Playoffs Game 3 Rd 1 Portland vs Denver 7:30pm SNW/NBATV

[d-train]

So who will be Portland’s coach next season?

Stotts

[Brandon-Clyde]

Desperation GLB pic

Spoiler:

[HoopsFanAZ]

So who will be Portland’s coach next season?

Stotts

Portland is going to beat Denver?

[DaVoiceMaster]

That is a foul?

[DaVoiceMaster]

Where were these 3 pointers earlier?

[d-train]

So who will be Portland’s coach next season?

Stotts

Portland is going to beat Denver?

Don't know. Nurk fouled out 2 games in a row. As good as Nurk is, Stotts needs a double team strategy against Joker. In the 4th quarter we doubled Joker on the dribble. I like that plan. Maybe it doesn't work, but Joker is beating our players, not our coach.

[Matt800]

I think the Blazers could have won this one if they didn't play Kanter. Or if either team shot closer to their average from 3. But I also think the refs helped Denver in this one. There's no way Damian Lillard should have 2ft at the end of a playoff game.

[d-train]

Next game is a must win for Blazers and a big opportunity for Nuggets.

[Napoleon7]

We've been leaving Rivers open at the 3 since game 1, now suddenly he's taking them and there falling

Yeah just terrible defense mainly by CJ…I’m so tired of his play on the defensive end…officially now on the trade CJ wagon.


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[Napoleon7]

How does Lillard only have 2 FT? And Powell 0? They have been aggressively driving a lot this game

Refs were awful tonight…so lopsided in favor of Denver.


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[Napoleon7]

So who will be Portland’s coach next season?
And how quickly after their final game does Stotts get thanked and dismissed?

We loose in the first round…Stotts should be fired. The firing should happen immediately no later than the next day.

But Olshey needs to be let go at the same time.


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[Norm2953]

Great opportunity for the Nuggets to get that gentlemen's sweep but in the end does it really matter
for the Lakers are waiting for the winner of this series.

[Norm2953]

So who will be Portland’s coach next season?
And how quickly after their final game does Stotts get thanked and dismissed?

We loose in the first round…Stotts should be fired. The firing should happen immediately no later than the next day.

But Olshey needs to be let go at the same time.


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I do think Portland would wait a bit to allow emotions to subside but with the Dame/CJ extensions coming
online, the Vulcan's in Seattle are going to ask do they trust this management team and coaching staff to
manage the team moving forward. Stotts will get fired for that would teams do when they are on a
treadmill

[red_power]

Great opportunity for the Nuggets to get that gentlemen's sweep but in the end does it really matter
for the Lakers are waiting for the winner of this series.

I don't think it's time so down right now. If there wasn't Rivers' career night in 4th, Blazers would have lead this series.

But yeah, how many times will mediocre opponent's guards keep playing like superstars against Blazers? It's become a bit obnoxious though.

[d-train]

Great opportunity for the Nuggets to get that gentlemen's sweep but in the end does it really matter
for the Lakers are waiting for the winner of this series.

I don't think it's time so down right now. If there wasn't Rivers' career night in 4th, Blazers would have lead this series right now.

But yeah, how many times will mediocre opponent's guards keep playing like superstars against Blazers? It's become a bit obnoxious now.

Rivers hit those shots when we had our guards cheating in to double Joker. I guess that's why Stotts didn't want to double Joker. I think I will give Rivers, Campazzo, Morris, and Howard an extra tick on their 3's to be more disruptive against Joker in the paint without fouling out Nurkic. It's not easy to beat a team that has probably the best player in basketball.

[BlazersBroncos]

That Powell for GTJ move is looking worse by the minute.

If this series doesnt go 7, or get a win, we need to divorce Stotts and CJ. This formula isnt working, and any success is a mirage. We have all seen the ceiling and its time to make a risky move to hope it gets higher.

Also, I love Kanter as a person. I love that he seems to enjoy the city and is a great culture guy. But we need a backup C that can play in the POs. I could be talked into him coming back very cheap to keep the miles off Kanter in the regular season, but we need a backup who is playable when it matters. I think simply gambling on ZC may be the best move here, but thats no sure thing as we all know.

CJ for a F (Pascal?)
DJJ for a G (Sato?)
Sign a playable backup C
Resign RHJ

[Case2012]

Blazers had 54 points in the paint and only got to the line 13 times. The refs can’t make us miss three’s but they can not call any fouls. Every playoffs, it’s easy to see how rigged the sport is. I had hope this year, but I’m ready for the whole FO to be gone, and the team blown up outside Dame.

[PDXKnight]

If i had a dollar for every time austin friggin rivers killed us i’d be rich... Abd powell is a solid player but this 3 guard lineup is defensive suicide

[BlazersBroncos]

Blazers had 54 points in the paint and only got to the line 13 times. The refs can’t make us miss three’s but they can not call any fouls. Every playoffs, it’s easy to see how rigged the sport is. I had hope this year, but I’m ready for the whole FO to be gone, and the team blown up outside Dame.

There is no excuse to lose to a Denver team missing literally all their guards. The reffing was poor, Dame and Nurkic got mauled a ton, but in the end our team is basically healthy and Denver is trotting out 10-day-contract guys at guard and we are still loosing. There is no excuse for that. Changes need to be made, wholesale.

I disagree with only naming Lillard. Nurkic has a home here as well moving forward. For as valuable as Dame is on offense, Jusuf is near the same on defense. Look at this:

That trend has continued into the playoffs. And in a five-point loss on Thursday, the Blazers were outscored, 52-36, with Nurkic off the floor. Those 52 Denver points came on just 36 offensive possessions, a rate of 144 per 100.

That is insane, not just how good we are with Nurkic but just how helpless we are without him. He literally makes the team go from historically bad on defense to slightly-below-average. Its absolutely unreal the difference his presence makes.

Dame and Nurkic are the only guys who should have their names etched on the roster chart going into next season. Open season for everyone else.

[Norm2953]

My point last night was not so much being so down, was that the irresistible force that the Lebron led
Lakers facing whoever emerges from the winner of this series. I think the series will still go seven but
the loss of Murray for the Nuggets will be felt in the next round for the Lakers can simply rotate three
guys (Drummond, Gasol and AD) and possibly Lebron to wear down Jokic and have the defensive
mindset to shut down Denver. If Portland wins this series, that 3 guard lineup has nobody to matchup
with Lebron.

Going to be very interesting how the team handles the off season. One would expect Stotts to eventually
get fired and most of us want NO to be right behind him for team ownership will be asking why they should
be paying luxury taxes for a team that has only made it out of the first round once since 2015 despite
having a top 10 player.