Game 53: Portland vs Miami 7:00pm SNW/NBAtv

[Brandon-Clyde]

vs



Time: 7:00pm
Place: Moda Center
TV: SNW/TNT

GLB of the game Grace Park

Spoiler:

[ducler]

Read on Twitter

[Brandon-Clyde]

1st quarter GLB pic

Spoiler:

[Brandon-Clyde]

2nd quarter GLB pic

Spoiler:

[Brandon-Clyde]

3rd quarter GLB pic

Spoiler:

[whatchaknow]

2 things need to happen if this team wants to even get out of round 1. Melo needs to not see any minutes. And dame needs to play some sort of defense. The guys effort on that end has been flat out pathetic. This team is trending towards an off-season rebuild in my eyes, I’m sure Neil won’t touch that idea but this team is the definition of treadmill team

[Brandon-Clyde]

4th quarter GLB pic

Spoiler:

[Moonbeam]

2 things need to happen if this team wants to even get out of round 1. Melo needs to not see any minutes. And dame needs to play some sort of defense. The guys effort on that end has been flat out pathetic. This team is trending towards an off-season rebuild in my eyes, I’m sure Neil won’t touch that idea but this team is the definition of treadmill team

It's hard to see this team as much more than first-round fodder, for sure, particularly with the way Dame has been playing. I think he's probably still hurt.

It actually wouldn't be bad if the team did a mini-tank and hit the lottery. This isn't a young team anymore with guys that lack playoff experience --- it's a team that has struggled with consistent focus and execution, particularly on defense, and has dealt with a number of injuries. The extra rest and the narrative that they missed the playoffs could cause the front office to shake things up.

[monopoman]

2 things need to happen if this team wants to even get out of round 1. Melo needs to not see any minutes. And dame needs to play some sort of defense. The guys effort on that end has been flat out pathetic. This team is trending towards an off-season rebuild in my eyes, I’m sure Neil won’t touch that idea but this team is the definition of treadmill team

It's hard to see this team as much more than first-round fodder, for sure, particularly with the way Dame has been playing. I think he's probably still hurt.

It actually wouldn't be bad if the team did a mini-tank and hit the lottery. This isn't a young team anymore with guys that lack playoff experience --- it's a team that has struggled with consistent focus and execution, particularly on defense, and has dealt with a number of injuries. The extra rest and the narrative that they missed the playoffs could cause the front office to shake things up.

I mean, it would be pretty tough to land in the lottery with this team. They are too good against the bad teams to end up there, it would require a tank job of a magnitude we haven't ever seen from a Lillard based Blazer team. Even if that happened at worst we drop to like 10th or 9th seed, now if we had an 82 game season I could see a plummet further if they were set on tanking but we don't have that.

Anyways asking a team this talented to tank is just not in the cards, I bet Dame would be livid if management tried to get him to do this. I think they are going to have a tough time getting out of the first round also, especially if the land in 5th-8th seed, but that doesn't mean tanking is the strategy.

[Wizenheimer]

The Stolshey ship has run firmly aground. Shipwreck

the architect and the manager both need to be fired...tonight. But it won't happen and the supporters of each will trot out another bucket of empty excuses why they should keep their jobs after failure.9 years of this crap and it just goes on and on

it's a treadmill in purgatory

[Moonbeam]

2 things need to happen if this team wants to even get out of round 1. Melo needs to not see any minutes. And dame needs to play some sort of defense. The guys effort on that end has been flat out pathetic. This team is trending towards an off-season rebuild in my eyes, I’m sure Neil won’t touch that idea but this team is the definition of treadmill team

It's hard to see this team as much more than first-round fodder, for sure, particularly with the way Dame has been playing. I think he's probably still hurt.

It actually wouldn't be bad if the team did a mini-tank and hit the lottery. This isn't a young team anymore with guys that lack playoff experience --- it's a team that has struggled with consistent focus and execution, particularly on defense, and has dealt with a number of injuries. The extra rest and the narrative that they missed the playoffs could cause the front office to shake things up.

I mean, it would be pretty tough to land in the lottery with this team. They are too good against the bad teams to end up there, it would require a tank job of a magnitude we haven't ever seen from a Lillard based Blazer team. Even if that happened at worst we drop to like 10th or 9th seed, now if we had an 82 game season I could see a plummet further if they were set on tanking but we don't have that.

Anyways asking a team this talented to tank is just not in the cards, I bet Dame would be livid if management tried to get him to do this. I think they are going to have a tough time getting out of the first round also, especially if the land in 5th-8th seed, but that doesn't mean tanking is the strategy.

A mini tank to the 7-10 spot still means Portland could miss the playoffs. Have the lottery rules changed in light of the new play-in?

I know a Lillard-led team would never try to do that, but I think they could sit him the remainder of the season if he really is playing hurt and wanted to see which pieces to keep going forward. Dallas could easily pass Portland in the standings, and Portland could conceivably fall to 8th or even 9th.

Maybe I’ll eat crow (I often do), but this team just doesn’t seem to have it in them to be a threat.

[Matt800]

Good news is Zach looks to be out of his boot. Not sure how long until he can play but obviously less time than if he were still in a boot.

[Epicurus]

The Stolshey ship has run firmly aground. Shipwreck

the architect and the manager both need to be fired...tonight. But it won't happen and the supporters of each will trot out another bucket of empty excuses why they should keep their jobs after failure.9 years of this crap and it just goes on and on

it's a treadmill in purgatory

9 years of winning basketball. Perennial playoffs. Playing nearly each of those seasons over preseason expert predictions. And the best-- not so many wins, thus allowing ranting and raving from some emotional needs to be expressed. Best of all worlds, right?

[Matt800]

The Stolshey ship has run firmly aground. Shipwreck

the architect and the manager both need to be fired...tonight. But it won't happen and the supporters of each will trot out another bucket of empty excuses why they should keep their jobs after failure.9 years of this crap and it just goes on and on

it's a treadmill in purgatory

9 years of winning basketball. Perennial playoffs. Playing nearly each of those seasons over preseason expert predictions. And the best-- not so many wins, thus allowing ranting and raving from some emotional needs to be expressed. Best of all worlds, right?

Yeah I don't really get all the pessimism. They've been in the playoffs for many years, have some very entertaining players, signed a future hof player, have had draft picks turn out well. It's about as good as it gets without being one of the few fortunate teams that can sign or draft enough great players to compete for a championship. And many of those are due to their location having appeal that Portland does not. We'd all like for them to be better but I don't think the last 9 years have been bad. It is frustrating seeing them close to something good, but I think its been pretty good in the last several years.

[PDXKnight]

The Stolshey ship has run firmly aground. Shipwreck

the architect and the manager both need to be fired...tonight. But it won't happen and the supporters of each will trot out another bucket of empty excuses why they should keep their jobs after failure.9 years of this crap and it just goes on and on

it's a treadmill in purgatory

9 years of winning basketball. Perennial playoffs. Playing nearly each of those seasons over preseason expert predictions. And the best-- not so many wins, thus allowing ranting and raving from some emotional needs to be expressed. Best of all worlds, right?

Yeah I don't really get all the pessimism. They've been in the playoffs for many years, have some very entertaining players, signed a future hof player, have had draft picks turn out well. It's about as good as it gets without being one of the few fortunate teams that can sign or draft enough great players to compete for a championship. And many of those are due to their location having appeal that Portland does not. We'd all like for them to be better but I don't think the last 9 years have been bad. It is frustrating seeing them close to something good, but I think its been pretty good in the last several years.

Feels like the execution could be better. 9 Years or blowing big leads as a fairly commonplace occurrence. We’ve lost to superior teams in the playoffs yes which could be excused but sometimes the way we lost left much to be desired. We did make the wcf which was great but In that gs series we blew every single lead in the exact same time in the game, where were the adjustments? Stottshad four chances to change the approach and and at least walk away not getting swept. Without 2 huge lillard shots in the playoffs there’s a decent likelihood of 2 more series’ we blow

Olshey hasn’t been bad in all respects but he’s also at times been very good at not adding talent that fits to the coach‘s mold (ET signing/ hibbert offer sheet). He’s made crafty moves and drafted extra well at guard but his talent evaluation with bigs and wings has downright stunk. He always seems to do just enough to skate by. the Cov trade was good as was the nurk deal. But there really is a mixed bag with trades and we haven’t really had any “get over the top” sorts of moves. And while that is pretty hard to pull those kinds of deals off sometimes it doesn’t feel like we really try for it and the one time we do it’s for a 3rd tweener guard to play at sf and a costly loss of a rfa we could’ve matched any offer to. Typical olshey at his best..

[valleyman33]

I am really getting tired of watching unimpeded drives to the basket, wide open jump shots and wide open three point shots to good teams. Does the team not practice defense anymore?
How does it happen when you add two pretty good defenders (Powell and DJJ) and one very good defender (ROKO) to a team your defense actually gets worse??? What the heck is going on with this team?

[Blazinaway]

I am really getting tired of watching unimpeded drives to the basket, wide open jump shots and wide open three point shots to good teams. Does the team not practice defense anymore?
How does it happen when you add two pretty good defenders (Powell and DJJ) and one very good defender (ROKO) to a team your defense actually gets worse??? What the heck is going on with this team?

this team becomes more and more unwatchable for me, like how many reruns of the same show can one take? We all differ in what we view as entertaining, I am not entertained very much at all by this group of players and especially coach/style of play we have, I am ready for big changes, if not I will just tune out.

[PDXKnight]

I am really getting tired of watching unimpeded drives to the basket, wide open jump shots and wide open three point shots to good teams. Does the team not practice defense anymore?
How does it happen when you add two pretty good defenders (Powell and DJJ) and one very good defender (ROKO) to a team your defense actually gets worse??? What the heck is going on with this team?

agreed with most of this but i don’t regard powell as a good defensive player nor do his career stats back up that image. Used car salesman NO thinks he can defend but the 22 year old he dealt away is a superior defender

[d-train]

I enjoy watching this Blazers team trying to figure out their way. We don't have a top 5 player, or even a top 10 player. We don't have 2 top 15 players. Blazers are trying to build a contender without having any of the leagues best players. The odds are strongly against Blazers being successful. Watch if you find it an interesting endeavor. Don't watch if you aren't interested and are of the opinion that a NBA team must start with a top 5 player, or a couple top 15 players. If you believe the Blazers are on a fools errand, than don't watch. Watch the Lakers or whichever team fits the profile you are looking for.

I am watching the Blazers and enjoying it.

[d-train]

The Warriors are 40-78, the last 2 seasons, with the same key players that were 140-24 from 2014-16. They were in the finals both years and won a championship. This was before they got Durant. The margin between success and failure can be very small.