Game Thread GAME# 31: PELICANS @ BLAZERS - DECEMBER 23, 2019 - MONDAY, 7:00 PM, NBATV & NBCSNW

Went to the game last night, not sure if this was mentioned since I didn't read this whole thread. One thing that drives me crazy is the blazers defense on in bounds. At least twice last night whiteside would stand under the basket and one player would try to guard two guys at the three line. They would fake a pass to the guy at the top of the key then thrown it to the guy in the corner who would be wide open for easy three.

 

When Portland got to within a point I thought they had pulled their heads out of their assess and would win. Then New Orleans went on a run, and Lucia suddenly ran into a corner and barfed up her dinner. I told her I know how she feels.

Lucia is fine, just hairballs. I hope the Blazers barf up whatever hairball is choking them.

 

usually that's not how it works though. It's more like a game of bop-a-mole when a team is struggling like Portland is. They shoot better on three's but they double their turnovers or clank their FT's. They rebound better but double their fouls.

Portland is a perimeter oriented team; their average shot distance ranks 23rd, and perimeter shooting is not the most dependable offensive weapon. It may be one of the least dependable, and when Dame and CJ combine for 2-20 on three's, Portland will lose a lot of games

by the way, after last night Portland isn't 6th in the NBA in 3pt shooting, they are 14th. One bad night

 

Blazers are still at 36% shooting from 3 which is way above what they shot last night and they are only 2.5% off the leader. Most people call last nights shooting an anomaly.

 

That why i wrote that opinion and you figure if not hitting the 3 you would other ways to score. Coaches and players have to be smarter if your shot is not going in you might have attack the basket or just better ball and player movement. But we to much iso or PNR with at least 3 player just standing there and watching.

 

For me, in order to use the "shots didn't fall" reasoning for losing I have to feel like the team left it all on the floor elsewhere. In this game the Blazers mostly played like they could just show up and win because they had won 4 in a row.

 

Somehow they got overconfident winning (and sometimes barely winning) against garbage teams. #MentalMidgetry

 

Pelicans looked good in Denver. We actually played better D on them than Denver did.

 

Pelicans played well again. That team is coming around nicely.

 

should not read anything into that....it sure looks like a matchup thing. The Pels are 4-0 against Denver and Portland, but 5-23 against the rest of the league. Pels are 0-3 against Dallas, 0-3 against OKC, and 0-2 against Houston. In other words, teams that Portland will be competing with for playoff seeding have already piled up the wins against the Pels; but Blazers are 0-2 meaning they'll have to find those wins elsewhere, and the opportunities are dwindling

 

Tank.