Game Thread PLAYOFFS: ROUND 1, GAME 1: BLAZERS @ NUGGETS - MAY 22, 2021 - SATURDAY, 7:30, ESPN

Discussion in 'Portland Trail Blazers' started by Darkwebs, May 17, 2021.

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What do you predict to be the final outcome of this series?

Poll closed May 23, 2021.
  1. Blazers win 4-0

    10.1%
  2. Blazers win 4-1

    10.1%
  3. Blazers win 4-2

    48.1%
  4. Blazers win 4-3

    17.7%
  5. Nuggets win 4-0

    1.3%
  6. Nuggets win 4-1

    2.5%
  7. Nuggets win 4-2

    8.9%
  8. Nuggets win 4-3

    1.3%
  1. Darkwebs

    Darkwebs Awakened to emptiness Staff Member Moderator

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    [​IMG]

    [​IMG]




    [​IMG]

    [​IMG]

    [​IMG]


    2020-21 REGULAR SEASON RECORD
    PORTLAND TRAIL BLAZERS
    42 - 30
    (22-14 Road)
    DENVER NUGGETS

    47 - 25
    (25-11 Home)


    [​IMG]


    --------------------------------------------------------------
    ------------------------------------------------------


    [WHEN: 7:30 PM (PDT), SATURDAY, 5/22/2021


    WHERE: BALL ARENA, DENVER, CO

    [​IMG]


    TV BROADCAST:
    [​IMG]


    RADIO BROADCAST:
    [​IMG]

    ------------------------------------------------------


    --------------BENCH--------------

    -- PORTLAND TRAIL BLAZERS --
    [​IMG][​IMG][​IMG]
    SIMONS , BLEVINS , ELLEBY

    [​IMG][​IMG][​IMG]
    LITTLE , HOLLIS-JEFFERSON , JONES Jr.

    [​IMG][​IMG]
    ANTHONY , LEAF

    [​IMG][​IMG]
    GILES III , KANTER



    ---- DENVER NUGGETS ----

    [​IMG][​IMG][​IMG]
    MORRIS , HOWARD , DOZIER

    [​IMG][​IMG][​IMG]
    RIVERS , HARRISON , CANCAR

    [​IMG][​IMG] [​IMG]
    GREEN , MILLSAP , NNAJI

    [​IMG][​IMG]
    McGEE , BOL





    INJURIES
    TRAIL BLAZERS
    Zach Collins (left ankle stress fracture): OUT
    NUGGETS
    Will Barton (right hamstring strain): QUESTIONABLE
    P.J. Dozier (strained right adductor): QUESTIONABLE
    Jamal Murray (torn left ACL): OUT




    HEAD COACHES
    [​IMG] - VS – [​IMG]
    TERRY STOTTS --- MICHAEL MALONE


    :reading:OFFICIAL NUGGETS' GAME NOTES
    :reading: OFFICIAL BLAZERS' GAME NOTES






    [​IMG]
     
    Last edited: May 19, 2021
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  2. Darkwebs

    Darkwebs Awakened to emptiness Staff Member Moderator

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    Seemingly an annual tradition, the Blazers once again closed out the regular season strong, winning 10 of their last 12 games. They blew out the Nuggets as a must-watch season finale episode, and coincidentally enough, Denver is also slated to be their opponent in the 1st round of the NBA Playoffs.

    This will be the first time Nurk has faced the Nuggets in the Playoffs, so I'm curious to how he will fare in this series. Will he raise his game, or wilt under the pressure of proving Denver made a mistake of trading him?

    In addition, Melo will be returning to the city that drafted him.

    Blazers may have lost the season series to Denver 1-2, but both those Portland losses were on the 2nd night of a back-to-back. Denver will be missing the services of their starting point guard, Jamal Murray, which is obviously a big blow.

    These teams will have at least 5 days off before they meet again, so each team's coaching staff will have plenty of time to prepare and plan for their opponent. Let's hope Terry Stotts comes up with something special.


    [​IMG]
     
    Last edited: May 24, 2021
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  3. Darkwebs

    Darkwebs Awakened to emptiness Staff Member Moderator

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    NBA 2021 PLAYOFFS BRACKET
    [​IMG]
     
  4. AldoTrapani

    AldoTrapani Well-Known Member

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    Let’s go Blazers I got us in 6!
     
  5. THE HCP

    THE HCP NorthEastPortland'sFinest

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    FIRE STOTTS!
























    The above post was for comedic purposes only and does not reflect my own opinions. @THE HCP needs new tires on his ride. Please don't sent this to the team to get me fired.

    I have Denver winning in six for the record.
     
  6. KSF-ERIC

    KSF-ERIC Well-Known Member

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    I picked Blazers in 5. If Blazers win Game 1, we may sweep. Need to rest up for Warriors in Round 2. Dame vs Steph will be major hyped by the league and ESPN/TNT.
     
  7. KSF-ERIC

    KSF-ERIC Well-Known Member

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    Why Denver in 6? We have a better roster with more experience. I would imagine we're favored in this series.
     
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  8. blazerkor

    blazerkor Well-Known Member

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    I've got the Nuggets in 6. I just think they're a better team than us. I think they're not as good as we are on offense but that's not a huge advantage for us while on defense they do have a huge advantage over us. I also think they have a deeper bench. Mostly I just think the Nuggets are the more well rounded team and will come out on top.

    I was tempted to wait for the odds to come out but I'm quite sure even though they haven't put them up yet that Vegas will have Denver as a decisive betting favorite in this series. There's a reason why they're the number 3 team in the West and we're number 6 and it has nothing to do with injuries. Since the trade deadline we're 15-12 and they're 21-7.

    Knowing the way we've exited the playoffs in the past, even coming off of scorching hot endings to the season, I might have my homer goggles on when I give us two wins in the series.
     
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  9. AldoTrapani

    AldoTrapani Well-Known Member

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    Oh man now you got me thinking
     
  10. GDiama

    GDiama Well-Known Member

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    Considering Murray is out i think this is the best matchup we get. I hope we don't try to matchup Porter with Powell though as Porter can shoot over his head the whole night. RoCo seems a much better matchup since Porter is not very good dribbling the ball so he can keep up with him. Powell can work on Gordon because although he lacks in size Gordon is not very skilled offensively to take advantage of that.
     
  11. Labinot41

    Labinot41 Well-Known Member

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    remember when Denver traded for Gordon at the Deadline?
     
  12. stampedehero

    stampedehero Make Your Day, a Doobies Day Staff Member Moderator

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    I picked we win 4-2. I hope we do not get horrendous ref crews in this series.
    The NBA should do their best to put competent fair minded objective individuals out there as I see close games and no blowouts..
     
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  13. crandc

    crandc Well-Known Member

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    Blazers are better than they were two years ago. They didn't have Nurk, and both Dame and Lantern had nagging injuries.
    As shooters, Melo and Ant vs Seth and Hood off the bench, maybe a wash but don't discount veteran experience.

    No one will roll over and play dead but I feel OK.
     
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  14. TBpup

    TBpup Writing Team

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    With Murray and Barton out, Portland should win this. If they lose with those 2 players not available for the Nuggets, there should be a massive overhaul as this is as favorable of an opponent draw as Portland could hope for.

    From 2 years ago, Grant and Craig are gone and with Murray and Barton injured, this is a much depleted version of a team compared to the one that went 7 games against the Blazers 2 years ago.
     
  15. stampedehero

    stampedehero Make Your Day, a Doobies Day Staff Member Moderator

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  16. Labinot41

    Labinot41 Well-Known Member

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    Agree, if the Blazers can't beat Denver then there is no future for this group
     
  17. SharpesTriumph

    SharpesTriumph Well-Known Member

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    Jokic is much better now than two years ago. They didn't have Porter Jr then.

    Dame was exhausted at the end of that series and Turner actually had a huge game 7. We had Hood and Collins playing great on both offense and defense, plus Curry.

    I like our chances and agree Denver might be the most favorable matchup of the top 4 west seeds... however Portland isn't a big favorite (if they are even a favorite at all)
     
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  18. TBpup

    TBpup Writing Team

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    Of course there are roster changes, and Jokic is better, and they added a middle 1st round pick who has blossomed. (Seems like I've heard 1st round picks wouldn't help our roster but apparently they have helped Denvers.) Portland has added players as well.

    To say "Hood and Collins were playing great on both offense and defense" would seem to be a bit of a stretch and some advanced numbers now have Ant doing what much of Curry was.

    I'm just suggesting that if Denver can lose all those defensive players (Craig, Harris, Barton) and big offensive contributors in Murray and Grant from this year's version versus the one from 2 years ago, it would almost be a crime that we shouldn't be favored. Now maybe we won't be, but that then speaks volumes to how much we may overrate our own players, how poorly new players have been developed, and how bad player acquistion has been.
     
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  19. Fairly-Hard

    Fairly-Hard Former Member Gone New!

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    This is anybody's series. I have it going to 7 games again. Game 7 on their court AGAIN. Anything can happen in a game 7.
     
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  20. Chris Craig

    Chris Craig (Blazersland) I'm Your Huckleberry Staff Member Global Moderator Moderator

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    Blazers will win this series 4-2
     

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