comcast Sportsnet, despite the schedule on Blazers.com!]</i><br>Seattle area: <i><b>NONE</b> [The Blazers have not confirmed when/if KGW games will be shown in Seattle this season]</i><br>National: <b>NBA TV</b></p>
<p><u>How to listen</u><br>Portland: <b>KEX </b>(1190 AM and 102.3 FM; 1190kex.com does not air the game)<b><br></b>National: <a href="http://www.nba.com/broadband/alp_schedule.html" target="_blank" style="color: #d80000;">NBA Audio League Pass</a><a href="http://www.nba.com/broadband/alp_schedule.html" target="_blank"> </a></p>
<p> </p>
<p>The usual rules apply:</p>
<p>1. Please don't discuss non-sanctioned game streaming<br>2. No swearing or pictures<br>3. Please be cool to each other and don't be "that guy"!</p>
<p>Hang out and enjoy the game! -- Tim (blazer.timmay@gmail.com)</p>
<p><a href="http://www.blazersedge.com/2012-coverage" target="_blank" style="color: #d80000;">View complete season game coverage</a> | <a href="http://www.blazersedge.com/gameday-threads-2" target="_blank" style="color: #d80000;">View previous Gameday Threads</a></p>
https://www.blazersedge.com/2012/10/31/3584120/gameday-thread-2-lakers-vs-blazersTimmay!2012-10-31T17:19:09-07:002012-10-31T17:19:09-07:00Chat Live About Opening night!
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<figcaption>Russ Isabella-US PRESSWIRE</figcaption>
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<p>Hang out here to chat about the opening night match-up between the Los Angeles Lakers and Portland Trail Blazers at the Rose Garden.</p> <p><b>Tip-off: Around 7:40pm</b></p>
<p><u>How to watch</u><br>Portland area: <b>KGW</b> <i>[NOT Comcast Sportsnet, despite the schedule on Blazers.com!]</i><br>Seattle area: <b>Unknown</b> <i>[The Blazers have not confirmed when/if KGW games will be shown in Seattle; NBA TV may not be blacked out]</i><br>National: <b>NBA TV</b></p>
<p><u>How to listen</u><br>Portland: <b>KEX </b>(1190 AM and 102.3 FM; 1190kex.com does not air the game)<b><br></b>National: <a href="http://www.nba.com/broadband/alp_schedule.html" target="_blank" style="color: #D80000;">NBA Audio League Pass</a><a href="http://www.nba.com/broadband/alp_schedule.html" target="_blank"> </a></p>
<p> </p>
<p>The usual rules apply:</p>
<p>1. Please don't discuss non-sanctioned game streaming<br>2. No swearing or pictures<br>3. Please be cool to each other and don't be "that guy"!</p>
<p>Hang out and enjoy the game! -- Tim (blazer.timmay@gmail.com)</p>
<p><a href="http://www.blazersedge.com/2012-coverage" target="_blank" style="color: #D80000;">View complete season game coverage</a> | <a href="http://www.blazersedge.com/gameday-threads-2" target="_blank" style="color: #D80000;">View previous Gameday Threads</a></p>
https://www.blazersedge.com/2012/10/31/3583062/gameday-thread-lakers-vs-blazersTimmay!2012-10-30T23:47:43-07:002012-10-30T23:47:43-07:00Preview: Kobe, Dwight, and a Ghost of a Chance
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<figcaption>Jayne Kamin-Oncea-US PRESSWIRE</figcaption>
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<p>What the Los Angeles Lakers bring to town in Game 1 of Portland's 2012-13 season and why the Blazers have a ghost of a chance to win this game.</p> <p>Welcome to the 2012-13 Regular Season!</p>
<p>The first game of the new year pits the Portland Trail Blazers against their long-time nemesis, the most hated team ever in the Rose City, the Los Angeles Lakers. As some might know, the Lakers <a target="_blank" href="http://www.silverscreenandroll.com/2012/10/30/3579694/lakers-final-score-mavs-trounce-lakers-99-91">got their hats handed to them by the Dirk-less Dallas Mavericks last night.</a> This was actually a relief to me as your resident previewer, as it's hard to give appropriate credit to the raw talent on this team while still cautioning people about cohesiveness and the importance of defined and meshing roles. As it turns out, I don't have to. The Lakers made my point for me, showing everybody exactly where they are (and aren't) in their opening-night loss.</p>
<p>Let's start with that raw talent. Kobe Bryant is the kingpin, as always. He may not be the Kobe of four years ago in terms of stamina and efficiency but he's still right atop the league with LeBron James as an MVP candidate. Amazing doesn't begin to describe him, but you already know this. You also know that the Lakers added Steve Nash and Dwight Howard in the off-season while retaining Pau Gasol and Metta World Peace and salting in Antawn Jamison for good measure. Holy Moly.</p>
<p>So what happened against Dallas? Is this just a new lineup getting used to each other, a rough shakedown cruise?</p>
<p>Sort of. The Lakers face a couple of problems that aren't just going away.</p>
<p>First of all, this is, and needs to be, Kobe's team. Whether Bryant is capable of delivering a championship--or even near-championship--by himself anymore is up for debate. (I vote no.) But precedence, talent, and cohesiveness all demand that he remain the biggest fish in the pond. But Bryant is, at heart, an isolation player. He has an all-around game, to be sure. He can pass. He sees the floor with the best of them. But when you envision Kobe at his best he's neither dishing nor receiving an assist. Instead he's breaking down and tearing apart hapless opponents through individual talent and indomitable will.</p>
<p>But now you add Steve Nash to the mix. He's the consummate assist man, the archetypal point guard of this generation. Keep in mind, though, that his best moments come with the ball in his hands and a great screen being set for him. You'd never call Nash an iso player in the Kobe style, but he's just as much of a floor captain and just as ball-intensive as the Lakers' flagship superstar.</p>
<p>Then you have Dwight Howard. He should be the yin to Nash's yang, forming the most devastating pick and roll duo ever seen. But here's a dirty little not-so-secret of the modern NBA: mobile big men make the classic pick and roll difficult. This is why the pick and pop has come into style. Howard doesn't have much versatility while catching on the move. Get him the ball iso'ed and let him work a little and he can show you something. Get him the ball when he's already near the rim and you're dead. Put it in his hands off the roll, though, and he ends up with a lot of distance to cover in a fairly straight line. He's still going to hit most of his attempts. It'll be a brutally efficient set if you just look at field goal attempts. But he's also going to get fouled and commit turnovers when his straight line gets interrupted.</p>
<p>Granted, most teams would love to be working the kinks out of a Nash-Howard pick-and-roll duo. But these are the Lakers. In the immediate picture every missed free throw and turnover highlights the fact that Kobe is not getting the ball in the situations he likes best. In the bigger picture the Lakers don't just expect to be good, but all-world. At this level of marquee talent and these prices, they will neither tolerate nor deal well with any kinks at all. In the overarching theoretical picture you have to wonder about one superstar who thrives on ball-stalling isos, a second whose effectiveness plummets in that kind of offense, and a third who swings either way but needs the freedom and touches to make all kinds of mistakes in order to prosper.</p>
<p>Then you have to consider Gasol (and to a lesser extent, World Peace). Pau was forever in a duel with Andrew Bynum for touches and field goal attempts. For all Bynum's promise, Gasol usually won that tug-of-war, thus remaining relevant. Now Gasol may end up fourth in the pecking order, if not in attempts at least in time spent with the ball in his hands. You could tell Bynum he was expected to get half of his touches from offensive rebounds and hustle. You can't tell Gasol that and still have him be Gasol. The Lakers are better with him than without him, to be sure, but you're probably not getting 100% of what Pau has to offer in this lineup. You may not be getting 100% out of anyone who doesn't stand up and demand his prerogatives, which realistically only Bryant and Howard can do.</p>
<p>(Disclaimer: Gasol took 19 shots last night, by far the most of any Laker. He hit 8 of those and the Lakers lost. Despite his 13 rebounds, 6 assists, and 3 blocks, how long do you suppose that kind of shot distribution will last? And will you see the same Pau if he's taking 8 shots instead of 19? On the other hand, will Howard be happy if the situation remains the same and he ends up with only 12 shots and 10 rebounds to Gasol's 19 and 13?)</p>
<p>So here's what it comes down to. The Lakers will be in contention and will be quite good by the end of the season. But their issues aren't any less real for being hidden in the penumbra of the spotlight. Their success will depend on questions few have bothered to ask yet. Who's going to set screens? Who will sacrifice their game to be the non-shooting glue guy? How does everybody else adjust when Kobe needs the ball? What happens when the team gets under pressure and has to determine go-to players and plays? They've got every talent question answered in spades. They don't have a clue as to any of these yet. Until they do, expect rocky performances. They'll have to hold it together emotionally and professionally through those performances, shrugging off the weight of their own expectations and frustrations, in order to make it through the desert and end up at the promised land.</p>
<p>That said, none of that is likely to make a difference tonight. The Blazers are so outclassed in talent and experience that they'll have to rely on truisms and luck to see them through.</p>
<p> </p>
<ul>
<li>The Blazers will depend on the long ball this season to an extent not seen around these parts...well...ever. Falling jumpers are the key to opening the floor for cuts, offensive rebounds, any and all easy points that don't come off the break proper. Though well-mated to the skill sets of the players, it's an inefficient strategy. Most nights those jumpers won't fall. On magical nights when they do, however, the Blazers should be able to hang with anyone, as defenses will have a hard time covering the entire spread floor. The positive-spin interpretation: the Blazers always have a chance, even in matchups like this. </li>
<li>The Blazers have played well against the Lakers in the Rose Garden no matter what the status of the two teams.</li>
<li>L.A. is on the second night of a back-to-back and Bryant may not be in the best of health, suffering from a foot condition.</li>
</ul>
<p>Those three factors weigh against the prowess, power, and prestige of L.A.'s lineup. The Blazers <i>might </i>be able to cover Bryant by committing extra mobile defenders to him. Almost every player the Blazers field is fleet of foot. This should make double-teaming easier. You might also argue that the matchup between Nash and Damian Lillard could end up a wash on a given night, as either should be able to score on the other. Outside of 18-24 fouls to commit, though, it's hard to see how the Blazers have any answer for Howard. Populated by players untested, out of position, or both, Portland's center position is a weakness even against the likes of Phoenix and Denver. If the Lakers are smart they'll feed Howard early and endlessly tonight, with or without the Nash screen combo. It remains to be seen whether they have the emotional fortitude to do that, to work around Kobe and stick with the big man no matter the early results from the field or foul line. But if they feed Howard for 40 minutes, it's hard to envision the Blazers finding a solution.</p>
<p>What's more, improbable Portland victories in this series have generally involved a combination of fast break buckets and dominant offensive performances from individual Blazers. Portland will try to fast break tonight, assuming they can keep Howard, Gasol, and World Peace off of the offensive boards while double-teaming or playing zone. But even if that succeeds, from whence come the dominant offensive performances? In the old days you'd see Roy and/or Aldridge bust open games with the second following whoever went first. Where's the second thrust now?</p>
<p>This isn't just a matter of bald point-scoring. Portland's offense bent entire games their way. Scoring with the Lakers and putting them down early inevitably made the L.A. offense more Kobe-centric. Bryant would try to take over games, often lofting shots over double-teams. He'd score 30 but most of those shots would miss, leading to more run-out attempts. Plus his teammates, now disenfranchised, would play defense less stridently. That led to even more points, putting even more pressure on Bryant, lather-rinse-repeat until the Blazers won.</p>
<p>It's hard to see Aldridge triggering this effect on his own, both because of the style of his offense and because he'll have the bullseye on him from moment one of this game. Unless the aforementioned long shots fall in droves for his teammates I'm not sure any other Blazer is capable of taking the pressure off of LaMarcus and putting in on Kobe the way Roy often did (or Aldridge did for Roy). Lillard might have a shot, but he's a rookie. Wesley Matthews and Nicolas Batum might get started, but World Peace has a nasty habit of clubbing anybody who gets hot for Portland and it's hard to see either Blazer wing surviving hefty blows and still maintaining their desire to penetrate and keep the fire hot.</p>
<p>Finally, and most tellingly, the Blazers themselves face nearly every single question we just posed about the Lakers. Screen setting, glue guys, shot distribution, go-to players under pressure, adapting to new guys and new plays...it's all up in the air for Portland too. With no clear answers for either team, this will likely come down to a battle of experience and talent. That bodes ill for the Blazers.</p>
<p>Nevertheless, this is still Blazers-Lakers and there's still hope for excitement here. The Lakers aren't a sure thing. The Blazers are even less of a sure thing, but maybe there's enough of a crack open in there to surprise folks. Seeing the Lakers go 0-2 to start the season wouldn't be the most shocking thing in the world. Sadly, though, it'd just mean that the Blazers got hot for a night, not that they were ready to take on this season.</p>
<p>Ah, but what a night it would be! The Blazers need to keep L.A. off the offensive glass, run hard against a team that would prefer a slower game, and hope those shots start falling.</p>
<p>You can read the opposing viewpoint at <a href="http://www.silverscreenandroll.com/">Silver Screen and Roll</a>.</p>
<p>Come on over before tip-off to participate in our GameDay Open Thread and stay tuned after the game for complete coverage and analysis.</p>
<p>--Dave (blazersub@gmail.com)</p>
<p>P.S. For those wondering, the Jersey Contest will start in November this year. We can't add one October game to the November standings without doing the math manually for each entry, which is a pain. Look for the contest to begin Friday!</p>
https://www.blazersedge.com/2012/10/30/3579674/los-angeles-lakers-vs-portland-trail-blazers-2012Dave Deckard