Notice Blazers VS Nuggets 2nd Rnd

[BBert]

@Wade Garrett was saying that Jokic looked gassed at the end of tonight's game. If a tired Jokic is an ineffective Jokic, I hope Kanter makes him work hard.

Need to rotate bigs and go at him, make him run and foul. Also more likely to foul when he's gasping for air. Maybe Dame can get some fouls on him.

 

[kjironman1]

Jokic is overrated and I have never been impressed by him.

Sorry but i got to disagree with you on this one. Jokic is way better than advertised and he will be a solid All-Star big in the NBA for years to come. This guy is absolutely the real deal.

 

[kjironman1]

I just want to see me some Skal

Not so sure that would be a good thing at all.

 

[kjironman1]

Only 4 of us are honest about not knowing who is gonna win this series or how many games it will take.

 

[TorturedBlazerFan]

Only 4 of us are honest about not knowing who is gonna win this series or how many games it will take.

Nah I just felt that was a cop out, of course none of us know or we’d make a lot in vegas.

 

[Strenuus]

Sorry but i got to disagree with you on this one. Jokic is way better than advertised and he will be a solid All-Star big in the NBA for years to come. This guy is absolutely the real deal.

We will agree to disagree. Part of me feels he's the Westbrook of centers every time I watch him.

 

[Wade Garrett]

We will agree to disagree. Part of me feels he's the Westbrook of centers every time I watch him.

He's different. Everything about him his different.
He doesn't look like much, ever, bit KJ"s right he's the real deal.

 

[Cugel]

Need to rotate bigs and go at him, make him run and foul. Also more likely to foul when he's gasping for air. Maybe Dame can get some fouls on him.

Yep, have Meyers just ride him hard and wear him down

 

[Dougnsalem]

Only 4 of us are honest about not knowing who is gonna win this series or how many games it will take.

And only one if us has traveled back in time, to watch it live. Blazers in 6.....

 

[Dougnsalem]

Nah I just felt that was a cop out, of course none of us know or we’d make a lot in vegas.

See my comment above. Screw collecting them pop cans.... Lol

 

[KingSpeed]

 

[BBert]

Only 4 of us are honest about not knowing who is gonna win this series or how many games it will take.

I don't know shouldn't even be a poll option.

Of course I don't know.

So I made a homer pick.

Sue me

 

[BBert]

Yep, have Meyers just ride him hard and wear him down

That's what 'he' said

 

[maxiep]

The Nuggets are a really tough team, especially with home court advantage.

 

[TorturedBlazerFan]

I think this series is going to be tough... The key to me is defense, they have to play the best team defense they've played all year, know the scouting report who they're guarding, tendencies, who can be helped off of, and you can't let them backdoor you over and over. I think the defense they Played vs OKC was phenomenal (most of the time) they really locked into stopping PG13 and Russ and to making them take tough shots or in Westbrooks case just take jump shots. Denver's a different beast they move a lot without the ball, they aren't a selfish team, Jokic handles the ball a lot but he is more like a quarterback looking for the best play available then a running back that wants to attack the first seam he finds. I really think this series comes down to playing amazing defense for 24 seconds and dictating to the offense what you want them to shoot. I think the Blazers have the offense to score well most nights (everybody goes cold).

 

[SIeepwalker]

How is the poll not public

 

[fumanchu]

I want to see Meyers go full gorilla style on Jokic. Use all six of those fouls.

 

[Phatguysrule]

Blazers in 6. Can't bet against Dame...

 

[stampedehero]

My concerns are with Kanter and his shoulder separation. Nokic can achieve triple doubles and that is remarkable for a big man. I think Meyers and Collins have to step up and work as a team to discuss strategy,contain and control Nokic. I want to see Skal in the first two games as his options are unknown at this point in the playoffs.

 

[stampedehero]

One thing that pissed me off was whenever the Nuggets would miss and the Spurs would rebound, Jokic would grab or smack the guy with the ball on his way down the court I guess to slow them down so he could get past them and down the court. Be prepared to see him do it to the Blazers too

Even amateur refs call that.

 

[mook]

I think this is the series where, after 7 long years, Meyers Leonard earns his paycheck. This may sound crazy, but hear me out:
1. Kanter is still dealing with a separated shoulder. Even if he were healthier though, Jokic is averaging 37mpg. Kanter is playing gassed at 29mpg. Meyers is going to be critical in doing what he can to drain Jokic's tank every minute he's in there. I want to see him use all 6 fouls.
2. Jokic is an even worse matchup for the Blazers pick-and-roll than Steven Adams was. Portland needs to pull him out to the three point line repeatedly, and it's bound to create wide open three point opportunities for Leonard.

 

[mook]

Denver won 5 of their final 11 regular season games, and scraped by a 7th seed in 7 games. So they are a .500 team over their last 18 games.

We finished out the regular season 9 of 11, and the first round in 5 games. So we're playing at .812 over the same time span. All but 2 of those games have been without Nurkic.

The average age of their top 3 minutes guys are 23. Portland's average age is 27. We have one guy under 25 who will see any real minutes (Zach) and they have 5. Experience and maturity matter in the playoffs.

Portland has had 6 days to prepare for the series, while Denver has had less than 48 hours.

I'm pretty surprised Portland isn't widely considered a favorite in this series. I guess the sweep last year really did some lasting damage....

 

[RipCityDSCPL]

Yep, have Meyers just ride him hard and wear him down

Giggity

 

[illmatic99]

I think this is the series where, after 7 long years, Meyers Leonard earns his paycheck. This may sound crazy, but hear me out:
1. Kanter is still dealing with a separated shoulder. Even if he were healthier though, Jokic is averaging 37mpg. Kanter is playing gassed at 29mpg. Meyers is going to be critical in doing what he can to drain Jokic's tank every minute he's in there. I want to see him use all 6 fouls.
2. Jokic is an even worse matchup for the Blazers pick-and-roll than Steven Adams was. Portland needs to pull him out to the three point line repeatedly, and it's bound to create wide open three point opportunities for Leonard.

Jokic isn't really much of a P&R finisher-- he's a good passer in the short roll, but they don't really use it that much. He's actually a lot more effective in the inverted P&R when he's the guy who creates for the guards. And they do this a ton with both Harris and Murray being the screeners. Meyers is not smart enough to figure out coverages when this happens. Where Jokic will destroy us is in the post. He's incredibly strong and has ridiculously good touch around the hoop. He moved around Aldridge like a rag doll. Meyers has fake muscles, but is not nearly as strong as he looks. I think he's gonna get manhandled.

 

[kjironman1]

Meyers is not smart enough to figure out coverages when this happens.

More unfounded hate for Meyers. I like the comment in general but that statement could not be more wrong. Meyers Leonard is very smart.

 

[illmatic99]

More unfounded hate for Meyers. I like the comment in general but that statement could not be more wrong. Meyers Leonard is very smart.

This is hardly unfounded. But let's see what happens.

 

[PtldPlatypus]

More unfounded hate for Meyers. I like the comment in general but that statement could not be more wrong. Meyers Leonard is very smart.

Could we say "Meyers doesn't process situations and respond quickly enough"? I agree with you that Meyers is very intelligent--but even 7 years in he seems to think through the game rather than simply play and react. I think (and forgive me if I'm putting words in your mouth) that's what @yuyuza1 is talking about; that the proper response to those situations isn't instinctive for Meyers, which causes him to be too slow to respond to them properly, which ends up looking like low BBIQ.

 

[julius]

HCA for Denver, a (probably) injured Kanter, and 7 scorers in double figures is why I predicted the Nuggets win in 7. Of course, my track record for predicting series is about as good as Ben Simmons is from 3, so really I should have voted "I have no idea"

The only thing I can say for sure is I don't know how Denver isn't the favorites. As fans we can get away with that stuff, I just hope the team doesn't.

 

[illmatic99]

538's formula says Nugs have a 74% shot of winning this series. They had OKC at 77% in round 1.

 

[PtldPlatypus]

538's formula says Nugs have a 74% shot of winning this series. They had OKC at 77% in round 1.

If you switch to the pure ELO forecast, it actually has the Blazers as a 57% favorite.