Game Thread PLAYOFFS: ROUND 1, GAME 1: BLAZERS @ LAKERS - AUGUST 18, 2020, TUESDAY, 6:00, TNT & NBCSNW

[Tince]

you mean hold Collins, who has played 174 games after being a 10th pick, to the standards of an undrafted player who has played 30 and was playing in his first playoff game?

So if you were drafted 1st in the 2017 NBA draft and played 174 games, would that automatically make you a great basketball player? Players are not responsible for where they were drafted or how much they get paid. The GM's are responsible for that.

If Collins appeared to be a bad teammate, not try, flip off the fans, then I'm all for bashing him.

 

[wizenheimer]

So if you were drafted 1st in the 2017 NBA draft and played 174 games, would that automatically make you a great basketball player? Players are not responsible for where they were drafted or how much they get paid. The GM's are responsible for that.

you suggested Zach should be judged by the same standards Gabriel was. I just pointed out reasons why the standards might be different for the two players

 

[Minstrel]

This was a legit playoff game and we straight up look liked the better team. 7 game series? I’m very confident

The Lakers are looking very shallow in terms of talent--it's James and Davis and then nothing (I mean, McGee, Green and Kuzma can provide a little value, but nothing game-changing).

The Lakers owed a huge amount of their regular season success to being a great fast break team...get out in space, let James find a shooter, Davis on the pop-ahead, McGee on the secondary break or take it all the way himself. Hit shots and/or slow them down from getting into their break and they simply aren't a great half court team. They don't have a great system and James or Davis playing iso-ball leads to mediocre results. This isn't the 1990s or 2000s.

 

[Tince]

you suggested Zach should be judged by the same standards Gabriel was. I just pointed out reasons why the standards might be different for the two players

I appreciate your point of view. I'm simply trying to point out that the hate appears to be directed at the person who made him the 10th pick.

 

[wizenheimer]

I appreciate your point of view. I'm simply trying to point out that the hate appears to be directed at the person who made him the 10th pick.

you might not be aware of it....but people here will confirm I'm fine with hating Olshey....

 

[LayneStaley]

Wasn’t Skal still better than WG?

 

[theprunetang]

I honestly still think Zach will have a really nice career. He won't be a star. He will be a great roleplaying big on good teams though, imo. I think he honestly just needs to have a long stretch of health where he can build himself up.

 

[Tince]

you might not be aware of it....but people here will confirm I'm fine with hating Olshey....

Same reason we shouldn't bash CJ for making $10m/year more than he should. You offer me $10m more a year than I'm worth, I'm taking it!

 

[Tince]

I honestly still think Zach will have a really nice career. He won't be a star. He will be a great roleplaying big on good teams though, imo. I think he honestly just needs to have a long stretch of health where he can build himself up.

I think he'd be an awesome backup 4/5. He has some nice skills, but plenty of room to improve.

 

[UKRAINEFAN]

I thought that was Swan-again?

Maybe they had to give us some incentive to take Swanigan back?

 

[theprunetang]

I think he'd be an awesome backup 4/5. He has some nice skills, but plenty of room to improve.

Not going to argue. I think he could be a starter on a good team as well, depending on how the starting lineup is built.

 

[Scalma]

Wasn't Wenyen just a random throw in player from Sacramento in the Ariza trade?

not in my mind

 

[illmatic99]

Without Bradley and Rondo (but mostly Bradley, as Rondo has been overrated defensively for years), it's looking like if the Blazers can limit everyone except James and Davis (who really can't be stopped, they can just have poor games), they have a puncher's chance. Lillard is looking like Steph Curry, hitting demoralizing shots and dancing.

their offense is atrocious. and they have 0 playmakers outside of lebron. and wtf happened to danny green's jumpshot?

 

[GhostOfPGA]

WE PLAYED DEFENSE

IM POSITIVE THE COPS ARE GONNA BE CALLED

FUCK LA!!!

Update cops were not called, neighbors cool!

 

[theprunetang]

Maybe they had to give us some incentive to take Swanigan back?

Wenyen was the throw in player, Swanigan was the throw up player.

 

[Tince]

Not going to argue. I think he could be a starter on a good team as well, depending on how the starting lineup is built.

Totally could be!

 

[Wheels]

I’d like to point out the run the Blazers are on since I’ve been able to watch them again. #GlueGuy

 

[wizenheimer]

Wasn’t Skal still better than WG?

between Skal, Zach, and Gabriel, I think Skal was the best this year, but not by much

I hope the knee issue doesn't monkey-wrench his career

 

[oldmangrouch]

I've never understood this theory. So Collins is to be blamed because someone else thought he was worth a 10th pick? That is not Collins fault. Collins was an effort guy who came off the bench at Gonzaga. That's exactly what he's been for us. Why should we bash Collins for this? Shouldn't we be bashing the guy who took him 10th?

Absolutely Olshey deserves criticism for this. Does that mean Collins is entitled to the same treatment Meyers got? Should we keep him around and over-pay him because his selection wasn't his fault?

No offence, but you make this sound like some sort of moral judgement on Collins. That has nothing to do with my argument.

 

[Scalma]

Teams are still trapping dame but the difference now is that instead of moe Harkless and al farouq Aminu getting open looks it’s Gary Trent Jr and...Carmelo Anthony. And a healthy Nurk to make those passes.

 

[tykendo]

Great win. 1 down, 15 to go. Now is not the time to hammer Zach. He's still developing. Yes he played like dooky for the most part in the Bubble. But his defense was key in last year's Denver series. We will need him to achieve our goal. Go Blazers!! rip city! YES SIR

 

[Mediocre Man]

Great win! No idea how we managed without one of our pillars

 

[theprunetang]

Teams are still trapping dame but the difference now is that instead of moe Harkless and al farouq Aminu getting open looks it’s Gary Trent Jr and...Carmelo Anthony. And a healthy Nurk to make those passes.

Especially when they would get the ball and have to dribble more than once.

 

[Scalma]

Great win. 1 down, 15 to go. Now is not the time to hammer Zach. He's still developing. Yes he played like dooky for the most part in the Bubble. But his defense was key in last year's Denver series. We will need him to achieve our goal. Go Blazers!! rip city! YES SIR

If your first reaction after this game is to shit on Collins, why do you even watch the sport?

 

[Pinwheel1]

Dame played 43, CJ 42
LBJ played 41, AD 39

Not a huge difference.

The Lakers basically played 1 extra guy. We could use Zach's 6 fouls moving forward but we must let sleeping dogs lie. Don't piss off LBJ or AD. Play smart and win smart. Other than dribbling in traffic too many times I thought the Blazers played a smart game.

 

[santeesioux]

I’d like to point out the run the Blazers are on since I’ve been able to watch them again. #GlueGuy

It was all you dude!

 

[Titan]

It’s only game 1 but we are the only team to limit the opposition to less than 100 points so far in this playoffs.

 

[Tince]

Absolutely Olshey deserves criticism for this. Does that mean Collins is entitled to the same treatment Meyers got? Should we keep him around and over-pay him because his selection wasn't his fault?

No offence, but you make this sound like some sort of moral judgement on Collins. That has nothing to do with my argument.

No offence taken, I can handle the critisism, it's often well deserved.

Tonight our starting PF scored 4 points, had 3 rebounds, and 5 fouls. I appreciated what Wenyen did for us tonight, but my post was directed to those who implied anyone could come off the bench and be better than Collins. Clearly that was not the case.

 

[SlyPokerDog]

 

[wizenheimer]

It’s only game 1 but we are the only team to limit the opposition to less than 100 points so far in this playoffs.

Lakers shooting: