Blazer's Edge - Complete Coverage: Blazers 108, Cavaliers 96The ultimate coverage and analysis of the Portland Trail Blazershttps://cdn.vox-cdn.com/community_logos/47543/blazersedge-fave.png2014-01-16T02:02:05-08:00http://www.blazersedge.com/rss/stream/50772912014-01-16T02:02:05-08:002014-01-16T02:02:05-08:00Media Row Report: Blazers 108, Cavaliers 96
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<figcaption>Craig Mitchelldyer-USA TODAY Spo</figcaption>
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<p>The Portland Trail Blazers defeated the Cleveland Cavaliers, 108-96, at the Moda Center on Wednesday night, improving their record to 29-9.</p> <p>The Portland Trail Blazers defeated the Cleveland Cavaliers, 108-96, at the Moda Center on Wednesday night, improving their record to 29-9.</p>
<p>It's a scene that pops up in soap operas, music videos, commercials, sitcoms, feature-length films, you name it -- and you've definitely seen it. One half of the relationship, long past its wit's end and with no time for this nonsense, starts heaping clothes and possessions (often golf clubs) on the front lawn. The other half of the relationship pulls up to the house, mid-heaping, with a dumbfounded look, saying nothing as alibis are mentally concocted and excuses are put on file. But there will be no time for talking. The first half shoots eye-to-eye daggers at the second half, slowly pivots and then walks through the house's entrance, slamming the door for effect and forever. It's over, second half, pick up your gear and start thinking about where you're going to sleep tonight.</p>
<p>One minute, Cleveland was driving home from work, minding its own business, thinking about what's for dinner, with the score tied at 96. The next minute -- well, the next 2:31 to be precise -- the Cavaliers found themselves on the outside of that slammed door, with no doorbell to turn to for help, victims of a 12-0 closeout push that was so emphatic and forceful that Blazers coach Terry Stotts <i>somehow was able to put his subs back into the game</i> in the game's final minute.</p>
<p>From the 3:17 mark to the :30 mark, Portland scored on every single one of its offensive possessions. From the 2:53 mark to the end of the game, Cleveland didn't score a single point, and they didn't attempt a shot from inside 18 feet. There weren't many, if any, clean looks to be found by the Cavaliers either. This was a "get out of my life" endgame flourish from the Blazers, a commanding two-way display that you hope to see from a team with three days of rest against a weaker opponent on the second night of a back-to-back.</p>
<p>"I looked up and it was two minutes [left]," LaMarcus Aldridge told Blazersedge. "I was talking to Will Barton, I was like, 'It's my time.' I stepped up."</p>
<p>Aldridge scored nine straight points for Portland in four possessions over less than two minutes, kicking off his run with his first three-pointer of the season. He joked afterwards that he won't be campaigning for a spot in the Three-Point Shootout. He will, however, be all up in your cafeteria, devouring your lunch meat.</p>
<p>Poor Tristan Thompson -- still so young that he doesn't know with which hand he should be shooting -- didn't have a chance. With the clock under two minutes, Aldridge backed Thompson down, turned to the middle, and split the help defense for a slithering left-handed lay-up. It was a difficult, twisting, off-handed play that was made to look so easy.</p>
<p>"They doubled once," Aldridge told Blazersedge, when asked if he was surprised he encountered mostly single-coverage down the stretch. "They told Luol Deng to double once, after that, I missed my next shot. I think they felt I wasn't going to score any more, [so] they stopped doubling and I had one-on-one coverage."</p>
<p>One-on-one coverage wasn't going to cut it. That basket closed Aldridge's run -- which also included two free throws and a mid-range jumper -- and it gave Portland a six-point lead. Cleveland was forced to call timeout.</p>
<p>"He knew it was winning time," Stotts said of Aldridge, who finished with a game-high 32 points (on 12-for-26 shooting), 18 rebounds and four assists. "You could see him with the determination of making a play at the rim."</p>
<p>The only thing left was for Damian Lillard, who added 28 points (on 10-for-20 shooting), six rebounds and five assists, to twist the dagger with a deep, pull-up three-pointer.</p>
<p>As impressive as Aldridge's late-game manhandling was Portland's team-wide defensive intensity in the game's last chapter. The Blazers' starting/closing five was made whole when Wesley Matthews checked into the game with 2:31 remaining; from that point on, the Cavaliers shot 0-for-6 from the field and failed to generate a single opportunity going towards the basket or in the paint, and they secured zero offensive rebounds.</p>
<p>"I thought everybody took an individual challenge," Stotts said. "On the pick-and-rolls, our bigs were good at containing the ball and not giving them an alley to the basket. The one-on-one defense -- our stances were good. Taking away angles on the drives, the help defense was there. I think it was a combination of good individual defense and good pick-and-roll defense."</p>
<p>The official score sheet read, basically: clang, defensive rebound, clang, defensive rebound, clang, defensive rebound, clang, defensive rebound, clang, defensive rebound, clange, defensive rebound, end of game.</p>
<p>"We need to extend that stretch -- instead of the last two and a half minutes, it's got to be the last seven or eight minutes of each quarter," Wesley Matthews told Blazersedge, apparently hoping to be part of a shutout one day. "[We were] just trying to not let the ball get to the middle. They've got a lot of guys who can score, play one-on-one off the bounce. They've got guys who come out and set screens, they're a different team after the trade. We just have to be sound, make sure that ball stayed out of the middle, make sure they didn't get to our paint."</p>
<p>Cleveland broke -- and broke cleanly -- in those moments.</p>
<p>"We looked like we were tired, we were gassed a little bit," Cavaliers coach Mike Brown said. "But Portland had something to do with it. They kept attacking, kept attacking, kept attacking."</p>
<p>It's possible that the Cavaliers were lacking energy playing their third game in four nights, including a nail-biter against the Lakers in Los Angeles on Tuesday. It's possible that they aren't yet sure how the pecking order should play out following their recent trade for Deng. It's possible that their roster isn't yet at a place where they enter such situations with total confidence. But this Cleveland team has made life difficult for Portland, as recently as a December game that went down to the closing seconds, and they kept things competitive for 45.5 minutes.</p>
<p>Then the rout and the squeeze was on.</p>
<p>"[Us] guards were just pursuing more over the screens, trying to not let them get easy shots," Lillard told Blazersedge. "They were fighting through pick-and-rolls better, bigs were clogging the paint better. Bigs and guards did an overall better job. ... I wouldn't say [this was a] signature [effort] but it just shows that we can defend that way. We've got to do it more often. The game was on the line, I think everybody understood what needed to happen."</p>
<p>Well, I <i>would </i>say that this was a signature defensive effort, a fairly rare stretch in which the words "imposing" and "suffocating" just might apply. Although the final score was respectable, the victory over Cleveland nicely book-ended with Portland's blowout of the Charlotte Bobcats on Jan. 2, completing a 4-2 run through a soft six-game stretch.</p>
<p>Of greater interest to the Blazers, even in the moments immediately after their win, was the balance of their January slate, which includes eight straight games against Western Conference playoff hopefuls, beginning with a four-game, five-day road trip against four of the West's top eight teams.</p>
<p>"This is like playoffs, damn near," Thomas Robinson told Blazersedge. "If we come out strong, then definitely all doubts should leave us alone."</p>
<p>Lillard added: "We understand it's going to be tough. All of these teams are playoff teams so we've got to go in and have that mentality. It's going to be a war for us, everybody has to be ready for it."</p>
<p><b><u>Random Game Notes</u></b></p>
<ul>
<li>The attendance was announced at 19,998 (a sellout). The crowd really picked up when Thomas Robinson blocked a Tristan Thompson shot at the rim early in the fourth quarter, which led to a Mo Williams three-pointer on the other end.</li>
<li> <a target="_blank" href="http://youtu.be/VQa0CmCqtyA">Here are the game highlights</a> via YouTube user <b>PortlandTrailBlazers</b>.</li>
</ul>
<p><iframe frameborder="0" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/VQa0CmCqtyA?rel=0" height="281" width="500"></iframe></p>
<ul>
<li>Stats man <b>@EdKupfer</b> is back with <a href="https://pbs.twimg.com/media/BeD8AK9CQAAx_Wr.png:large" target="_blank">another great strength of schedule chart (must-see)</a> that shows the challenges that Portland will be facing over the next three months. The Blazers' ride is going to get a lot bumpier.</li>
<li>Robinson on his block: "[Thompson] took a little while to gather and I met him up there."</li>
<li>The highlight of the night was almost Tyler Zeller posterizing Joel Freeland. Then <a href="http://www.blazersedge.com/2014/1/15/5314254/breakdown-damian-lillard-dunks-backdoor-lob-nic-batum" target="_blank">this Nicolas Batum to Damian Lillard alley-oop</a> had to steal Zeller's thunder.</li>
<li>Lillard to Blazersedge on the lob play: "That wasn't even the play. I was supposed to just run away to the corner, but usually the big man [Anderson Varejao] would be back in the paint, so it wouldn't even be there. I saw he was kind of hugging the guy [LaMarcus Aldridge] at the elbow. My man [Kyrie Irving] fell asleep [so] I kept going because I know Nico [Batum] is always looking to make those passes."</li>
<li>I love the two-hand catch, one-hand finish alley-oops. In an online world where seemingly everything, especially highlight plays, gets completely dissected, I think this type of finish is underrated and under-discussed.</li>
<li>Happy freaking new year. It's 2014 and Greg Oden out-scored and out-rebounded 2012 All-Star starter Andrew Bynum (not on a team) and 2013 No. 1 overall pick Anthony Bennett (DNP-CD) on Wednesday. If you had told me that would happen in 2010, 2011, 2012 or most of 2013 I would have given you the Tim Duncan bug eyes reaction.</li>
<li>Details and video of Oden's debut for the Miami Heat <a href="http://www.blazersedge.com/2014/1/15/5313502/video-former-blazers-c-greg-oden-debuts-for-heat" target="_blank">can be found right here</a>.</li>
<li>Oden's return wasn't brought up in the locker room, although a number of Blazers addressed it back on Media Day, giving their well wishes. Nicolas Batum did <a href="https://twitter.com/nicolas88batum/status/423708821245411328" target="_blank">offer this tweet</a>: "Nice to see Greg Oden back on the court. Wish him all the best."</li>
<li>Check out the LaMarcus Aldridge Dairy Queen-style collectible cup <a href="http://www.blazersedge.com/2014/1/15/5313396/blazers-unveil-lamarcus-aldridge-dairy-queen-style-collectible-glass" target="_blank">right here</a>. The image was released pre-game and I saw the cups before tip off. They look sweet. The Blazers did right by a great tradition.</li>
<li>Filed under "Something you never see": Multiple members of the Cavaliers engaged in some two-on-two and one-on-one on the Moda Center court <i>after the game</i>, during the time usually allotted for showering and media interviews. Dozens of fans watched from the court as security remained in place to allow them to play. </li>
<li>One of the players involved was Jarrett Jack, who finished with three points (on 1-for-3 shooting) and three assists in just 12 minutes off the bench. Maybe he had some excess energy to burn.</li>
<li>Here's a quick snap of the post-game scene. </li>
</ul>
<p><a href="http://cdn0.sbnation.com/assets/3871733/photo__7_.JPG" target="_blank"><img alt="Photo__7__medium" class="photo" src="http://cdn1.sbnation.com/assets/3871733/photo__7__medium.JPG"></a></p>
<ul>
<li>Every media member has had their mind go blank at the worst possible moment during a press conference or interview session. Inevitably, the words start to stumble and bumble uncontrollably. It's the media's version of an airball. Anyway, an egregious example, which produced a funny response from Blazers coach Terry Stotts, can be seen below. The second-to-last question, if you couldn't tell.</li>
<li>The very best Mo Williams turnovers are the ones that cause people to email in angrily before the next dead ball.</li>
<li>Wesley Matthews (15 points, 5-for-12 shooting, four assists) on whether the Blazers have thought about the fact that Stotts could wind up as the Western Conference's coach at the All-Star Game: "We have not talked about it, but it's part of the plan. Taking care of business every night, hopefully, ultimately that will happen."</li>
<li>LaMarcus Aldridge on the upcoming road trip: "I feel fine about it. These are good teams. We've beat some of them. We've put ourselves in a position to be on these teams' levels or better. We're going to go in their house, play our game, play solid defense and be ourselves."</li>
<li>Aldridge on his three-pointer: "Clock was running down, I saw where I was. I figured, I've been working on them all morning, might as well shoot it. It went in. That's rare for me but I made it and that was good for us."</li>
<li>Lillard told reporters that Aldridge had been working on his three-point shooting at Wednesday shootaround: "That was a big time shot. He had a hand in his face. He doesn't really shoot threes. I told him to stop shooting threes at shootaround, because he never shoots them in the game. He happened to make that one and it was funny."</li>
<li>Aldridge continues to disassociate himself from all <a href="http://www.blazersedge.com/2014/1/3/5268168/media-row-report-blazers-134-bobcats-104" target="_blank">"Lunch Meat" references</a>: "I'm not into that. That's my teammates, that's not me."</li>
<li>Had to like that pocket pass from Lillard to Aldridge to set up the late-game jumper.</li>
<li>Had to like that quick-snap pass from Matthews to Thomas Robinson for a lay-up. </li>
<li>Really had to like Lillard picking Irving's pocket and finishing the play with a lefty lay-up. This looked like a "I want to take your spot in the point guard rankings" type of effort from Lillard. </li>
<li>Final damage... Lillard: 28 points, six rebounds, five assists, two steals, zero turnovers. Irving: 21 points, four assists, two rebounds, one steal, three turnovers. Quite a different story from their match-up in Las Vegas at the USA Basketball Showcase last summer.</li>
<li>Signs: "I Brought My Teacher To The Game," "LA In Beast Mode," "Lillard Is My Boy," "Let's Get Moda-vated," "I Want A Hug From Blaze" (this one proved successful, a hug was given), "Crush The Cavaliers," "It's Mo Time," and a bunch of signs from Boys & Girls Club members thanking Lillard and Matthews for their holiday charity work.</li>
<li>The best sign: "Batum BAWSS" with the second "A" designed like the Eiffel Tower.</li>
<li>Not that Dion Waiters (18 points on 8-for-19 shooting) ever hesitates, but he looked particularly eager to attack CJ McCollum when the two were matched up.</li>
<li> <a href="http://twitpic.com/dse1mi" target="_blank">Here's the GIF</a> of Zeller's dunk on Freeland via <b>Dane Carbaugh</b>.</li>
<li>Robinson's night (four points, six rebounds) had some moments (the block, a dunk, a nice shovel pass to Joel Freeland) but things got away from him a little bit (a turnover, a missed long two) at the end of his shift. He again filled the fourth big role and Meyers Leonard didn't play.</li>
<li>McCollum had a rough night (two points, 1-for-3 shooting, two turnovers, some Waiters highlights) but he at least got in a pretty spin move in the paint after splitting the defense for his only bucket.</li>
<li>Same old, same old on the Chalupa/McMuffin non-event.</li>
<li> <b>Erik Gundersen</b> of <b>The Columbian</b> had a nice note about Portland's quarter-by-quarter defensive efficiency numbers <a href="http://blogs.columbian.com/blazer-banter/2014/01/15/blazers-have-been-shown-numbers-on-defensive-struggles-just-how-bad-is-it/" target="_blank">here</a>.</li>
<li>Be sure to follow <b>Dave</b> on Twitter (<a href="http://www.twitter.com/davedeckard" target="_blank">here</a>), <b>Timmay!</b> on Twitter (<a href="https://twitter.com/BedgeTimmay/" target="_blank">here</a>) and the site's new official account (<a href="http://www.twitter.com/blazersedge" target="_blank">here</a>). Also, please consider making a donation to Blazer's Edge Night (<a href="http://www.blazersedge.com/2014/1/13/5306766/portland-trail-blazers-blazersedge-donate-tickets-1000-underprivileged-kids-youth" target="_blank">details here</a>).</li>
<li>This one ran a little shorter than usual as I'm still getting over a bug. Apologies to the 12 of you who made it this far and still wanted more (Hi Dad). </li>
</ul>
<p><b><u>Terry Stotts' Post-Game Comments</u></b></p>
<p><b>Opening Comments</b></p>
<blockquote>
<p>I was very pleased with our defense, for the most part, throughout the game, but particularly in the fourth quarter. We really did a nice job of protecting the rim, forcing mid-range shots. LaMarcus [Aldridge] and Damian [Lillard] did a nice job of closing it. We hit some timely shots. Obviously LaMarcus's three was timely. [Nicolas Batum]'s kickout to Damian's three was timely. I thought our bench did a very good job of getting the lead and getting some momentum for us during their run in the second half. To be able to bring the starters back in with a tie game, that was something that we needed.</p>
</blockquote>
<p><b>Second-half defense on Kyrie Irving and Dion Waiters</b></p>
<blockquote>
<p>I really thought it was very good individual defense, whether it was Mo [Williams] or Damian or Wes [Matthews] or Nic. I thought they all in the second half were in the stance, were taking the individual challenge of guarding Waiters and Irving in particular.</p>
</blockquote>
<p><b>Mo Williams' late contributions</b></p>
<blockquote>
<p>Mo brings a lot of energy, his gamesmanship, his understanding of how the game is going, getting people shots. Defensively, they were trying to go at him with Waiters and he really took that challenge as well. I thought that gave our team some energy as well.</p>
</blockquote>
<p><b>Upcoming road trip</b></p>
<blockquote>
<p>Challenging. Four teams that are in the playoffs. I'm always reluctant to talk about a whole road trip. Right now, it's about San Antonio. I think they've won six in a row and have the best record in the league, or close to it. The road trip is challenging, but like anything else you can't look at the whole thing. If you're going to read a 2,000 page book -- you can't look at the whole book. You've got to take the first chapter.</p>
</blockquote>
<p><b>Late defense</b></p>
<blockquote>
<p>I thought everybody took an individual challenge. On the pick-and-rolls, our bigs were good at containing the ball and not giving them an alley to the basket. The one-on-one defense -- our stances were good. Taking away angles on the drives, the help defense was there. I think it was a combination of good individual defense and good pick-and-roll defense.</p>
</blockquote>
<p><b>LaMarcus Aldridge</b></p>
<blockquote>
<p>He had a lot of good mid-range shots that he usually makes a better percentage of that. The two plays that he made going to the basket, aggressive, strong moves. He knew it was winning time. You could see him with the determination of making a play at the rim. Both plays paid off for us.</p>
</blockquote>
<p><b>Closing out strong</b></p>
<blockquote>
<p>A lot of good teams are able to do that in the fourth quarter. I think we're a good team. We want to be able to be in position to win games in the fourth quarter. Whether we explode or win a nail-biter, I think we have the confidence and the resolve and the determination to find a way to win in the fourth quarter.</p>
</blockquote>
<p><b>Bench</b></p>
<blockquote>
<p>I thought what our bench did -- and Wes was in with that group, they provided us a lot of energy. We had a nice little run, gave a little bit of it back, but to be able to extend the lead with your bench that's an important thing in this league. It was kind of wobbly there for a little bit but we had a nice little, two-minute spurt that built the lead and got us the momentum.</p>
</blockquote>
<p><b>It seemed like... it just seemed like, um, it -- there were a lot of things that maybe didn't show up in the stat line, but guys like T. Rob, able to give LaMarcus Aldridge his energy. It was, like you said, the back-ups that were able to gain the lead in this contest. Is that something that we're going to be able to see game in and game out going through the rest of this -- into this four game trip that you're going on?</b></p>
<blockquote>
<p>Can you give me the abbreviated version of that question?</p>
</blockquote>
<p><b>So, being able to get that energy from your bench was obviously --</b></p>
<blockquote>
<p>-- Look, the bench is important. I mean you can't understate what they can give us. Whether it's scoring, energy or defense. To be able to reset our starters, the rotation was pretty much the same tonight as it's been, with the exception of CJ, I've had to tweak the rotation. Hopefully you'l see that every night from our bench.</p>
</blockquote>
<p>-- Ben Golliver | benjamin.golliver@gmail.com | <a href="http://www.twitter.com/bengolliver" target="_blank">Twitter</a></p>
https://www.blazersedge.com/2014/1/16/5313406/media-row-report-blazers-108-cavaliers-96Ben Golliver2014-01-15T23:43:29-08:002014-01-15T23:43:29-08:00Stars, Late Rallies Secure Victory for Blazers
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<img alt="" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/m1vIh2ftSNScesvONztwENThnAo=/0x124:2567x1835/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/26920799/20140115_ads_sx3_296.0.jpg" />
<figcaption>Craig Mitchelldyer-USA TODAY Spo</figcaption>
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<p>LaMarcus Aldridge and Damian Lillard stepped up when their team needed it, rallying the Portland Trail Blazers at the end of each quarter of a 108-96 victory over the Cleveland Cavaliers. </p> <p>There's an old adage in poker: it doesn't matter how many pots you win as long as you take home the big ones. That principle served the <a href="https://www.blazersedge.com/" class="sbn-auto-link">Portland Trail Blazers</a> well in their 108-96 victory over the <a href="https://www.fearthesword.com/" class="sbn-auto-link">Cleveland Cavaliers</a> tonight in a game that was far closer than the final score indicated.</p>
<p>There's no real need for a quarter-by-quarter recap of this game. Aside from a chaotic opening in which both teams apparently lost their minds--throwing up shots in the first 10 seconds of possession that would make an inveterate YMCA chucker blush in shame--the pattern stayed steady all night.</p>
<p>Cleveland did a masterful job on the boards tonight. <span>LaMarcus Aldridge</span> was the only Trail Blazer who rebounded with any ease. <span>Nicolas Batum</span> occasionally got in licks. Other than that it seemed like two Cavaliers were bumping any Blazer who chased a carom within six feet of the hoop. Cleveland largely eliminated Portland's second-chance lifeline.</p>
<p>For the first half of the game the Cavs also contested most of Portland's three-point attempts, leaving the well dry. Cleveland appeared to succumb to fatigue in the second half and three-point coverage was the first line of defense to crumble.</p>
<p>Cleveland would carefully build an advantage in each quarter, grabbing those rebounds, forcing turnovers, driving inside. Then the whole thing came crumbling to the ground in the last 3 minutes as the Blazers would storm back behind withering barrages from LaMarcus Aldridge. A couple threes, a couple free throws, and a steady diet of Aldridge points late in each quarter put the Blazers ahead in every period save the first even though Cleveland outplayed them for much of the clock.</p>
<p>The Cavaliers fell apart in two major ways. Their defensive rotations near the hoop were murderously bad in the first half, allowing Portland to stay in the game despite struggling to score in any but the most obvious ways. Every time the Blazers set a high screen they'd find a wide-open man at the bucket. The Cavaliers corrected this in the second half at the aforementioned cost of leaving shooters open on the perimeter. But even that didn't kill them. No...on a night in which they were butchering Portland's guards every time they drove, Cleveland fell to their own lack of judgment. As the game wound down the Cavaliers settled for jumper after jumper, most of which missed. Typically the Blazers would have been down 8-10 before making their furious run at the end of the game, escaping with the narrow win or ruing a tight loss. Instead the Blazers started that run locked up with the Cavs, as they had been most of the game. Thus the final fourth-quarter flurry produced a dozen-point victory instead of 2-4.</p>
<p>After trailing the Cavaliers for most of the game in field goal percentage and shooting miserably from distance in the first half the Blazers ended up beating Cleveland 48%-44% from the field and hitting 11 of their 27 triples, a healthy 41% success rate. The Blazers managed 11 offensive rebounds for the game, a couple off their average, but many of those rebounds were chase-down and they had to work hard for their points after. 16 turnovers proved plenty dangerous, leading to 19 Cavalier points...around 1/5 of Cleveland's total. But more shots shot better with 30% of them coming from beyond the arc proved too much for the Cavs to overcome.</p>
<p><b>Individual Notes</b></p>
<p>The scoring in this game was all about two players. LaMarcus Aldridge put in 32 but needed 26 shots to do it. His signature moment came with 3:17 left in the game and Portland down 1. The Blazers had run a sloppy possession and Aldridge was left holding the hot potato, beyond the arc and guarded, as the shot clock hit zero. He lofted a triple and it went in. That was his first make from range all season. The Blazers never trailed after. Aldridge also muscled his way to 18 rebounds, a habit which has got to frustrate opponents by now. It isn't enough that the guy seems unstoppable with the jumper and carries his team's offense whenever needed, he's also turned into a bona fide rebounding machine.</p>
<p><span>Damian Lillard</span> completed Portland's scoring ying-yang, appearing to take his matchup with <span>Kyrie Irving</span> seriously from the start by shooting early and often. Lillard went 10-20, 5-10 from the arc, for 28 points. It's not so much that the Cavaliers lost containment on those threes. Rather he shot them so quickly that Flash couldn't have gotten there on roller skates. Lillard also had 6 rebounds, 5 assists, and 2 steals.</p>
<p>Nicolas Batum didn't shoot much (3-5) and had a hard time containing <span>Luol Deng</span> (10-20 for 25 points) but Deng tired while Batum kept on chugging to the tune of 7 points, 9 rebounds, and 6 assists. Maybe Batum doesn't need to shoot more for the Blazers to win right now but his triple is looking rusty from disuse.</p>
<p>Speaking of rusty, <span>Wesley Matthews</span> fought his shot tonight whether taking a jumper or trying to score in the post. He shot 5-12 for 15 points. He had 4 assists to the good but his defense left a little to be desired.</p>
<p>And speaking of less-than-desirable defense, at a certain point it looked like the Cavaliers' entire offensive plan boiled down to, "Get the ball to whomever <span>Mo Williams</span> is guarding." Mo had 7 assists in 29 minutes but shot 3-11, scored 8, committed 3 turnovers and 3 personal fouls, and still ate some of Matthews' minutes because Cleveland's shooting guards were speedy scorers.</p>
<p>We've seen <span>Robin Lopez</span> foiled by jump-shooting big men this year. We've seen him at the mercy of a couple really skilled or really athletic centers. We've seen him hung out to dry by his own guards, asked to help when they've let their man go. We've also seen Lopez perform pretty well in most of those situations and extra-well when the matchups didn't go against him. Tonight was the only time all year that we've seen Lopez outplayed at his own game. <span>Anderson Varejao</span> was more energetic, rebounded better, defended better, and suppressed Lopez for most of the evening. Robin struck on a couple offensive boards and a couple opportunity shots in the halfcourt but he managed only 4 rebounds and 8 points. Varejao had 14 boards. To Lopez's credit I was surprised by this turn. It reminds you how few times he's been overmatched this year by anyone but the best of centers.</p>
<p><span>Thomas Robinson</span> played with the usual energy and netted 6 rebounds in 13 minutes.</p>
<p><span>Joel Freeland</span> looked faster than Lopez or Varejao but got bumped around pretty good. 4 points and a board in 15 minutes.</p>
<p><span>C.J. McCollum</span> got to play with the ball in his hands a little more tonight and struggled, shooting 1-3 and committing 2 turnovers in 12 minutes. It wasn't a great night for the bench, or for anyone really save Aldridge, Lillard, and part of Batum.</p>
<p>The extended homestand is now complete. The Blazers played 5 of their last 6 games at home, won 4 of those 6, and took advantage of shaky opponents. That story changes now as they embark on a serious 4 games in 5 nights swing through San Antonio, Dallas, Houston, and Oklahoma City. In a marathon season this is a killer hill. But the Blazers have maintained a good pace and built a cushion that should make stretches like this manageable. Let's see how they fare, especially against the <a href="https://www.mavsmoneyball.com/" class="sbn-auto-link">Mavericks</a>. They owe Dallas a home loss, after all. The ascent begins Friday night.</p>
<p><a target="_blank" href="http://scores.espn.go.com/nba/boxscore?gameId=400489448">Boxscore</a></p>
<p><a target="_blank" href="http://www.blazersedge.com/2014/1/15/5313970/final-blazers-defeat-the-cavs-108-96">Timmay's Instant Recap and Gameday Thread Review</a></p>
<p><a href="http://www.fearthesword.com/">Fear The Sword</a> might be a little upset that the Cavaliers stabbed themselves in the foot with it tonight after giving a pretty good battle to the Blazers.</p>
<p>Your <a target="_blank" href="http://blazersedge.aglimmeringwreck.com/">Jersey Contest scores</a>. We're preparing the next bank of forms so there might not be one for San Antonio. Stay tuned.</p>
<p>--Dave (blazersub@gmail.com)</p>
https://www.blazersedge.com/2014/1/15/5314440/portland-trail-blazers-vs-cleveland-cavaliers-stars-late-rallies-leadDave Deckard2014-01-15T23:24:23-08:002014-01-15T23:24:23-08:00Playbook Breakdown: Batum-To-Lillard Alley-Oop
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<img alt="" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/JB4Qfr6nyrRz6yii7_tA7wQxBQw=/0x42:2241x1536/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/26916951/20121226_kkt_sx3_155.0.jpg" />
<figcaption>USA TODAY Sports</figcaption>
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<p>Portland Trail Blazers forward Nicolas Batum and guard Damian Lillard connected on an alley-oop dunk against the Cleveland Cavaliers.</p> <p style="text-align: center;"><iframe width="560" height="315" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/C7w_O34W14s?rel=0" frameborder="0"></iframe></p>
<p>The Portland Trail Blazers' flow offense is known for its flexibility and myriad options on every play. With 5:35 left in the third quarter in Wednesday night's win agains the Cleveland Cavaliers, Portland ran a typical play out of the HORNS set (two big men at the elbows) that caught Kyrie Irving sleeping, resulting in Nicolas Batum throwing a lob to Damian Lillard at the rim for an alley-oop dunk. Let's take a look at how they did it.</p>
<h4>The setup</h4>
<p style="text-align: center;"><img src="http://i.minus.com/ib2wRW77F1yq2D.jpg"></p>
<p>Portland is in a HORNS set, with two wings out wide, Lillard at the top of the play with the ball and two posts standing at the elbows. Lillard starts the action by passing to Batum on the near side of the floor. Meanwhile, Wes Matthews (left baseline) starts to clear space by moving to the right side of the floor along the baseline.</p>
<h4>The screen</h4>
<p style="text-align: center;"><img src="http://i.minus.com/ib119gpadEBUON.jpg"></p>
<p>After Lillard passes to Batum, he slowly runs to receive a screen from <span>LaMarcus Aldridge</span> at the elbow. On this play, Irving tries to fight over the screen instead of cut below it, likely due to the Blazers guard's initial slow pace. Irving was clearly anticipating a fade to the wing, but with Anderson Varejao playing Aldridge so tight, he should have gone under the screen instead of running high.</p>
<h4>The lob and the dunk</h4>
<p style="text-align: center;"><img src="http://i.minus.com/iN9p5eOm4MhyR.jpg"></p>
<p>With Irving fighting high and Varejao glued to Aldridge, there's no rim protection for Cleveland. Lillard notices the advantage and gives a quick burst directly to the hoop. He gathers himself for a lob and Batum throws a perfect pass right at the rim. It's an easy catch-and-slam situation.</p>
<h4>The result</h4>
<p style="text-align: center;"><img src="http://i.minus.com/ibwG1kXeVQ6EKS.gif"></p>
<p>Portland runs this basic sequence regularly. Many times it is used to start a screen down low with Matthews and Robin Lopez, or to get an entry pass to Aldridge in the high post.</p>
<p>In fact, Lillard told Blazersedge after the game that he wasn't the primary action on the play:</p>
<blockquote>
<p>"That wasn't even the play. I was supposed to just run away to the corner, but usually the big man would be back in the paint, so [the lob] wouldn't even be there. I saw [Varejao] was kind of hugging the guy at the elbow. My man fell asleep [so] I kept going because I know Nico is always looking to make those passes."</p>
</blockquote>
<p>That's how dangerous the Portland offense can be. The natural opportunities allowed by spacing and basic picks afford the Blazers open looks by reacting to the defense (or lack thereof). It was a great job by both Lillard and Batum to be in sync enough to recognize the opportunity without any prior communication.</p>
<p>-- Dane Carbaugh | <a target="_blank" href="http://www.twitter.com/danecarbaugh">@DaneCarbaugh</a></p>
https://www.blazersedge.com/2014/1/15/5314254/breakdown-damian-lillard-dunks-backdoor-lob-nic-batumDane Delgado2014-01-15T21:21:12-08:002014-01-15T21:21:12-08:00Final: Blazers Defeat the Cavs, 108-96
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<img alt="" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/tMnuPmfy2WGJZv5lXY258FYlFyY=/0x112:2960x2085/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/26915205/20140115_mjm_sx3_117.0.jpg" />
<figcaption>Craig Mitchelldyer-USA TODAY Spo</figcaption>
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<p>As seems to be the norm between the two teams, the Portland Trail Blazers and Cleveland Cavaliers played close down to the final minutes. But LaMarcus Aldridge personally took control down the stretch, carrying the Blazers to a big win before a possible season-changing road trip. </p> <p>The Blazers were led by another monster night from LaMarcus Aldridge despite a slow start (32 points, 18 rebounds, 4 assists), with support from Damian Lillard (28 points, 6 rebounds, 5 assists) and Wesley Matthews (15 points, 4 assists). Also, Lillard did this:</p>
<p align="center"><img src="http://d3j5vwomefv46c.cloudfront.net/photos/large/833750888.gif"></p>
<p><a target="_blank" href="http://scores.espn.go.com/nba/boxscore?gameId=400489448">Box Score</a></p>
<p><b>First Quarter: </b>After the long break, the Blazers switched up their defensive patterns, mixing in some zone. It was effective, if not for the fact that recently-acquired Cavalier Luol Deng was on fire. He hit four consecutive shots to keep Cleveland close despite Portland's nice start.</p>
<p><b>Cleveland 27, Portland 26</b></p>
<blockquote>
<p>We held the opponent under 30 in the quarter? Is this real life?<br>by <b>KingWes </b></p>
</blockquote>
<p><b>Second quarter: </b>Terrible opening stretch for the Blazers, as the second unit struggled against the Cavs, who easily took control. At one point, they completed a unique three point play: 1.) Make one free throw, miss the second. 2.) Get the offensive rebound on the free throw, get fouled. 3.) Miss both free throws, but tie up the offense rebound for a jump ball. 4.) Grab the tip from Portland, then hit a layup. Easy 3 points. Meanwhile, the Blazers kept missing three-pointers. Cleveland pushed the lead to 8, only for the Blazers to close it to 2. But the shots stopped falling again, and Cleveland slowly rebuilt a lead... only to watch Lillard hit consecutive three's to tie it up. He had 20 points by halftime and the Blazers headed to the locker room with the lead.</p>
<p><b>Portland 54, Cleveland 50</b></p>
<blockquote>
<p>Nice to be winning a game that feels like we're losing.<br>by <b>onclecliffy</b></p>
</blockquote>
<p><b>Third Quarter:</b> It took 1 minute and 6 seconds for the Cavs to tie it up, sandwiched around a Batum turnover. The teams spent much of the quarter swapping the advantage, but the Cavs took advantage of Blazer substitutions to jump ahead by 6 with two minutes left. Aldridge took control to tie up the game with 30 seconds left, and after a defensive stop, Mo Williams missed a three-pointer. Aldridge grabbed the rebound, saw the wind down, and turned around for a fadeaway as the horn sounded. Swish.</p>
<p><b>Portland 77, Cleveland 75</b></p>
<blockquote>
<p>I don't know if we are gonna make rice's keys to the games<br>by <b>colbymac</b></p>
</blockquote>
<p><b>Fourth Quarter: </b>CJ McCollum started the quarter with a turnover, but followed it up with a nicer floater in the lane. Cleveland kept things close as Tristan Thompson got open for an unguarded dunk... or so he thought. Thomas Robinson erased the dunk from behind, and at the other end, Mo nailed a three-pointer. Suddenly down by 6, Cleveland called timeout and brought in their starters. In 20 seconds, they closed the gap to 2, followed by a McCollum turnover. That brought the Blazer starters back. They couldn't get anything started, and the Blazers called timeout with the game tied at the halfway point.</p>
<p>Out of the timeout, Portland forced a miss, but after the rebound Aldridge passed the ball to Deng then fouled him. Ouch. A Lillard three pulled Portland ahead, but another ugly turnover gave the Cavs the lead again. On the next possession, a broken play led to Aldridge stuck behind the three point line, so he launched one.. and hit it. Aldridge's free throws gave the Blazers the lead, and after Deng missed, Lillard worked the two-man game to Aldridge, who nailed a jumper for a 4 point lead with 2 minutes left. After another defensive stop, Aldridge left Thompson in the dust, rolling down the lane for a layup and a 6 point lead with 90 seconds left! Cleveland called timeout. Kyrie Irving missed a tough three as the clock rolled under 1 minute. At the other end, Matthews puts up a three... and the fans knew they could start focusing on where they parked their car. While they mulled that over, the Blazers stopped Cleveland again, and Lillard swished a three-pointer. Say goodnight, Cleveland.</p>
<p>After the game was tied at 96 with 2:31 left, these were the next two minutes. Go ahead, count the "Aldridge's":</p>
<p><b>2:31 96-97 LaMarcus Aldridge makes free throw 1 of 2</b><br><b>2:31 96-98 LaMarcus Aldridge makes free throw 2 of 2</b><br>2:15 96-98 Luol Deng misses 24-foot three point jumper<br>2:15 96-98 LaMarcus Aldridge defensive rebound<br><b>1:55 96-100 LaMarcus Aldridge makes 19-foot jumper (Damian Lillard assists)</b><br>1:44 96-100 Kyrie Irving misses 20-foot two point jumper <br>1:43 96-100 Robin Lopez defensive rebound<br><b>1:28 96-102 LaMarcus Aldridge makes driving layup</b><br>1:28 Cavaliers Full timeout<br>1:16 96-102 Kyrie Irving misses 23-foot three point jumper <br>1:15 96-102 LaMarcus Aldridge defensive rebound<br><b>0:58 96-105 Wesley Matthews makes 25-foot three point jumper (Damian Lillard assists)</b><br>0:49 96-105 Anderson Varejao misses 18-foot jumper<br>0:47 96-105 LaMarcus Aldridge defensive rebound<br><b>0:30 96-108 Damian Lillard makes 25-foot three pointer </b></p>
<p><b>What's Next:</b></p>
<p>The big road trip is here. Starting Friday, the Blazers have a four-games-in-five-nights stretch, visiting San Antonio, Dallas, Houston, and Oklahoma City. Batten down the hatches, it's go time.</p>
<p>But for now, stay tuned, because Dave and Ben have plenty more from tonight's game.</p>
<p><b>Gameday Thread Comments of the Night!</b></p>
<table border="1" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0">
<thead><tr>
<th width="60"># Recs</th> <th>Commenter</th> <th>Comment Link</th>
</tr></thead>
<tbody>
<tr>
<td>12</td>
<td><a href="http://www.sbnation.com/users/KingWes">KingWes</a></td>
<td><a href="http://www.blazersedge.com/2014/1/15/5309848/gameday-thread-cavaliers-vs-blazers#210169941">Difference being Irving is a like able guy.</a></td>
</tr>
<tr class="alt">
<td>8</td>
<td><a href="http://www.sbnation.com/users/colbymac">colbymac</a></td>
<td><a href="http://www.blazersedge.com/2014/1/15/5309848/gameday-thread-cavaliers-vs-blazers#210167097">FINALLY!!! IT'S BEEN A WHOLE 3 DAYS WITHOUT A BLAZER GAME!!! WHAT MADNESS IS THIS!?!?!?</a></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>7</td>
<td><a href="http://www.sbnation.com/users/bustabucket">bustabucket</a></td>
<td><a href="http://www.blazersedge.com/2014/1/15/5309848/gameday-thread-cavaliers-vs-blazers#210163201">Go Blazers!</a></td>
</tr>
<tr class="alt">
<td>7</td>
<td><a href="http://www.sbnation.com/users/MiledAnimal">MiledAnimal</a></td>
<td><a href="http://www.blazersedge.com/2014/1/15/5309848/gameday-thread-cavaliers-vs-blazers#210172381">Too easy. I'm not a rec-hunter, you know. </a></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>6</td>
<td><a href="http://www.sbnation.com/users/JP503">JP503</a></td>
<td><a href="http://www.blazersedge.com/2014/1/15/5309848/gameday-thread-cavaliers-vs-blazers#210168559">Go Portland Trail Blazers!!!</a></td>
</tr>
<tr class="alt">
<td>6</td>
<td><a href="http://www.sbnation.com/users/annthefan">annthefan</a></td>
<td><a href="http://www.blazersedge.com/2014/1/15/5309848/gameday-thread-cavaliers-vs-blazers#210164967">Go Trail Blazers!!</a></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>5</td>
<td><a href="http://www.sbnation.com/users/tiedyesteve">tiedyesteve</a></td>
<td><a href="http://www.blazersedge.com/2014/1/15/5309848/gameday-thread-cavaliers-vs-blazers#210173393">Go Portland Trail Blazers Pride Of The Pacific North West!!!!</a></td>
</tr>
<tr class="alt">
<td>4</td>
<td><a href="http://www.sbnation.com/users/annthefan">annthefan</a></td>
<td><a href="http://www.blazersedge.com/2014/1/15/5309848/gameday-thread-cavaliers-vs-blazers#210172483">My day improved dramatically watching Greg look reat in a losing effort by the Heat.</a></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>3</td>
<td><a href="http://www.sbnation.com/users/KingWes">KingWes</a></td>
<td><a href="http://www.blazersedge.com/2014/1/15/5309848/gameday-thread-cavaliers-vs-blazers#210188171">"They threw CJ in the deep end and found he could swim just fine."</a></td>
</tr>
<tr class="alt">
<td>3</td>
<td><a href="http://www.sbnation.com/users/gtbassett">gtbassett</a></td>
<td><a href="http://www.blazersedge.com/2014/1/15/5309848/gameday-thread-cavaliers-vs-blazers#210164791">Fun fact of the night for you all.</a></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>3</td>
<td><a href="http://www.sbnation.com/users/ParticleAccelerator">ParticleAccelerator</a></td>
<td><a href="http://www.blazersedge.com/2014/1/15/5309848/gameday-thread-cavaliers-vs-blazers#210209613">[no title]</a></td>
</tr>
<tr class="alt">
<td>3</td>
<td><a href="http://www.sbnation.com/users/thunder2709">thunder2709</a></td>
<td><a href="http://www.blazersedge.com/2014/1/15/5309848/gameday-thread-cavaliers-vs-blazers#210218081">Thomas Robinson-</a></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>3</td>
<td><a href="http://www.sbnation.com/users/Biph">Biph</a></td>
<td><a href="http://www.blazersedge.com/2014/1/15/5309848/gameday-thread-cavaliers-vs-blazers#210164035">Unfortunately I may have to miss this one. </a></td>
</tr>
<tr class="alt">
<td>3</td>
<td><a href="http://www.sbnation.com/users/SlickRick1987">SlickRick1987</a></td>
<td><a href="http://www.blazersedge.com/2014/1/15/5309848/gameday-thread-cavaliers-vs-blazers#210188991">Whoa-ladipo</a></td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
https://www.blazersedge.com/2014/1/15/5313970/final-blazers-defeat-the-cavs-108-96Timmay!2014-01-15T17:31:01-08:002014-01-15T17:31:01-08:00CHAT: Irving and the Cavs are in Town!
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<img alt="" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/sG4ZMYHuNTu7CFxNfoUt4RG4fSc=/0x0:4000x2667/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/26845263/20131217_ajl_ar7_009.0.jpg" />
<figcaption>David Richard-USA TODAY Sports</figcaption>
</figure>
<div class="m-entry__body">
<p>Welcome to the Gameday Open Thread at Blazer’s Edge! This is a place to hang out and enjoy tonight’s festivities with your fellow fans. Treat it as if you’re watching a game at the local watering hole, but hopefully without the language. Expect some disagreements, and a fair amount of changing emotions. But we'll get through it together.</p>
<div class="read-more">Tip-off: <b>7:10pm</b><br> Watch: <a target="_blank" href="http://www.nba.com/leaguepass/">NBA League Pass</a><b> KGW</b><br> Listen: <a target="_blank" href="http://www.nba.com/broadband/alp_schedule.html">NBA Audio League Pass</a> <b>620am</b><br> Links: <a href="http://www.nba.com/gamenotes/blazers.pdf" target="new">Media Notes</a> <a href="http://www.blazersedge.com/2013/10/29/5044302/the-2013-guide-to-watching-the-blazers-on-tv-and-online" target="new">Viewing Guide</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/blazersedge" target="new">Updates on Twitter</a>
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<p>-----------------</p>
<div class="m-entry__body">
<b>Injury Updates:</b> None yet, check here for further updates.<br>
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<div class="m-entry__body"><br></div>
<p>-----------------</p>
<p>The usual Gameday Thread rules apply:</p>
<p>1. No swearing<br>2. No pictures<br>3. No discussion of unlicensed Internet streaming<br>4. Be cool to each other!</p>
<p>Hang out and enjoy the game! -- Tim</p>
</div>
https://www.blazersedge.com/2014/1/15/5309848/gameday-thread-cavaliers-vs-blazersTimmay!