Game Thread PLAYOFFS: ROUND 1, GAME 2: THUNDER @ BLAZERS - APRIL 16, 2019, TUESDAY, 7:30 PM, TNT & NBCSNW

[James lamphear]

Explains the one frustration I had with how the Blazers were using (or not using) Collins. He scored a couple times with nice moves down low, and I thought to myself, "Why don't they feed Zach down low and let him go to work in the post a little." Immediately after he came out, they gave Kanter a post touch (which he missed), and I thought to myself, "Would've been nice to try that with Zach".

But if he doesn't actually know the playbook the way he should, then it would make sense that he's not getting possessions.

I don't think that was reason he took Zach out. I think reason they put Adams back in and Stotts rather have Leonard on him instead of Zach. That just might been the real reason.

 

[wizenheimer]

I also can't get over how horrific Collins has looked on both ends of the floor. When Meyers is so substantially better than you and it isn't even close, you have some problems. Dude needs to get out of his own head. He had one really nice bl0ck on WB last night and was largely invisible outside of it. The opportunity is right there for him and he's blowing it.

yeah...I really want to like Zach and get enthused about his upside, but his play is making it hard to do either

 

[Natebishop3]

It's games like this that make me baffled when people want to trade CJ.

I would have traded CJ for Paul George in a heartbeat.

There's a reason why people widely consider Nurk to be our second best player.

CJ is good for one thing and one thing only.

 

[Pinwheel1]

Explains the one frustration I had with how the Blazers were using (or not using) Collins. He scored a couple times with nice moves down low, and I thought to myself, "Why don't they feed Zach down low and let him go to work in the post a little." Immediately after he came out, they gave Kanter a post touch (which he missed), and I thought to myself, "Would've been nice to try that with Zach".

But if he doesn't actually know the playbook the way he should, then it would make sense that he's not getting possessions.

I like Zach and think he will be much better next year. ( I always said year 3 for him) But right now I don't trust his hands enough to "feed him" any more than we do. He is too inconsistent right now holding onto the ball to be the focal point of the offense. Let him concentrate on what he does best.

 

[blue9]

CJ is good for one thing and one thing only.

It's a good thing that one thing he's good at is the most important thing.

 

[e_blazer]

I would have traded CJ for Paul George in a heartbeat.

There's a reason why people widely consider Nurk to be our second best player.

CJ is good for one thing and one thing only.

Scoring more points in combination with Dame than the other team's stars?

Doesn't seem like a bad thing to have in your arsenal.

 

[PtldPlatypus]

I don't think that was reason he took Zach out. I think reason they put Adams back in and Stotts rather have Leonard on him instead of Zach. That just might been the real reason.

Oh, I understand that they pulled him because Adams came in. I was just saying that his cluelessness on offense was the reason they didn't give him much opportunity to work in the post.

 

[Pinwheel1]

I would have traded CJ for Paul George in a heartbeat.

There's a reason why people widely consider Nurk to be our second best player.

CJ is good for one thing and one thing only.

Sure there are a couple scenarios like that where I would too. But too many fans act like there are lots of those scenarios. Was that one ever even proven?

 

[Propagandist]

I would have traded CJ for Paul George in a heartbeat.

There's a reason why people widely consider Nurk to be our second best player.

CJ is good for one thing and one thing only.

Whoa bro. Things are clicking right now, why so rain cloudy?

 

[TBpup]

A smaller guy who is a very good scorer versus a bigger guy who can really score AND play very good defense.

Seems easy. Overall I think George is better ....and put George with Dame instead of Westbrick and watch him get even better.

 

[bemac]

Oh, I understand that they pulled him because Adams came in. I was just saying that his cluelessness on offense was the reason they didn't give him much opportunity to work in the post.

So, some person in a forum claims they saw Collins confused on one play in an NBA game and now he's clueless on offense? Wow.

The guy has game and all the tools to be great. I'll focus on the big picture with him.

 

[Cugel]

Yeah I am puzzled: CJ clearly outplays PG and Russel in the playoffs. So why would you want to do that trade? All you hear, and I mean all you hear, is that playoffs are the only thing that matters. CJ delivers when it counts

 

[Blazers Roy]

I would have traded CJ for Paul George in a heartbeat.

There's a reason why people widely consider Nurk to be our second best player.

CJ is good for one thing and one thing only.

Do we really need to write that horseshit while we're winning in the playoffs??
CJ was huge in winning us games after his injury, lets be fans and support the team, lets enjoy it while we can.

PG was never a possibility anyway, it's time to move forward.

 

[Minstrel]

Harkless is always trailing George on the PnR while someone helps on the weak side and Kanter or whoever drops in the paint. They're game planning HARD for PG. They are mostly playing Russ straight up. Once PG is in the paint there are 3 guys around him.

This is a big reason OKC doesn't have a lot of success in the playoffs despite "two superstars." Paul George on the pick-and-roll isn't that dangerous because you can both trail and hedge without fear of other guys beating you, because their other guys can't hit shots. The pick-and-roll is supposed to put defenses into a bind unless you can switch everything--but it stops being a bind if you can essentially let both defenders on the pick-and-roll focus on George and let him pass it to the open guy. When that open guy clanks the shot, just get the rebound. Pick-and-roll solved.

 

[PtldPlatypus]

So, some person in a forum claims they saw Collins confused on one play in an NBA game and now he's clueless on offense? Wow.

The guy has game and all the tools to be great. I'll focus on the big picture with him.

Apologies. I should have said "perhaps cluelessness on offense might have been the reason" he wasn't fed down low. This is all speculation; I'm not trying to make any definitive statements about him.

I apologize for the miscommunication.

As I've also said in this thread, I'm also looking forward to what he can do next year. I'm hoping for a big jump.

 

[Blazers Roy]

Also, why arent OKC doing Adams\WB pick and rolls on EVERY possession? It's clear as day Kanter can't stop Adams or WB after the switch.

Why are they taking so many threes?! Charles Barkley: "it’s this thing... like all these dummies in the NBA now... I mean, Shaq, at some point it ain’t going!”

It's a good thing OKC lose 90% basketball IQ in the postseason.

 

[illmatic99]

This is a big reason OKC doesn't have a lot of success in the playoffs despite "two superstars." Paul George on the pick-and-roll isn't that dangerous because you can both trail and hedge without fear of other guys beating you, because their other guys can't hit shots. The pick-and-roll is supposed to put defenses into a bind unless you can switch everything--but it stops being a bind if you can essentially let both defenders on the pick-and-roll focus on George and let him pass it to the open guy. When that open guy clanks the shot, just get the rebound. Pick-and-roll solved.

Sounds like the same problems we have had in this iteration of the Blazers.

 

[Reep]

Yeah I am puzzled: CJ clearly outplays PG and Russel in the playoffs. So why would you want to do that trade? All you hear, and I mean all you hear, is that playoffs are the only thing that matters. CJ delivers when it counts

There are two parts to this analysis:
1) Yes, when CJ is hitting shots he is fantastic and helps the team. But, when he is off, he continues to take shots and doesn't add much else, which drags the team down. I love that he is playing well right now, but would also love someone with a more well-rounded game;
2) Dame's Defense: The Dame and CJ combo struggles when one or both aren't hitting, and when they were both poor defensively. Dame stepping up on defense makes CJ's lesser defense, less of a liability.

As long as Dame continues to defend at an average or plus level, I think Dame/CJ can work. If Dame's defense relapsed, then you are only relying on CJ getting hot or not in closely contested games.

 

[e_blazer]

Sounds like the same problems we have had in this iteration of the Blazers.

This "iteration of the Blazers" is being set up quite nicely to have a shot at the WCF.

 

[riverman]

Yes Please.

Notice the lips...somebody has had some work done...she's gone Angelina Jolie...

 

[Minstrel]

Sounds like the same problems we have had in this iteration of the Blazers.

The dynamic has affected the Blazers off and on and is true for any team--pick-and-rolls are only as effective as the players you have around your star. McCollum, at least, is a knock-down shooter whereas Westbrook isn't. When players like Harkless or Aminu or Crabbe were knocking down open shots, the Blazers were hard to stop. When the supporting cast couldn't do that, double-teaming Lillard became an easy way to derail the offense, and not because Lillard or even Stotts was deficient.

 

[TorturedBlazerFan]

The most impressive part of this series to me that I haven't really seen brought up is that the Blazers have been physical. Let's face it a lot of the "rap" on the Blazers the last few years is they're "soft". Hands down last year NO punched them in the mouth said you can't stop us and they repeatedly punched the Blazers over and over. OKC especially in game two really threw their punches, got really physical, pushing, pulling, grabbing, trying to get into the Blazers heads and the Blazers have met every single blow with a blow of their own, not just in the shooting but in meeting that level of physicality and toughness and dishing it back. In fact what really spurred the Blazers on last night was Dame not taking WB's crap, and going to the basket even with Schroeder grabbing and holding him.
Doesn't mean they're winning a championship, doesn't mean they'll win this series, but man it's nice to see them stand toe to toe physically with what's considered a physical chippy team and punch them right back w/o blinking.

 

[RSC60]

@RSC60 is Tunchi if you want caught up.

?

 

[Dougnsalem]

50?

Donuts come by the dozen.

It's Felton. I'm thinking he was saying 50 dozen.....

 

[Reep]

I hate to even bring this up, but why the heck isn't he getting 15 attempts per game? The go to him early, he kills us efficiently, and then they just stop. I don't understand that.

I was reading their obituary in OKC SBNation site, and the writer was harping on the same thing. Seems so obvious there must be a reason.

 

[RSC60]

Dame said in his on-court postgame interview that they want to get atleast one.

Damn that woman is bad

 

[RSC60]

I will say one thing though.

Evan Turner is THRASH. We NEED to stop playing him.

I think he is the worst player on the team. And I'm not even joking or exagerating

Totally agree this guy is going to fuck us bad some point in this series. He really needs to have some DNP-CD in this series. He’s playing terribly in this series

 

[James lamphear]

Oh, I understand that they pulled him because Adams came in. I was just saying that his cluelessness on offense was the reason they didn't give him much opportunity to work in the post.

Sometimes it looks like he gets a little lost out there I will admit that too.

 

[James lamphear]

The most impressive part of this series to me that I haven't really seen brought up is that the Blazers have been physical. Let's face it a lot of the "rap" on the Blazers the last few years is they're "soft". Hands down last year NO punched them in the mouth said you can't stop us and they repeatedly punched the Blazers over and over. OKC especially in game two really threw their punches, got really physical, pushing, pulling, grabbing, trying to get into the Blazers heads and the Blazers have met every single blow with a blow of their own, not just in the shooting but in meeting that level of physicality and toughness and dishing it back. In fact what really spurred the Blazers on last night was Dame not taking WB's crap, and going to the basket even with Schroeder grabbing and holding him.
Doesn't mean they're winning a championship, doesn't mean they'll win this series, but man it's nice to see them stand toe to toe physically with what's considered a physical chippy team and punch them right back w/o blinking.

I think that have surprised OKC too. I believe that really have OKC out of there game a little. Zach standing up Morris and Dame standing up to Westbrook and Adams. Hard fouls by Harkless and ET. CJ got T in the 1st game because taking crap.

 

[noknobs]

I would have traded CJ for Paul George in a heartbeat.

There's a reason why people widely consider Nurk to be our second best player.

CJ is good for one thing and one thing only.

Oh did Olshey turn that offer down?

It can't be overstated how important it is to have two guards that dynamic on offense who can both be playmakers and handle the ball, especially when playing an opponent like OKC who are always swarming Damian.