How do we win game 2?

[Natebishop3]

Do we let it ride and make them beat us?

Do we change anything? I love attacking Harden with Wes.

I don't think LA can have another game like this one. This was a masterpiece. We can't expect him to do this in every game.

The bench HAS to play better.

I don't know if we can expect much more out of Rolo. He never plays well against Dwight.

 

[BlazerDuckSeahawkFan94]

We need to watch out for penetration. If Beverly can't go and Lin starts we have to play a collapsing style of defense. Stick Batum on Harden, Wes can take Parsons easily. We also REALLY need our backup bigs to give quality minutes with good-great defense.

 

[EGame]

3 simple things will allow us to steal game 2. We need to make our fts when we get to the line, need to REBOUND better on the defensive side, and bench has to step up. We cant expect our two headed monster to get the 70 some points or whatever it was for us again. Bonus would be for Batum to be more assertive on offense and defense.

 

[LuckyShot]

Predict what adjustments they will make and prepare counter-punches just in case. Otherwise go with the same strategy. They might consider putting Harden on Batum instead. Batum must be ready to play unlike tonight for much of the game.

 

[OneLifeToLive]

Do we let it ride and make them beat us?

Do we change anything? I love attacking Harden with Wes.

I don't think LA can have another game like this one. This was a masterpiece. We can't expect him to do this in every game.

The bench HAS to play better.

I don't know if we can expect much more out of Rolo. He never plays well against Dwight.

I expect them to do the same things they did this game. And why not, they were successful. What's most important is that they bring the same exact fight to the next game they brought to this game.

Stotts is way, WAY outcoaching McHale. I expect that to continue.

 

[BlazerBeav]

Need Batum to play his game from the get-go - once he did get his head into it tonight, he turned off Parsons.

 

[Natebishop3]

Houston is going to do something to stop LA. Maybe double him. Maybe start Asik. Maybe put Dwight on him.

There's not much they can do about Dame though.

 

[BlazerDuckSeahawkFan94]

Predict what adjustments they will make and prepare counter-punches just in case. Otherwise go with the same strategy. They might consider putting Harden on Batum instead. Batum must be ready to play unlike tonight for much of the game.

If Batum gets Harden guarding him I guarantee he wont get Nash'd again. He will blow by that bearded bitch.

 

[Strenuus]

If we stick Batum on Harden and vice versa... Batum better make him work!

Bench needs to step up (Namely Mo.)

Lillard just needs to keep doing what he's doing. I think he could put up 30 every night.

 

[BlazerDuckSeahawkFan94]

If we stick Batum on Harden and vice versa... Batum better make him work!

Bench needs to step up (Namely Mo.)

Lillard just needs to keep doing what he's doing. I think he could put up 30 every night.

If Lin is guarding him, Dame can average 40 if he really wants to.

 

[PapaG]

Shoot the ball through the basket.

 

[Natebishop3]

If we stick Batum on Harden and vice versa... Batum better make him work!

Bench needs to step up (Namely Mo.)

Lillard just needs to keep doing what he's doing. I think he could put up 30 every night.

Do they really think that Parsons could defend Wes better in the post?

 

[EGame]

Houston is going to do something to stop LA. Maybe double him. Maybe start Asik. Maybe put Dwight on him.

There's not much they can do about Dame though.

Especially if Beverly is out which he sprained his knee or something I guess.

 

[B-Roy]

If Bev is out they have no one to defend Dame. Throw it into LA and kick it out. Dame gets free lanes all game.

 

[jlprk]

You have to stop Parsons.

http://espn.go.com/nba/photos?gameId=400553097&photoId=3787592#photo_3787591

 

[LuckyShot]

If Batum gets Harden guarding him I guarantee he wont get Nash'd again. He will blow by that bearded bitch.

I hope so. If I'm Houston, I would consider making Batum prove it. Batum looked scared tonight for most of the game.

 

[PapaG]

You have to stop Parsons.

Parsons stopped himself. 3-11 from 3pt, and quiet after the half.

 

[LuckyShot]

0

You have to stop Parsons.

http://espn.go.com/nba/photos?gameId=400553097&photoId=3787592#photo_3787591

Parsons smelled blood in the water when he saw how Batum was playing... that was painful to watch.

 

[PapaG]

0

Parsons smelled blood in the water when he saw how Batum was playing... that was painful to watch.

Parsons was -2 for the game. Batum was +4.

 

[jlprk]

I picked the best one of ESPN's 188 pictures of this game, and chose this thread as my vehicle to post it.

We talk about Aldridge's fadeaway stepback. But look at Parsons' 45 degree angle.

 

[jlprk]

Parsons stopped himself. 3-11 from 3pt, and quiet after the half.

7-10 from 2pt, and 24 points in the game.

 

[PapaG]

7-10 from 2pt, and 24 points in the game.

I'd let Chandler Parsons beat me all day long over not shadowing Harden. It's up to Howard, Lin, and Parsons to continue their play without Beverley doing his best to defend Lillard.

 

[PDXFonz]

I give Houston a 75% chance to win game two, still got np blazers in 5 though!

 

[mook]

Only change I'd make is to replace Robinson's minutes with Freeland. That last play where Harden is standing there with his dick in his hand trying to take the last shot is all because Joel moves his feet to the right spot, cutting off penetration without fouling. Harden had this look like, "Shit, how do I throw myself and draw a foul into a guy offering picture perfect help defense." 9 times out of 10 Robinson would fuck that up.

Robinson has far more upside, but it's the playoffs. Freeland has really proven himself as a vastly superior interior defender, and that's what we really need right now more than T-Rob's rebounding.

 

[jlprk]

This game was the mirror image of the last. The plot is known and repeating, but the winner is random each game.

Houston let a 13-point fourth quarter lead slip away and then doubled-down on heartache when it failed to hold on to a six-point advantage in overtime...In many ways, Sunday’s marathon affair was a replay of the madness that took place between these same two teams March 9 – only with the Rockets and Blazers switching roles this time around. That night Houston was the club rallying back from a 13-point deficit in the final frame to force overtime and ultimately prevail...

http://www.nba.com/rockets/news/other-side-coin

 

[The_Lillard_King]

Whoever Harden is guarding on defense (it could be Nic game 2) needs to make Harden work and exploit his lazy ass defense. For Nic, he has to be back cutting all day long.

Hey I said a couple things would happen in game 1, Lillard's athletic superiority and ability to focus on one team will overcome Bev's defense and that Wes is going to make Harden work on defense. I think both of those things happened and were an impact on the game. What a game!

Go Blazers

 

[The_Lillard_King]

The big question I see is how do you guard Howard.? There were times last night he looked like he could score at will (while getting our big men in foul trouble). Rolo was having a tough time when Dwight brought the energy (who wouldn't), but Dwight is also very good playing out of a double team.

Leonard is good for 6 hard fouls . . . I say it's hack-a-dwight all night long on the road.

 

[jlprk]

Another thing we can't count on repeating is that Howard/Asik had 11 fouls in 46 minutes, while Lopez had 6 fouls in 32 minutes. That ratio was in our favor, but will reverse.

Howard actually had to sit for awhile, the opposite of what everyone expected.

 

[chris_in_pdx]

The bench HAS to play better.

I think this is the bottom line. Production must be had from Mo, Robinson, Wright, and Freeland. They are NBA players, they need to step it up, Mo has been there before, he better re-find that next gear.

 

[chris_in_pdx]

Need Batum to play his game from the get-go - once he did get his head into it tonight, he turned off Parsons.

Goddammit, this is the utterly maddening thing about Nic Batum: you never know from game-to-game.... hell, quarter to quarter... what version of Batum you will get, the talented playmaker and lock-down defender that can change games, or the invisible timid Euro who sits in the corner hoping for a kickout three attempt, but not providing anything else.

If Batum had Matthew's motor, he'd be an All-Star.