Game Thread PLAYOFFS: ROUND 2, GAME 2: BLAZERS @ NUGGETS - MAY 1, 2019 - WEDNESDAY, 6:00 PM, TNT

[wizenheimer]

The referees for this game will be Ray Charles, Stevie Wonder, and Helen Keller.

is it true that Stevie's favorite color is corduroy?

 

[Strenuus]

Blazers in 6.

Denver isn't that good. I'm not impressed by them at all.

 

[e_blazer]

I like that the Blazers should be more acclimated to the altitude tomorrow.

Unfortunately, it takes about 3 weeks to build up the additional hemoglobin to adapt to high altitude.

 

[The Professional Fan]

I think we fuck them up

 

[BBert]

Unfortunately, it takes about 3 weeks to build up the additional hemoglobin to adapt to high altitude.

Booo

 

[BigGameDamian]

Barkley just said Stotts should put Alex Lin on the Joker.

 

[BBert]

Unfortunately, it takes about 3 weeks to build up the additional hemoglobin to adapt to high altitude.

Well then the obvious solution is that each player should have donated a pint of blood before leaving Portland, and get it put back before tomorrow's game.

 

[BBert]

Barkley just said Stotts should put Alex Lin on the Joker.

Was he jokingly referring to Meyers?

 

[blazerkor]

Barkley just said Stotts should put Alex Lin on the Joker.

Not that it's a big deal but you just misspelled his name while making fun of Chuck, it's Len.

 

[BlazerBeav]

Isaiah Thomas. His tenure as GM of the Knicks is all one needs to know about his talent evaluation skills.

 

[RSC60]

Blazers in 6.

Denver isn't that good. I'm not impressed by them at all.

Bet you haven’t been impressed by the blazers

 

[Labinot41]

Jesus, Zach Lowe just revealed a staggering stat.

Evan Turner has 1 field goal in 6 games.

I hate him so much as a basketball player on our Teams. Jesus Christ he's so horrible

 

[jonnyboy]

Isiah Thomas: Jokic is the best basketball player in this series. Lillard might want it more, but Jokic is a better basketball player.



Alright then. It's amazing how reactionary these guys are.

The media has the attention span of goldfish. 1 game is the series.

 

[stampedehero]

2018-19 REGULAR SEASON RECORD
PORTLAND TRAIL BLAZERS
53 - 29
(21-20 Road)
DENVER NUGGETS
54 - 28
(34-7 Home)

--------------------------------------------------------------
_____________________________
---------PROBABLE STARTERS---------

PG

DAMIAN LILLARD VS JAMAL MURRAY

SG

C.J. McCOLLUM VS GARY HARRIS

SF

MOE HARKLESS VS TORREY CRAIG

PF

AL-FAROUQ AMINU VS PAUL MILLSAP

C

ENES KANTER VS NIKOLA JOKIC

------------------------------------------------------

------- JERSEYS -------

-

--------------------------------------------------------------


WHEN: 6:00 PM (PDT), WEDNESDAY, 5/1/2019

WHERE: PEPSI CENTER, DENVER, CO

TV BROADCAST:

RADIO BROADCAST:

​

------------------------------------------------------



--------------BENCH--------------
- PORTLAND TRAIL BLAZERS -

CURRY , SIMONS , HOOD

TURNER , TRENT Jr. , LAYMAN

LABISSIERE , COLLINS , LEONARD


----- DENVER NUGGETS-----

THOMAS , MORRIS

BEASLEY , BARTON , VANDERBILT

HERNANGOMEZ , LYDON , LYLES

PLUMLEE , WELSH


INJURIES
TRAIL BLAZERS
Enes Kanter (separated left shoulder): QUESTIONABLE
Jusuf Nurkic (left leg injury): OUT
NUGGETS
Michael Porter Jr. (low back surgery): OUT




HEAD COACHES

- VS –

TERRY STOTTS --- MICHAEL MALONE



OFFICIAL NUGGETS' GAME NOTES
OFFICIAL BLAZERS' GAME NOTES ​

PREVIOUS MEETING IN THE SERIES
GAME #1: LOSS 113-121

​

Oh No . Not the red uniforms.

 

[stampedehero]

Pull up the boot straps and kick their asses.

 

[stampedehero]

Isiah Thomas: Jokic is the best basketball player in this series. Lillard might want it more, but Jokic is a better basketball player.



Alright then. It's amazing how reactionary these guys are.

Steven A doin his shit.....The only chance the "Steelers" have ...…. Isiah did complement Dame.

 

[blue9]

Two things Terry better not do tonight:

1) Guard Jokic with Moe.
2) Platoon the entire bench unit onto the floor together.

 

[UKRAINEFAN]

There is a high probability that Denver wins game 2. What will be interesting, is how/if the Blazers come back in games 3&4.

I feel like a team without home court needs to win one of the first two. And I think Blazers can do it.

 

[BigGameDamian]

More Hood less ET.

 

[illmatic99]

So glad about the start time for this game. The playoffs are killing my sleep schedule and I should be able to get to bed around midnight eastern after this one.

 

[kjironman1]

Two things Terry better not do tonight:

1) Guard Jokic with Moe.
2) Platoon the entire bench unit onto the floor together.

I agree on #1 because Aminu did a better job but i'm thinking maybe Milsap might hammer Mo also?
I also agree with #2 and i think either CJ or Dame should be on the court at all times but i also think they should work more shots for Seth.

 

[TorturedBlazerFan]

Does anyone hate the idea of putting Kanter on Milsap and Aminu / Zach on Jokic?
Millsap is going to score some still but I don't think he could bully Kanter. I don't think we have anyone outside of maybe Meyers who can just body up Jokic, but Zach and Aminu should be able to go out on the perimeter and get in his face while being able to stay in front of him.

 

[illmatic99]

Does anyone hate the idea of putting Kanter on Milsap and Aminu / Zach on Jokic?
Millsap is going to score some still but I don't think he could bully Kanter. I don't think we have anyone outside of maybe Meyers who can just body up Jokic, but Zach and Aminu should be able to go out on the perimeter and get in his face while being able to stay in front of him.

Aminu on Jokic yes, Zach? no. He won't last 10 mins on the court if he guards Jokic. Would get into foul trouble in a hurry.

 

[TorturedBlazerFan]

Aminu on Jokic yes, Zach? no. He won't last 10 mins on the court if he guards Jokic. Would get into foul trouble in a hurry.

As long as he's getting his money's worth on those fouls. I think you could argue that every one the Blazers have available to them won't get the benefit of the whistles vs Jokic. Would rather use up Zach's fouls than Kanters or Moe's.

 

[illmatic99]

As long as he's getting his money's worth on those fouls. I think you could argue that every one the Blazers have available to them won't get the benefit of the whistles vs Jokic. Would rather use up Zach's fouls than Kanters or Moe's.

The problem isn't just Zach getting in foul trouble. It's also giving them 10-12 pts at the FT line.

 

[blue9]

I agree on #1 because Aminu did a better job but i'm thinking maybe Milsap might hammer Mo also?
I also agree with #2 and i think either CJ or Dame should be on the court at all times but i also think they should work more shots for Seth.

I don't think Aminu (or Turner, or Jake, or, or, or) should guard Jokic either. Meyers. Meyers is a far better option than any SF-sized player. You can't guard Jokic with a SF. We've got Kanter, Meyers, and then Collins/Skal if those two get into foul trouble.

Yes, one of Dame/CJ needs to be on the court at all times. This is the Playoffs. Re: Seth - that dude should only shoot 3s off the catch. I think we could have some success running some action for Hood. And even though it won't happen, Jake would be far more effective than Turner against DEN (and just in general).

 

[crandc]

IMHO, now that I have recovered:

The Blazers were coming off a high from Game 5. They had a letdown. They hadn't played for almost a week and practice is just not the same. The refs were horrible.

I won't say they WILL win Game 2 but I think they have a good chance of doing so and if they do, a really good chance of taking the series.
Philly & Boston won on the road. So can Portland.

Go Blazers.

I'll have to watch Rachel Maddow when her show reprises at 9 PM. Blazers are about the only thing that pre-empts Rachel (my not so secret crush).

 

[kjironman1]

I don't think Aminu (or Turner, or Jake, or, or, or) should guard Jokic either. Meyers. Meyers is a far better option than any SF-sized player. You can't guard Jokic with a SF. We've got Kanter, Meyers, and then Collins/Skal if those two get into foul trouble.

Yes, one of Dame/CJ needs to be on the court at all times. This is the Playoffs. Re: Seth - that dude should only shoot 3s off the catch. I think we could have some success running some action for Hood. And even though it won't happen, Jake would be far more effective than Turner against DEN (and just in general).

I would love to see if they could go effective with Meyers on the court for a long period of time. But i fear he will get into foul trouble very quickly. He could hit some shots and help out spacing but you got to remember Kanter went for 26 last game. Not sure Meyers makes up that kind of offense?
I'm interested in seeing what Stotts does? My bet is he stays with Meyers for 10-15 mins and tries to continue to get production from Kanter. Then goes Aminu on Jokic while showing doubles as soon as Jokic tries to back into the paint. Seemed to work last game in the second half.

 

[kjironman1]

Game Crew Chief Referee Umpire Alternate
Portland @ Denver James Capers (#19) Pat Fraher (#26) Michael Smith (#38) Nick Buchert (#3)

 

[JDC]

Harkless--Murray
Aminu--Jokic
Kanter--Millsap

Saw a little bit of it late and I'm not sure it's some great solution (Harkless looked powerless vs Jokic in the times they matched up in game 1) but it would give us the ability to switch the Murray/Jokic pnr that gave us so much trouble.

I would also play around with trapping Murray with Hark and Aminu, depending on where the screen is set and how Denver chooses to space the floor.