Game Thread PLAY-IN GAME# 1: GRIZZLIES VS BLAZERS - AUGUST 15, 2020 - SATURDAY, 11:30, ABC

Wow....
I have absolutely no words? Except Wow.

 

Oh well, it's just sad, Terry. You and your little box

 

I was wondering, do the L*kers play Tuesday?

 

yes, 9pm est Tuesday on tnt. And every game is on alternate days after.

Would be massive if we get 2 days.

But Dame made an interesting point yesterday. He said although he's physically tired now, it's not like it is had we come to the playoffs after 82 games. He said he got a ton of rest over the past four months and the cumulative exhaustion is not as bad as it is usually.

 

ya...and the Lakers must play us with Anthony Davis watching.....just because

 

It's not just because. It's because Lillard is f***in tired. Because I can see that already: "Blazers could win this series, but Damian and CJ were on their last legs after this phenomenal run of 9 games before playoffs." Memphis are not championship team. If we need another miracle from Lillard to beat them, then good luck against LA.

 

so, question.....

do the stats of this game count towards regular season, post season or do they not count at all?

 

Stupid post. Lillard has worked his ass off to prepare for a game like this.

 

So because Jordan played all 82 games, the Bulls should’ve sat him for Game 7 vs the Knicks in 1992? Dude was gambling every night too.

 

That's the problem I think. If game against Memphis for 8 spot is "game like this" we are def not on same page about Championship. For me finals is "game like this". But fair play, make 30 points ahead till halftime, then sit him and I'll be happy.

 

wut

 

ESPN blurb on Blazers' chances:
8. Portland Trail Blazers
Record: 35-39 (.473) | Bubble: 6-2
Vegas title odds: +3000

All Damian Lillard wanted was a chance. And given one, he and the Trail Blazers did exactly what he thought they could do. Before the shutdown, the Blazers were slogging through a disappointing season filled with injuries and bad breaks, along with sloppy, inconsistent play. But with the time off and a boost in health with the returns of Jusuf Nurkic and Zach Collins, the Blazers look like the team they thought they would be.

MVP of the restart: Damian Lillard
There's supposed to be like 60 more words explaining why and using stats and things to show it. But really those 60 words just need to be "Damian" and "Lillard" over and over again. The legend of Dame only increased in the bubble, both in what he did with 40- and 50- and 60-point games, along with his razor-sharp social skills, clapping right back at Paul George on Instagram. All belief in the Blazers before the bubble was because they had Dame. And all belief that they could actually do playoff damage is because of him too.

Biggest concern for the play-in
CJ McCollum's injury -- a nondisplaced fracture in his back -- has clearly affected his play. He's battling through it and still is a weapon for Portland, but so much of what made the Trail Blazers dangerous last postseason was the combination play of Lillard and McCollum. As much as Lillard did, especially with memorable moments, it was McCollum who won Game 7 on the road in Denver. If McCollum is limited, Lillard will need to shoulder even more, and look to rising role players such as Gary Trent Jr. to fill in the gaps.
One big bubble stat
Lillard matched his career high with 61 points in a win against the Mavericks and joined Wilt Chamberlain as the only players with three 60-point games in a season. Lillard scored 112 points in a two-game span, the sixth most by any player over a two-game span in the past 50 seasons, according to Elias research.

Matchup to watch in the play-in: Lillard vs. Ja Morant
This is the kind of matchup postseason series are made for. The young up-and-coming star against the established, veteran All-Star. One player looking to make a name and a statement, the other trying to grow his legend. The Grizzlies will probably throw multiple defenders at Lillard, and the Blazers will likely do the same to Morant, but at the core of this series it's Lillard and Morant running their teams.

One wild bubble prediction
Lillard gets past Memphis and, during his first-round series against the Lakers, breaks Michael Jordan's record for most points in a playoff game (63). The Blazers will need everything Lillard has, and with his man-on-a-mission mentality, he is always ready to answer the call. He put 61 on the Mavs already. He can hit one more 3.


-- Young https://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/id/29640454/nba-playoffs-2020-everything-know-17-teams-win-title

 

Here is for the Grizzlies:
9. Memphis Grizzlies
Record: 34-39 (.466) | Bubble: 2-6
Vegas title odds: +100000

When the Grizzlies needed it the most, they picked up a win over Milwaukee to lift them into the play-in tournament. At 2-6 in the bubble, Memphis struggled at times -- and lost Jaren Jackson Jr. to injury - but their 3½-game cushion heading into the restart helped keep them in the playoff race.

MVP of the restart: Ja Morant
The Rookie of the Year lock did everything he could to make sure the Grizzlies were going to have a chance at the playoffs and finished things off with a triple-double against the Bucks (12 points, 10 assists and 13 rebounds). Morant averaged 19 points, 9.9 assists and 6.4 rebounds for the Grizzlies. You can also give a nod here to Jonas Valanciunas, who finished seeding-game play with a 26-point, 19-rebound, 12-assist triple-double.

Biggest concern for the play-in
The Grizzlies shot 31.7% from deep in the bubble, ranking 21st out of 22 teams (more on this in a second). But Memphis also has to worry about replacing Jackson, who will miss the play-in tournament with a torn meniscus. Jackson was averaging 25.3 points in the three games he was able to play before the injury.

One big bubble stat
Memphis' victory Thursday to clinch a play-in berth came with even more history. Morant and Valanciunas became the first Grizzlies teammates to record triple-doubles in the same game, and they're the 12th pair of teammates to pull off the feat in NBA history (including the playoffs).

Matchup to watch in the play-in: Morant vs. unders on screens
Morant struggled from distance during bubble play, going 9-of-40 (22.5%). Teams routinely went under on screens and challenged Morant to beat them from deep. Before the hiatus, Morant was shooting 36.7% from 3-point range on 2.4 attempts per game. If he can start knocking it down at a comfortable clip again, it'll help Memphis' offense.

One wild bubble prediction
Morant finds a way to dunk on three players at once. Some of them might be on his own team -- that part doesn't matter. But he'll manage to give us a highlight we'll talk about for a long time.

 

Not to be negative in ANY way, but if we were to lose tomorrow, what would be the next scenario?

 

we win the next game. we have 2 chances to beat the Grizzlies.

 

Got it. Same team. Thanks!

We'll actually be in Memphis on Sunday. Staying at the the venue the Grizzlies used to play in:

https://big-cypress.com/

 

Win Sunday?

 

We need to win tomorrow this team definitely need a break due we are tired. 2 days rest right might just refresh some of our players.