I Love The Smell Of A Laker Win In The Morning!

[ABM]

Staples Schmaples.

Where will you be to watch today's game?


It's A GREAT Day To Be A Blazer!

 

[ABM]

http://blog.oregonlive.com/behindblazersbeat/2010/04/trail_blazers_no_more_mental_m.html

Win or lose, Portland's game against the Los Angeles Lakers today will provide some insight into the Blazers' collective mindset going into the playoffs.

The Blazers need to win this game. The San Antonio Spurs rolled past Denver Saturday night, giving them a half-game lead over the Blazers for seventh place in the Western Conference. The Blazers are one game behind Oklahoma City for sixth in the conference and they will host the Thunder Monday night at the Rose Garden.

Aside from all the playoff seeding intrigue, what this game will show is how well the Blazers are prepared for the playoffs. Regardless of who the Blazers face in the first round, the Blazers need to show they are mentally and physically ready for the rigors of playoff basketball.

That's why the home loss to Dallas Thursday night was so troubling. The Blazers received four technical fouls in the game and were more occupied with whining and complaining to the referees than winning the game.

Rudy Fernandez doing his best European soccer imitation of acting hurt after getting hit while driving to the basket. Brandon Roy throwing his arms up in disgust after being double-teamed and committing a turnover. Nate McMillan screaming at the officials. Andre Miller trying to draw fouls instead of making shots. Juwan Howard bulldozing Eduardo Najera.

The referees were terrible in the game. Oh well, that's sports. Get over it. The Blazers couldn't and they suffered a critical loss.

Playoff games are going to be physical, defensive and rugged. Just like the Blazers' game against Dallas. The Blazers weren't ready for it. The Mavericks were.

After the game, McMillan said the game was a preview of playoff basketball. He's right and the players need to change their mental approach to these three remaining regular season games. Get ready to rumble.

Don't think just because the Lakers have wrapped up the best record in the conference that they are going to just let the Blazers come in and win the game. The defending champions have struggled during the last two weeks and want to enter the playoffs with some momentum. Kobe Bryant is expected to play after missing the past two games for rest. And the Lakers, perhaps anticipating playing the Blazers in the first round, don't plan to rest their starters very much.

 

[BLAZER PROPHET]

I think we'll regroup. The refs screwed us and we let the refs get to us. THAT won't happen today. Hey, ABM, I think I'll com watch the game on your mega huge flat screen TV.

 

[ABM]

Hey, ABM, I think I'll com watch the game on your mega huge flat screen TV.

If you do, then julius says he'll quit being my friend.

Hmmmmmmm.........................

 

[BLAZER PROPHET]

If you do, then julius says he'll quit being my friend.

Hmmmmmmm.........................

No comment.

 

[ABM]

No comment.

Wise.

 

[Shooter]

Don't you mean a Blazer win?

 

[ABM]

Don't you mean a Blazer win?

Yes, actually I do. Poor choice of words.

Good catch.

I've heard it used this way in past-tense, I suppose. Such as, "Hey, how'd you like that L*ker win", and such.

Ahh well.

 

[illmatic99]

Laker win?

Complete and utter fail, ABM.

 

[ABM]

Laker win?

Complete and utter fail, ABM.

That is so, like, two posts ago!

 

[illmatic99]

Well, Uncle Phil is gonna "compete" apparently.

 

[illmatic99]

More LA Practice vids:

 

[BBert]

After the game, McMillan said the game was a preview of playoff basketball. He's right and the players need to change their mental approach to these three remaining regular season games. Get ready to rumble.

The players need to change their approach? The players and their wussy approach are a reflection of the coach. The coach needs to get into their heads and set the playoff tone -- if only he had it in him. Maxiep has it exactly right: Pendergraph should have been sent into that Dallas game to put Najera and Dirk on their backs. Seriously, give Dirk some hard 'legal' contact twice and he'll be completely rattled. Nate: It's the playoffs and it starts today! I don't want to see a repeat of last year's Houston fiasco where they grabbed and pushed us all over the court with impugnity. Fuck that. Hit back. Be the aggressor and let's see if that bullshit "to the aggressor go the calls" theory works for the Blazers.

 

[BBert]

I think we'll regroup. The refs screwed us and we let the refs get to us. THAT won't happen today.

Oh, the sarcasm! I'm sure the refs won't screw us in Staples. That never happens.

 

[BLAZER PROPHET]

The players need to change their approach? The players and their wussy approach are a reflection of the coach. The coach needs to get into their heads and set the playoff tone -- if only he had it in him. Maxiep has it exactly right: Pendergraph should have been sent into that Dallas game to put Najera and Dirk on their backs. Seriously, give Dirk some hard 'legal' contact twice and he'll be completely rattled. Nate: It's the playoffs and it starts today! I don't want to see a repeat of last year's Houston fiasco where they grabbed and pushed us all over the court with impugnity. Fuck that. Hit back. Be the aggressor and let's see if that bullshit "to the aggressor go the calls" theory works for the Blazers.

Agreed 110%.

Rep'd

 

[Sug]

Every game is a must win, the whole season is just an endless stream of "it does not matter how this team performs they are still going to never amount to anything and let the world down every day for the rest of your life". Did I get that right Mixum and Eric?

82-0 or bust baby

 

[THE HCP]

ON MY COUCH!!!!

 

[Masbee]

http://blog.oregonlive.com/behindblazersbeat/2010/04/trail_blazers_no_more_mental_m.html

Why do a handful of writers keep claiming that Dallas "was ready for the physical game and the Blazers were not."

That is such HORSESHIT.

They couldn't hit shots. I think the game affected them greatly. They were choking pretty badly on the offensive end - except for Dirk in the 4th. The only thing that kept them in the game was free throws, and their ability to get away with pushing and shoving the Blazers with relatively little penalty.

Dallas got the calls when we were physical with them. They even got calls when were weren't, especially Dirk, but also bench scrub Bareara drew a call when he tripped over his own feet.

We DON'T KNOW if Dallas would have been "ready for a physical game" if they had not got many calls going their way. Would they have charged the officials demanding calls? They did whine by the way - virtually every single play. Would they have stayed calm if they had got T'd up even once?

The observation that "Dallas was ready", if baloney.

 

[Entity]

That's the season series in Portland's favor. Good job, Blazers.

 

[Sug]

or the afternoon.