GT: Spurs vs. Trailblazers

[Nolan]

When: Dec 20th, 2017 8:00 PM MT
Where: Moda Center at the Rose Quarter, Portland OR

No Tony or Kawhi for this one (injury management) so a certain former Trailblazer is going to need to have a big night if we want to win this one.

The Blazers aren't pushovers, they have two guards in Lillard and CJ that can just take over and their defensive this year has been pretty damn solid.

Go Spurs!!

[-Sammy-]

As usual, Portland is outplaying expectations. They aren't elite, but they're solid, and with the good guys undermanned, LMA needs to deliver, as Nolan observed.

[ducler]

[imagump1313]

Play good defense = win.
Anything else, game is up in the air....

[imagump1313]

Looks like Kyle Anderson will play tonight. He is on a 15 minute limit.

[G R E Y]

Welcome back, Anderson!

It was puzzling to hear that Tony and Kawhi would sit this one out; usually they've sat out the second in a back-to-back. But the announcers mentioned that Portland's home record is 7-8, the only team in the West's top-8 that's sub-.500. A quick check of Utah, currently ninth, shows they're a strong 11-5 at home. Quality adjustment to save Tony and Kawhi for tomorrow night's opponent.

I wonder how LMA will play with the extra pressure? I know it's been a while since he's played in Portland, but there's always a little bit more on the line when a player returns to the place where he started his career.

GO SPURS!

[G R E Y]

YES! Honestly, I can't decide whether or not we deserved to win this game what with great play on both ends long enough and in key stretches on the one hand, and 22 turnovers on the other.

LMA and Gasol got going early and often, hitting 15-20 in the first half between them. I was curious to see how LMA would handle a game in his previous home. Portland is a tough environment for opponents to play in, but LMA clearly feels comfortable on that court, setting up shop on the left side of the key for most of his shots, mostly those patented post-up turnaround or face-up Js, and added 8 rebounds and 3 blocks. Pau looked like he had something to prove, hitting hook shots, Js, 3s, free throws and finishing with 20 points after several lax games on O. He also grabbed a season-high and team-high 17 rebounds (team-high 4 on O), and had a team-high 5 assists and 2 blocks for a massive all around contribution.

They were the only Spurs to attempt FTs, making 5-6. In all my years of watching NBA games, I don't think I've ever seen such a low total. We had more steals (7) and blocks (9). Just one of those weird games. With so few opportunities, every make was crucial. Just ask the Blazers and their 9-14FTs in a two point difference in the outcome.

It was good to see Danny back, though it seems he may have tweaked his groin again. Before he had to be taken out, he shot a solid 50%FG and 2-2 from the 3 for 8 points, 4 rebounds, a steal, and a block. He provides a steady presence doing a lot of things all over the court that add up to a quiet but impactful presence. Murray was once again a rebounding magnet, and did well to pass decisively to open guys even if his shots weren't falling.

Bryn needs to talk to Pau about recovering his O. Forbes is in a slump, especially from the 3. Bertans has been very reliable from the arc, but was the only player without a shot or points in four minutes. My only memory of him was great D on CJ, using quick feet and good positioning to force a shot clock violation.

Towards the end of the second our O sputtered (a sign of things to come), three turnovers in four trips, but Spurs good D kept the lead at 9.

The starters had 16 of the team's 22 turnovers, and what an impressive variety - bad passes, dribbling off of themselves, stepping out of bounds in trying to secure a possession, traveling, 3-second violations. We gave up 26 points from the turnovers. Twenty-six! That's an entire quarter's worth of points - Portland's best one. Holy **** lol

Blazers quelled our first half onslaught, adjusting to double LMA, and deny passes to LMA and Gasol (they were 3-11 between them in the second half). When they couldn't get it done on O, LMA and Pau didn't stop hustling on the boards and making key blocks; their contributions on D helped seal the win. Whereas we passed crisply and with purpose and moved quickly to open spots in the first half, Blazers dictated the pace in the second, forcing us out of what worked and into ball handlers dribbling too long looking for plays, rushed shots and mistakes.

Luckily, the bench came through with solid support; having ever-reliable contributions from Gay, Anderson, Mills and Manu as part of it is such an asset. They shot 17-30, outscoring Portland's bench 37-24. We had four players in double figures, two from the bench, Patty and Manu (by the way, 9.5/10 on that running, one-leg layup 3!)

Pop managed the game with a close eye. Not that he doesn't always, but sometimes he lets the players play through the pain a bit longer. Versus Portland's dangerous shooters, however, small breakdowns on D or O led to quick timeouts to both stop the Blazers flow and refocus the O sets: miscommunication on D for a Portland dunk? Timeout; no points in four consecutive possessions and Portland hit a 3? Timeout; need the right guys in for the last 17 seconds? Timeout. And we scored out of all of them, too.

I had a strong feeling that LMA was going to miss one of the free throws at the end. Couldn't watch. Miss. But he hit the second one. We had some shooting droughts and too many breakdowns, but in a game of mistakes and runs, how Spurs responded down the stretch made the difference. So in the last 15.7 seconds, Portland's first attempt to score resulted in a huge LMA block. Their second was met with Manu deflecting it out of bounds. With little time left, their third now forced them to take a contested 3. I'd have haaaaated losing the game on that shot, but that would have been the bitter medicine we'd need to have taken. I like to think the basketball gods rewarded us for the incredible poise down the stretch, and I'm glad that it was CJ and not any Blazer that made a 3 who took the last shot.

For some reason, the Portland games are always tight. It's just a tough grind against them. But we found a way without two efficient All-Stars, and fought back from a 6-point deficit, so they're likely saying the same thing about us.

I love this team. GO SPURS!