Game Thread GAME# 79: BLAZERS @ NUGGETS - APRIL 5, 2019 - FRIDAY, 7:30 PM, ESPN & NBCSNW

[PtldPlatypus]

They changed the tiebreaker rules after that season, didn't they?

Tie-break rules? No idea. I know the home court rules had been changed prior to that (case in point, the 55-win 5 seed Rockets hosting the 54-win 4-seed Jazz in the first round in '08), and they changed the seeding rules shortly after that (possibly after that same year, since the 55-win 6-seed suns were a bit unhappy about being seeded so low).

 

[blue9]

... but i think this team has a chance to make it to the finals of the conference if the bench players continue to play like they have in the past few games.

If we could continue to play G-League teams, then there might be a chance of those players continuing to play like they have been. But we can't, and they won't.

 

[Scalma]

Jokic and Kanter are going to slaughter each other offensively. They both have great numbers against each other.

 

[Shaboid]

Tie-break rules? No idea. I know the home court rules had been changed prior to that (case in point, the 55-win 5 seed Rockets hosting the 54-win 4-seed Jazz in the first round in '08), and they changed the seeding rules shortly after that (possibly after that same year, since the 55-win 6-seed suns were a bit unhappy about being seeded so low).

That's right, it was home court if you win the division or something like that.

 

[DDolla]

Just Win Baby!

 

[BBert]

Maybe someone should start a tiebreaker thread

 

[B-Roy]

Enes Kanter's offensive rebound % is 16.2% for the season. He's 3rd behind Whiteside (16.6%) and Drummond(16.8%).

However in his games with the Blazers it's at a staggering 18.1%. That is actually kind of insane. Obviously his offensive rebounding is one of his most touted skills, but boarding literally 1/5th of all misses is just absolutely nuts.

 

[illmatic99]

He just has a nose for the ball. It's uncanny. He reminds me of a young ZBo before he started hogging the ball.

 

[Chris Craig]

If we beat the Nuggets twice the last two are winnable as well, doesnt that mean we win out? Which is the 3 seed right ?

Blazers:

@Denver
Vs Denver
@lakers
VS Kings

Denver:

VS Portland
@Portland
@Jazz
VS Minn

Houston:

VS NYK
VS PHX
@ OKC


Blazers can only get 2nd if they win out and Denver loses 3 games.

If Blazers win out its not automatically 3rd. Portland could win out. Denver could go 2-2 and Houston win out - All are tied Portland would get 4th.

Most likely Houston will go at worst 2-1 (Thunder may beat them) but I can see them winning out.

Denver will at worst go 1-3 with Portland winning both and Jazz winning. But will probably at least win one against Portland. To go 2-2or 3-1.

Portland will likely beat LA and SAC and maybe one against Denver for either 3-1 or 2-2. (Though Portland could somehow beat Denver twice and win out, though I don't see it happening.)

It's going to be hard as hell to get 2nd, and if Utah is going to beat Denver, the Blazers better beat them at least once to stay ahead...twice for 2nd and good measure)

3rd will be almost just as hard. Blazers need to go at least 3-1 and hope OKC beats Houston.

Looking like 4th is most likely

Blazers could fall to 5th too

Blazers need to win 2-3 games to keep them at bay. If Utah wins out and Portland goes 2-2, they are tied and Utah wins tie breaker and takes 4th. Utah could lose to Denver with Portland going 2-2 and Blazers would get 4th.


There are like 60 scenarios of what can happen. With maybe 5 likely. You never know. Blazers need to keep winning.

 

[Chris Craig]

If we and Houston both win out, and Denver wins their final two after losing two to us, then all 3 teams finish 54-28. We'd lose the 3-way tie-break because we'd be the only one that is not a division winner (or because we'd have the worst conference record--either way, we lose).

Yeah that would mean 4th place

 

[Pinwheel1]

Yeah that would mean 4th place

If Portland can win the home game against Denver, it might create some urgency for Denver to win their following game.......@Utah.
We need that to happen to keep HC advantage.

 

[Chris Craig]

If Portland can win the home game against Denver, it might create some urgency for Denver to win their following game.......@Utah.
We need that to happen to keep HC advantage.

Yeah, I don't see losing their other three, Maybe against the Clippers, but I doubt it.

 

[tester551]

3rd will be almost just as hard. Blazers need to go at least 3-1 and hope OKC beats Houston.

Portland wins the tie-breaker with Houston, and can get 3rd with that.

 

[Cugel]

I still think Utah has a better chance at the 4th spot than us. Denver will be brutal and we seem to struggle with Sacramento. My prediction is we face Utah in the first round. and that is...ok

 

[BBert]

About the poll question, I wonder why teams don't ever play consecutive games against each other, in the same city. For example, Blazers v. Lakers twice in LA, then later in the season, Lakers v. Blazers twice in Portland. Etc. It would cut down on a lot of travel (and expense), and to me it would be more interesting.

 

[B-Roy]

He just has a nose for the ball. It's uncanny. He reminds me of a young ZBo before he started hogging the ball.

I liked a few games ago when he said: "I tell my teammates to just shoot it with confidence and not worry about missing. If you miss I'll be there to clean it up or give us a second chance."

 

[PtldPlatypus]

About the poll question, I wonder why teams don't ever play consecutive games against each, in the same city. For example, Blazers v. Lakers twice in LA, then later in the season, Lakers v. Blazers twice in Portland. Etc. It would cut down on a lot of travel (and expense), and to me it would be more interesting.

My guess would be that the league doesn't want home fans to have to see the same opponent in consecutive games. But I agree, that would be a very interesting wrinkle to the schedule.

 

[Chris Craig]

I think Blazers go 3-1. Houston Goes 2-1 and Denver goes 2-2. Denver gets 2nd. Blazers third by way of the tie breaker and Houston 4th. LAC 1st rnd.

 

[illmatic99]

I think Blazers go 3-1. Houston Goes 2-1 and Denver goes 2-2. Denver gets 2nd. Blazers third by way of the tie breaker and Houston 4th. LAC 1st rnd.

This would be ideal.

 

[Pinwheel1]

My guess would be that the league doesn't want home fans to have to see the same opponent in consecutive games. But I agree, that would be a very interesting wrinkle to the schedule.

Yeah that was my guess as well. But I do think there should be more Laker/Clipper road trips for other western teams.
They get an advantage of playing road games on their home court, why not even it up a little for teams like Portland who travel so much as it is?

 

[kjironman1]

I think Blazers go 3-1. Houston Goes 2-1 and Denver goes 2-2

You think that? Or hope that?

 

[Chris Craig]

You think that? Or hope that?

I think it is very possible. Maybe it's more likely that Denver and Houston win out and the Blazers go 2-2, but I feel like the Blazers will win one against Denver, and that the Thunder will give Houston a run for the money

When I say Denver 2-2

I think they will lose to us once and beat us once, then lose to Utah...We are going to exhaust them over the weekend

 

[kjironman1]

I think it is very possible. Maybe it's more likely that Denver and Houston win out and the Blazers go 2-2, but I feel like the Blazers will win one against Denver, and that the Thunder will give Houston a run for the money

When I say Denver 2-2

I think they will lose to us once and beat us once, then lose to Utah...We are going to exhaust them over the weekend

So you hope that. I hope so also.

 

[BBert]

I liked a few games ago when he said: "I tell my teammates to just shoot it with confidence and not worry about missing. If you miss I'll be there to clean it up or give us a second chance."

I can't exaggerate how much it helped my shooting when I knew I had a rebounder waiting to clean up. It allows you to shoot with rhythm, confidence and better focus.

 

[joeBlazers]

Just win baby !!! Just win it.

 

[BBert]

My guess would be that the league doesn't want home fans to have to see the same opponent in consecutive games. But I agree, that would be a very interesting wrinkle to the schedule.

I considered that maybe the League thinks fans won't show up for the same opponent in consecutive games. I disagree. Who doesn't love a rematch? Also, imagine the drama of the rematch, especially if the first game got a little testy. You can bet the second game would. I'd pay to see that

Or maybe that the non fans won't show. Which begs the question, why do non fans go to games? Would they really care who's on the court?

 

[Nurkalicious]

I considered that maybe the League thinks fans won't show up for the same opponent in consecutive games. I disagree. Who doesn't love a rematch? Also, imagine the drama of the rematch, especially if the first game got a little testy. You can bet the second game would. I'd pay to see that

Or maybe that the non fans won't show. Which begs the question, why do non fans go to games? Would they really care who's on the court?

1) Casual fans make up most ticket sales and they don’t wanna see the same team twice in a row, especially shithole teams like the Suns. Watching two back to back games against the suns would be enough to drive fans away from a stadium for life.

2) Season ticket holders also don’t wanna see the same thing twice. The games already seem monotonous to them, this makes it worse.

3) There’s no fair way to balance the schedule if you do this. You obviously can’t do this back-to-back for every team, so the teams that had to play the warriors back to back would be at a disadvantage- as the warriors can easily adjust and rely on talent and beat teams that would have a better chance at winning if their games were 6 months apart.

 

[BonesJones]

I still think Utah has a better chance at the 4th spot than us. Denver will be brutal and we seem to struggle with Sacramento. My prediction is we face Utah in the first round. and that is...ok

Seen many people post this. And it makes no sense, because they dont.

They play SAC at home and the Lakers on the road, so de we. In terms of probability, it cancels out.

So theyd have to have us lose to Denver twice, while they beat Denver and the Clippers on the road. That's not likely, at all.

 

[BonesJones]

We have as much of a chance at getting the 2 seed as we do getting the 5 seed.

 

[kjironman1]

Seen many people post this. And it makes no sense, because they dont.

They play SAC at home and the Lakers on the road, so de we. In terms of probability, it cancels out.

So theyd have to have us lose to Denver twice, while they beat Denver and the Clippers on the road. That's not likely, at all.

Even more so when you think Utah is 2 games behind the Blazers as it sits right now. To be quite honest from the way it looks the only real battle is the 3 and 4 position between Houston and Portland and the 7-8 battle between OKC and the Spurs.
This is about the easiest year to figure out in a long time. A 2 game lead with 4 games left is tough to overcome.