Notice Blazers' CJ McCollum: Golden State setting illegal screens to free up Klay Thompson

http://www.csnnw.com/blazers/blazer...te-setting-illegal-screens-free-klay-thompson

SAN FRANCISCO – If it wasn’t tough enough defending Klay Thompson and the rest of the Golden State Warriors, the Trail Blazers found in Game 1 they have another hurdle to overcome.

“They set a lot of illegal screens,’’ Blazers guard CJ McCollum said Tuesday at the team’s shootaround at The Olympic Club. “They are moving and stuff. That’s the respect you get when you are champions, you get a lot more respect from the referees. You have to figure out a way to get around those screens and make it difficult.’’

McCollum was the primary defender against Thompson, who scored 37 points for the Warriors in their 118-106 Game 1 victory.

[WATCH: Stotts: Varejao play 'dirty', Henderson reaction 'appropriate']

After Game 1, Portland coach Terry Stotts said he would likely change his game plan, and one of the areas he would first evaluate was the team’s defense on Thompson.

Upon further review, Stotts said McCollum contested a “fair amount” of Thompson’s shots, making his 14-of-28 shooting, including 7-of-14 from three-point range, even more impressive.

“I thought Klay Thompson made some really difficult shots in the first quarter,’’ Stotts said. “I thought we worked hard.’’

McCollum said part of the battle in guarding Thompson is fighting through the repeated screens and pin downs set to free up Thompson. McCollum said he counted 16 pin downs in Game 1.

“Overall, I did a decent job,’’ McCollum said. “I felt like all his shots were contested -- they weren’t all well contested -- but he was guarded on all of his shots.

[WATCH: Just how do you stop the Warriors?]

“But I felt like he was too comfortable. He did whatever he wanted to do,’’ McCollum said. “I have to be there on the catch and make him do some different things.’’

The Blazers have made clear their Game 2 intentions in guarding Thompson: They want to deny his catch-and-shoot opportunities and force him to dribble before shooting.

“We need to pressure the passer to disrupt their rhythm,’’ Stotts said. “Any time we can disrupt that rhythm it will be to our advantage.’’

Notes: Blazers guard Damian Lillard, who is battling a chest cold, said Tuesday morning he is feeling “a little better” … Golden State center Anderson Varejao was assessed a Flagrant 1 penalty by the NBA after they reviewed his leg whip of Gerald Henderson with 3:29 left in the third quarter of Game 1.

 

Love the honesty, not only with how all these picks are moving but with how hes honest with himself, and that he needs to be there on the catch.

The only way you can start becoming a better defender is by being honest with yourself. I at leave him on Klay. Let him learn and improve defensively.

 

So is "respect" the new word for "preferential treatment"?

 

CJ is a mismatch guarding Klay...Harkless needs to guard him or Crabbe or even Henderson..he's too big and strong for CJ to handle...exploits the weakness in CJs game...Livingston's length is bothering Dame as well

 

Thanks bgd. I love it. Glad they retroactively assessed the flagrant to Vaseline (my phone auto-corrected his name to that, I'm just going to leave it). Too bad they missed an obvious trip in action though.

 

Thank god one of our players said it. Everyone sees it, everyone knows it happens, but still the league allows it. I know it is what it is, but I absolutely hate that the league allows certain players/teams get away with these things simply because they're the "stars" and "champions" of the league. No integrity, and no reason to allow the best players/teams to have even more of an advantage.

Maybe CJ speaking up on it will make a difference in how things are called, most likely it won't. I'm happy that one of our guys spoke on it though.

 

Too bad, indeed. For pete's sake, the refs even reviewed the video on the sideline, and still didn't have the guts to call it. It was obvious then that Varajao looked right at Hendo and swept his leg.

And people keep calling it a trip. There is a vast difference between someone tripping over a well placed, stationary leg, and the full on full force leg sweep Varajao executed on that play.

 

Seriously! They don't know the difference between a simple trip and a damn leg whip?? Lol.

 

True. It was more of a Mortal Kombat style leg sweep. The thing your really annoying friend would do 45 times in a row.

 

I just seriously wanted Hendo to FINISH HIM!!!!

 

I really don't want to know what Gerald's "finishing move" is.

 

It needed to be said for sure. And I like the way he said. He did not whine, he just said it as a matter of fact. The Warriors are the best team in the NBA (until they are dethroned) and they will beat us regardless, but they don't need extra help. By saying it publicly without embarrassing the refs, will call attention to it.

This was a calculated comment and it can't hurt.

 

I mean... this has been widely talked about for months. The NBA isn't stopping it.

 

Varajao is bigger, but my money was on a pissed off Hendo in that fight.

 

Now watch the blazers get called for a bunch of moving screens.

 

Who has been talking about it? I know fans have, who else?

 

There has been a couple of rounds. There was a video mid-season about their illegal screens, and then another viral video during the Houston series. I know it has been reported, but I've seen it on reddit and deadspin, etc.

 

Hahaha!

Probably, the refs will call ONE on GS, followed soon thereafter by the obligatory equalizer on the Blazers, to "prove" that they are on top of it, and oh by the way, look how fair we are.

SMH

 

Ha that did cross my mind as well. They can actually call it on most plays, it's just that the Warriors take it to the extreme. They will probably call it on both teams in the first qtr and then let it go.