I still feel really good about this series!

We will win Game 2. We played pretty bad (except LA) on Saturday and still had a chance to win.

 

Camby had 18 rebounds and Miller had a pretty good game. Wallace had a bad game and the 3 point shot wasn't falling, but overall the team played pretty good basketball and played well enough to win.

 

NaBitchsky will always get a dozen free trips to the line to close out games. That's what makes him an all star. We can't let the game be close. If we have a big lead, the refs will have to work that much harder in the fourth, but this is the playoffs and the Blazers will have to suck it up and hang on for their lives.

 

How is that possible? Wes was in foul trouble. I don't think Nate was purposely keeping Roy in the game.

 

The big take aways from game one:
1. Aldridge really can contain Dirk one-on-one.
2. Don't leave Kidd wide open at the three point line. His season average is based on tired legs of an old man. He's got fresh legs and days off between games. He's going to hit them at 40%+ if you let him shoot.
3. Roy should never, ever be on the court at the same time as Miller.
4. It's fun exploiting Dallas' smaller guards in the post, but it can be fools gold. Aldridge is the one who brung you to the dance. Focus more on posting him up. Our guards can take advantage of their size by cutting, rebounding or slashing after Aldridge kicks it out. Miller is the one exception to that rule--he can post up whenever he wants because he's probably just as efficient at it as LA.
5. If Peja is guarding Batum or Wallace, clear it out and take advantage. We never once exploited this matchup. I was utterly enraged when Batum had Peja on the perimeter and Roy demanded the ball in the post on Terry. Roy needs to get the fuck out of the way.
6. Roy has to be doing something utterly phenominal in his first 10 minutes of play to justify being out there for any time after that. You want a role on this team? Produce quickly or sit. That's your role. Sorry, but the scoreboard doesn't give a fuck about all the truly fantastic things you've done for this team. It just doesn't, and so we can't either.

 

That's my list of things Portland needs to think about. Now let's look at adjustments Dallas needs to make before game two:

1. The guards need to grow an average of three inches.
2. Dirk needs to add 20 pounds of muscle and really go at it in the post.
3. Chandler needs to develop a reliable 15 footer.
4. They need to clone Marion so that Peja doesn't ever have to see a minute of playing time.
5. Make sure the refs call 18 free throw attempts in the 4th quarter every night.

If they can just make these simple adjustments, they'll have no problem winning game two. If they can just get #5, they'll still probably win in a squeaker.

 

I don't understand why people think it was in Nate's gameplan to play Roy so many minutes. Wes was in foul trouble. Plus he was playing like shit offensively.

 

Rudy was playing much better than Roy when you factor in that he was at least relevant on defense.

Alternatively, we could've gone with Camby in the 4th quarter (who was killing it) and slid Batum to SG. This would've been my preference, especially given that Camby has a lot of cache in this league as a good defender and is less likely to get called for fouls while making solid defensive plays.

We had two other options that were much better than Roy, and we used neither.

 

We will win Game 2, and here's why:

I noted before the game in this forum that I was excited, nervous and a bit off before Game 1. I figured it was just having to do with the game. The Blazers came out and played the way I felt. Some stuff was working, but their usual mojo wasn't there.

Sunday, I still wasn't feeling quite right; pretty uncomfortable, actually. By Sunday evening, I had my wife take me to the emergency room, where I discovered I had a bladder infection, pneumonia and was passing a kidney stone. I'm now on antibiotics and the kidney stone--like all things--has passed. Now I feel great.

I'm taking my little episode Saturday and Sunday as a foreshadowing of what awaits our Blazers. We played a little off our game in Dallas on Saturday, probably didn't feel very good about it Sunday, but are right as rain today and ready to kick ass tomorrow!

 

Repped!

 

4th quarter line-up of Miller, Roy, Wallace, Batum and Aldridge? So you are saying you would have rather it be Miller, Batum, Wallace, Aldridge and Camby? That line-up was on the floor, and that was the line-up that got a 12-0 run on them. I don't know if you payed attention, but the line-up of Roy, Fernandez, Wallace, Aldridge and Camby was the one that claimed the 6 point lead, but I guess we won't take that into consideration.

 

Thanks. I'm not looking for sympathy, I'm trying to give everyone on the forum a good and much needed laugh at my expense. Nothing is quite as funny or fulfilling as a good dose of Schadenfreude. If Seinfeld can make kidney stones funny, I can try to do so as well. I hope everyone takes that post detailing my short term health issues in that vein.

 

I didn't realize that. I didn't get a chance to re-watch the game. Ok, my preferred idea sucked.

But I still say we could've put Rudy in there. Ball movement with Roy and Miller on the floor together sucks. It's ok when it's just Roy, because he's the best facilitator we've got when Miller is sitting. I'm definitely not averse to Roy playing backup PG in this series. But just because a squad with Roy in it was working in the 2nd quarter, it doesn't mean he should be closing out the game.

 

I agree with your "Rudy" idea. Matthews didn't look good at all on the floor. He seemed a little confused. I wouldn't mind seeing a Miller, Rudy, Wallace, Aldridge and Camby on the floor in the closing minutes.

For 1 I think Rudy is great at finding cutters or lobs to the basket, just like Miller. Also, even though Fernandez was in a slump; he is probably our most clutch 3 point shooter (Matthews is better, but I think Fernandez isn't afraid to take it). I really really think you are dead on with Camby staying in the game.

My #1 concern is not allowing Dallas to get second shots. We gave up way too many!!!! Especially in the 4th. We need Camby in there to at least clean up the boards.

 

? yea ok....

 

I still think Portland could win last year's playoff series against Phoenix. They just have to keep plugging away.