Game Thread 2025-26 GAME #70 - BLAZERS @ PACERS - MARCH 18, 2026 - WEDNESDAY - 4:30 PM - KUNP - BLAZERVISION (6 Viewers)

[Irish Trader]

Time for Hansen to get some playing time and experience in the second half and rest Williams for a more important game.

 

[TYDame]

Win tonight and a Warriors lost we move to the 9th spot

 

[SharpesTriumph]

That's a very complicated item - and it ignores the looming disaster of the Chicago pick obligation messing up the upcoming pick swaps that Portland has with Milwaukee because of the Lillard trade, now, that would be a disaster.

So, the question is - would you rather have all these swaps and picks potentially lost because the team did not manage to convey a pick earlier to Chicago? Between the loss of a draft asset in trades because of the Stepien Rule and that nightmare scenario - getting your ass kicked by OKC and clearing the books on pick obligations and ensuring that you are not complicating the Milwaukee pick swaps going forward is not nearly as bad as you pretend it is.

Ive said many times I just prefer we make the playoffs and get out of that debt. People frame it as we lose the pick if we make the playoffs but ignore the advantages which is misleading.

However if we do miss the playoffs the next two years you'd think the Blazers come to some sort of agreement with Chicago to get that debt eliminated so we can keep the Bucks 2028 swap. We could for instance just give Chicago the 2027 lottery pick.

But I suppose counter argument is the Bulls might realize that and push for an even higher return back in trade. So again come back to it just being simpler to send this years pick to Chicago and be done with it. The Blazers aren't going to be getting a high draft slot regardless of how many games they lost or tanked at this point, way to late for that. So just aim to win and if they fall short then fine look at keeping the pick as a consolidation prize.

Or hell maybe even offer the lottery pick to Chicago anyways just to get that debt paid off.

 

[blazerfan11]

Donovan and Deni had full games in two quarters. Donovan's only a point off his career high? Is that right?

I love when this team pushes the pace on both sides of the court and the ball moves and guys move without the ball. We're so much better when we move without the ball; I can stomach a few more turnovers when we're doing that because the good outweighs the bad.

All 10 Blazers that played scored.

Scoot was OK, which I can accept. The mistakes he made were mistakes of inexperience. If that's the problem, I can live with it, because it will fix itself. I have to check the splits on home/road, though, because it feels like his road performances have ranged from average to painful.

Livvy Dunne has been cast in a "Baywatch" reboot. Nice girl. Wish her all the best.

Scoot is 18 / 31 on three-pointers in the last 5 games plus today's game.

That's 58%.

 

[SharpesTriumph]

Donovan and Deni had full games in two quarters. Donovan's only a point off his career high? Is that right?

I love when this team pushes the pace on both sides of the court and the ball moves and guys move without the ball. We're so much better when we move without the ball; I can stomach a few more turnovers when we're doing that because the good outweighs the bad.

All 10 Blazers that played scored.

Scoot was OK, which I can accept. The mistakes he made were mistakes of inexperience. If that's the problem, I can live with it, because it will fix itself. I have to check the splits on home/road, though, because it feels like his road performances have ranged from average to painful.

Livvy Dunne has been cast in a "Baywatch" reboot. Nice girl. Wish her all the best.

We're also so much better when we play an opponent on a 14 game losing streak that is sitting out most their rotation.

 

[1 Eye Jack]

I haven’t looked through all the post any updates on sharpe

 

[SharpesTriumph]

I haven’t looked through all the post any updates on sharpe

Haven't heard in awhile but I thought the initial diagnosis was close to being season ending - just with the season ending next month.

 

[PDXFonz]

Cling Kong type game

 

[Duckhook]

Even at partial strength, I’m loving this brand of basketball. Add Sharpe and love, and Dame next year, this team is primed to make a deep run. Having Scoot back has been refreshing with his energy. Everyone is hustling and making plays. Deni and Scoot together has been fun to watch. Clingan has been unstoppable. The team is peaking at the right time. We can d-up any strategy and have the weapons to exploit teams on offense. Let this cake bake and the next 3-5 years are going to be a blast. Aside from Wemby, the west is aging out. Let’s hope we don’t lose too many pieces in an expansion draft… I’m so hyped!

Sorry for my ramble. I haven’t been this excited about our team since we drafted Dame.

 

[Cugel]

They might blow this

 

[Irish Trader]

We have been unbelievably sloppy this quarter

 

[blazerkor]

SMH, the fact that we let these guys back in this game is frustrating. Hopefully we can pull our shit together and finish this thing strong for the win.

 

[blazerkor]

We have been unbelievably sloppy this quarter

After three quarters of very intentional basketball, now we're just not playing with focus.

 

[GrandpaBlaze]

Even at partial strength, I’m loving this brand of basketball. Add Sharpe and love, and Dame next year, this team is primed to make a deep run. Having Scoot back has been refreshing with his energy. Everyone is hustling and making plays. Deni and Scoot together has been fun to watch. Clingan has been unstoppable. The team is peaking at the right time. We can d-up any strategy and have the weapons to exploit teams on offense. Let this cake bake and the next 3-5 years are going to be a blast. Aside from Wemby, the west is aging out. Let’s hope we don’t lose too many pieces in an expansion draft… I’m so hyped!

Sorry for my ramble. I haven’t been this excited about our team since we drafted Dame.

When we struggle to keep a lead against one of the worst teams in the league, not sure I want to have some of that cake when it is baked. Still needs work IMO.

 

[blazerkor]

Deni on the bench looked like he hurt his back when he got fouled and hugged the stanchion. Played a few plays after shaking his head the whole time.

Adding injury to the insult this poor stretch has been.

 

[Cugel]

Great job

 

[Irish Trader]

Refs swallowed the whistle

 

[AldoTrapani]

Deni on the bench looked like he hurt his back when he got fouled and hugged the stanchion.

he’s always hurting his back lol

 

[blazerkor]

Glad to see Deni back out there... hopefully it's not that bad or I was wrong.

 

[Cugel]

They are not going deep in the post season next year. Get real

 

[B-Roy]

Donovan has 28/13....and Tiago plays him 24 minutes and takes him out in the clutch?

 

[julius]

Donovan has 28/13....and Tiago plays him 24 minutes and takes him out in the clutch?

I think he banged knees with someone.

 

[Irish Trader]

We tried to gag but overcame a bad 4th quarter

 

[blazerkor]

Nice that we pulled that out but we made it a little more difficult than it needed to be.

Hope everyone is healthy.

 

[TYDame]

Clippers losing

 

[1 Eye Jack]

Was hoping to see Demi reduce those turnovers, seems like very time I check box score he’s got 4-5

 

[PCmor7]

I give Tiago and the coaching staff credit for making that game more exciting than it should have been.

There was waaaaaaaaaaay too much of that putting the ball in the hands of someone and putting two guys in the corner and two spread out at the wings and dribbling down the shot clock with no action in the 4Q for my taste. I think we've seen enough of it to know it's not the Blazers' game.

I also don't like the idea of doing it with Deni on the point with that amount of frequency, especially with Scoot in the game. Do it once or twice maybe. Switch it up. But not possession after possession. Because it's too predictable. Deni's going to hunt his shot and hunt for contact as options one through five. And, when you've already burned 16-18 seconds off the shot clock before attacking, you've given the initiative to the defense. Deni's not going downhill. He's working from a flat start against a set defense.

If the Blazers want to work from this set, as much as I don't like it, maybe work an action with Scoot on the ball, Deni on the wing, Scoot running a dribble handoff with Deni with about nine seconds left on the shot clock, and let Deni get a running start curling off the wing heading toward the basket. They even can have one of the corner guys simultaneously flash for the lob that Deni throws so well off that action. Anything but this stand-around, ball-sticking offense.

 

[PCmor7]

Scoot is 18 / 31 on three-pointers in the last 5 games plus today's game.

That's 58%.

OK.

I'm not sure what that has to do with my post, but OK.

 

[PCmor7]

All right, so I checked.

Scoot at home this season: 17.6 points, 4.9 assists, 3.3 reb, 48.2% FG, 42.2% 3, 85.7% FT (seven games).
Scoot on the road this season: 11.4 points, 3.3 assists, 2.4 reb, 36.2% FG, 26.5% 3, 78.1% FT (10 games).

He's played Indiana both at home and on the road. He played 26 minutes in each game.

At home: 28 points, 6 assists, 3 rebounds, 0 turnovers, 10-15 FG, 3-7 3FG, 5-6 FT, 2 fouls
On the road: 9 points, 5 assists, 3 rebounds, 4 turnovers, 4-8 FG, 1-3 FG3, 0-0 FT, 4 fouls

He had one block in each of those games, plus one steal in the home game.

 

[PCmor7]

We're also so much better when we play an opponent on a 14 game losing streak that is sitting out most their rotation.

I don't really understand this reply to my post, either, but OK. Apparently these games don't count, don't matter and there's no point watching them or commenting on them. Good night.