Game Thread PLAYOFFS: ROUND 1, GAME 5: THUNDER @ BLAZERS - APRIL 23, 2019, TUESDAY, 7:30 PM, TNT & NBCSNW

[blue9]

-They are hiding Westbrook on Hood. Rodney needs to get the ball and take advantage.

It's crazy that OKC is hiding their "good defender", while Dame - until recently known as a poor defender - is going up against both Westbrook and George (on the switch) and mostly shutting them down.

 

[BBert]

Good thing I got my tickets when I did. After last night, the price probably doubled.

On second thought, maybe now would be a good time to sell

 

[illmatic99]

If OKC wants to purposely take their 3rd best player out of this series to run better traps then this series is over already.

We did better last game but without Nurk the Thunder have a clear advantage with Adams who has been money in the paint but for some reason (selfish stars) they fail to exploit it.

Right? It's baffling. Adams got played off the floor last night. Stotts is coaching circles against Donovan this series.

 

[rotary111]

Shuffling through various threads this morning... I had to go back and make sure we won.

Does everyone know we just won a huge game 4? People seem salty.

Go Blazers, all of them. Yes, Even ET, Jake and Rodney.

It's the playoffs. We need EVERYBODY for game 5!

 

[EGame]

I wouldn't be surprised if Schroeder started this game in place of either Ferguson or having Grant move to the 5 and Adams starts on the bench. Either way our gameplan should remain the same, make Westbrick shoot jumpers and good things will happen.

 

[PCmor7]

I think OKC found something the fourth by putting Grant in at center and letting him and PG trap Dame. It opened up stuff for CJ a bit to go one on one, but this might be something they'll continue doing in Game 5.

Keys will be:

-Kanter/Collins/Leonard making right decisions on the short roll
-Kanter posting up Grant deeper
-Dame showing patience
-They are hiding Westbrook on Hood. Rodney needs to get the ball and take advantage.

Series isn't over. I really don't wanna go back to OKC.

Yeah, but there are a couple of problems with this for OKC.

First, playing for that kind of energy for 5 minutes against a team not expecting that desperation ploy and keeping it up for longer stretches against experienced guards that now have seen it are two different things. And, in the end, we started to figure it out, we made them pay and it didn't slice much of anything out of our lead.

Second, the officials really let OKC play during that stretch. Dame got hit going to the hoop and there was no call. Dame clearly establishes position for PG's baseline drive and gets called for a block. Guys are getting ridden up the floor. That's not going to happen again to the extent it did in Game 4.

 

[B-Roy]

Right? It's baffling. Adams got played off the floor last night. Stotts is coaching circles against Donovan this series.

I said this in another thread but I'm gonna echo it again here.

Blazers are doing to PG what the Pelicans did to Dame and CJ. Difference is Dame and CJ are attacking the traps better now. It also helps that they don't have Jrue Holiday and Anthony Davis doing the trapping, as Steven Adams is not nimble enough to jump out on the picks and recover to his man. It's jarring that Kanter is actually playing passable pick and roll defense and challenging shots at the rim, while Steven Adams is getting played off the floor because the Blazers are attacking him in the pick and roll. It's literally the opposite of what you expected to happen this series.

At one point in the 3rd quarter they started putting Grant on Kanter and Adams on Harkless just so Enes couldn't set the screen on Dame. In the 4th they just gave that up completely and took Adams out of the game entirely.

I think that's pretty solid coaching from Stotts. Now if he would just cut ET out of the rotation altogether....

 

[illmatic99]

Was disappointed SA didn't hold serve on their home court and go up 3-1. I'd rather have HCA against the Spurs than be on the road against a young Nuggets team gaining confidence. That said, I think we can beat Denver has well. Just have to get Game 5 here and then Game 1 in Denver if they win.

I just don't want to play Torrey Craig. That dude is a monster whenever I watch him.

 

[SIeepwalker]

We need EVERYBODY for game 5!

No. We don't need ET. Do you want to win game 5 too ? Well having his ass on the bench at all time increases our chances.

 

[SIeepwalker]

I just don't want to play Torrey Craig. That dude is a monster whenever I watch him.

I'd rather play the Spurs. Without Nurk, Jokic is a huge problem. Against the Spurs we can out Aminu on Aldridge and he'll do a decent job. They don't have anyone scary at center. I think we match up well better against them than Denver.

But let's worry about closing this series first

 

[kjironman1]

Thunder have a clear advantage with Adams who has been money in the paint but for some reason (selfish stars) they fail to exploit it.

Absolute HEAD SCRATCH? Did Meyers do well enough to make them just quit using their best advantage?

 

[Wizard Mentor]

If we win game 5, Westbrick's legacy is going to be called into question. The media has been entranced by triple-doubles, and gave him the MVP for it.
Now, they're learning that triple-doubles don't matter. Russ hasn't won a playoff series post-KD (since 2016).

If they lose, Russ will have won 4 playoff games in 3 years, which is as bad as the Blazers. However, national pundits had the Thunder making noise
while the Blazers weren't supposed to make the playoffs....

 

[Wade Garrett]

I think OKC found something the fourth by putting Grant in at center and letting him and PG trap Dame. It opened up stuff for CJ a bit to go one on one, but this might be something they'll continue doing in Game 5.

Keys will be:

-Kanter/Collins/Leonard making right decisions on the short roll
-Kanter posting up Grant deeper
-Dame showing patience
-They are hiding Westbrook on Hood. Rodney needs to get the ball and take advantage.

Series isn't over. I really don't wanna go back to OKC.

The way Portland is playing it doesn't really matter what okc does.
The Blazers are simply the better team.

 

[twobullz]

It would be nice if Seth and Hood had some offensive output in this game. Just to take a little pressure of the starters. The last two games they have not really ran many plays for either. Being back home Should give the bench a boost and have a negative impact on OKC's roll players.

 

[Minstrel]

Shuffling through various threads this morning... I had to go back and make sure we won.

Does everyone know we just won a huge game 4? People seem salty.

Go Blazers, all of them. Yes, Even ET, Jake and Rodney.

It's the playoffs. We need EVERYBODY for game 5!

Exactly!

Except ET.

 

[B-Roy]

It would be nice if Seth and Hood had some offensive output in this game. Just to take a little pressure of the starters. The last two games they have not really ran many plays for either. Being back home Should give the bench a boost and have a negative impact on OKC's roll players.

Hood seems like a rhythm guy, and when he's not constantly touching the ball it's hard for him to get into a rhythm.

I don't know if I would run more plays for Hood, we're doing well, and he still spaces the floor pretty well. He's also playing pretty good defense on George when they do get matched up.

But I do agree it would be nice to try and get him going a bit more. Maybe just give some of CJ/Enes/Dame's iso's to Hood.

 

[Strenuus]

A ticket in the section I bought my ticket in is more than double. Mine was $105 (pre-fees), to $240. I would never have gone if the price was $250+, so I feel very fortunate.

 

[Wade Garrett]

Hood seems like a rhythm guy, and when he's not constantly touching the ball it's hard for him to get into a rhythm.

I don't know if I would run more plays for Hood, we're doing well, and he still spaces the floor pretty well. He's also playing pretty good defense on George when they do get matched up.

But I do agree it would be nice to try and get him going a bit more. Maybe just give some of CJ/Enes/Dame's iso's to Hood.

Hood doesn't have a right hand.
He must be on the left side in order to accomplish anything.
Watch what happens when Hood is offensively on the right side.We playin 4 against 5.

 

[B-Roy]

Also, I dunno where else to put this but SOLID props to Kanter for improving his defense.

Some of it may be because our scheme is easy against a team with no shooters but I honestly feel like Kanter has gotten better as a defender since coming to Portland. In the first few games I honestly thought we couldn't play him. He flails his arms on pick and rolls and whenever anyone gets deep position on him he's reaching in and fouling on every possession.

In this series and near the end of the season he's executing our scheme as well as you could expect. He drops back on the pick and rolls and when someone comes at the rim he's doing an excellent job of just putting the hands up and not swiping on every single possession. Basically just be as big as he can be since he doesn't have the biggest length in the world to contest shots with. Reminds me of Mason Plumlee, he's a bit undersized and won't ever be an excellent defensive player, but he can fit into a good defensive scheme and make some good defensive plays as long as his positioning is correct.

Seriously, mad props to him. He was worse than Meyers on defense when he first came here. Now he's a net neutral/slight positive on most nights and that is crazy considering the reputation he came in with. Maybe he just needed the right team and coaching in order to realize his potential on that end. Super proud of him and hoping we can keep him somehow...

 

[Cugel]

The way Portland is playing it doesn't really matter what okc does.
The Blazers are simply the better team.

For some reason, I feel like even if the blazers win the series they won't be seen as the better team in lots of "expert's" eyes! They will turn it into Russ played bad and that's why Portland won. I wouldn't be shocked if they are still the underdog according to Vegas on Tuesday. People are starting to take notice of this team but I would say they are not getting the respect they deserve. All series its been Russ this and PG that, and maybe Portland wants it more. But I have yet to see/hear anyone, other than Barkley, to say we are clearly the better team at this point in the season. It's very very hard for them to accept what is clearly fact.

Edit: The Line has us at -3, which is hardly a lock. Basically even money. IIRC OKC was -6.5 on Sunday

 

[e_blazer]

I don't know about the rest of you, but I can't wait for tomorrow night's game. I'm having a really hard time focusing on work today.

I know players are not supposed to look ahead more than the next game, but I'm not a player and fans don't have similar restrictions. I hope the Blazer can close out the Thunder tomorrow and get an extra day or two of rest over the eventual winner of the Nuggets/Spurs series. It would be great if the Spurs win it so the Blazers don't have to start the next one on the road and at mile-high altitude, but either way I see the Blazers continuing to cook. WCF here we come! Bring on the Warriors or Rockets!

Maybe I need to cut back on the caffeine a bit.

 

[Minstrel]

The Blazers Really Want Russell Westbrook To Keep Shooting

Russell Westbrook’s jumper has never been his best friend, but the relationship between the two has become particularly standoffish in the Thunder’s first-round playoff series against the Blazers. Westbrook keeps asking his jumper if he wouldn’t mind pitching in this time around, maybe help him advance out of the first round for once, and his jumper just keeps rolling its eyes and leaving the house without saying goodbye.

Unfortunately for Westbrook, the Blazers know exactly how to pick at the scabs covering an old and wounded relationship. Throughout last night’s Game 4 victory, the Blazers repeatedly reminded everyone on the floor that Westbrook had an open invitation to shoot the ball whenever he wanted. Thunder beat writer Royce Young noticed as much late in the fourth quarter:



Here’s a clip of the shot in question:

<see article for video>

And here’s another, from a few minutes earlier in the game, in which you can clearly hear someone exhorting Damian Lillard to back up and let Westbrook fire away:

<see article for video>

Blazers forward Al-Farouq Aminu received similar instructions. Young reported that when Aminu was getting ready to check back into the game during the fourth quarter, an assistant coach pulled him aside and reminded him not to help on Westbrook and to let him shoot.

Westbrook shot 5-of-21 in Game 4, and went 2-of-7 from three-point range. Aside from a strong shooting performance in Game 3, Westbrook has spent most of this series angrily hucking medicine balls at the rim. That’s bad news for the Thunder; what’s worse news is that Westbrook has never been one to quietly suffer slights from his opponents. Every time the Blazers vocally dare him to shoot the ball, the chances of him chucking 12-15 doomed three pointers in Game 5 goes up by that much.

 

[BBert]

I'd rather play the Spurs. Without Nurk, Jokic is a huge problem. Against the Spurs we can out Aminu on Aldridge and he'll do a decent job. They don't have anyone scary at center. I think we match up well better against them than Denver.

But let's worry about closing this series first

I'm definitely rooting for the Spurs v. Denver. We want that home court.

 

[Orion Bailey]

I'm definitely rooting for the Spurs v. Denver. We want that home court.

I believe we can take them with home court and make it to the WCF!!!

 

[BBert]

Hood seems like a rhythm guy, and when he's not constantly touching the ball it's hard for him to get into a rhythm.

I don't know if I would run more plays for Hood, we're doing well, and he still spaces the floor pretty well. He's also playing pretty good defense on George when they do get matched up.

But I do agree it would be nice to try and get him going a bit more. Maybe just give some of CJ/Enes/Dame's iso's to Hood.

I agree. Hood looks like a good backup when he has lots of touches and opportunities to shoot. It looks like he's a rhythm shooter who doesn't do well on catch and shoot. He looks like he needs to move with the ball, like Turner, to score. I think some of his streakiness is due to what team defense is being thrown at him, and what plays the coaches are calling. But he's not good enough to be featured in the offense as a starter, and only marginally good enough to be featured as a reserve.

 

[PtldPlatypus]

I don't know about the rest of you, but I can't wait for tomorrow night's game. I'm having a really hard time focusing on work today.

I know players are not supposed to look ahead more than the next game, but I'm not a player and fans don't have similar restrictions. I hope the Blazer can close out the Thunder tomorrow and get an extra day or two of rest over the eventual winner of the Nuggets/Spurs series. It would be great if the Spurs win it so the Blazers don't have to start the next one on the road and at mile-high altitude, but either way I see the Blazers continuing to cook. WCF here we come! Bring on the Warriors or Rockets!

Maybe I need to cut back on the caffeine a bit.

Work? What's work? Oh, is that the thing we do inbetween Blazer games that helps us pay for Blazer tickets, merchandise, and other services that allow us to view and talk about the Blazers?

 

[kjironman1]

Oh, is that the thing we do inbetween Blazer games that helps us pay for Blazer tickets

Pretty much.... Yeah.

 

[BigGameDamian]

I believe we can take them with home court and make it to the WCF!!!

I agree but let's not get ahead of ourselves. One game at a time. Should we make it to the next round both Denver and SA will be tough.

 

[Orion Bailey]

I agree but let's not get ahead of ourselves. One game at a time. Should we make it to the next round both Denver and SA will be tough.

Very tough and Stotts better have the playbook of ages out and studied to get over on POP.

 

[Almir]

It is not over, but I see Blazers as better team, the team who play very organizational, and calm basketbal, all opposite of wild Okc's basketball...additionaly for game 5, hca, full of selfconfidence and self belief, and very important stay calm (AS LILLARD) and just do the bussines, without any private batles.. and let that human garbage Westbrick to shoot from the distance... Go Blazers!