Game thread: Blazers vs. Mavericks

I thought the whole point of drafting Greg Oden was to stop people like Brandon Bass. Oden seems to always be wanting to get out of everyone's way.

 

Again, I would agree with this. I don't know who to blame, but I do know that's exactly what I saw for the MAJORITY of the game. Not ALL the game. By the time the Blazers decided to put the clamp down, it was a little too late. I have no answers for why this happened, or has been happening (the NO game was the same way until Paul went down).

Anyone care to guess? Hahaha.....yeah, perhaps......I'll duck out now, and watch.

 

He keeps fouling randomly.

 

When Greg and Sergio start off the game playing that badly on defense, you are already digging yourself a hole. If you noticed Sergio didn't get much playing time tonight in the second half. And.......wait I think our guards just switched on the pick and roll again.

Our Pick and roll defense absolutely killed us tonight in the second and third quarters

 

we had assists on 42% of our FGM's while they went for a 65% clip on theirs. they moved the ball and got open looks, we didn't. sometimes it's as easy as that.

 

Wow. Tony Luftman and Michael Holton = FAIL.

"This wasn't on what the Blazers didn't do, but what the Mavericks did do."

Bullshit. Blazers played no D, that's why they lost.

 

6 years and counting since the Blazers have won in Dallas. Ouch.

 

and yet we were up two at the end of the quarter. i'm not saying they were playing great or even good but it bugs me that people think sergio is the only one switching on P&R's, it's everyone of our guards. i thought our coach was supposed to be a defensive guy?

 

I heard that as well, and chuckled. Not entirely true, I would agree.

 

The whole fouling thing takes him completely out of the game. Even if he isn't in foul trouble, he does nothing so as to avoid getting into foul trouble. Games like this just upset me. It's like okay.. am I supposed to wait til season 3 and just forgive everything right now? I mean, what is his excuse for not playing better tonight? Just being young?

 

We won in Dallas in Game 5 of the 2003 NBA Playoffs. Is that the game you're referring to?

 

It's not just that. I know Bayless and Blake switch on the PNR as well, but both their man defenses are better than Sergio's. Also, i like watching players play defense off the ball, and Sergio loses his man on almost every play. That's another reason why there's always someone open.

 

lots of grousing about the officials tonight... I don't blame the loss on them but I will say I'm not optimistic or enthused when Bob Delaney is in charge. Dude is consistently heavy handed in calling the game and seems to make a lot of terrible calls against Portland. The early season GS matchup I attended this season put me on alert to how bad he is.

STOMP

 

On a last-second Rasheed Wallace three pointer off of a rebound.

 

Hate to point fingers but...

We were down by 4, Bayless comes in and finishes the half leaving us 12 down.

 

Do you have a video of that? I don't recall that shot.

 

Bayless actually makes an effort to get through picks and it shows. Overall we are not very smart about playing defense as a whole, that might have to do with the fact we are basically the youngest team in the NBA. Defense is much harder to learn than offense. As for the coaching comment, it has been quoted numerous times that Nate does not want to switch on the pick and rolls. That is a player decision.

 

Pulling a page out of the good ol Maris book.

Sergio -5
Bayless 0

 

Or a 3 pointer with 1:05 left in a 4 point win.

http://www.nba.com/games/20030430/PORDAL/recap.html