Game Thread GAME# 72: NUGGETS @ BLAZERS - MAY 16, 2021 - SUNDAY, 6:00, NBCSNW

I said it here before we got lucky break today but that series would have been a disaster

 

In theory yes, but Lillard advancing is good for NbA ratings, Dame marketing much bigger than joker. So I expect refs to go for us but you never know this league is rigged as hell

 

What do we think the major cause for such a drastic difference is? Roster make-up? Improved schemes? Luck?

 

Mavricks did not tank. They got shot out of the gym. Twolves scored 16 3s by half time. Mavricks shot ball almost as good from 3 but they had too many turnovers and started shooting good to late. Def did not tank

 

They didn't have Dame last year or Dame sucked last year? Which one?

 

I would totally be with you if I thought the biased reffing came from the top of the league down but it doesn't. The reffing has to do with the players the refs have decided earn the calls, or flop or whine the right way or whatever the fuck it is. That being said, whatever the fuck it is has never benefited Dame despite the fact that the guy's Q-rating is through the roof but they sure do love giving Joker calls like he's Muggsy Bogues instead of a giant dancing bear.

 

You're saying if the Mavs won they wouldn't have played the Clippers? I'm not following this.

 

Taking out DJJr and putting in Powell. DJJr can have some spectacular blocks and jump out of the gym, but his one-on-one defense sucked. Powell is solid every play. And he makes good decisions on the offensive end.

 

The players on this team privately and publicly said, "enough is enough". They dedicated themselves to not being the laughing stock of the league on defense and Dame made sure every game was Dame Time and when it's not Dame Time the guys have been moving the ball better... still like statues off the ball but the ball itself wasn't sticking quite as much.

There were also a lot of games, to flip Stotts's script on him, where our shots were just falling and theirs weren't.

 

I was talking about the difference between last years record and this years. While I thought DJJ was a failed signing months ago and I liked the move to bench him, we were still having considerably more success with DJJ this year than last year than we were having last year. My question is why?

Saying Dame is the reason (I know it wasn't you) doesn't hold any water because Dame played and played pretty well last season.

 

You think they said "enough is enough" in the off season? I'm trying to compare the trajectory in the graph from last year and this year. Even with the issues this year, the 2020-21 team was considerably ahead of the 2019-20 from Game 10 on.

 

It's 50% Nurk and Enes over Hassan. Nurk and Enes just play to win in a different way. Then the other 50% is RoCo... Ariza was nice but we just didn't have one defender that was even close to on RoCo's level last season and putting RoCo's D where Melo's was last season was huge.

For the record I still want Olshey fired because although 42-30 is better than 35-39... it's still not good enough.

 

Mavs would’ve still faced Clippers if they had won. Mavs/TWolves game had no impact on standings.

 

I thought DJJ 's D was fine as a starter. But Powell really improved this team. It took some time to gel, but once they got it going the 3 guard offense clicked.
The Blazers have often looked good on offense with a 3 guard lineup in previous years, but they could only do it for short stints because of the lack of defense. But with Powell, they get the offense to help Dame and CJ, AND they get the defense. They don't lose anything by doing it.

In addition Dame CJ and Nurk, all started to play better. (and smarter) The key now is can we get anything from Roco on offense. He was a +23 tonight so he obviously helps in various ways. He is a streaky 3 pt shooter. Damn if he could get hot in the playoffs, the Blazers could make some noise. That is a pretty good starting lineup.

 

Ah. Well, I think last year we were so decimated with injuries, we couldn't get a consistent rotation. Of course there's ton's of factors, but I think that's the primary one. This year we had injuries, but we were able to get our core together for long periods of time, and are finishing off on a healthy streak.

 

I think this is a fair assessment. Roster composition is going to have the biggest impact towards drastic improvements?

 

Meh even if he does he still needs a lot time to get back to looking decent. He’ll be nice to throw in
for an extra body tho I guess

 

Brace for people who do not like injuries to be an excuse for poor results.... I agree with you though.