Game Thread GAME# 65: THUNDER @ BLAZERS - MARCH 7, 2019 - THURSDAY, 7:30 PM, TNT

Tell him it's all about Playoffs in the NBA, and regular Season means nothing

 

If I do that I can't watch the game and have to base all my bashing on the box score.

 

There's the rub, isn't it? Replacing a coach during the season rarely works. I have no clue who will be available this off-season - but I don't believe it matters. I am pretty confidant that his job is safe until Jody either sells the team or publically committs to keeping it.

I will offer up one name I have previously said I think is under-rated: Spoelstra. Again, I have no clue if he would consider the job or if Miami would let him go.

 

I’m just going the watch the first 5 mins of this game. If the Blazers come out flat because they are at home then it’s over.

 

Thanks for letting us know!

 

Your friend says NO!

 

Ahhhh..... Paving the way. Always best to be prepared.

 

Now that was funny.

 

So.....who's ready for the big L?

 

Oh No! Paul George is coming! Paul George is coming!

It's like this place is afraid of the dude.

Put on the game face and beat the crap out of these guys! Just go take care of business. Overwhelm them and make them wish they were not in Portland tonight!

 

Here are some Blazer tidbits to consume while waiting for the game to start; also a lot the article on different team units.

1. Al-Farouq Aminu is registering career highs in both effective field goal percentage (53.4 percent) and true shooting percentage (58.3 percent). It's the first season in which he's been above the league average in both.
2. Seth Curry ranks third in 3-point percentage at 45.4 percent. At 49-for-96, he's the only player who has shot 50 percent or better on at least 75 catch-and-shoot 3-point attempts. Meyers Leonard (46.2 percent) ranks seventh in catch-and-shoot 3-point percentage among the 223 players with at least 75 attempts.
3. Maurice Harkless is registering career highs in both defensive rebounding percentage (13.4 percent) and total rebounding percentage (9.3 percent).
4. Rodney Hood has committed turnovers on just 5.7 percent of his possessions, the fifth-lowest mark among 214 players that have averaged at least 20 minutes in 35 games or more.
5. Enes Kanter ranks in the top 10 in both offensive and defensive rebounding percentage among players hat have averaged at least 15 minutes in 35 games or more. He has averaged six second-chance points per 36 minutes, most among 328 players who have played at least 500 total minutes.
6. Jake Layman has shot 76.7 percent in the restricted area, the third-best markamong 222 players with at least 100 restricted-area attempts.
7. Damian Lillard has scored 1.08 points per possession as a pick-and-roll ball-handler, the second best mark among 70 players with at least 200 ball-handler possessions, according to Synergy play-type tracking.
8. Lillard has shot 91.1 percent from the free throw line, the best mark among 32 players that have averaged at least five attempts per game.
9. C.J. McCollum is one of two players (Kevin Durant is the other) who have shot better than 50 percent on at least 200 mid-range attempts.
10. McCollum has traveled 169.2 miles, fifth-most in the league. This would be the first time in the six seasons for which we have full tracking data that a Blazer (McCollum, Lillard or Nicolas Batum) didn't lead the league in total distance traveled.
11. Jusuf Nurkic has attempted 45 free throws per 100 shots from the field, up from 29 last season. That is the biggest jump in free throw rate (FTA/FGA) among 185 players with at least 300 field goal attempts both seasons. Aminu (from 14 to 29) has seen the third-biggest increase, and both of them have also seen big increases in free throw percentage.
12. Evan Turner has taken just 46 percent of his shots from the restricted area or 3-point range. That's the sixth lowest rate among 235 players with at least 300 field goal attempts this season. He's taken just 12 percent of his shots from beyond the arc (where he's 7-for-46), down from 23 percent last season. That's the sixth biggest drop among 185 players with at least 300 field goal attempts both seasons.

https://www.nba.com/article/2019/03/07/one-team-one-stat-blazers-guards-stronger-together

 

I’m scared of Paul George.

 

I am all the way down in Eugene and I just soiled myself

 

All we have to do is double-team George. On every single possession.

But of course, Terry won't do that, soooo.....

 

Oh my fucking God, there's no home stream.

I have to watch the TNT broadcast.

God. Dammit.

 

Actually, comebacks are more common at home when team gets momentum and crowd goes nuts. So, don’t turn it off. You could miss greatness (see Brandon Roy game vs Dallas).

 

Players only!