Game Thread SEEDING GAME# 8: BLAZERS @ NETS - AUGUST 13, 2020 - THURSDAY, 6:00, TNT & NBCSNW

Right, it's the opposite of a trap game, we'll be playing for everything (even if only the Grizz win we don't want to have to win two in a row) or the game will mean nothing to us, just getting in some practice. This game will either demand all of the attention of the team or none of it... no traps possible.

 

As far as if Dame is the greatest Blazer of all time goes. I think it's an easy question. He obviously is. It's a team sport and he hasn't had the team around him that Drexler did and he hasn't had the team around him that Walton did. He took that team last season to the Western Conference Finals who in order of minutes played in the playoffs were: Him; CJ who we all know has limitations and redundancies that don't make him the best number two guy on the team for Dame; Enes who could rebound great, score a little in the post and muscle people up but was not a shot blocker or much of anything else; Aminu who was a really solid defender but nothing flashy, a spotty shooter and a mediocre rebounder for a power forward; Moe who played really good defense but doesn't fill up the box score anywhere, rebounded well for his position and was a spotty shooter; Hoodie who really was an excellent sixth man, he could shoot from anywhere and played solid D; Seth who really was a good role playing guard, made some big shots and defended well; Zach who was a lot like he is this season just a little worse; Meyers who is a seven footer who could shoot the open three, shot block opportunistically and is one of the most inconsistent players any of us has ever watched (he would have been higher on this list but missed 4 games due to injury); ET who is the last guy on this list that played meaningful minutes but when you think about the playoffs last season, were Turner's minutes really that meaningful? None of those guys besides Dame, CJ, ET (when ET felt like it) and Seth (a little) could get their own shot and when they tried to we all winced. That's the team Dame took the farthest so far. I am trying to illustrate that this is a team game in which Dame is an incredible team player and leader but has not really had the teams Drexler and Walton did to lead and play with. He is obviously better than Clyde (who is my childhood hero). Dame is better than Clyde at scoring and passing, definitely better at leading, probably because of Dame's effort and consistency the better defender, not too far behind Clyde when it comes to rebounding for his position, he is just a better player than Clyde was. Bill Walton won a championship here and had the greatest season of any Blazer ever but he wasn't here long enough, healthy enough, to be the greatest Blazer of all time. It's just not close, Dame is already the best now and I believe the best of him is still ahead.

 

The 'trap' is what any well coached till will employ against Dame in the Playoffs. Will Stotts have an answer after 8 years? Because right now, it's Dame, a creaky HoF'er, a rusty Beast, a broken chucker, and an energetic bench player.

 

So it's Stotts' fault that this is our roster?

 

I get what he's doing, but Dame should not be calling this game the biggest of his life. He has played in far more important playoff games.

 

8 years my friend.....bigger picture. No matter who is on the roster, it's been pretty much an epic fail any time another coach decided to trap Dame.

 

He believes we can win the championship this year. That’s why he’s calling it the biggest game of his life.

 

Of course they will. The list of things that have gone right for us this season would fit in a fortune cookie.

 

We will either not need the win or more likely be the team that is desperate for the win, while they won't be. Any other narrative is just hype. We also happen to have the better team. I know they could beat us, they could beat us if all of their starters were resting but we will beat them and the odds are that we should beat them.

 

the only way we "will not need the win" is if MEM, PHX, AND Spurs lose. That's the only scenario.

We might still be 9th with a loss only in 3 of the other 7 scenarios that we lose.

this is still a must win for us.

 

Like I said more likely a must win. That is what I'm expecting. I'm sure that's what everyone on the team is preparing for. The chance that it won't be is very small.

 

You weren't content with all but 1 game of the bubble we played teams without their best players? Isn't that enough.

 

Going to be a three point shoot out I expect.

 

Besides the Clippers game who sat their best player? Jokic played for Denver, Grizzlies played Morant and Jackson, Harden and Westbrook played for Houston, Dallas played Luka and Porzinga, Philly played Embiid, Celtic's played Tatum. So not sure where this idea that other teams are sitting their best players comes from.

 

Must keep Harris and Tyler Johnson from hitting to many threes.