Game Thread 2022-23 Game #51 - BLAZERS @ GRIZZLIES - FEBRUARY 1, 2023 - WEDNESDAY - 4:00 PM (PDT) ROOT

Discussion in 'Portland Trail Blazers' started by Chris Craig, Jan 30, 2023.

  1. BBert

    BBert Weasels Ripped My Flesh

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    I didn't know we were playing the Celtics.
     
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  2. stampedehero

    stampedehero Make Your Day, a Doobies Day Staff Member Moderator

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  3. handiman

    handiman Well-Known Member

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    It's everywhere this week.

    "Even after seeing their offense fall off over the past couple months following an incandescent start to the season, the Celtics enter Wednesday's game against Boston as the only team to reside within the top five in both offensive and defensive efficiency -- placing fourth in each."

    https://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/id...ltics-cling-top-spot-rest-east-gaining-ground

    I have to admit, playing yourself is an intriguing if futile approach to ranking well both offensively and defensively.
     
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  4. Pinwheel1

    Pinwheel1 Well-Known Member

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    Who makes the Grizzlies so big? Jaren Jackson Jr has good length, but I don't really view Memphis as a
    team with a lot of size, especially with Adams out. (Who I have never been enamored with anyways) Brooks certainly isn't at SF with his 6'6 wing span.
    Bane is listed as 6'5" but he isn't exactly known for attacking the basket. (with his 6'4" wing) Ja can certainly attack but he is only 6'2". Memphis is a good team because they pay tough D, but are they really that much bigger than Portland?
     
  5. SharpeScooterShooter

    SharpeScooterShooter SharpeShooter

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    Great win!!!

    I hope Grant is okay and him leaving is nothing serious. Cant afford to lose him for a stretch.

    ohh and someone buy Drew a beer!!!!!
     
  6. B-Roy

    B-Roy If it takes months

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    I know they can re-sign him. I just don't want to re-sign him for that much.
     
  7. blazerkor

    blazerkor Well-Known Member

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    So Tillman is a monster at 6'8" with a 7'2" wingspan, Aldama has a lot of length, Ziaire isn't big because he's thin but 6'9" with a 6'10" wingspan, Brandon Clarke doesn't have measurables that are huge but he plays really big due to his athleticism and the way he uses it. The fact is they played a lot of minutes with JJJ and Tillman together while we had Trendon out there as our biggest guy.
     
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  8. blazerkor

    blazerkor Well-Known Member

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    Last night Grant said he wasn't even in the concussion protocol and many assumed that meant that he had passed it after the game but I guess one could worry that he didn't have a concussion at all and that fall hurt his neck. I think he's fine though.
     
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  9. handiman

    handiman Well-Known Member

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    Physicality is also a component of height. Bang guys enough and they don't get off the floor, or hold rebounding position, the same. It's the way the league finally learned to contain Blake Griffin.
     
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  10. wizenheimer

    wizenheimer Well-Known Member

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    with Adams and Nurkic both out:

    Santi Aldama 6-11
    Dillon Brooks 6-7
    Brandon Clarke 6-8
    Jaren Jackson Jr. 6-11
    Xavier Tillman Sr. 6-8
    Ziaire Williams 6-8

    vs

    Drew Eubanks 6-9
    Trendon Watford 6-9
    Jabari Walker 6-9

    I can't speak to the listed heights of the Memphis players...I haven't seen them enough, but I'd imagine some exaggeration.. But 8 months ago Jabari Walker was measured as 6′ 6.75, so the 6'9 is total bullshit. Watford was measured at 6’7.5, so 6'9 is kind of bullshit t0o.

    the big problem, in terms of functional length, was Grant missing the 2nd half.

    in the last 2 games, Portland has been beaten of the offensive glass 29-12; in the last 3 games it's been 44-15. I've seen point estimates for offensive rebounds range from 1.08-1.15. That would mean in the last 3 games, the Blazers have given up 32-33 points...about 11 a game. That's a lot of bonus points given to the other team, and it's really quite a substantial hurdle to overcome on the scoreboard. That the Blazers have overcome the hurdle twice is a credit to the rest of their game and a testament to the value of having Dame on a roll

    to the topic, I don't think there's any doubt that the reason for that disparity on the boards is because of Portland's overall size and length. It also hasn't helped that Nurkic has been hurt and only had 6 rebounds in those 3 games.

    Last night, in the 4th Q, I'm pretty sure I saw Dame (6'2), Ant (6'3), Payton (6'2), Hart (6'5...but measured at 6′ 3.75” in the combine), and Eubanks (6'9) on the floor at the same time. In case you're keeping track, that's an average of 6'4.25"....LOL....in the NBA. That would be short even in the small college ranks. Portland won the game because in the last 5 minutes they were 6-6 on FG's and 7-7 on FT's. I might be wrong but that looks like pretty good efficiency to me

    the problem, IMO, is that as an NBA season starts winding down, team weaknesses & flaws become more pronounced. Hard to scheme away the holes when the teams are fully scouted. That Portland had a size and length deficit was obvious in training camp. There should have been moves to correct those issues then, especially considering Nurkic's injury history. Compounding the problem is the near certainty that Cronin has been hamstrung by the Vulcans with instructions to stay under the tax line. They are so close to the line right now that the only way the Blazers can get more size is to make trades for it and that takes the cooperation of other teams
     
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  11. Pinwheel1

    Pinwheel1 Well-Known Member

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    So the post I was quoting was stating that they should have attacked the basket with their size. Tillman (Watford has a slightly longer wing) Aldama and Ziare are not guys I really fear with the ball in their hands. Actually the more shots they took away from Ja the better.
     
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  12. Chris Craig

    Chris Craig (Blazersland) I'm Your Huckleberry Staff Member Global Moderator Moderator

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    They did. I saw Tillman, Aldama, Clarke, Bane, etc all attack the paint along with Morant.
     
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  13. Pinwheel1

    Pinwheel1 Well-Known Member

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    That group didn't play that long together, but as I recall it was when we played our best D as well. Where our lack of length hurts us is against teams where the best players are long, not the role players who don't shoot as much in crunch time. Memphis plays best when Bane and Jackson are hitting from deep to complement Ja. (and Clarke making his hustle plays-I love his game)
     
  14. blazerkor

    blazerkor Well-Known Member

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    They were extremely effective when they did it too... they just didn't do it enough though and I'm glad they didn't. Let them jack up threes all night against us because they're 25th in the league in three point field goal percentage.
     
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  15. Pinwheel1

    Pinwheel1 Well-Known Member

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    Hey, I am not the one who said "The Grizzlies fired off 37 threes against a team half their size. Absolutely pathetic show of basketball."
    I was just saying their scorers are not that big.
     
  16. Chris Craig

    Chris Craig (Blazersland) I'm Your Huckleberry Staff Member Global Moderator Moderator

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    I didn't say you did. Just saying they played big. They did attack the basket. They were getting a lot of foul calls at the basket and getting free throws. They were out rebounding the Blazers on the offensive boards for second chances.
     
  17. Chris Craig

    Chris Craig (Blazersland) I'm Your Huckleberry Staff Member Global Moderator Moderator

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    They were. They were doing it late though too towards the end. But, yeah they missed a lot of threes. Green hurt them as did late misses by Morant, Bane, and Brooks from deep.
     
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  18. HailBlazers

    HailBlazers RipCity

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  19. Fairly-Hard

    Fairly-Hard Former Member Gone New!

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    I really wanted Brooks to miss that last one he took.
     
  20. wizenheimer

    wizenheimer Well-Known Member

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    part of it, a part that I think helped Portland, is that Memphis just went to full-iso for Morant. yeah, he got to the FT line but the Grizz offense just stalled other than Morant forcing his own offense
     
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