Game Thread 2022-23 Game #21 BLAZERS VS CLIPPERS - NOVEMBER 29, 2022 - TUESDAY - 7:00 PM (PDT) TNT

[THE HCP]

Tough, tough loss. Love how Ant and Grant look lately, but they aren’t getting any consistent help AT ALL.

 

[THE HCP]

People keep putting Grant in when talking about the RoCo/Powell trade. Can’t do that. It is those two vs Winslow and Keon. Ouch.

 

[THE HCP]

Enjoyed reading this thread on the plane.
We all just got to our rooms here in LA…. Have a feeling some of these guys might be tired tomorrow night. This is a tough back to back coming off a late TNT game. Sleep well FAMS.

 

[stampedehero]

Sports (msn.com) 4th Quarter death.

 

[HailBlazers]

Because they took the ball to the rack more than we did.

OK Clipper replay guy.

 

[Fairly-Hard]

see if maybe Hart was on him and they were running an action to switch Ant to Powell when he got hot.

Problem here was Hart could barely move. He obviously was playing hurt.

That shouldn't happen when he's the Clippers' first option. We should have been able to make him work harder for his shots. He got good looks at will.

Totally agree with you on this. Seemed like Chauncey could have made it a priority to stop him when he got cooking. Ty Lu obviously had made the decision they were not going to let Simons beat them.
Like i said above i think Hart was a little too gimpy to hold his own against Powell and they were forced to deal with the Clippers switching to Simons pretty much every time down the court.

 

[Fairly-Hard]

I'll take it a step further: Had it been called a block, I think there's a high probabilty the Clippers challenge, and win it.

But you just said it was "inconclusive"?

 

[Fairly-Hard]

Tough, tough loss. Love how Ant and Grant look lately, but they aren’t getting any consistent help AT ALL.

We have you on record WITH A CLIPPERS SHIRT ON!

 

[James lamphear]

They got a lot of problems on this team one this has to one weakest bench I seen a long time for this organization. Two you got center that's jump maybe 3 or 4 times on rebounds or even shooting Nurk got a few blocks but I don't see that fire in him like I seen when we got him from Denver. I his injuries have caught up to him but he still serviceable center but not one that will take you to the next level. Plus Watford needs play like he did this summer because right now he just non factor in game. Little got hurt but he also no factor in this game up to the injury. I said we are middle of the road team that's still needs a lot of work to be a top 4 team in this western conference. I think if we had Dame we probably would have won the game because then we would have had 3 scorers on the court instead of 2 and one foul out at end.

 

[Chris Craig]

Neither has Winslow or Keon unfortunately

True

 

[Hoopguru]

I was really hoping that Naz would have a breakout season and maybe he still can? But, to me he's been the most disappointing veteran so far as I know he's talented enough to earn more minutes and produce consistently.
Hoping this injury doesn't sideline him too long as I think he's a key in the team achieving potential going forward.

 

[wizenheimer]

Grant staying on the court, getting 2 FTs, etc. would be a great outcome, if it were a realistic one. Which is wasn't.

The reality was it was a clear charge. Even look at the Blazer players reaction when it happened. Usually on a close block/charge, you'll see a lot of teammates freaking out over the call. Not on this one though. They saw it. I'm a Blazer fan, I wanted the block but even with my red/black glasses on, it was an easy call.

lol....no, it was not a "clear" charge, according to the rule, and you pulled the "less than 5%" out of your colon

 

[Tince]

But you just said it was "inconclusive"?

I just did a search in this thread for any post I made with the word "inconclusive" and nothing came up. Not saying I didn't say it, but I can't find it.

 

[Labinot41]

I was really hoping that Naz would have a breakout season and maybe he still can? But, to me he's been the most disappointing veteran so far as I know he's talented enough to earn more minutes and produce consistently.
Hoping this injury doesn't sideline him too long as I think he's a key in the team achieving potential going forward.

Nas is a big joke. Zero development

 

[Tince]

lol....no, it was not a "clear" charge, according to the rule, and you pulled the "less than 5%" out of your colon

I don't know what body part it came from, but I'll take your word for it.

Note @THE HCP saying the broadcast crew looked at multiple angles and it was a good call. And the Blazers coaching staff having looked at it and deciding not to challenge. All this points to the same conclusion.

 

[wizenheimer]

yeah, some of these little factoids are less than nonsense

that said, the Blazer bench does lack any consistent scoring punch, and Payton sure isn't going to help that

too bad Sharpe isn't further along and Billups had the gumption to make Ant the 6th man

 

[blazerfan11]

Nurk cannot be the future center for this team he can't jump he just miss a easy bunny right at the rim something he should have dunk. Yes he a big body but his injuries have took toll on him.

Nurk is fine. Anyone who needs to be double and triple teamed is obviously creating a problem for the opponent.
Nurkic Is Not a problem on our offense.
The problem is Chauncey playing guys who can't or won't shoot. Nurk is not one of those guys.

 

[blazerfan11]

Why isn't Jabari Walker even seeing the floor?
Ridiculous.
Chauncey seems to really like players who can't shoot.

 

[Idog1976]

Why isn't Jabari Walker even seeing the floor?
Ridiculous.
Chauncey seems to really like players who can't shoot.

Billups is obsessed with defense to a fault. He seems to forget his team had himself, Rip Hamilton and Sheed to score the ball. It wasn't just Ben Wallace playing crazy defense they had guys who could score too. Playing Watford and Winslow is insane unless you have AT LEAST two shooters next to them. I'm also not impressed with Watford most of the time and Winslow is starting to grate on me.

 

[Fairly-Hard]

I just did a search in this thread for any post I made with the word "inconclusive" and nothing came up. Not saying I didn't say it, but I can't find it.

Had it been called a block, I think there would be enough evidence to overturn it and call it a charge. No way it was going to be conclusive evidence it was a block.

So I looked back. Not hard to find but the context of the statement might not have been what i had referred to as a statement that the call was "Inconclusive".

I see you meant that it would not have been conclusive to overturn but it would have been if it was called the other way.

The way i see it, (the call) and i have looked back at it. That was indeed the correct call. It was a charge and it would have been held up as the correct call.

 

[wizenheimer]

Definitely not... I'm saying that even without all of the guys they have out the Clippers are still a good team because they are so deep and have guys like Norm and RoCo who despite so many in here saying otherwise are starting level NBA players. They would both have to be the fifth best starter on most playoff teams but they're just much better than people in here want to admit. You calling them trash didn't lose this game but you calling quality players trash might explain how we could lose a game that we "should have won".

the Clippers have a 192M payroll. Right now, they are scheduled for 145M in luxury tax. Next year, they have a 200M payroll and they will be paying repeater tax so their tax bill could be north of 300M

do you think Jody and the Vulcans would sign off on that kind of insanity?

people keep yapping about the poor return from trading Powell without factoring in that much of the return was the absolutely necessary clearing of obligated salary. And of course, the absolutely necessary dismantling of Olshey's idiot roster. If the Blazers had kept Powell and not signed Payton, they'd be 8M over the tax line; and that doesn't include a single dollar invested in any MLE...and they'd need to sign two players.

worse is that Powell is mostly a one-on-one-iso player. He's a shitty defender, a terrible rebounder, and a piss-poor passer and facilitator. Other than going iso as a 6th man, he doesn't bring anything that Portland desperately needs. And it would mean that the Blazers would be investing 60% of their salary in 3 players 6'3 or less who would rank at the bottom of the roster defensively. That would be even more idiotic than paying about 50% for the three players that size Portland has right now. Pining away for Powell makes no sense. And continuously asserting the Blazers could have got more for Powell isn't supported by a shred of evidence

but again, more than all of that is the harsh reality: Olshey was allowed to dig a deep deep roster hole of his ego-driven idiot vision. It's fucking lunacy to have expected in one trade deadline and one off-season after that decade of Olshey's mismanagement, that Cronin would have not only been miraculously able to climb out of that hole with the roster on his back, but to also carry the roster well up the mountain to contention. It took at least 8 years to put the Blazers in the sorry condition they were in 10 months ago; it will take more than a single trade deadline and off-season to reverse all that. And for damn sure, the return from trading Powell, or the lack of return, is fairly insignificant either way

 

[blazerfan11]

Billups is obsessed with defense to a fault. He seems to forget his team had himself, Rip Hamilton and Sheed to score the ball. It was just Ben Wallace playing crazy defense they had guys who could score too. Playing Watford and Winslow is insane unless you have AT LEAST two shooters next to them. Im also not impressed with Watford most of the time and Winslow is starting to grate on me.

And they are not good rebounders. When Nurkic leaves the floor the interior rebounding and defense go down the toilet.
What is Walker's specialty? Rebounding. Even Greg Brown is a better rebounder than Watford and Winslow due to his leaping ability.

 

[blazerfan11]

People keep putting Grant in when talking about the RoCo/Powell trade. Can’t do that. It is those two vs Winslow and Keon. Ouch.

There's a salary cap in the NBA so not only can you do it, you have to do it.

 

[wizenheimer]

People keep putting Grant in when talking about the RoCo/Powell trade. Can’t do that. It is those two vs Winslow and Keon. Ouch.

that's nonsense....one trade setting up another happens all the time. Cronin even said he needed to complete the Clippers trade prior to executing the Pelicans trade. I was slightly skeptical about that assertion but not skeptical enough to call him a liar

 

[illmatic99]

What did this say it’s gone now

It got deleted what did it say?

Sorry didn't reply earlier, he just said the F-word and an exclamation pt indicating frustration. Didn't know if he had heard anything about his son's injury. Looked like an ACL to me at the time but it apparently was his hip.

 

[Idog1976]

And they are not good rebounders. When Nurkic leaves the floor the interior rebounding and defense go down the toilet.
What is Walker's specialty? Rebounding. Even Greg Brown is a better rebounder than Watford and Winslow due to his leaping ability.

At this point I'd give Walker a look over Watford. Billups isn't as insane as Stotts, but he also seems very biased against rookies when he plays 2nd year players (Watford), or players with major limitations (Winslow) over Sharpe and Walker. I get that Sharpe hasn't been playing well and I have no idea why Walker isn't getting time. That said, I'd REALLY rather see those two get a lot of time to develop then to waste more time on Winslow other than as a specialist for end of the game defense (IF WE ARE AHEAD NOT BEHIND!!!!!!) and play making. I think Walker is already a better shooter than either of those guys and it goes without saying that developing Sharpe (which means playing time, touches, plays and playing through mistakes) is critical to this team. The main thing I don't understand is why the fuck Billups will go with Watford, Winslow with a center when we are down late in the 4th. Like, doensn't he realize that A) we need to score so we don't lose, and B) that the other team will mercilessly sag off those guys clogging the paint and doubling Grant and Simons? It's madness as we've already seen this at least 3-4 times this season. I get Sharpe is making bonehead plays and has been struggling a bit with shooting, but he CAN shoot where as Winslow absolutely cannot and Watford is hardly much better!

 

[Chris Craig]

At this point I'd give Walker a look over Watford. Billups isn't as insane as Stotts, but he also seems very biased against rookies when he plays 2nd year players (Watford), or players with major limitations (Winslow) over Sharpe and Walker. I get that Sharpe hasn't been playing well and I have no idea why Walker isn't getting time. That said, I'd REALLY rather see those two get a lot of time to develop then to waste more time on Winslow other than as a specialist for end of the game defense (IF WE ARE AHEAD NOT BEHIND!!!!!!) and play making. I think Walker is already a better shooter than either of those guys and it goes without saying that developing Sharpe (which means playing time, touches, plays and playing through mistakes) is critical to this team. The main thing I don't understand is why the fuck Billups will go with Watford, Winslow with a center when we are down late in the 4th. Like, doensn't he realize that A) we need to score so we don't lose, and B) that the other team will mercilessly sag off those guys clogging the paint and doubling Grant and Simons? It's madness as we've already seen this at least 3-4 times this season. I get Sharpe is making bonehead plays and has been struggling a bit with shooting, but he CAN shoot where as Winslow absolutely cannot and Watford is hardly much better!

I want to see Walker. Good things happen when he is on the floor.

 

[SharpeScooterShooter]

Tough brutal loss.
Move on. Lets get a win tonight!!!

Go Blazers!

 

[HailBlazers]

the Clippers have a 192M payroll. Right now, they are scheduled for 145M in luxury tax. Next year, they have a 200M payroll and they will be paying repeater tax so their tax bill could be north of 300M do you think Jody and the Vulcans would sign off on that kind of insanity? people keep yapping about the poor return from trading Powell without factoring in that much of the return was the absolutely necessary clearing of obligated salary. And of course, the absolutely necessary dismantling of Olshey's idiot roster. If the Blazers had kept Powell and not signed Payton, they'd be 8M over the tax line; and that doesn't include a single dollar invested in any MLE...and they'd need to sign two players. worse is that Powell is mostly a one-on-one-iso player. He's a shitty defender, a terrible rebounder, and a piss-poor passer and facilitator. Other than going iso as a 6th man, he doesn't bring anything that Portland desperately needs. And it would mean that the Blazers would be investing 60% of their salary in 3 players 6'3 or less who would rank at the bottom of the roster defensively. That would be even more idiotic than paying about 50% for the three players that size Portland has right now. Pining away for Powell makes no sense. And continuously asserting the Blazers could have got more for Powell isn't supported by a shred of evidence but again, more than all of that is the harsh reality: Olshey was allowed to dig a deep deep roster hole of his ego-driven idiot vision. It's fucking lunacy to have expected in one trade deadline and one off-season after that decade of Olshey's mismanagement, that Cronin would have not only been miraculously able to climb out of that hole with the roster on his back, but to also carry the roster well up the mountain to contention. It took at least 8 years to put the Blazers in the sorry condition they were in 10 months ago; it will take more than a single trade deadline and off-season to reverse all that. And for damn sure, the return from trading Powell, or the lack of return, is fairly insignificant either way

 

[BBert]

43 minutes by Simons, getting targeted and cooked on every defensive possession. Rest of the team can’t make a bucket to save their lives. This is a challenged team.

Exactly. When Ant wasn't being aggressively double-teamed, he was covered by the much bigger and longer Batum. Once Grant fouled out, there was literally no one else the Clippers had to guard closely. Winslow kept trying to score, which was a net negative. I'd say Ant performed heroically under the circumstances.