Jon Barry: Portland/Houston the two worst Western Conference playoff teams

[PtldPlatypus]

On the Dan Patrick show this morning, while responding to Dan's comments about how good the Portland/Houston series has been, Jon Barry first gave a lovely backhanded compliment (great games to watch, since neither team plays championship caliber defense), and followed that up with, "I think it was a perfect matchup for both of those teams, because I don't think I would have picked them to beat any other team in the Western Conference."

Up 3-1 on a supposed championship contender--means nothing, apparently. Call me a soccer mom fan if you will, but the continued lack of national respect (for the team, not for the players, obviously) bugs me.

 

[maxiep]

Rick Barry knows so much about basketball. How can he have such a stupid son?

 

[MARIS61]

He's 100% right about neither team playing great defense. Only 2-3 guys on each team are willing to dive on the floor for a loose ball.

That he thought neither team could win a series means he's really not paying that much attention to basketball.

 

[Schilly]

Honestly playing the rockets makes any team look bad, not because of results but because of the style of Houston is just so Fugly and Physical and cheap.

 

[blue32]

Screw J Barry

 

[illmatic99]

I can't take anything he says seriously.

More bulletin board material.

 

[BBert]

Jon Barry. LOL

//Wookiee

 

[magnifier661]

Sweet! Guess we can prove him wrong.

 

[BBert]

Thank you Jon Barry. Although you have proven yourself many times to be a dumbass that should not be taken seriously, your usefullness in providing potential bulletin board material is noted and appreciated.

Now fuck off.

 

[Mediocre Man]

So is he wrong about the defense comment?

 

[maxiep]

So is he wrong about the defense comment?

These are two of the highest scoring teams in the league. Did you expect a mid-90s Knicks/Heat contest?

I haven't seen much lock down defense in these NBA playoffs.

 

[OneLifeToLive]

In the grand scheme it doesn't really matter does it?

We know these are two of the teams out west and those who say this might be Portlands most difficult opponent out west is prob right on.

Ignore it. It doesn't mean anything.

 

[PtldPlatypus]

So is he wrong about the defense comment?

Not at all. I just thought it odd that he chose to denigrate both teams in the most entertaining playoff series most have seen in years.

 

[magnifier661]

I think the team that makes it out of this rounds makes it to the finals

 

[PtldPlatypus]

In the grand scheme it doesn't really matter does it?

We know these are two of the teams out west and those who say this might be Portlands most difficult opponent out west is prob right on.

Ignore it. It doesn't mean anything.

This is sports. In the grand scheme, none of it means anything. But if I'm going to be irrationally emotionally attached to laundry, I'm going to have an irrational emotional response to others' commentary about about the men who wear it. That's what fan(atic)dom is all about.

 

[PtldPlatypus]

I think the team that makes it out of this rounds makes it to the finals

I don't know about that, but I do know that the teams that make it to the finals will make it out of this round.

 

[Nikolokolus]

So is he wrong about the defense comment?

No.

But I'm not sure I'd call these the two worst WC playoff teams. I think Houston or the Blazers could take the Dubs and the Mavs and I'd call it a tossup in a 7 game series with the Clips.

 

[Nikolokolus]

I think the team that makes it out of this rounds makes it to the finals

I think it's going to be quite a rude awakening for either when they run into a team that really plays D in a seven game series; the high scores and open looks are going to dry up a lot. Pluse, neither Houston nor Portland plays enough D to make a long playoff run IMO, but anything can happen though, I suppose.

 

[RR7]

I think it's going to be quite a rude awakening for either when they run into a team that really plays D in a seven game series; the high scores and open looks are going to dry up a lot. Pluse, neither Houston nor Portland plays enough D to make a long playoff run IMO, but anything can happen though, I suppose.

The league average DRtg this season for teams was 106.7. Ours was 107.4, tied for 16th in the league. Not good by any means. Playoff defense intensifies, and we have
SA at 114.6, regular season of 102.4
Clippers at 108.4, 104.8 regular season
Warriors 112.7, 102.6 regular season.
Dallas is about where they were in the regular season. Memphis and OKC are each about a 1-2 point difference.

Defense overall in our series has not been good. But I fail to see where the other teams are ratcheting up their defense as is supposed to be the playoff norm.

 

[Nikolokolus]

DRtg in a really small sample size of games doesn't necessarily feel like it's statistically significant yet. And I admit that I'm mostly just going off of the eyeball test. I see teams in other series, struggling (not always and not every team) to get good shots. Maybe these other teams are inferior offensively and it's not the defense? But, in our own series, I just get the sense that we're watching two good offensive teams that play mediocre defense and I think teams like OKC, Memphis and maybe San Antonio are going to be tougher to score on.

I'm happy to have my gut feeling proved to be more about that breakfast burrito, with extra hot sauce, I just ate.

 

[BLAZINGGIANTS]

Getting tired of reading quotes like this:

"They played well, you can't take anything away from them," Rockets forward Chandler Parsons said after the game. "But it's just hard to play a team and play against ourselves at the same time. It's impossible to win that way."

Hey Chachahandler.... it's called getting "beat". You've been outplayed and taken out of your game. Learn the game, then play.

 

[RR7]

Getting tired of reading quotes like this:

"They played well, you can't take anything away from them," Rockets forward Chandler Parsons said after the game. "But it's just hard to play a team and play against ourselves at the same time. It's impossible to win that way."

Hey Chachahandler.... it's called getting "beat". You've been outplayed and taken out of your game. Learn the game, then play.

Goes along with people saying Harden is playing bad, without hardly giving any credit to the defense that Nic and mainly Wesley have played on him. He has missed some open shots for sure, just like any player will, but they've played great defense on him, and it seems it's more about what James is or isn't doing instead. Oh well.

 

[Nikolokolus]

I do agree that Houston makes some bone-headed basketball plays in the clutch. The Blazers capitalized on those mistakes and that's what good teams do, but Parsons is partly right that they're not executing and doing the little things needed to win.

 

[magnifier661]

I think it's going to be quite a rude awakening for either when they run into a team that really plays D in a seven game series; the high scores and open looks are going to dry up a lot. Pluse, neither Houston nor Portland plays enough D to make a long playoff run IMO, but anything can happen though, I suppose.

Could be possible, but I like Portland's chances. They've done very well scoring against defensive teams in the regular season (I know it's much different in the playoffs). I think Portland can play half court ball because LMA is still a player that demands doubles. I also think Stotts is a good enough coach to make adjustments.

 

[RR7]

DRtg in a really small sample size of games doesn't necessarily feel like it's statistically significant yet.

I don't see why sample size for it should matter. If a team plays good defense in a game, the DRtg for that game would be good, and vice versa. If a team was stepping up their defense from the regular season, it would stand to reason that their DRtg would be improved. SA is only giving up 1 point per 100 difference than we are in our series. Which probably explains why they're down 2-1, really. But their defense hasbeen crap. Clippers and GS series, also, far worse than the regular season.

 

[magnifier661]

Goes along with people saying Harden is playing bad, without hardly giving any credit to the defense that Nic and mainly Wesley have played on him. He has missed some open shots for sure, just like any player will, but they've played great defense on him, and it seems it's more about what James is or isn't doing instead. Oh well.

Harden's struggles have more to do with the defense of Matthews and Batum, IMO. Everything is heavily contested and he's not getting his shots in rhythm. Plus, the refs aren't buying the flops from Harden

 

[magnifier661]

Getting tired of reading quotes like this:

"They played well, you can't take anything away from them," Rockets forward Chandler Parsons said after the game. "But it's just hard to play a team and play against ourselves at the same time. It's impossible to win that way."

Hey Chachahandler.... it's called getting "beat". You've been outplayed and taken out of your game. Learn the game, then play.

Yeah when I heard that comment from Parson, I was like "Fucking douché!" He is a joke...

 

[Nikolokolus]

I don't see why sample size for it should matter. If a team plays good defense in a game, the DRtg for that game would be good, and vice versa. If a team was stepping up their defense from the regular season, it would stand to reason that their DRtg would be improved. SA is only giving up 1 point per 100 difference than we are in our series. Which probably explains why they're down 2-1, really. But their defense hasbeen crap. Clippers and GS series, also, far worse than the regular season.

DRtg is one of those stats that seems to mean more, the more data you get - everybody has up and down games and it's more useful the more opponents teams play to make it useful comparatively. comparing a couple of games vs. a single opponent to a team's regular season DRtg is where it breaks down. A better measure would be to compare the DRtg a team had during the regular season against their current foe. At least that way you're getting an apples to apples comparison.

 

[RoyToy]

I don't necessarily disagree with Barry

The only thing is the Blazers have found some magic formula that is allowing them to pull games out of their ass so far against Houston. A lot of miraculous shots and miraculous comebacks in the 4th Q has given them the 3-1 lead. If they can keep that going they will win more games in the playoffs. Some things just can't be explained.

If the Rockets could actually close instead of choking, this series would be 3-1 going back to Houston. For almost every game they've been the better team for 42min. They've held a double-digit lead late in the 4th Q in 3 out of the 4 games. They've lost two of them.

 

[magnifier661]

I don't necessarily disagree with Barry

The only thing is the Blazers have found some magic formula that is allowing them to pull games out of their ass so far against Houston. A lot of miraculous shots and miraculous comebacks in the 4th Q has given them the 3-1 lead. If they can keep that going they will win more games in the playoffs. Some things just can't be explained.

If the Rockets could actually close instead of choking, this series would be 3-1 going back to Houston. For almost every game they've been the better team for 42min. They've held a double-digit lead late in the 4th Q in 3 out of the 4 games. They've lost two of them.

You haven't heard of Stott's Mohammad Ali approach? Get against the ropes and tire them out. Then rip their heart out in the 4th. We aren't one of the best 4th quarter defenses for nothing.