Game Thread PLAYOFFS: ROUND 1, GAME 3: BLAZERS @ THUNDER - APRIL 19, 2019, FRIDAY, 6:30 PM , ESPN & NBCSNW

[DUB]

Tonight’s 3PM/A (%)
Portland - 12/31 (38.7%)
OKC - 15/29 (51.7%)

Season average 3P%
Portland - 35.9%
OKC - 34.8%

Apply the season averages to the three point attempts taken tonight and we still don’t win.

Portland - 11/31 (35.5%) or 10/31 (32.3%)
OKC - 10/29 (34.5%) or 11/29 (37.9%)

So reduce Portland’s score by three or six points, and reduce OKC’s score by 12 or 15 points.

Portland - 105 or 102
OKC - 108 or 105

Best case scenario, we force overtime.

So I don’t see three point shooting (by either team) as the reason we lost.

I think other factors played a larger part in our loss.

 

[JDC]

What adjustments did he make?

More wedge pnr, double drags, screens set higher on the floor....

 

[TorturedBlazerFan]

The weird thing about this game was I thought the Blazers were fouling a lot and OKC deserved there FT's. I just also thought OKC was a fouling a lot too. Both teams were bodying, hip checking, holding grabbing, slapping away. They choose to call it fairly one-sided though. Which you know, that's how home court typically works. Role players play better at home, and refs tend to give you more calls too.

The Blazers need to go back to where Dame or CJ is on the court all the time, they have some decent players on the bench but none of them can really get their own shots (especially with as physical as things have been).

I think the Blazers are in pretty good shape for this series, you know OKC's 3 point shooting would go back towards the means, but they aren't going to shoot that well very often.

 

[KingSpeed]

37 + 9 = 43?

please don't tell me you're counting pre-season

Yep. Counting all home games. I think it's very likely this series goes 7 and I think we will be triumphant at home.

 

[Strenuus]

Yep. Counting all home games. I think it's very likely this series goes 7 and I think we will be triumphant at home.

This series goes 5. We are so much better than them.

 

[TorturedBlazerFan]

Oh I thought maybe he called the ref something not very nice...he had a bad game

He started out well, and I thought his defense was ok, but they were calling everything and I think it took him out of his game.

 

[BonesJones]

More wedge pnr, more double drags, screens set higher on the floor....

Thank you for being someone that I can actually discuss X's & O's with.

These are all things that I've been asking for, last year and before this series, but I "didnt" know what I was talking about when I asked for them.

I saw a few possessions with these actions, but still a lot of stagnant halfcourt offense with little to no player & ball movement, which relied on slow-deceloping basic PnR to bail it out, with which Dame had success due to insane play on his part.

 

[KingSpeed]

This series goes 5. We are so much better than them.

I like you're thinking. I think it'll go 7 but we'll see.

 

[D-Rock]

I don't mind the loss too much, but dispite the offensive grinding to a halt with the second unit in second quarter Putting us in a big hole, OKC shooting lights out from three and an insane amount of free throws, we still could have had this game. We had taken the lead in the fourth, but went away from things that were working and didn't get very many stops in the middle of the fourth. I don't think OKC can much better from a team perspective, and they were really only a few calls and misses away from losing, so Portland is still in good shape.

 

[oldmangrouch]

They should get fined for all those next question answers

Or they could avoid the problem by not forcing players to do interviews. I'm sure every team has players that enjoy shmoozing with the press, so turn them loose and leave the more private types in peace. Nothing meaningful is ever said anyway.

 

[Strenuus]

I like you're thinking. I think it'll go 7 but we'll see.

If it goes 7 i pay for pizza and beer or whatever you like and we watch a 2nd round road game at your place.

If we win in 5, you pay.

That keeps it a mostly win-win wager where we still win with food!

 

[BonesJones]

If it goes 5, I'll pay for dinner and beer or whatever you like and we watch a 2nd round road game at your place.

If we win in 7, you pay.

That keeps it a mostly win-win wager where we still win with food!

A wager with KingSpeed... Will this end with you on ignore?

 

[illmatic99]

What adjustments did he make?

Key was setting screens closer to half court allow Dame a runway to go down hill. Then there was another play when CJ was trapped and Dame came over as the release guy using a sorta flare thing. And we sped it up before they got set. A lot of it was Dame's aggression ramping up but the slight changes facilitated it

 

[LuckyShot]

Wow- Russ and PG13 are complete shitheads.

FTFY

 

[JDC]

Or they could avoid the problem by not forcing players to do interviews. I'm sure every team has players that enjoy shmoozing with the press, so turn them loose and leave the more private types in peace. Nothing meaningful is ever said anyway.

Journalists need to make a living

 

[TorturedBlazerFan]

Or they could avoid the problem by not forcing players to do interviews. I'm sure every team has players that enjoy shmoozing with the press, so turn them loose and leave the more private types in peace. Nothing meaningful is ever said anyway.

The problem for the NBA is the media (TV) is where they make their money. They want those guys in front of the camera talking. I get what you’re saying but they get paid millions of dollars and most of that money comes from the media they act like they hate so much. It isnt that hard to play nice for two minutes after a game.

 

[Strenuus]

A wager with KingSpeed... Will this end with you on ignore?

Haha this wager is way more friendly and only involves money that goes towards something we can both enjoy.

 

[TorturedBlazerFan]

Journalists need to make a living

So do basketball players. They’re both making a lot of money from each other.

 

[BonesJones]

Key was setting screens closer to half court allow Dame a runway to go down hill. Then there was another play when CJ was trapped and Dame came over as the release guy using a sorta flare thing. And we sped it up before they got set. A lot of it was Dame's aggression ramping up but the slight changes facilitated it

Fair observation for sure. Gonna rewatch with an unbiased perspective.

Thing is, we shouldve been doing these things much more often, and from the start, so either way I still take issue with the coaching in this game.

 

[Boise Blazer]

I know this sounds like a weak statement coming off of a loss but watching George and Westbrook acting the way they did in the game and interview makes me so thankful for Dame above and beyond whatever happens in this series.

 

[JDC]

So do basketball players. They’re both making a lot of money from each other.

It's part of the job and every job involves doing things we don't like.

It's 10 minutes of someone's time...

 

[illmatic99]

Fair observation for sure. Gonna rewatch with an unbiased perspective.

Thing is, we shouldve been doing these things much more often, and from the start, so either way I still take issue with the coaching in this game.

check out some of those double screen sets with Zach and Meyers, that action was beautiful. I wish we played that in the fourth more.

 

[oldmangrouch]

This series goes 5. We are so much better than them.

No team can win 5-on-8.

 

[TorturedBlazerFan]

It's part of the job and every job involves doing things we don't like.

It's 10 minutes of someone's time...

I just dont feel all that bad for NBA players having to answer mostly stupid questions.

They dont seem to understand that while the media stinks at times, that the money train is from basically the media...

 

[JDC]

Still have a good feeling about this one.

Like Strenuus, I think it ends on Tuesday.

And a 15 hour round trip drive won't keep me from being there to witness it.

 

[A$AP Meyers]

Pretty clear to me this goes 7. Line is already out for Sunday and OKC is -6.5. I think both teams hold at home and that game 7 will be incredible.

 

[A$AP Meyers]

I hope I’m wrong and that we put these clowns to bed Tuesday.

 

[BonesJones]

check out some of those double screen sets with Zach and Meyers, that action was beautiful. I wish we played that in the fourth more.

I don't like those that much. Forces the action literally and to far towards to sideline, and makes it hard to turn downhill due to traffic (even though he was still able to do so once or twice).

 

[oldmangrouch]

Wow- Russ and PG13 are complete shitheads to the media.

Do you feel that way when members of the Blazers don't want to talk to Quick or Canzano? Most of these contentious relationships start on the media side.

 

[Strenuus]

Do you feel that way when members of the Blazers don't want to talk to Quick or Canzano? Most of these contentious relationships start on the media side.

Who doesn't talk to those two?