GAME THREAD: BLAZERS @ CAVALIERS- 12/17/13, TUES, 4 PM (PST), CSNNW

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Great game.

But defensively, the Blazers need to tighten it up. As nice as the last couple of victories have been, they can't live and die with those kind of endings. I think they are a good defensive team but they are inconsistant. They need to quit playing only when they want to or when it's absolutely needed. If they keep up this level up defensively, they will lose more than they need to.
 
Just got done watching. Wow. Killard. Cold MF.

Bring on the egg-sucking-T-dogs.
 
OneLifeToLive said:
Great game.

But defensively, the Blazers need to tighten it up. As nice as the last couple of victories have been, they can't live and die with those kind of endings. I think they are a good defensive team but they are inconsistant. They need to quit playing only when they want to or when it's absolutely needed. If they keep up this level up defensively, they will lose more than they need to.
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To be fair, Cleveland was hitting some ridiculous shots. I do wish that Stotts would double team at times. We allowed Bynum to abuse us in the post, which could have been addressed fairly easily if we would have doubled him. The Cavs don't have the shooters that make me worry about doubling.
 
An article on NBA.com before the Cavs game, and interview with Mike Brown:


Ask Cavaliers coach Mike Brown what makes the Portland Trail Blazers so good and his long, long list of compliments starts with coach Terry Stotts and goes through LaMarcus Aldridge, Nicolas Batum, Robin Lopez and Wesley Matthews all the way to Mo Williams.

It’s no wonder, either, since the Trail Blazers come into The Q on Tuesday with a shiny 21-4 record, best in the Western Conference. After an overtime victory at Detroit on Sunday, they’re even better on the road — 11-2 — than at home.

“Terry is a good coach first of all, but if you look at their roster, they have veteran guys on that team or guys in their prime,” Brown said after the Cavs practice on Monday at Cleveland Clinic Courts.

“They have very few young guys they’re asking to run or lead the ship. They’ve got a lot of veteran players on their team who know how to play the game the right way on the floor. A lot of those guys have had success. Maybe not last year, but LaMarcus has won before, Batum has won before, Matthews has won before there and even in Utah.

“I thought the Lopez kid was the right fit. They needed a big body that doesn’t need to score or anything like that who will do the dirty work because they have enough scorers when you look at the guys they rotate in and out of the game. Then on top of that you’ve got a veteran like Mo Williams who can shoot the 3, who can come off pindowns, who can play pick and roll. He’s fast with the ball, can play in transition, can make plays for himself and his teammates.

“That’s a nice mix of players they have who know how to score the basketball. Because they have size and because in my opinion they added a guy like Lopez, that makes them bigger. Lopez has great feet, so that makes them even better defensively than what they might have been in the past. Then you have Batum and Wes Matthews, too, on the perimeter. Those are two big guards who know how to defend.”

No mention of Dame? I bet he will mention Damian Lillard's name at least once for his interview when the Cavs come to Portland. lol
 
Natebishop3 said:
To be fair, Cleveland was hitting some ridiculous shots. I do wish that Stotts would double team at times. We allowed Bynum to abuse us in the post, which could have been addressed fairly easily if we would have doubled him. The Cavs don't have the shooters that make me worry about doubling.
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I just know they were ahead by ten with three minutes to play and it was 0 near the end of regulation. Just now watching the 4th quarter and will see if I can see what you are saying.
 
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OneLifeToLive said:
I just know they were ahead by ten with three minutes to play and it was 0 near the end of regulation. Just now watching the 4th quarter and will see if I can see what you are saying.
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Things kind of came unglued when Dame took that hit from Aldridge. Plus, then Irving started just going off.
 
We started doubling Bynum in the second half, with Joel fronting him. Joel did an insane great job of fronting then quickly spinning around to defend or box out for the rebound. I think the Blazers may avoid double teaming in the first half but do it in the second half if need be. I like the idea of somtimes bringing a double but sometimes playing straight up so the offense is guessing. The Detroit game Josh Smith had similar success against us in the first half then we made adjustments and brought double teams in the second half.

I don't know if I can critique Stotts coaching, he is on such another level I trust him to do what he thinks is best. With Nate or Mo Cheecks I felt like I had ideas that would actually make the team better but now I'm just going to enjoy watching professionals.
 
Some of the comments in this thread on Reddit are just hilarious.

 
I seriously can't stop watching that shot. I mean, it's just plain sick how he does that. Love the pose at the end, like he's about to take flight almost.
 
Natebishop3 said:
Seriously? Only me?

Dude, our bench scored 16 tonight. Cleveland's bench scored 50.

It's concerning. Our starters have had to play out of their minds.
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OK, just so Nate won't feel alone out there; I don't know the plus minus for this unit today, but I did notice that when Mo and Lillard were in there at the same time, Cleveland ran off 7 straight. Fix that combination or eliminate it please.
 
UKRAINEFAN said:
OK, just so Nate won't feel alone out there; I don't know the plus minus for this unit today, but I did notice that when Mo and Lillard were in there at the same time, Cleveland ran off 7 straight. Fix that combination or eliminate it please.
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It's interesting you say that, Mo was a +2, and dame was at even (0). But, lets put it this way, the highest +/- for BOTH teams was +9 (And they both came from the bench, Freeland for Portland, Jack for Cleveland.) So, in other words, defense optional. Of the 20 players that played in the game, 8 of them were in the minus (6 for Cleveland, 2 for the Blazers). So, I don't think it was really them on the court together, but it was just bad all around for both teams (I mean, no one even at +10? I know it was close, but damn.)
 
Lillard and Mo struggled defensively against Kyrie and Waiters. Waiters much bigger than Mo
 
DaLincolnJones said:
I have never been a believer in the "flip the switch" type of teams..but these guys are different
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That's because they don't actually turn the switch off. They play focused and tough, feel you out, then shift into overdrive to finish you off.
 
Draco said:
We started doubling Bynum in the second half, with Joel fronting him. Joel did an insane great job of fronting then quickly spinning around to defend or box out for the rebound. .
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Bynum had 13 points and 7 rebounds in the first half. In the second half, he pulled down 2 rebounds and didn't even attempt a field goal. That's a great halftime adjustment by Stotts and great play by Freeland. Bynum was their best option on offense in the first half (13 points on 6-12 shooting) and a complete non-factor in the second half (0 points on 0-0 shooting). Kudos to both Stotts and Freeland on a job well done.

BNM
 
Boob-No-More said:
Bynum had 13 points and 7 rebounds in the first half. In the second half, he pulled down 2 rebounds and didn't even attempt a field goal. That's a great halftime adjustment by Stotts and great play by Freeland. Bynum was their best option on offense in the first half (13 points on 6-12 shooting) and a complete non-factor in the second half (0 points on 0-0 shooting). Kudos to both Stotts and Freeland on a job well done.

BNM
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Amen!~ Repped
 
Aldridge was really singing Joel's praises in the post game.
 
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