Dwight Howard says he'll guard Aldridge for "most of the game" tomorrow.

Tonight:

* LA goes beast but gets like 25 (as he rolls or pops the D will collapse around him and he dimes to cutters or open shooters)
* T-rob gets redemption and has no less than 3 monster dunks
* Good-Mo shows up
* Nic becomes the Flying Frenchman tonight, 20 points and 12 boards.
* Wes takes on Harden again, this time doubles come at him to hid Harden which free's up the outlet -> Swing to open shooter.
* Dame gets his on 25 points and 10 assists tonight.
* Lopez benefits with some at the rim stuffs/layups as the help comes against LA in the post. If Houston goes Twin Towers and they collapse on LA we go Freedom Reigns as Lopez makes them never forget!

By the end of the game the Rockets will recognize its unpatriotic for them to win and leave for Portland down 0-2 in the series.

 

The no Lillard/LaMarcus players on our team need to step up. We need at least three 20 point performances. Hopefully Wessy or Batum or Mo can provide the third option we got away with not having in game 1. We won't be as lucky tonight just pounding it with LA/Dame.

 

Interesting point

The Rockets were certainly in control of that game late. Their plan up to that point essentially worked just fine.

There's probably a lot of belief in that locker room that if they just take care of business they win game 1 (and the series), and perhaps rightfully so.

We'll see tonight.

 

So their game plan is "nicer refs". I can believe it.

 

I think Houston will make changes out of necessity, based on the health of Lin and Beverley.

Portland, however, really should look at throwing a few wrinkles in there. We were as close to losing a game as you can come and still win. I think Stotts will replace Robinson's early insertion with Freeland. Joel is just much better at containing penetration and defending around the rim. He's more of a true center, which allows Aldridge to play his natural PF position. It's inevitable that Lopez will get in foul trouble in this series, and I think Stotts will be proactive in preparing for that with Freeland.

I'd also look for LMA to toss a couple threes up tonight as part of a play set. It'd just be another little thing for Houston to have to keep track of, whether he hits them or not. Especially if they try to cover him with Dwight.

 

I don't think we will see the disparity in foul calls that so many are predicting. Attention has already been drawn to this series, both due to the actual officiating of game one and by the league for calling it out. The officials will be working harder to get the right calls than they will to give the game to one team or the other. If they blow it there is no shortage of media coverage to call them out.

 

I really hope that LMA's first 3 shots come in the paint. Make HOU prove they can stop him.
If he has open shots - especially 3s - then take a few of them, but not all of them. If he's open on the perimeter that means he has space to move towards the hoop. But if Howard really is going to guard him then I want to see LMA used as a set-up man to get somebody else a shot near the basket.
Going to be an interesting game to see what adjustments are made...

 

I think all Blazer fans went from "WTF ARE YOU DOING?" to "OH GOD YES!" in a second.

 

If we are relying on LMA to shoot 3's to win, then we are screwed.

 

I wonder what his 3pt% in clutch time is. I can think of three makes now in the last three years, two of them on Sunday.

EDIT:

2011-2012 - 0% (0-1)
2012-2013 - 66.67% (2-3)
2013-2014 - 100% (1-1)

So in the last three years, he's 60% (3-5).

Lillard of course is Mr Clutch: 47% FG in the clutch, 44% 3P this season on volume shooting.

 

What the greater theme of this strategy tells me is that Houston is adjusting to us; we're not adjusting to them. As of tipoff, we have the advantage as we're dictating how the series is played.

 

Exactly; that's why I wanted so badly to win game one. Put ourselves in the driver's seat.

 

Yes, I would like for us to have another 20 point performer tonight. Lillard 22, LMA 25, Batum/Mo or Matthews with 20 something. The other two with a mid teen scoring

 

In retrospect, what's amazing about LA's performance is that his bread and butter midrange J wasn't falling. If that starts going down, then there is no chance of stopping him. None.

 

Absolutely agree with this. So what if Dwight is on him?! Can he stop him?

 

It wasn't just LA's scoring that was so impressive; it was his work on the boards. With guys in the pivot like Howard and Asik, he still rebounded like a mofo, which is no small feat.

 

He was determined to win. Thats why we are winning this series. 2 similar teams with similar styles of play. 1 is determined to win, the other is making excuses. For the first time in 14 years we are the ones that want to win.

 

We'll see if we come out with the same level of effort and energy tonight. I need to see more than one game before I buy in completely.

 

Yup, if I'm not mistaken his first few baskets were on put-backs. That seemed to get him going. He missed his jumpers, missed his first free throw (?), but playing garbageman really got his offensive game on track. Gonna need to continue to hit the offensive boards all series! Nic and Wes should run back on D with LMA and Lopez crashing the O-Boards - Dame can pick and choose how he wants to play each shot.

 

Now Asik is saying he wants to Guard Lamarcus