First quarter held the key

[gruetzi]

The Blazers won the first quarter, and I think the score should have been 24-19 because Myers seemed to beat the buzzer. (The ball was out of his hands before I heard it.) But the second quarter with Myers on the bench lost the lead and the momentum. The formula for the win is what worked at the start tonight.

The Blazers need Myers on the court at the same time as LA, which does take some of the pressure off of Dame. Taking Myers out tonight might have been the strategic error that cost the game. As one of the best percentage shooters on the team, he should have had the 30 min tonight, not CJ. When they are playing like they were in the first quarter, why would you take Myers out? Canzano is plain wrong in asking why no one else is trying as hard as LA. Myers dove into the seats, and got more rebounds in his 18 min than even Rolo. We don't need 2 guards in there when we can have Myers stretching the perimeter and opening shots for LA, Dame, Rolo, and Nick.

Myers needs to keep his hands up at maximum reach, not in the face of those he is guarding for maximum intimidation. There is hope for the Blazers, as shown by the first quarter, if the coaches will look to maximize the positives. And please don't put the damper on first quarter momentum again.

 

[Rhal]

We need a consistent shooter who isnt' afraid to take the shot when he is open. If thats Affalo coming back and starting or Moving LA to the 5 and starting Leonard i'm fine with that as well.

 

[rasheedfan2005]

I have to agree. MyLe is on point and at this point I want him to get playoff experience anyway. MyLe is a future star imo hes a lot like aldridge comming in. Just needs to realize his own potential and get confident. He has a great mentor in aldridge they should be paired together for at least 5 years.

 

[blue32]

Uh, we need Dame and Batum to pull their heads out of their asses.

Batum does nothing really to warrant the amount of money he gets. Not on a consistent basis.

Dame, he's just disappeared and can't shoot anymore...

 

[gruetzi]

The key is having LA and ML on the court at the same time, and encouraging ML to take 12-15 shots per game. Game 2 first quarter showed that Memphis can't handle the team when both LA and ML are posing major shooting threats, and there was a trend to seeing better looks for Dame and Nick.

With a 3 forward Blazer offense, Dame can drive the lane off of a screen, collapse the defense, and then kick out to ML, LA, or NB who is open for the 3 pt shot. This strategy worked in the 30-8 start of the season, but has been missing in the losing streak. I would like to see ML, LA, or NB drive the lane off of a pick to gain the option of completing the layup or using the kick out to the perimeter. The perimeter should offer good open looks throughout the game.

If ML had 30-36 min, mostly on the court with LA, I predict that ML would contribute about 25 points, and facilitate 25 or more each for LA, DL, and 12-15 each for RL and NB. This improvement would be due to the changed Memphis defense needed to account for lane drives and perimeter 3 pt threats. What worked in Game 2 first quarter is worth close analysis for which Blazers should be on the court for 30 min or more in Games 3-7.

 

[magnifier661]

The key is having LA and ML on the court at the same time, and encouraging ML to take 12-15 shots per game. Game 2 first quarter showed that Memphis can't handle the team when both LA and ML are posing major shooting threats, and there was a trend to seeing better looks for Dame and Nick.

With a 3 forward Blazer offense, Dame can drive the lane off of a screen, collapse the defense, and then kick out to ML, LA, or NB who is open for the 3 pt shot. This strategy worked in the 30-8 start of the season, but has been missing in the losing streak. I would like to see ML, LA, or NB drive the lane off of a pick to gain the option of completing the layup or using the kick out to the perimeter. The perimeter should offer good open looks throughout the game.

If ML had 30-36 min, mostly on the court with LA, I predict that ML would contribute about 25 points, and facilitate 25 or more each for LA, DL, and 12-15 each for RL and NB. This improvement would be due to the changed Memphis defense needed to account for lane drives and perimeter 3 pt threats. What worked in Game 2 first quarter is worth close analysis for which Blazers should be on the court for 30 min or more in Games 3-7.

The other advantage would be pulling the bigs out of the paint. Who is Gasol going to leave open? Aldridge and ML can both drain the perimeter shot. That would free dame up to score in the paint.

 

[MarAzul]

The other advantage would be pulling the bigs out of the paint. Who is Gasol going to leave open? Aldridge and ML can both drain the perimeter shot. That would free dame up to score in the paint.

Bingo!
Damian needs to set Meyers up though. Perhaps that will require the coach to make it a command. I have yet to see it happen.

 

[BlazerBeav]

If CJ had only knocked down those wide open looks he had on 4 of 5 possessions late in the quarter, our lead would've been into double digits and we'd have had all the momentum. The misses allowed the Grizzlies to keep it close.

 

[BBert]

CJ was a little rushed with his shot, not as cool and collected as during the later part of the regular season. It will come.

 

[gruetzi]

Yes! The open shot misses by CJ, when we could have had ML swishing the nets, were a deflation that lost the momentum. With ML on the bench, the Blazers are losing so much height advantage that it plays into Memphis hands. That is when we saw the 12 point Memphis run.

DL needs help to get open, which is not coming from CJ, who often ignores the open man and misses the shot. ML gives the Blazers excellent shooting, the threat of a monster drive to the basket, screens, energetic rebounding, tall trajectory altering hands up defense, and dedicated play. When CJ is in, Memphis goes to the swarming defense that has been effective. Let's let ML help open up shots for DL, LA, NB, and RL by keeping him in there.

 

[rasheedfan2005]

You know a line up of dame batum leonard aldridge and rolo or kaman really could work. The question is can we work out some kind of zone defense to help the big at the sf position in this short of time?

 

[gruetzi]

I agree. The tall lineup is what seemed to allow the Blazers to dominate in Game 2 Quarter 1. The Blazer defense improvement that is needed is to guard using hands up high, and to have LA and ML in simultaneously, rotating RL and CK as necessary, and judged by optimizing defensive energy. Concentrate on making the Griz alter their shot trajectories! (A hand in the face does little good because they are spot shooting.)

It is good news that AA and CK are likely to be ready for Game 3. Now the Blazer substitution strategy needs to use them to keep energy high and the Griz contained. AA can substitute for DL to keep the guard fresh, while the 3 forwards get open 3 pt shots and each, and DL, contribute over 20 points. And let's see RL and CK use hook shots over Gasol, to combine for 16 or more from the Center. If both AA and DL are in, a substitution of ML (instead of a guard) for either of them would pose quite a surprise threat to the Griz.