Game Thread PLAYOFFS - ROUND 1, GAME 2: BLAZERS @ CLIPPERS - 4/20/16, WEDNESDAY, 7:30 PM (PDT), TNT & KGW

Harkless is a pretty decent defender, but I don't think he can guard JJ and CP3 at the same time.

 

We were in the game for 3 quarters even with CJ getting lit up. Paul and Austin rivers killed us in the 4th.

 

Did that Game 1 and it didn't work. CP3 was great again tonight, but I thought Harkless defended him better than anyone on the team has.

 

The scary thing is CJ hasn't even been the worst guard on his team.

 

Dame needs to learn how to throw lob passes this summer. Seriously, get some film from Dre and Rudy. Can't believe how many times he misses guys rolling when he can throw an easy pass to the rim instead of force through traffic

 

Considering the circumstances, yes CJ is by far having the roughest series. He cannot chase Redick around and he can't shake Mbah Moute.

 

They consistently get good shots and we get difficult shots. Yeah if we hit more it'd look better; but that's not a sustainable way to win more than a game.

 

If we had a Jordan or Whiteside to lob to we would... Hell even a Camby would do lol

 

Hell, Camby would be throwing some of those lobs.

 

Plums and Davis are not chopped liver

 

I dunno; its kind of a chicken or the egg thing. Our offense is so bad it puts our defense in tough spots and we don't have time to get setup defensively. If the offense was running great the defense might look better.

 

Yeah but they can't out Jump the Clippers guys sadly.

 

The worst moment tonight was that scrub Austin fucking Rivers hitting a step back three with Dame in his face at the shot clock buzzer.

In Dame's first ever game in the summer league, Dame dropped a similar shot in Rivers' grille to shut him up and get on the map.

Fucking retribution in the worst way.

 

CP3 is just being opportunistic. He's not really forcing his will on whoever is guarding him, he just bides his time and waits to get easy shots. He rarely takes a shot that's heavily contested or off balance. We just don't apply enough pressure on him to make him really work hard. He gets a ball screen and has all the freedom in the world. I don't think I've even seen him run full speed the entire first two games. Doesn't matter who you have guarding him if we keep playing that style of defense. About all he did to Dame was post him up. I think Dame can take that challenge. Paul isn't going to post up and work his ass off to jack contested shots up all night.

 

Don't think we'll ever win in the playoffs with Dame playing like this. He gives so much up on defense he needs to be great offensively to have any sort of positive impact. If Dames average offensively his impact is a negative. If he's bad offensively his impact is horrific.

 

CP3 is doing the same thing Tony Parker did to us. He is abusing our screen defense. Under Stotts we have never been able to figure out how to guard pick plays or set pick plays.

 

Dont' forget Conley and Udrih. ugh