Game Thread GAME# 1: NUGGETS @ BLAZERS - OCTOBER 23, 2019 - WEDNESDAY, 7:00 (PDT), ESPN & NBCSNW

Starters were good, except CJ.
Bench was bad, except Skal.

Bench was 0-7 from 3 (lots of late shot clocks 3s)
Whiteside looked great.
Collins looked ready.
Hood looked fine.

If CJ plays like normal CJ, our starters are going to be fantastic this season.

Ant isn't playing aggressively.
Hezonja and Tolliver looked very meh.

 

Man Mario was so bad tonight how do you play 18 minutes and go 0-3 with no assists??

I can see why he hasn’t stuck on a team since being drafted 5th

 

With respect to "Contribution Points" in terms of the predictions game, CJ managed to tie Skal for #6 on the contribution list - all while playing considerably more minutes.

 

* Nuggets were hot from the arc but that can happen when a team gets a bunch of uncontested and poorly contested three's. Sure seems like I remember some really bad perimeter defense from the pre-season. Blazers have to clean that up

* only 19 points from the Blazer bench on 6-22 shooting with 1 assist vs 4 turnovers. That's ugly and it should make Stotts consider staggered rotations instead of that platoon shit he tried in the 1st half

* for 5 off-seasons now Olshey has refused to add another back court play-maker. The offense is almost always ragged when Dame sits. CJ can't run the offense and I don't see anybody else that can. It's all on Dame and that's a big burden

* Doris Burke has the hots for Jokic. She had them last year and the temp is still high.

 

Pretty much my take also. Give em some time to gel.

 

We will shoot better from three and that could have been the difference in this game against one of the best teams in the league. Once everybody figures out how to play together and CJ pulls his head out of his ass... we'll be a really tough team for anyone to beat.

 

Part of his no assists was that CJ was missing almost everything.

 

And they except this kid to just run the 2nd unit like he’s some vet. Our bench is going to be bad. I’m preparing myself for that.

 

Who said he was Kobe? There you go with a made up argument again.

 

I didn't read through this entire thread, but have to say I was impressed by Skal. I don't think he is ready for big time minutes, but when he was in he looked effective. Bazemore had some good steals, that is about all I can say good about the rest of the bench.

 

Why the hell did Mario play 18 minutes?! Why are we playing 10 guys extended minutes in a key divisional matchup?! We saw last year how much one game in this series matters to seeding, and then we didn't play as if this game mattered worth a damn. Just a gross opening.

 

Dude? It was just a statement to make a point. I even said" Or what have you"
But if you would like me to start digging up outlandishly overblown expectations that have been made about Simmons all summer i will have a field day with you.
So maybe Kobe wasn't actually mentioned??? It seems like you got the point but don't have a real response other than to try to nitpick a word or phrase you don't like.
Mark my words! I am right on this. Simmons will be very very raw until he gets minutes. The only way he will get minutes is if he can play better defense and keep from doing what he did tonight.
This is not even a conversation you want to continue. You know better than this Hoops.

 

I was also. he has some skills and he will see minutes this year.

 

Was Evan Turner the key? Without him we might as well tank?

 

We might have lost the game but not having to watch turner play was a win in itself

 

Back home and pissed off. They simply shot lights out from 3. No blazer got it going offensively. Whitesides was great but got tired down the end there. skal was ok. zach was ok too. baze brings it and I like him. I dont think having et, moe, or chief would have made a difference. portland just was ice fucking cold all game. the second it looked like the blazers were about to go on a run denver calls a timeout.

Bottom line is this new crew went toe to toe with arguably the best all around team in the league. With even the slightest bit of shooting from CJ or Hood the game would have been in the bag.


That said, a forward with major offense skills would not be a bad thing i.e. Love or Griffin

 

Sigh. FFS.