Event Blazers (#3) vs Thunder (#6): Revenge!

[BBert]

Some people cant see reality through their own complaining.

Been reading the Tao Te Ching again?

 

[noknobs]

I predict that those who are all ‘ra-ra-ra go team’ are going to be the ones who are most negative about the team, Stotts and/or Olshey once we get eliminated.

 

[Hoopguru]

We need to make Westbrook think he can win the games himself. I say we double PG to reduce his shots and increase RW's shots. Make him shoot 30 times and chances are we win the game.

 

[hoopsjock]

I predict that those who are all ‘ra-ra-ra go team’ are going to be the ones who are most negative about the team, Stotts and/or Olshey once we get eliminated.

Meh, for me it's kind of difficult to judge this season without the big fella. However, I will be negative towards Stotts if Dame gets double teamed this whole series and we continue to play into the traps. I'm expecting the team to fight.

 

[TBpup]

Almost NOBODY nationally is giving Portland more than about a 1/3 of a chance to win this series. Usually you hear a few that will argue just for the sake of making a discussing interesting, but this is almost unanimous.

#ShockTheWorld

 

[stampedehero]

I dislike OKC. Westbrook irritates me and I hope he does a series choke. I wonder if Skal, Simons and Trent could get minutes and this last season game wasn't a charity scheme by Stotts.

 

[DDolla]

I’m not scared of Russ or PG13, is that other Morris I’m scared of.

 

[DDolla]

Almost NOBODY nationally is giving Portland more than about a 1/3 of a chance to win this series. Usually you hear a few that will argue just for the sake of making a discussing interesting, but this is almost unanimous.

#ShockTheWorld

Respect is Earned, for the past 2 season we just choke. Winning can fix all that.

 

[LayneStaley]

I agree with making RW beat us, double PG and lay of Russ’s jump shot, don’t let him take to the rim. If OKC wins a 7 game series on RW’s jump shot so be it.

 

[LayneStaley]

I’ll take Kanter vs Adams over Kanter vs Gobert.

 

[riverman]

Almost NOBODY nationally is giving Portland more than about a 1/3 of a chance to win this series. Usually you hear a few that will argue just for the sake of making a discussing interesting, but this is almost unanimous.

#ShockTheWorld

Nobody had us winning 53 games either...unanimous across the world of sports journalism

 

[Propagandist]

I catch myself saying "we" about the Blazers all the time. Even as delusional as I can be I know I'm not actually a part of anything, it's just a bad habit.

I say we too. It was more a comment on the commenter...

 

[H.C.]

Meh, for me it's kind of difficult to judge this season without the big fella. However, I will be negative towards Stotts if Dame gets double teamed this whole series and we continue to play into the traps. I'm expecting the team to fight.

I'm actually not all that worried about this against OKC.
Sure they'll trap, but OKC doesn't have long defenders like oneal/gobert nor do they have defenders like mitchell/rubio.
Lillard should get off this series. We'll see if that's enough to handle OKC's pressure, gambling defense.

I will say tho, last time Portland played OKC, Stotts didn't have the team ready for that pressure, gambling defense.
Lets hope things are different.

 

[Wade Garrett]

I just wondered in to a ghost town OKC S2 and left a "#ripcityontheyass!"
May they stand the first five minutes of Game 3 and drown their sorrows in gas station sushi!
It's Playoff Time Baby!

 

[hoopsjock]

I'm actually not all that worried about this against OKC.
Sure they'll trap, but OKC doesn't have long defenders like oneal/gobert nor do they have defenders like mitchell/rubio.
Lillard should get off this series. We'll see if that's enough to handle OKC's pressure, gambling defense.

I will say tho, last time Portland played OKC, Stotts didn't have the team ready for that pressure, gambling defense.
Lets hope things are different.

Oh, I wasn't saying that they will be successful in trapping Dame or if they will even try it. That being said for all the reasons you mentioned is why I'd be pissed if they were able to take Dame out of this series.

 

[bemac]

So, I'm looking at the 4 games this season, and I see the last game was March 7th. This was the game that changed the Blazers...Since that time, the Blazers have played a different brand of basketball. Each of the losses were Lillard/McCollum 20+ shot games. All four were before Lillard got the role players playing roles. They were before Kanter started playing some of the best basketball of his career and putting effort on the defensive side This is not the team that lost 4 games to OKC this year.

I like this matchup...A lot.

 

[Chris Craig]

Nobody had us winning 53 games either...unanimous across the world of sports journalism

Hmm hmm

 

[TorturedBlazerFan]

This thread and some of the threads talking about the playoffs is just a little strange to me. So many people act like we have no chance vs OKC and should've wanted the Jazz.
The Jazz and OKC were almost identical teams last year the Jazz beat them in the 1st round. This year the Jazz finished with a better record than OKC. Snyder is a better coach than Donovan, OKC hasn't made it out of the 1st round in a couple of years either.
I'm not saying OKC can't win, or that this is an easy series, but I think the Blazers can win it, and I think they will win it, with home court.

 

[hoopsjock]

CBSSports listed this series as the best matchup in their rankings.

"1) No. 3 Portland Trail Blazers vs. No. 6 Oklahoma City Thunder
It sure seemed like the Trail Blazers were trying to lose on Wednesday night in their regular season finale so they could avoid facing the Thunder in the first round, but they didn't get their wish. Now, despite being the higher seed, Portland will have to take on an OKC team that beat them all four times in the regular season and will do so without their starting center, Jusuf Nurkic. That doesn't mean this is going to be a walk in the park for the Thunder though; they haven't exactly been the most consistent team down the stretch. Yes, they closed the season on a five-game winning streak, but they had lost seven of nine games just before that, and there are serious questions about the health of Paul George's shoulder. This series feels like the toughest one to call in the first round, and hopefully, the games will reflect that. There's going to be a ton of talent on the floor, and each team will have plenty of motivation after being bounced in the first round last season."

 

[Bruno_Sabino]

Never underestimate the talent and the will of Lillard. That series against New Orleans change us. We gonna make it - Dame and CJ

 

[BBert]

Nobody had us winning 53 games either...unanimous across the world of sports journalism

They sleep.

Every. Single. Year.

 

[BigGameDamian]

https://www.google.com/amp/s/syndic...cket-2019-round-by-round-predictions.amp.html

B/R has us loosing in 6.

 

[swish3]

We can disagree with Zach Buckley! The Blazers are determined and beating OKC is step one on the way to the Championship!

 

[hoopsjock]

Every site I've looked up has us as a 2.5-3 point favorite on Sunday. Funny how the sportsbooks aren't seeing it in OKC's favor.

 

[KingSpeed]

I agree with making RW beat us, double PG and lay of Russ’s jump shot, don’t let him take to the rim. If OKC wins a 7 game series on RW’s jump shot so be it.

He hit 5 threes against us in our last meeting. It was an aberration and the only reason we lost the game. If he makes 5 threes a game in this series, we lose, but I doubt that will happen.

 

[KingSpeed]

Paul George against the Blazers this Season: 30.4 PPG, 44.8 FG%, 44.5 3P%,

Russel Westbrook against the Blazers this Season: 29.5 PPG, 42.0 FG%, 26,4 3P% (at least one good stat for us)

Holy shit, and this was all with Nurkic.

Dame Lillard against Thunder: 34.8 ppg

 

[KingSpeed]

Guys, I'm feeling a Blazers blowout on Sunday. Blazers 106, OKC 77. GO BLAZERS!!!! Get the confidence up and let's sweep these fools!

 

[Lanny]

That poll question is dumb beyond belief unless TBPup had some motive I don't see which is probably the case.
I mean, what Blazer fan wouldn't say we're gonna win? I'm predicting we win it all in 16 games.

 

[Lanny]

This will be a very entertaining series no matter who wins.

You better change your statement, young man. It will be entertaining and we will win in four.

 

[crandc]

Winning Game One is always important but IMO for Blazers key. Lose Game One at home and it underscores the "Blazers never beat OKC" narrative. Win and team feels they can take three more.

But why is Game Three scheduled during Seder? Couldn't they have had it Thursday?