Game 28: Blazers @ Pelicans 4:00PM

[GreenRiddler]

Its games like this that remind you why the Blazers won't think twice about giving LMA that 5 year deal.

[GreenRiddler]

....why did we pick up meyers option again?

7'1" , 250lbs, athletic and only 22

Thats it...literally, there is no other positive. Waste of cap space and roster spot. 3 years of no progression and they think the 4th will be magical?

No man he is talented. It doesn't make a difference if we get a Greg Smith instead who isn't gonna do anything magical. At least with Meyers you have a chance to get lucky.

He looked okay in that qtr too, made a three and a nice alleyoop, couple of good PnR positions.

[GreenRiddler]

I don't think the Spurs have won a game without: Kawhi, Ginobli,Parker,Duncan,Green,Splitter and Mills all out.

Even last year when they won games without their main guys they didn't do it with all of the names above being out.

[GreenRiddler]

For people that were saying they haven't beat anyone, okay but they are 8-4 vs +.500 teams, the second best record in the NBA.

[Shem]

[youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4j3iWFVMqIs[/youtube]

[PDXKnight]

I don't think the Spurs have won a game without: Kawhi, Ginobli,Parker,Duncan,Green,Splitter and Mills all out.

Even last year when they won games without their main guys they didn't do it with all of the names above being out.

Its hard to win with your main guys not playing. Rolo is one thing, if Lillard and/or Aldridge were out we'd be feeling the pinch too.

[PDXKnight]

I was expecting the Blazers to be worse without RoLo, it'll be interesting to see how long this team can play on this level without him.

[James72]

I was expecting the Blazers to be worse without RoLo, it'll be interesting to see how long this team can play on this level without him.

If we can survive this stretch, heck we already have (i am happy with a 2-2 split) the schedule loosens up a ton for the rest of the month and then some. All i want is to maintain a 6-8 game cushion from OKC tbh.

I am really hoping we end up playing LAC, DAL or HOU in the first round w/ HCA.

[GreenRiddler]

Robinson had a good game tonight, but I would maybe play Meyers the next game, Robinson is going to see a very agressive defense and he is tied with Blake for the highest TOV% on the team, even though he doesn't handle the ball nearly as much. Meanwhile Meyers has the lowest TOV% on the team and a higher AST% than Lamarcus and Kaman as bigs.

I am pretty disapointed in Kamans ability to pass when he is doubled. I am not too happy about his Usage percentage of 26% either. higher than Lillard. He needs to pass it when he is doubled or gets the offenssive rebound. Kinda reminds me of when all craig smith "The Rhino" wanted to do was score, so teams just collapsed whenever he caught the ball and dribbled, knowing he would not pass it to the players they left open on the wing like Minny and Milwuakee did.

[GreenRiddler]

I was expecting the Blazers to be worse without RoLo, it'll be interesting to see how long this team can play on this level without him.

If we can survive this stretch, heck we already have (i am happy with a 2-2 split) the schedule loosens up a ton for the rest of the month and then some. All i want is to maintain a 6-8 game cushion from OKC tbh.

I am really hoping we end up playing LAC, DAL or HOU in the first round w/ HCA.

I don't know about Hou they look much better this year on D and it would be pretty boring to face the same team as last year. I wouldn't mind Dallas though, get that revenge series from 2011.

LACs also look very weak with thier wing depth, but I can't handle the BS calls they would get.

I just want HCA and not to face the Thunder or Spurs in the first round.

[James72]

I was expecting the Blazers to be worse without RoLo, it'll be interesting to see how long this team can play on this level without him.

If we can survive this stretch, heck we already have (i am happy with a 2-2 split) the schedule loosens up a ton for the rest of the month and then some. All i want is to maintain a 6-8 game cushion from OKC tbh.

I am really hoping we end up playing LAC, DAL or HOU in the first round w/ HCA.

I don't know about Hou they look much better this year on D and it would be pretty boring to face the same team as last year. I wouldn't mind Dallas though, get that revenge series from 2011.

LACs also look very weak with thier wing depth, but I can't handle the BS calls they would get.

I just want HCA and not to face the Thunder or Spurs in the first round.

HOU just doesn't seem consistent with me. I realize their record is good and all, but I'm not impressed. Harden won't get the calls he does now, as seen in last postseason. Also, i have heard rumblings that Howard and Harden are clashing according to barret and some thread. They have no chemistry. Maybe I'm missing something.

DAL is improved with Rondo defensively, but offensively i have serious doubts. Dirk isn't hitting like he use to and then the have Parsons and no one else that can score on the perimeter... Rondo and ellis don't seem like a good match. Time will tell.

LAC i feel comfortable with our chances. Not saying it'd be easy...but i like our odds.

[PDXKnight]

If we can survive this stretch, heck we already have (i am happy with a 2-2 split) the schedule loosens up a ton for the rest of the month and then some. All i want is to maintain a 6-8 game cushion from OKC tbh.

I am really hoping we end up playing LAC, DAL or HOU in the first round w/ HCA.

I don't know about Hou they look much better this year on D and it would be pretty boring to face the same team as last year. I wouldn't mind Dallas though, get that revenge series from 2011.

LACs also look very weak with thier wing depth, but I can't handle the BS calls they would get.

I just want HCA and not to face the Thunder or Spurs in the first round.

HOU just doesn't seem consistent with me. I realize their record is good and all, but I'm not impressed. Harden won't get the calls he does now, as seen in last postseason. Also, i have heard rumblings that Howard and Harden are clashing according to barret and some thread. They have no chemistry. Maybe I'm missing something.

DAL is improved with Rondo defensively, but offensively i have serious doubts. Dirk isn't hitting like he use to and then the have Parsons and no one else that can score on the perimeter... Rondo and ellis don't seem like a good match. Time will tell.

LAC i feel comfortable with our chances. Not saying it'd be easy...but i like our odds.

The clips are a bad matchup for the Blazers, if we're gonna face them we might as well face OKC, the odds would probably be about the same. GS is the team I don't want to face though, it would be a fun series but they could give us (and any team) a lot of trouble. GS doesn't seem like a championship team to me but they could go deep.

[James72]

I don't know about Hou they look much better this year on D and it would be pretty boring to face the same team as last year. I wouldn't mind Dallas though, get that revenge series from 2011.

LACs also look very weak with thier wing depth, but I can't handle the BS calls they would get.

I just want HCA and not to face the Thunder or Spurs in the first round.

HOU just doesn't seem consistent with me. I realize their record is good and all, but I'm not impressed. Harden won't get the calls he does now, as seen in last postseason. Also, i have heard rumblings that Howard and Harden are clashing according to barret and some thread. They have no chemistry. Maybe I'm missing something.

DAL is improved with Rondo defensively, but offensively i have serious doubts. Dirk isn't hitting like he use to and then the have Parsons and no one else that can score on the perimeter... Rondo and ellis don't seem like a good match. Time will tell.

LAC i feel comfortable with our chances. Not saying it'd be easy...but i like our odds.

The clips are a bad matchup for the Blazers, if we're gonna face them we might as well face OKC, the odds would probably be about the same. GS is the team I don't want to face though, it would be a fun series but they could give us (and any team) a lot of trouble. GS doesn't seem like a championship team to me but they could go deep.

Agree to disagree i suppose. But GS hinges a LOT on bogut. if Bogut is out or misses any games, i would have no issue facing them.

If our defense is real, which i think it is since we are 1/3 of the way through, i have to be a lot more optimistic about our match ups this year than last.

[GreenRiddler]

It's really impressive how little Crabbe makes mistakes when he is on the court, being a good consistent Spot-up shooter is not the only reason why he gets Mins over Wright. He knows wen to pass and does it quickly, he doesn't hold the ball and he plays better D on guys who are not bigger than him, like last game VS Green he had nice on-ball D.

Re-watching his Scouting tape, alot of his strengths like his potential on D are living up to the potential. He just has to tweak that Usage % up a bit. It is great to have a guy like him who you know is not gonna hurt you.


[youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FsV03s_0tNg[/youtube]

He still has that tendency to use those floaters though instead of going towards the contact. However he didn't use them when he was at Detroit, making strong cuts towards the rim and finishing over Drummond and J Smith. Props to him for his improvements.

[portlandoden]

If we can survive this stretch, heck we already have (i am happy with a 2-2 split) the schedule loosens up a ton for the rest of the month and then some. All i want is to maintain a 6-8 game cushion from OKC tbh.

I am really hoping we end up playing LAC, DAL or HOU in the first round w/ HCA.

I don't know about Hou they look much better this year on D and it would be pretty boring to face the same team as last year. I wouldn't mind Dallas though, get that revenge series from 2011.

LACs also look very weak with thier wing depth, but I can't handle the BS calls they would get.

I just want HCA and not to face the Thunder or Spurs in the first round.

HOU just doesn't seem consistent with me. I realize their record is good and all, but I'm not impressed. Harden won't get the calls he does now, as seen in last postseason. Also, i have heard rumblings that Howard and Harden are clashing according to barret and some thread. They have no chemistry. Maybe I'm missing something.

DAL is improved with Rondo defensively, but offensively i have serious doubts. Dirk isn't hitting like he use to and then the have Parsons and no one else that can score on the perimeter... Rondo and ellis don't seem like a good match. Time will tell.

LAC i feel comfortable with our chances. Not saying it'd be easy...but i like our odds.

You have serious doubts about Dallas offensively?! One of the greatest statistical offensive teams we've ever seen in the league? And you have doubts?

Have a look at this, Dallas' offense is almost as big an outlier as Philly's. Now can a team win a chip with a defense that shaky, those two clusters of championship teams would say no, but you can't question that offense.

[Shem]

[youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xv09o-dau7I[/youtube]

[GreenRiddler]

Thank you pelicans! They just beat the Thunder at home.

[Shem]

[youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-lwjDxLfUzQ[/youtube]

[James72]

I don't know about Hou they look much better this year on D and it would be pretty boring to face the same team as last year. I wouldn't mind Dallas though, get that revenge series from 2011.

LACs also look very weak with thier wing depth, but I can't handle the BS calls they would get.

I just want HCA and not to face the Thunder or Spurs in the first round.

HOU just doesn't seem consistent with me. I realize their record is good and all, but I'm not impressed. Harden won't get the calls he does now, as seen in last postseason. Also, i have heard rumblings that Howard and Harden are clashing according to barret and some thread. They have no chemistry. Maybe I'm missing something.

DAL is improved with Rondo defensively, but offensively i have serious doubts. Dirk isn't hitting like he use to and then the have Parsons and no one else that can score on the perimeter... Rondo and ellis don't seem like a good match. Time will tell.

LAC i feel comfortable with our chances. Not saying it'd be easy...but i like our odds.

You have serious doubts about Dallas offensively?! One of the greatest statistical offensive teams we've ever seen in the league? And you have doubts?

Have a look at this, Dallas' offense is almost as big an outlier as Philly's. Now can a team win a chip with a defense that shaky, those two clusters of championship teams would say no, but you can't question that offense.

Yes i do. Also, a chart that misspells offense isn't going to convince me otherwise. Did you read my post by any chance? i specifically was referring to AFTER the rondo trade and in the context of PLAYOFFS... where everything changes and tightens up. They are now a subpar or worse offensive team on the perimeter and have no low post scorer, they will be live or die by the midrange and slashing. So yes, come playoffs, their offense doesn't scare me.

[portlandoden]

HOU just doesn't seem consistent with me. I realize their record is good and all, but I'm not impressed. Harden won't get the calls he does now, as seen in last postseason. Also, i have heard rumblings that Howard and Harden are clashing according to barret and some thread. They have no chemistry. Maybe I'm missing something.

DAL is improved with Rondo defensively, but offensively i have serious doubts. Dirk isn't hitting like he use to and then the have Parsons and no one else that can score on the perimeter... Rondo and ellis don't seem like a good match. Time will tell.

LAC i feel comfortable with our chances. Not saying it'd be easy...but i like our odds.

You have serious doubts about Dallas offensively?! One of the greatest statistical offensive teams we've ever seen in the league? And you have doubts?

Have a look at this, Dallas' offense is almost as big an outlier as Philly's. Now can a team win a chip with a defense that shaky, those two clusters of championship teams would say no, but you can't question that offense.

Yes i do. Also, a chart that misspells offense isn't going to convince me otherwise. Did you read my post by any chance? i specifically was referring to AFTER the rondo trade and in the context of PLAYOFFS... where everything changes and tightens up. They are now a subpar or worse offensive team on the perimeter and have no low post scorer, they will be live or die by the midrange and slashing. So yes, come playoffs, their offense doesn't scare me.

I'm not going to waste my time defending a team I could care less about, so I'll leave this here. I still think you're crazy if that offense doesn't scare you (be it last month, now, or in the Playoffs)
Remember this team took Spurs to a challenging 7 games, the same Spurs team that might has well have gone on to sweep us in an absolute white wash.
Also, there is a different world outside of American English spelling of words. FYI, that graph was made by an Aussie.