Game Thread PLAYOFFS: ROUND 1, GAME 3: BLAZERS @ THUNDER - APRIL 19, 2019, FRIDAY, 6:30 PM , ESPN & NBCSNW

That you know of.....

 

If you don't get at least one noise complaint you're doing it wrong.

For the record, at one point the Blazers were 10-15 on the road. They've been really good since going 11-5. I wouldn't call that being strong on the road all year though.

 

They sleep

 

Blazers need to treat this game like it's game 7.

Every game, really.

 

I think Stotts likes to give him about five minutes; if he does something good he gets to keep playing. Otherwise, not.

 

That's what great teams do. I hope we have that attitude.

 

Their board looks like their team; one guy controlling it and the rest standing around watching.

 

Trueblue is such a good guy, I think he does a great job with the rest of the forum. He puts in a ton of work here.

 

Knrstz from the Thunderfans site. F OKC!

"This team isn't changing or getting better. Presti and others don't want to rebuild so they should just continue to take the beatings with a smile. This has basically been a .500 team since the all star break. No reason we should have ever been favored over the Nurkic-less Blazers. We are the type of team that gets exposed the playoffs because coaching and players aren't smart.

I'll always be a thunder fan but I'm so ready for the days when the Russel Westbrook era is over. I would rather be a team like the Brooklyn Nets who lack stars but overachieve because they play the right way then the most underachieving franchise in the NBA."

Time to step on their throats and rip their hearts out! No mercy.

 

Dame does. It's written on his face. He's going to drag the rest with him.

 

As long as we make him work, let him fire away. If he hits shots he normally misses, we live with it because he won't do it and lead his team to victory for 4 games out of the next 5. One thing is for certain: we have to value the basketball on each possession and limit his opportunities in transition. After watching highlight recaps of games 1 and 2 I noticed that the majority of his damage scoring in game 1 was in transition. In game 2 he had maybe one basket in transition and as a result he struggled. I think getting a few easy baskets going downhill in transition really boosts his already overinflated ego and he just smells blood in the water and starts attacking with more vigor. Keep sending help and making him pass it out in the half court. Won't be long before he completely loses faith in his teammates other than George and goes full hero ball mode.

 

I know this sounds weird, but if we swept them I'd actually be worried about us getting too much time off. I feel like this team really struggles with coming into a game fully focused when they've had too many days off prior.

 

Yup - make 'em (both 'Brook and Paul) shoot over the top of you, don't let them get near the hoop.

 

We came out like gangbusters in Game 1 after several days off though.

 

There is no set of possible circumstances that could occur that would avoid half the posters on this board worrying that playoff disaster is imminent.

 

I mean... it's not like our history doesn't give us reason to worry about it...

 

I dunno outside of the bench guys, they had a few days off between the regular season and playoffs and looked good. I think Dame especially might be in "I'm gonna prove it mode" right now, rest is good, but yeah it can take them out of their rhythm.