Game Thread PLAYOFFS: ROUND 1, GAME 1: BLAZERS @ NUGGETS - MAY 22, 2021 - SATURDAY, 7:30, ESPN

[KSF-ERIC]

I would totally bring in RHJ for Porter Jr but we know Stotts prioritizes offense over defense so that ain't gonna happen.

Jesus I'm glad you're not the coach. We win a game by 14 and you want to shake things up?

 

[Titan]

Jokic really doesn’t get much assist playing us. The blazers must be in his head because he tends to just do it all himself and not setup and make plays for others.

 

[AldoTrapani]

Listen I owe everybody an apology. I panicked.

I called the blazers out. But if anybody reads this forum I expected this from the blazers but I panicked early. But good wim!!!! Let’s go!!!!

 

[brooklynballer]

Ball movement and assists don’t matter! LMFAO. When the team plays unselfish ball like they did tonight with the GREAT passing, they can literally beat anyone! Anyone!

 

[MadeFromDust]

Very good win. I doubt we will keep shooting the three that well but it looks pretty obvious that Denver does not have the firepower to keep up with us. Their defense might be worse than ours and that's saying something.

 

[Phatguysrule]

We played disciplined ball. We frustrated them all night with our defense. They came out and let Dame get what he wanted (I guess they didn't get the memo that you beat us by taking Dame out of the game in the playoffs). So, if they're going to play like this going forward, this should be a very quick series. I have a feeling they'll make adjustments though.

They tried at the end. Dame hit Nurk and Powell to make them pay.

 

[Fairly-Hard]

That is what i was looking for! Blazers taking care of business!

 

[PCmor7]

Great win. Joker only getting 1 assist was big, perhaps I was wrong saying double him, we should make him shoot and limit his great passing ability. Keep up the intensity, don't want another repeat of last years playoffs.

You don't want to double Jokic. You want him to shoot 25 shots per game and play defense, because that takes more out of him than taking 18 shots and standing still and dishing out 7 assists.

There was a sequence near the end of the game. Nurk got the ball down low and had four Nuggets around him. Jokic was the fourth, coming in from behind. He was walking in. Nurk lost the ball, got it back, scored and was fouled while Jokic stood and watched from 2 feet away.

You make Jokic get up and down the floor, have to exert energy making offensive moves and make him have to exert energy on defense. He's not in the kind of physical condition to be THAT player. He needs possessions that he can take off and just survey the court and make backdoor passes.

You make him shoot. A lot.

 

[Chris Craig]

Jokic really doesn’t get much assist playing us. The blazers must be in his head because he tends to just do it all himself and not setup and make plays for others.

No Murray. He has to do it himself

 

[blazerkor]

Great coaching by Stotts!

Yeah, all he needed to do was tell Dame to keep taking if they are going to give him everything with single coverage in the offensive half court. He also just needed to tell the guys to keep their defensive intensity up and they did. It was the perfect type of game for Stotts to coach... we needed a cheerleader in a game without adversity.

 

[crandc]

Denver isn't going to roll over and play dead. Blazers have to slay the monster.

 

[Chris Craig]

Listen I owe everybody an apology. I panicked.

I called the blazers out. But if anybody reads this forum I expected this from the blazers but I panicked early. But good wim!!!! Let’s go!!!!

What did I say? Those who were crying don't get to say they knew the Blazers would win

 

[KSF-ERIC]

Broooooooms

The last time we won a series 4-0 was 1977.

 

[brooklynballer]

You don't want to double Jokic. You want him to shoot 25 shots per game and play defense, because that takes more out of him than taking 18 shots and standing still and dishing out 7 assists.

There was a sequence near the end of the game. Nurk got the ball down low and had four Nuggets around him. Jokic was the fourth, coming in from behind. He was walking in. Nurk lost the ball, got it back, scored and was fouled while Jokic stood and watched from 2 feet away.

You make Jokic get up and down the floor, have to exert energy making offensive moves and make him have to exert energy on defense. He's not in the kind of physical condition to be THAT player. He needs possessions that he can take off and just survey the court and make backdoor passes.

You make him shoot. A lot.

Yes. His conditioning is still quite poor. Make him work like a dog in the first three quarters and he won’t have any gas left in the tank by the fourth.

 

[Chris Craig]

Denver isn't going to roll over and play dead. Blazers have to slay the monster.

Looks like they are going for the juglar

 

[James lamphear]

Our bench out score there bench 34-20 that's big.

 

[wizenheimer]

It pisses me off that the NBA allows players like crapazzo to be that physical with dame.

Stotts should complain about it loudly in the media and pay the fine. Dame shot 9 FT's this game but he should have shot 20 if they called that little pest for the actual fouls.

 

[SlyPokerDog]

 

[DDolla]

We win the 3rd and finish them early

Called it

 

[riverman]

Norman Powell > Aaron Gordon all day long!

 

[blazerkor]

They tried at the end. Dame hit Nurk and Powell to make them pay.

Yeah if they let Dame into the game he will either torch the nets or pick them apart with his passing. We'll see if they get guys back and/or can make adjustments. @KSF-ERIC said that game 1 doesn't mean anything, I think it does but it does not determine the series by any means.

 

[PDXFonz]

Fact: Damian Lillard scored or assisted on over 1/2 of the Blazers total points scored tonight

= Blazers 1
Nuggets 0

 

[riverman]

Dame's Iron Mike Tyson face!

 

[PCmor7]

Yes. His conditioning is still quite poor. Make him work like a dog in the first three quarters and he won’t have any gas left in the tank by the fourth.

 

[OneSport3]

Denver should have kept Grant. They really broke up a decent roster.

Grant said he didn’t want to stay. He wanted the chance to shine on his own team.

 

[Strenuus]

I'd love if they cropped out the Denver player cause that's an iconic picture.

 

[riverman]

Fact: Damian Lillard scored or assisted on over 1/2 of the Blazers total points scored tonight

He's going to make this series about who's the real MVP by the time it's over....it's going to be fun to watch!

 

[Wizard Mentor]

When it comes to home court advantage for the Nuggets....
The NBA giveth, and the Lillard taketh away.

 

[blazerkor]

Norman Powell > Aaron Gordon all day long!

I would politely disagree but that's OK, if they're not going to exploit their size and athletic advantage against us at the forward spots, then we will continue to feast on them... which is fine by me.

 

[wizenheimer]

The last time we won a series 4-0 was 1977.

lol...I know where you're going with that