Game Thread GAME # 2: TRAIL BLAZERS VS PHOENIX SUNS - OCTOBER 23, 2021 - SATURDAY, 7:00 PM, ROOT SPORTS, NBATV

What a great win. I'm so happy. Coach Billups is awesome

 

So far I'm winning Sly. I said we'd finish the season .500

 

Wow i just woke up the saw the result. I expected a blowout but the other way around. Finally! We played that well?

 

Great win tonight, happy for Coach Billups. Now let's hope Nas can play next game right?

 

I know you probably trying to pull us in pessimistic waters of his health, but I think he'll be fine, cos under new coach he seems to be better version of himself.

Or maybe it was a joke related to past. I mean, after game like this, Stotts would bench him for a month.

 

Was there a more fun regular season win last year?

Watching Dame getting the Curry treatment and just sit throughout most of the second half was my favorite part.

A lot of Stotts hate, but I think Olshey did Billups a huge favor by ditching Kanter and Melo. It's a lot easier to give young guys all the minutes they can handle when you aren't saddled with old vets who could disrupt the locker room. But you definitely get the feeling from their comments that Nas and Simons are getting a lot more feedback. So props to the coaches too.

And I love that Billups has given Nas a Ruben Patterson/Stacey Augmon/Jerome Kersey kind of role. Don't overthink it. Just outwork everybody and you'll get your minutes on pure athleticism and energy. Once you get your minutes cemented, then they can work on the little things.

Nassir has an outside jumpshot and something of a handle that those other guys didn't really show in their early years, so he's got way more upside.

 

the same thing he did in interviews; scratch his balls.

 

Well… well…..

WELL!!!!

Do we have a contender before our eyes??

 

The screen setting was the “best we’ve seen”. I didn’t get to watch the game but in the highlights I saw a ton of Nurk screens creating open looks. How about Zeller and Nance how are their screens?

 

you called it my man! You called Blazers win from the get go. Other than Kingspeed, who always see us winning, you seriously called it.
Good job.

NOW.

Call em all this way from now on will ya!?!

 

54 will be closer than 41 unless we get hit with too many key injuries.

 

Looked like we really miss Kanter and Melo…

 

It's one win and they play really good but still has things to improve on defense but it's night and day from preseason though and that's what your looking for as a coach improvement. I love they are forcing pace off a rebound and I think if they continue that there more dangerous on offense plus more opportunities for open shots but been saying that for years. Plus it's showing we don't need big games by Dame to win and he had 8 assist in 3 quarters last that's I like to see in him.

 

Screw it. Im about to watch it again. Lol.

 

Is there a reason that Powell only played 12 minutes? Did he get a knock, or is it just that we were far enough ahead and the players who need minutes are all guards and wings?

 

Because [THE HCP schtick] he's always injured [/THE HCP schtick]

But seriously - he is injured A LOT.

 

This was actually pretty easy.
Second of the Back to Back.
They are all living in Phoenix and just played in LA.
They got in a plane Thursday night late and flew here. When they got off the plane they were met with RAIN! Lots of it.
It rained all day and everything the team was doing was dodging raindrops. Their luggage was wet. Their trip to the arena was wet.

Now the Blazers are a little more accustomed to it and were here. They haven't even traveled yet.
I know it's way too early to start saying schedule loss but this one had schedule loss written all over it.
Blazers were due for a good game. This needs to carry over. I hope it does.

Next game is a toss up. Clippers just lost to the Grizzlies. They also lost to the Warriors in a tight game.
The thing is the Blazers played last night with an energy of a healthy team that is well rested. CJ is literally holding everyone accountable for shopping his name all summer.
You want to give up CJ at this point you better get something for him because he will be winning this team some games this year.

The Clippers have Batum back but obviously not Leonard yet. PG threw in 41 in that loss to the Grizz.
Blazers need to stop PG and the rest will fall into place.

My call is Blazer will be in a position to win it at the end. How they perform at that point is where the question comes.