Game Thread PLAYOFFS: ROUND 1, GAME 2: PELICANS @ BLAZERS - APRIL 17, 2018, TUESDAY, 7:30 PM (PDT), TNT & NBCSNW

Most of the bad calls had NOTHING TO DO WITH BEING SOFT.

There were at least 3 blatant balls off of Pelican players right in front of a ref and they gave the ball to them.

Anthony Davis throwing his whole arm and elbow into Harkless' face and calling a foul on Harkless was just pathetic.

The Blazers themselves are definitely more at fault for this but to say the refs were fair is the stupidest comment I've ever read on this site. Congratulations.

 

I've been lurking since the playoffs started but haven't been able to put into words what I've seen so far from the Blazers.

- Game 2 proved to me that the Conference Semis is as good as it gets with Terry Stotts at the helm. Mind you, I'm not saying there's a better coach available right now, but if 45-50 wins and a series win every 4-5 years is your jam then let's keep Stotts. He had to have known that New Orleans was going to do everything possible to take the ball away from Dame and CJ, which they did in both games, yet I have seen zero adjustments from Coach Stotts. I won't put all of this on Stotts as both Dame and CJ missed shooters wide open in favor for over-dribbling or more difficult passes but the offense remains the same. We run a big out to either receive a handoff or set a screen and if that action doesn't work, we stall. There's no movement, no cutting, and most importantly no patience with this offense. We're getting throughly out-coached by Alvin Gentry ... let that one sink in.

- For once it would be nice to try and force the opposition's hot scorers to give up the ball. All season long Portland has let superstars go off (Beal for 51, KD for 50, Greek Freak for 44, etc) and for the most part it doesn't work out in the end for Portland. Tonight was no different. Every time New Orleans needed a bucket, we let Jrue Holiday back our guards down into the paint, utilizing the threat of a lob over the top to Davis as collateral, and silenced the crowd. I know Mirotic hit a few big shots but Solomon Hill and Ian Clark were a combined 2-9, E'Twaan Moore was quiet as well, and I'll always live with Rondo taking a jump shot. We're not making life easy for the Pelicans on offense, not even showing them any other looks until the game is well in hand. If they're going to play Rondo 35+ minutes a night, we need to make them pay for going 4-on-5 on offense.

- Poise, patience, and control. What are three attributes the Blazers haven't had in either playoff game for $500, Alex? Whether it was throwing an outlet pass into the front row, letting a ball slip through our fingers, dribbling into three defenders, or rushing a shot on offense, the Trail Blazers looked out of sync and uncomfortable from the get go. I have no reason or rationale for why this occurring and it's equally scary how calm, cool, and collected our counterparts from the Crescent City looked. Why are the Blazers playing so tight? It's been this type of basketball since the 13-game winning streak was ended. If we don't regain control, this series is over.

- Why did we go small? It was our dominance on the glass and second-chance points let earned us a nine-point second quarter lead. Yet, when New Orleans went small, Stotts reacted and matched. When has that ever worked out in our favor this year? Did he already forget the Boston game? We simply can not win games without rebounders in there. Also, by going small is essentially eliminates our pick and roll action from the top of the key, which resulted in plenty of points in the paint in the first half.

- Last but not least, I saw a lack of trust on the team tonight. Instead of trust, it was as if each player felt personally responsible for the score and was going to do everything they could, individually, to bring the team back. We won't win anything with this mindset.

 

I would go as far as saying the refs played an integral part in Portland losing that game ... mentally, it's tough trying to play 5-on-8. With that said, even if we win tonight if calls went our way, we'd lose the series, because we're not playing Blazer basketball.

 

Honest question Bones:

Would you rather have Mirotic this year to help us get out of the 1st round but probably not still beat GS or Houston with no TPE this summer and the repeater tax starting or Chandler Hutchinson on the team next year with the TPE still available and the ability to go into the tax without huge penalties?

 

One thing I can say for absolute certainty:

The crowd fucking brought it tonight. That was the loudest I heard it in there all season. It's too bad our team didn't match the effort of the crowd.

Oh and someone should have told Turner the game had started.

 

Hey excellent post. But can you do me a favor.
Please point to the exact part of any post i've made which says.
The refs caused Portland to lose the game.

I'll wait with great anticipation of your reply. Being that you're such an excellent poster....

 

The most frustrating thing about this game for me, aside from the fact that I stayed up all night to watch it and now have to go through 8 hours of work (including 3 hours of meetings) without any sleep whatsoever, is that every single time we seemed to have gained some momentum and crawled our way back from 5-9 point deficit, we dug another hole for ourselves in the next few plays. We chased them from deficit 4 or 5 times during the game and never actually went on any kind of run to build a lead, instead we just allowed them to get back into significant lead time and time again. If the game lasted for five more minutes we would have probably produced another comeback and then gone behind again.

 

I'd rather have Chandler Hutchison for sure.

Olshey will instead, draft Donte DiVicenzo.

 

Just my opinion: I think Dame is tired and not getting the rest he needed due to being a first time father. Anyone here knows how he was shooting before and after the birth of Dame Jr? The road games could be a good thing for Dame and the Blazers so we could see a new Dame come Thursday.

 

Hahahaha.

Thanks for this. After a brutal loss at home, this puts a smile on my face

 

So I guess with just using some simple math, this was the 3rd best thing that could have happened?

 

Depends.
I you count winning 1 and losing 1 as just one thing, it is. But if you sepparate winning game 1/losing game 2 and losing game 1/winning game 2 as two distinct things, this was only the 4th best thing that could have happened !

 

Who are we kidding? He’s gonna take Moritz Wagner.

 

If you want to personally punch me or anybody else from this forum in the face you should ask them for their address.

After a loss like that, this is what you post?

YOU'RE A ASSHOLE.

@SlyPokerDog if you have to ban me for breaking the personal insult rule,although in this case, if the shoe fits...., do what you have to do. Just let me know if it is a temporary or permanent ban via PM.

Thank you.

As for the Blazers, I believe this will be over next Tuesday in New Orleans. If Olshey wants any chance of saving his job he should announce that CJ is available for trade.

It hurts right now but GO BLAZERS!

See everyone next year!!!!!!!

Or not?

 

We didn't lose because of the refs, we lost because we shat the bed yet again late in the 4th

 

we didnt make the shots

 

Also CJ is a glory and ball hogging MFer. Instead of passing and setting up the offence up for a better shot, when the game was tied at 93, he has to be the guy who gives the Blazers the lead.

It is sooooooo frustrating. I am done with him being on the team I root for.

 

He was taking the ball without passing 3-4 straight times in 4th q. Despite he made 2 shots, I wanted to kill him.

 

Don't be silly. Sly will just edit your post.

Why would I punch anybody? I want them to win just as much as you, but I don't blame the refs after every loss.