Game Thread GAME# 71: BLAZERS @ SUNS - MAY 13, 2021 - THURSDAY, 7:00, TNT & NBCSNW

All that shit won’t matter when playoffs start. Everything goes to 0-0.

 

This is a tough one for me to take. I thought the foul call at the end was garbage, not because it wasn't a foul but because I don't think the Blazers get that call if the roles were reversed and we were at home.

Of course, it never should have come to that. How we can't get the ball to Dame on that inbound (or for the final shot of the game) is beyond me ... if you can't get the ball to him, it has to be because they've sold out on defense so much that someone is running all alone and going to get the ball and take at least 2 seconds off the clock before he's fouled. And RoCo ... geez, talk about unclutch. But, like I said about Nurk, there's a reason why you can acquire these guys; they're good or specialists but not great. He missed both of those FTs badly, though.

We aren't in that position at all if not for that stretch in the third quarter where we reverted to our old style of individual-oriented play. We've a talented group of players, but not one so talented that we can throw away possessions because we lose our composure, and we threw a lot of possessions away there. If we get two good shots in that sequence where we were taking lazy shots or forcing up unnecessary tough shots, we almost certainly make one and win the game.

I guess that's the one silver lining for me: If we'd have won it might have been counter-productive because we'd have won in spite of doing the same dumb things that cost us so many games earlier this season, and that might have let complacency set in and make guys think it wasn't the change in style that had us playing better lately, it was just our talent rising to the mean. Now, at least, this can be an example to the players that even reverting to that one-on-five approach for five minutes of game time is enough for us to lose, that we have to be totally committed and totally bought in to the style and intensity that we'd been playing with the last 10 games. If we'd have pulled that game out after playing so intelligently for such a significant stretch when the game was tight, it still would have felt a bit like a loss to me.

 

BTW, I don't put this one on the defense. I know it's easy to do that, especially how we let them score at will for a while there, but the Suns are a very, very good offensive team. The Blazers aren't a great defensive team. The Blazers' defense is at its best when the offense is cooking, because it doesn't turn the ball over or miss shots badly leading to fast breaks, and it makes opponents get out of their system as they are forced to try to match the Blazers shot for shot; their poise usually breaks and we open up a multi-possession lead.

Our defense is worse when our offense is predictable.

 

touching someone's elbow can really affect their shot. Powell shouldn't have been reaching in

 

Anyone else have trouble sleeping?

 

Nurk entered the game with about 7 and a half minutes left. Look at where the shots came from before and after he entered the game? They were cooking the Blazers with the mid range with Nurk on the floor.

 

In the end a great offensive player is very tough to guard. Great Offense usually beats Good Defense. There were some plays last night by both Paul and Lillard that nobody could have guarded.

 

If there was an elbow touched or a hand on hip the wrong ref called it. The rear ref who had the angle didn't call anything.

If that's a foul Dame should be shooting 20 free throws per game. Absolute BS call at that point in the game.

 

YES! dragging now at work. First game of this season where i've had a sleeping problem after.

 

Yeah that call never gets made? Seriously? I could see it maybe during the middle stretches of a game but even then it would get picked apart. Never should you see that call on the last play of a game to decide the game by free throws.
Blazers need to never leave a game in the refs hands.

 

The agony of defeat! Shake it off another game coming up. Rip City!

 

They will come out stronger for this.

 

Love the attitude and optimism! Thank you!

 

If we're factoring in player availability, how many of those games were played with all of our top 3-4 players? And were those games close or blowouts?

 

I think you're right. The ref guessed there was a foul and was lucky replay did show some minor contact, even though it was probably not any of the contact he thought he saw.

 

Before we all take long walk on short pier, yes, heartbreaking loss. But does it portend horrible things for the Blazers? A one point game always has element of luck. Had Suns not missed three late free throws Blazers wouldn't have had the lead. Ticky tack fouls called and others missed. There are things a team can control and things they can't.

Concentrate on what you can and make your goddamn free throws.

 

Before we all take long walk on short pier, yes, heartbreaking loss. But does it portend horrible things for the Blazers? A one point game always has element of luck. Had Suns not missed three late free throws Blazers wouldn't have had the lead. Ticky tack fouls called and others missed. There are things a team can control and things they can't.

Concentrate on what you can and make your goddamn free throws.

 

With the current lineup (including Powell) we have played three of these games - win at Utah, and 1-point losses to Denver and Phoenix. Obviously had those been wins we'd all be feeling much better about things.