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

HBD Enes…

 

Can't tell what the gifts are.

 

Latest word is Barton is practicing with the team and may be available to play tomorrow.

 

Everyone knows that the Clippers tanked to get the Mavs; or avoid the Lakers. I think they are a chicken shit team because of that. They were able to manipulate the system to their advantage. It would be much better to play every game to win which would happen if the highest seeds got to pick their opponent in the first round.

 

that's a fun video. And I wouldn't mind at all if both Kanter and RHJ were on next year's team. They both seem to be quality people and Kanter is pretty effective on the court. And, if the Blazers can go a season with Blevins on the bench, they can go one with RHJ on the bench; he's a lot more useful

 

Powell is really good at lay-ins on the right side of the rim, especially against bigger players. I'm not sure if it's strength, or elevation, or a command of where to place the ball on the backboard. Probably a combo of all those

 

Does anyone on here watch or listen to Brian Noe?
I only just started listening to him. Seems at least down to earth.

 

I worry about what I will call the Melo Hero Factor (MHF). He still has a huge following here. If he goes Black Hole again, it could be problematic. Since he left,, in Denver the Nuggets have historically let him play one on five and shoot his team right out of the game.

 

If Rivers can't go either, what are they possibly throwing at our backcourt?

 

Game 1 is always the best time to steal it. Go Blazers!

 

You don’t sit in the playoffs because you are sick unless it’s COVID which they are saying it isn’t.
Rivers will play is what I’m thinking.

 

Its crazy Rivers signed for what a 10 day contract and now hes a key rotational player or starter?

He might even legit be their best all around guard....

 

What more do the Blazers want than this early Xmas gift? I wouldn't be surprised if the Nuggets just forfeited the whole series before or after game one. No sense in playing the games in this series with one team at full strength and the other mostly depleted. Can't believe anyone in Denver would pay to see this bloodbath. Blazers in 4, unless the Nuggets forfeit the series before, or after, game one. The Clippers knew what they were doing when they tanked to avoid the Blazers and get the Mavs. Last year the Clippers made it to round two before getting bounced. This year they did not want to take a chance on getting bounced in the first round series.

 

Early in the season when both CJ and Randle were both lighting it up I wanted us to trade CJ for Randle and Rivers but most in here thought that would be a bad trade for us... hilarious.

 

According to the Nuggets both Dozier and Barton are practicing and they hope to have them for game two. I think they're gauging how what they have can do against us and if they beat us with this limited roster in the first game they might just rest those guys for the next series.

Campazzo, Morris, MPJ, Gordon, Joker, Harrisson, Green, Millsap and JaVale is not a rotation we can just expect to roll over.

 

The Clippers did not lose that game to avoid us... every intentional loss on that final night of the regular season was about avoiding the Lakers not us.

 

That would not be very smart. Think about that? Chancing going down 0-1 in the series when they could play the players to get a win in the first game? If Barton and Dozier can play and contribute without hurting the team or having a chance of making the injury worse they will play. Usually you have to make the decisions for the players. No player will sit just to see if they can get away with it.

 

They're practicing so they're close, I don't think Denver is pushing it and that would probably represent a lack of urgency. Remember that this is the team that lost on purpose in order to play us in the first round. It all might be foolish on their part but they obviously don't see us as the hardest match up.