Game Thread Blazers vs Pacers Game Thread 7/23/20 12:30pm PT NBCSNW and NBATV

[THE HCP]

Everybody was killing CJ for that missed dunk, felt bad HA?

 

[BonesJones]

Read through this thread.

HA!

Things ARE back to normal.

lol...

Except me and HoopsJock aren't really posting in game threads anymore so close, but not quite

 

[kjironman1]

If Dame imposes his will we beat a team that is a lock for the playoffs with a .600 record. That is without Hassan, who I am betting would have played if tonight were a meaningful game. That's not an injury excuse, that's an exhibition game reality. The urgency you are looking for is also a symptom of an exhibition game, not some big problem with the team. I probably shouldn't even be discussing this stuff because Indy was also playing an exhibition game and everyone knows exhibition games shouldn't be read into. Your bottom line that the team better get it together or they won't make the playoffs is a huge overreaction to an exhibition game in which the team was obviously experimenting instead of doing everything they could to win. This team is going to look great in the 8 games that matter (that's what I took away from yesterdays game), they will make the playoffs and they should be thinking about going farther this post-season than they did last, which means thinking about beating the Lakers in the first round (by the way the Lakers lost yesterday too but I'm betting none of their fans are worried about them getting their shit together). The only reason this team will make sure they are playing their best during the 8 games that matter is because they will be thinking about the playoffs otherwise Dame wouldn't have even shown up.

Lets hope you are right. I personally didn't see what i was looking for other than about 10 mins of the first quarter. You can think it's an overreaction all you want but fact remains. Blazers need to win at least 6 of those 8 games. .750 pace. They don't make the playoff losing 3 games. Bank on it. They better get this thing going.

 

[KSF-ERIC]

Lets hope you are right. I personally didn't see what i was looking for other than about 10 mins of the first quarter. You can think it's an overreaction all you want but fact remains. Blazers need to win at least 6 of those 8 games. .750 pace. They don't make the playoff losing 3 games. Bank on it. They better get this thing going.

CJ said he thinks 5-3 will get it done. We have the tie breaker so Pelicans or Kings would have to go 6-2 to beat us. Doubtful. My opinion.

 

[blazerkor]

Lets hope you are right. I personally didn't see what i was looking for other than about 10 mins of the first quarter. You can think it's an overreaction all you want but fact remains. Blazers need to win at least 6 of those 8 games. .750 pace. They don't make the playoff losing 3 games. Bank on it. They better get this thing going.

I don't imagine them putting a whole game together that will satisfy you during these exhibitions. There is no reason that they would need to win one of the games. There's not a reason for them to show what their actual offensive scheme is going to look like. There definitely isn't incentive for our veterans to put forth the kind of effort or intensity that you are calling for. I think maybe that last exhibition game might look a little more like a dress rehearsal but it also might not. With Nurk and Zach back, plus Melo playing the three, the less tape we give our opponents for these eight games that matter the better. Our offense has so many options and directions it can go that it would be wise not to show many if any of the new wrinkles. Teams will know the Dame/Nurk two man game that will be the start of the vast majority of our offensive sets but they won't know how having two guys with the offensive versatility of CJ and Melo will affect that Dame/Nurk nucleus. They also haven't seen all of those players combined with a guy like Zach who is just waiting for defenses to cheat off of him resulting in easy buckets and eating the offensive glass to get put backs. Not to mention his ability to post up. I mean there is a lot of strength in our offense and our defense is going to be good too but I don't see either of those being on full display until the games matter.

I don't know if you are right about needing to win more than 5 games. I don't see the Pelicans winning 6 games and Memphis definitely won't. I do see us winning 7 or 8 games though. I think this team is going to get on a serious roll. We won't need what you say we'll need but we'll do much better than you expect.

 

[KSF-ERIC]

I don't imagine them putting a whole game together that will satisfy you during these exhibitions. There is no reason that they would need to win one of the games. There's not a reason for them to show what their actual offensive scheme is going to look like. There definitely isn't incentive for our veterans to put forth the kind of effort or intensity that you are calling for. I think maybe that last exhibition game might look a little more like a dress rehearsal but it also might not. With Nurk and Zach back, plus Melo playing the three, the less tape we give our opponents for these eight games that matter the better. Our offense has so many options and directions it can go that it would be wise not to show many if any of the new wrinkles. Teams will know the Dame/Nurk two man game that will be the start of the vast majority of our offensive sets but they won't know how having two guys with the offensive versatility of CJ and Melo will affect that Dame/Nurk nucleus. They also haven't seen all of those players combined with a guy like Zach who is just waiting for defenses to cheat off of him resulting in easy buckets and eating the offensive glass to get put backs. Not to mention his ability to post up. I mean there is a lot of strength in our offense and our defense is going to be good too but I don't see either of those being on full display until the games matter.

I don't know if you are right about needing to win more than 5 games. I don't see the Pelicans winning 6 games and Memphis definitely won't. I do see us winning 7 or 8 games though. I think this team is going to get on a serious roll. We won't need what you say we'll need but we'll do much better than you expect.

I second this whole post.

 

[kjironman1]

CJ said he thinks 5-3 will get it done. We have the tie breaker so Pelicans or Kings would have to go 6-2 to beat us. Doubtful. My opinion.

the Pels have the cupcake schedule though. I'm sticking with 6-2. That has been the running line. That is to get them into the 9th vs 8th play in tourney. Then they got to win both those games.
Honestly I'm not saying this cannot be done. If any team can do it this one lead by Damian Lillard can do it. Just saying this is gonna be a tough road!

 

[Orion Bailey]

the Pels have the cupcake schedule though. I'm sticking with 6-2. That has been the running line. That is to get them into the 9th vs 8th play in tourney. Then they got to win both those games.
Honestly I'm not saying this cannot be done. If any team can do it this one lead by Damian Lillard can do it. Just saying this is gonna be a tough road!

makes it that much sweeter when it happens!

its happening!

 

[kjironman1]

I don't imagine them putting a whole game together that will satisfy you during these exhibitions. There is no reason that they would need to win one of the games. There's not a reason for them to show what their actual offensive scheme is going to look like. There definitely isn't incentive for our veterans to put forth the kind of effort or intensity that you are calling for. I think maybe that last exhibition game might look a little more like a dress rehearsal but it also might not. With Nurk and Zach back, plus Melo playing the three, the less tape we give our opponents for these eight games that matter the better. Our offense has so many options and directions it can go that it would be wise not to show many if any of the new wrinkles. Teams will know the Dame/Nurk two man game that will be the start of the vast majority of our offensive sets but they won't know how having two guys with the offensive versatility of CJ and Melo will affect that Dame/Nurk nucleus. They also haven't seen all of those players combined with a guy like Zach who is just waiting for defenses to cheat off of him resulting in easy buckets and eating the offensive glass to get put backs. Not to mention his ability to post up. I mean there is a lot of strength in our offense and our defense is going to be good too but I don't see either of those being on full display until the games matter.

I don't know if you are right about needing to win more than 5 games. I don't see the Pelicans winning 6 games and Memphis definitely won't. I do see us winning 7 or 8 games though. I think this team is going to get on a serious roll. We won't need what you say we'll need but we'll do much better than you expect.

You will play the way you practice......

 

[CupWizier]

You will play the way you practice......

except rotations and playing time will fluctuate and won't be close to a real game. You don't think Lillard will only play mid 20 minutes and get only 5 shots when the game counts do you? I can't believe the overreaction to one scrimmage game after a 4 month layoff in this forum, but then again, not untypical for this forum.

 

[Hoopguru]

except rotations and playing time will fluctuate and won't be close to a real game. You don't think Lillard will only play mid 20 minutes and get only 5 shots when the game counts do you? I can't believe the overreaction to one scrimmage game after a 4 month layoff in this forum, but then again, not untypical for this forum.

Strictly a warm up scrimmage.

 

[blazerkor]

You will play the way you practice......

I mean that's what you're going with??? That wasn't a practice, that was an exhibition. If you couldn't see that we were using guys that won't play when the game counts, that we weren't using anything close to what our rotation will be, that Dame was laying back, that CJ and Melo were getting their rhythm back and that we weren't running our offense as a whole then I don't know what to tell you. If you view that exhibition game as a practice, which it wasn't and want to stick by this statement, that it was a good example of how we'll play I just don't know why you would possibly think that. Preseason never has anything to do with regular season. Do you think the Lakers will play the way they played in their first scrimmage? Should they be worried?

 

[kjironman1]

I mean that's what you're going with??? That wasn't a practice, that was an exhibition. If you couldn't see that we were using guys that won't play when the game counts, that we weren't using anything close to what our rotation will be, that Dame was laying back, that CJ and Melo were getting their rhythm back and that we weren't running our offense as a whole then I don't know what to tell you. If you view that exhibition game as a practice, which it wasn't and want to stick by this statement, that it was a good example of how we'll play I just don't know why you would possibly think that. Preseason never has anything to do with regular season. Do you think the Lakers will play the way they played in their first scrimmage? Should they be worried?

Yep. That's the way i see it. As i have already said the road to making the playoffs will be very steep. They cannot afford to have an "Exhibition Game" that is not a "Practice Game".
Why are we even trying to discuss the Lakers? If the Blazers were in the Lakers position i would expect a much different approach. They are not. They should approach their situation much differently. This is not "Pre-Season". This is a 8 game restart to a season in which the Blazers are BARELY in the 9th spot.
Discuss the Lakers when they have won 6 games and the 2 game mini series has been won. When they actually have a game against the Lakers to play then you can worry about what the Lakers are doing.

This team will play the way it practices. These games are all practice games as far as i am concerned.

 

[Hoopguru]

Is Fentress the new beat writer for the blazers?

 

[CupWizier]

Is Fentress the new beat writer for the blazers?

I certainly hope not. That guy is one of the most annoying sportswriters in this state.

 

[Hoopguru]

I certainly hope not. That guy is one of the most annoying sportswriters in this state.

I agree...I saw where he wrote the article on Oregon Live for the scrimmage game.

 

[Shaboid]

Is Fentress the new beat writer for the blazers?

Not as annoying as any of us that complain on here though, if we're being honest.

 

[JDC]

Interesting to hear so much talk about us not running our actual offense.

Yes, Dame will be more of the focal point once the real games start but we ran a lot of our main actions.

In transition we saw double drags for Dame, staggers for CJ and some early post looks for Zach, Nurk and Melo. Some pistol action as well.

In the half court I saw some thumb series, including a common counter on the opening play. Both Zach and Nurk were operating at the top of the key in our five out delay stuff. Chicago action out of the elbows. Saw our motion set early in 2nd half. We ran a wedge pick and roll play for Nurk. Zippered CJ into a flare which is a common action for him...

 

[Hoopguru]

Interesting to hear so much talk about us not running our actual offense.

Yes, Dame will be more of the focal point once the real games start but we ran a lot of our main actions.

In transition we saw double drags for Dame, staggers for CJ and some early post looks for Zach, Nurk and Melo. Some pistol action as well.

In the half court I saw some thumb series, including a common counter on the opening play. Both Zach and Nurk were operating at the top of the key in our five out delay stuff. Chicago action out of the elbows. Saw our motion set early in 2nd half. We ran a wedge pick and roll play for Nurk. Zippered CJ into a flare which is a common action for him...

How long have you coached?

 

[JDC]

How long have you coached?

No coaching experience just have watched a ton of basketball and always been into the X's and O's.