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

[JasonStern]

d-train's "Austin Rivers is not worth a minimum contract" comments inconveniently bit us in the a--.

RHJ seems like a good choice so far

Imagine paying DJJ 5-10x as much to warm the bench. (Or picking DJJ over a combination of Harkless, Portis, Dunn, etc.).

Really hope Portland brings RHJ back on a minimum contract, as he's the exact type of cheap role player the team needs to help offset Dame and CJ's contracts.

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

Not convinced a coaching change will happen. Stotts recently won coach of the month. We no longer have Paul Allen as a passionate owner micromanaging things. Not paying luxury tax, not losing money, winning 60% of the team's games, and making the playoffs might be enough for the Vulkans to say, "Olshey/Stotts are doing a fine job" and focus their attention to other endeavors.

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.

Not sure about the double team strategy, but Nurkić definitely should not be playing any minutes when Jokić is out. The Nuggets play Millsap out at the 3 point line, which draws Nurkić out causing him to either do nothing beneficial on the defensive end or commit 1-2 petty fouls. Play Covington at the 5 when Millsap is their big. Or if you have to have size, play Kanter. I'm fine if Nurkić fouls out so long as he fouls out trying to contain Jokić.

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.

Refs were overly whistle happy in game 2 and chilled out in game 3. Were there some questionable and missed calls? Sure. But the refs didn't gift this game to Denver. Portland jacking up 45 threes and not making any until the 4th was what did them in, especially when they were having so much success driving to the hoop. You're not going to go to the line lobbing up long range jumpers.

[Norm2953]

There will be a coaching change for that's what team's do when they have only made it out of the first
round once since 2016, despite having a top 10 player. Stotts will be okay for he'll likely take a year
off and emerge somewhere else and do well for he's a solid, offensive minded coach.

We are going to see a lot of Dame rumors in the off season with the Sixers the favorite to succeed if
Dame is on the market. The long rumored Ben Simmons for Dame trade might happen for the Knicks
simply don't have the pieces to trade for Dame and the Lakers traded away their future picks for AD.

[Wizenheimer]

series isn't over but the fat lady is warming up. Still would not be greatly surprised if the series went 7 games with Denver getting revenge for 2 years ago by winning game 7 this time around...but maybe that's the wishful homer in me

I don't know why anybody is surprised at the way this series appears to be headed. The last 4 seasons Portland has exited the playoffs by losing 4 games in a row, by an average of 13 points. Olshey is still the numbskull GM supplying the nincompoop coach unbalanced rosters with major holes that are always exposed in the playoffs. As long as this team is totally invested in Dame/CJ being options 1a & 1b on the floor and on the payroll, Portland will very likely end seasons with a whimper

[BlazersBroncos]

Wont happen, but if Miami gets swept maybe we could overpay for Butler. CJ + 3 FRP?

[PDXKnight]

Wont happen, but if Miami gets swept maybe we could overpay for Butler. CJ + 3 FRP?

can’t we not trade firsts for 3 consecutive seasons? If so that would leave miami with picks in the far future which i don’t love

[PDXKnight]

series isn't over but the fat lady is warming up. Still would not be greatly surprised if the series went 7 games with Denver getting revenge for 2 years ago by winning game 7 this time around...but maybe that's the wishful homer in me

I don't know why anybody is surprised at the way this series appears to be headed. The last 4 seasons Portland has exited the playoffs by losing 4 games in a row, by an average of 13 points. Olshey is still the numbskull GM supplying the nincompoop coach unbalanced rosters with major holes that are always exposed in the playoffs. As long as this team is totally invested in Dame/CJ being options 1a & 1b on the floor and on the payroll, Portland will very likely end seasons with a whimper

i think whether fairly or unfairly fans expected more with a couple major moves made in the off season and the deadline. I’d contend the powell move didn’t move the needle much if at all, the cov trade should’ve been an improvement though. That being said this whole season has been a huge disappointment so really it’s not shocking

[BlazersBroncos]

can’t we not trade firsts for 3 consecutive seasons? If so that would leave miami with picks in the far future which i don’t love

Any significant upgrade will require the use of multiple picks. We simply dont have the on-roster assets to get a legit, needle moving upgrade. We need to conclude that potentially sacrificing future picks that might be premium is worth doing all we can to max out Dame's prime years or we need to move Dame.

I was thinking that NYK could be a place to send CJ as they are going from rebuild to win now pretty suddenly and have loads of cap space. Something like:

PDX - CJ, 2 FRP, 1 FRP Swap
PDX - Butler

NYK - Lower 2021 FRP, Konx
NYK - CJ

MIA - Butler
MIA - TPE, Knox, 2021 NYK FRP, 2 PDX FRP, 1 FRP Swap

[Norm2953]

I do think the series will go to six or seven but it will end with the Nuggets going on to get hammered by
Lebron and the Lakers who if healthy will steamroll to the finals against either the Nets or Sixers. Likely
the season was doomed when Zach missed the entire season but I might maintain the team has over-achieved
for they went most of the season with one player (Enes Kanter) over 6-9.

I do think the team will try to play small in game 4 with DJJ getting some minutes for they need to do
something if they are to have a chance at winning this series.