Portland dominated with their physicality...they were larger than Utah and completely took advantage. They need to remember to play like that on the road. Taking advantage of their size and dominating in the paint. Jumpers should be taken when shooters are left open due to the trouble the defense is having in the paint.
I think the current dominating play in large part is due to LMA's game. Dude has been looking really sharp lately. Hope he can carry his current play into the playoffs and beyond.
I love his recent willingness to take it inside. It's like something just clicked with him and he knows that people can't stop him 1v1 so he's gonna take it to them. If this is the new LMA it helps Roy out as well, he no longer has to carry so much of the load, he can pick and choose times to break down the defense with better looks.
I was mostly impressed by our defense in the paint tonight. Even though we gave up 104, I thought we were really good inside. Joel and G.O. protected the basket well, and we forced Utah to change their shots right at the rim and we got a ton of deflections and steals and just forced them out of their game. Earlier in the season, our defense was pretty bad but now, we're doing a much better job against the pick and roll, showing a wall to opposing team's top perimeter players, and clogging the lane and daring teams to shoot over the top. Great win tonight Blazers!
If you were at the game and watched Sloans outrage. As soon as the Ref t-ed him up. You can read Sloans lips as on the replay screen as he called the ref "... motherfucker."
Am I the only one who has notice how much LaMarcus Aldridge has improved over the course of the year? Go back and watch tape of some early games. Props to LMA and to the coaching staff.
