This loss means NOTHING? SOMETHING? EVERYTHING? Choose your own adventure.

My takeaways:

1. Lillard probably is distracted with his first kid about to be born/just born. What's the deal with that anyway?
2. CJ is a Second Banana. Just like so many other NBA stars throughout history, he's a Second Banana because he's had an off-game and he's not the first guy any of us blame for losing. It's Lillard's team, and if there ever was a game that proves it, it's this one.
3. The Rockets swarmed Dame and CJ and dared us to beat them with role players. And we almost did. I like our chances in a series.
4. The Rockets offense will run into problems in the playoffs. The complete absence of midrange shots makes them a tough cover for a random game in an 82 game season, but if you have the chance to know that's what's going to happen in a 7 game series it's actually easier to cover. As a defense you guard the 3 point line, do nothing until they get near the rim. It goes against your instincts, but if you practice it it's not really that hard. Analytics is great for large sample sizes, which is what an 82 game season is. But it's a lot tougher at explaining how a team will prepare for you in a 7 game series. Popovich is the ultimate Preparer, and that's why D'Antoni is owned by him in the playoffs. Portland will be ready too if the time comes.
5. I love that Dame saw his streak of 3 pointers evaporate and didn't force the issue. He took 7 threes, which is well within his normal range. He could've forced threes up to keep the streak alive (the sort of stat-hunting Westbrook lives on). Chuck and chuck and chuck, and nobody would remember this game a year from now when his streak was still going at 113 games. But he made the right plays every time and lived with the consequences. That's the kind of leadership I love.
6. Nurk will destroy these guys in a series. He's only 23 and still getting used to how to play each team on a given night. He knows now nobody can guard him on the Rockets. It's barbecue chicken time. The downside is that this is also Bismack Biyombo time, which means it's a young center who could make a big name for himself in the playoffs and make a killing in free agency. I don't want to face the Rockets in the playoffs just because it scares me what he could get offered as a consequence of that series.

That's what I got.

 

i dont think the reffing was as bad as ive seen, wasnt great but i think that crutch doesnt really apply in this case as hard as the dame/cj ghosting and their 0-12 from 3 stat.

 

The Dame is over rated and we suck comments are getting old.

Temporary bans should be up for a vote based on who is just annoying.

How did you shave your chest like that? Beard trimmer?

 

I thought you were going to build a wall and make the rookies pay for it. What happened?

BNM

 

Okay, my take for whatever that's worth:

Things it means:
1. The Blazers lost the game and a chance to get more separation from the teams that are chasing them. Fortunately OKC lost too, so no great damage so far.
2. The Blazers continued to get good play from Nurk, Chief, Harkless and the bench. That's a positive as they try to close out the regular season strong.
3. The Blazers need production from Dame and CJ in order to beat the best teams in the West. Most nights they get it. Last night they only got half of the usual production. Some of that was Houston's defense. Some was shot selection. Some was just the inevitable off night.
4. Harden is a lock for MVP and it's not even close, IMHO. You can say what you want about the refs, but he's mastered drawing fouls. Dame and CJ would do well to study how he does it.
5. CP3 is the perfect complement to Harden's brilliance. As long as he can stay healthy, I'd put that backcourt at the top of the list in the NBA. That healthy thing would worry me if I were a Rockets fan. His history speaks for itself.

Things it doesn't mean:
1. The fact that the Blazers challenged on a night when Dame & CJ had off nights is encouraging, but by itself doesn't mean that the Blazers are legitimate contenders. If they can win some of these tough next few games, though, they can stake a claim to contention.
2. The streak wasn't a fluke, despite the narrative that certain folks around here may try to spin it. The Blazers have demonstrated that they are good enough to play with anybody.
3. The fact that the Rockets won and have the best record doesn't, to me at least, make them the favorite to win the title. There was an awful lot of dependency on two great players. I don't think that bodes well against a healthy Warriors team. The prospect of facing them in the playoffs with a healthy Blazers squad doesn't terrify me.

 

HCP doesn't have the hair to pull that one off.

 

I didn't even read your post. Want to know why? Because in the 13 game win streak you were no where to be found.

We lose one game and here you are.

you are not a fan of their team. you area troll.

Your posts can go F themselves....

Leave the forum. Go away. Go to Houston's forum where you want to be. Go to the Lakers forum where you want to be, but please for the lover of God leave this forum and don't come back.

Dame was defended by Ariza most of the night. a SF!!!!! It wasn't backcourt vs backcourt. Learn the game then DONT post.

Go drink a glass of piss... then I will understand your posts more cause thats all they are... piss....

 

Hey there, don't sugar coat it.

 

When I said motherfucker I wasn't calling him that. In that context it means WTF. I said motherfucker last night when we kept switching bigs onto guards.

Are we calling that a personal insult?

 

It means we got horrible games from Dame and CJ and still almost won.

 

That could be

 

Huh?

 

Dame played like shit and the number one team in the league won . . . Tell me again what the big fucking deal is?

 

It's only a personal insult if it's intended as such, otherwise it's just a quaint way of expressing yourself. If you don't know if it's intended as such or not, just ask. This is not intended just for your consumption, dviss, I intended this for anyone who reads it.

 

I wish I was in that good of shape!

 

Really dviss?

 

Lol. I'm laughing at the Orange Hutt in the oval office.

 

Damn.. It's like you pulled your balls out and said: