Game Thread PLAYOFFS: ROUND 2, GAME 5: BLAZERS @ NUGGETS - MAY 7, 2019 - TUESDAY, 7:30 PM, TNT

[B-Roy]

Can't play Dame 48 mins unfortunately. He'd have to rest and Dame's on/off court splits are among the craziest in the playoff so far. He is only second in the league behind Kawhi. We'd get cooked even worse if Jokic were on and Dame was off.

I’d venture to guess those on off splits are because Turner runs the show when Dame is out. Shows the difference between how good Dame is and how bad Turner is which is why the split is so exaggerated.

Also like I said, Dame played 36 minutes game 4. That is unacceptable when you consider fat Jokic even played close to 40.

 

[illmatic99]

Also I don’t think Stotts is really feeling the pressure yet. Same played 36 minutes last game. Really? In a playoff game that we could have won to go up 3 and Dame plays 36??? I’m sure if they really get like it was a must win Dame would play the whole 48.

He looks worn out, man. Even Lowe commented on it. Bench was actually playing well in the fourth. They brought us back with Dame on the bench.

 

[kjironman1]

So how do they deal with this fasting thing?
How long and what do they go to deal with the lack of energy?
Please do not tell me they pray.... Thoughts and prayers do not help you deal with nutrition issues.
Even eating right before a game is not going to help with nutritional issues.

 

[B-Roy]

He looks worn out, man. Even Lowe commented on it. Bench was actually playing well in the fourth. They brought us back with Dame on the bench.

He looked passive, not exhausted. Like he was just tired of attacking the traps. Not sure but Dame looks different this series. He needs to find that gear or we aren’t winning this series, tired or not. Maybe he doesn’t have it in him and we do lose, but that’s what it’s going to take.

Also I’ve been to both home games and Dame is visibly frustrated with the non calls. Jokic is bodying him on every drive and never gets called. I don’t know if it’s a mental thing but he didn’t let the officiating bother him in the OKC series. In this one he is just throwing his arms up in the air.

 

[B-Roy]

Also re: the Turner front. I do think there is something to be said for a coach not taking a guy out of the rotation to show trust. Especially if they don’t want the guy to get disengaged later. Problem is Turner is already as checked out as I’ve ever seen him. His shot is completely broken. He’s missing 5 foot floaters and midrange shots ever worse than his 3 pointers.....in warmups. I swear in Game 4 he could not even hit a single shot in the pregame warmups let alone that wide open floater in the lane during the game.

He has to get taken out of the rotation. This is unacceptable.

 

[illmatic99]

Here's an interesting thought that popped up on my timeline just now:

 

[B-Roy]

Here's an interesting thought that popped up on my timeline just now:

Everybody is exhausted. Denver played 2 more games than us in the first round and Murray is playing with a thigh contusion. Jokic played 65 minutes the other day.

It’s gonna be who wants it more.

 

[Hoopguru]

CJ has to be the gun slinger tonight. After the 4 overtime game, he convinced me he is ready to take it on. I think he's mentally as strong as anyone on our team now.
He also plays decent in Denver.

 

[Labinot41]

Blazers had 6 days of rest before this series, Nuggets played 7 games against the Spurs. They had just 1 day of rest before this series, i will not give Lillard the excuse of being tired. Period

 

[illmatic99]

Blazers had 6 days of rest before this series, Nuggets played 7 games against the Spurs. They had just 1 day of rest before this series, i will not give Lillard the excuse of being tired. Period

I think it's the mental fatigue moreso than the physical. He got beat up on both ends in Game 2 this series and hasn't looked the same since.

 

[Labinot41]

CJ has to be the gun slinger tonight. After the 4 overtime game, he convinced me he is ready to take it on. I think he's mentally as strong as anyone on our team now.
He also plays decent in Denver.

Yes, i'm not a fan of CJ's game (great guy of the court but if his shot isn't falling he can be awful), but CJ has been our best player in this series. Lillard on the other side, he looks like he is satisfied with getting out of the 1st round..

 

[Propagandist]

PLAYOFFS: ROUND 2, GAME 5: PEOPLE ARE GUNNA DIE! BLAZERS @ NUGGETS - MAY 7, 2019 - TUESDAY, 7:30 PM, TNT

FIFY

 

[Labinot41]

I think it's the mental fatigue moreso than the physical. He got beat up on both ends in Game 2 this series and hasn't looked the same since.

He's a Superstar, he can not allow guys like Torey Craig or Gary Harris to take him out of the game. No excuses please

 

[Hoopguru]

Blazers had 6 days of rest before this series, Nuggets played 7 games against the Spurs. They had just 1 day of rest before this series, i will not give Lillard the excuse of being tired. Period

agree..CJ said after the 4 to game that this is what they train and take care of there bodies for.

 

[illmatic99]

He's a Superstar, he can not allow guys like Torey Craig or Gary Harris to take him out of the game. No excuses please

Not as much of an excuse as it is reality. We really needed Nurk this series.

 

[PtldPlatypus]

Yes, i'm not a fan of CJ's game (great guy of the court but if his shot isn't falling he can be awful), but CJ has been our best player in this series. Lillard on the other side, he looks like he is satisfied with getting out of the 1st round..

CJ's taking more shots, shooting a lower FG%, a lower FT%, scoring less, getting fewer assists and steals, and a lower average game score, and all of that while Dame faces the toughest defenders, while CJ often plays against Denver's reserves, yet he's been "our best player in this series"?

I'm sorry, but this take--especially saying Lillard looks like he's satisfied with getting out of the first round--is an absolute joke.

 

[PtldPlatypus]

Now if you want to say that Rodney Hood (in half the minutes) has been our best player in this series, there might be an argument to be made. The argument being that Stotts needs to give Hood even more minutes if he's going to keep playing like this.

 

[Hoopguru]

This team has proved people wrong all year with tremendous resolve and fortitude.
They are certainly capable of winning one more game in Denver.

 

[mook]

Aminu is a trash offensiv player. He shouldn't be in the starting 5 on a playoff team with high ambitions, but collins isn't the solution. More Hood could be very helpfull for our offense

So give Hood more of Aminu's minutes, and Seth Curry all of Turners? That's very, very small.

I guess you could go that route and just try to wear down Jokic by making him run a lot.

But jeez, Milsap is just destroying us in the post, and we're getting killed on rebounds. That only gets worse if you swap Aminu out for Hood.

I feel like the point of this series isn't just to win, but to build for the future. We're just as likely to succeed by playing Collins more, and since he's part of the long-term future (as opposed to Hood/Curry most likely) let's get him more meaningful playoff minutes.

 

[mook]

CJ's taking more shots, shooting a lower FG%, a lower FT%, scoring less, getting fewer assists and steals, and a lower average game score, and all of that while Dame faces the toughest defenders, while CJ often plays against Denver's reserves, yet he's been "our best player in this series"?

I'm sorry, but this take--especially saying Lillard looks like he's satisfied with getting out of the first round--is an absolute joke.


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That three point percentage for Lillard is shockingly bad. I think he is mentally exhausted. It's not just that 4OT game, I think he really pushed himself in that OKC series, and he's spent 9 months angry about getting swept in the first round. Hopefully CJ continues to step up.

Without Nurkic, I'm not disappointed in Lillard's play. The dude has a lot of responsibility on his shoulders. Hopefully some of the role players can help.

 

[BBert]

Can't play Dame 48 mins unfortunately. He'd have to rest and Dame's on/off court splits are among the craziest in the playoff so far. He is only second in the league behind Kawhi. We'd get cooked even worse if Jokic were on and Dame was off.

So their team's offensive rating improves with Giannis and Chris Paul off the court? CP doesn't surprise me at this point, but Giannis?

And Jokic's on-off is a pretty minimal change. Seems our bench is being outplayed.

 

[BBert]

Yes, i'm not a fan of CJ's game (great guy of the court but if his shot isn't falling he can be awful), but CJ has been our best player in this series. Lillard on the other side, he looks like he is satisfied with getting out of the 1st round..

I think he looks like the other team is wearing him out. No way Dame Lillard is "satisfied".

 

[BBert]

Now if you want to say that Rodney Hood (in half the minutes) has been our best player in this series, there might be an argument to be made. The argument being that Stotts needs to give Hood even more minutes if he's going to keep playing like this.

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We look like a tired team. We'll be playing at altitude. We need to ride some of the guys who have fresher legs, and substitute guys in and out more frequently so they aren't too oxygen deprived. Maybe keep an oxygen bottle on the bench

 

[kjironman1]

Okay i'm ready for another game now.
Time to lace em up and let em fly!

Go Blazers!

Kjironman is a fan!!!

 

[DDolla]

This is why we pay Superstars the big money$. It’s how you will your team to victory on a very important game. Let’s see if Dame can do it.

 

[Cugel]

Seth needs touches to get hot and so does Hood. No excuses if they don't get serious minutes and touches.
Get Meyers in there to kick some ass and take names: use that massive body to punish. Even if he gets in foul trouble. Shit get Skal in there to try and block a few shots and frustrate Jockitch with his athleticism. Enes is pretty much in agony and cannot really be expected to do more than get put-backs and play one-armed defense.

Blazers have a shot to take this, no question. I doubt any Blazer on or off the court will be satisfied without advancing to the WCF. It's in reach.

 

[Lukee]

I just wish Dame dropp 59 on them

 

[wizenheimer]

Can't play Dame 48 mins unfortunately. He'd have to rest and Dame's on/off court splits are among the craziest in the playoff so far. He is only second in the league behind Kawhi. We'd get cooked even worse if Jokic were on and Dame was off.

i will not give Lillard the excuse of being tired. Period

CJ has been our best player in this series. Lillard on the other side, he looks like he is satisfied with getting out of the 1st round..

He's a Superstar, he can not allow guys like Torey Craig or Gary Harris to take him out of the game. No excuses please

CJ's taking more shots, shooting a lower FG%, a lower FT%, scoring less, getting fewer assists and steals, and a lower average game score, and all of that while Dame faces the toughest defenders, while CJ often plays against Denver's reserves, yet he's been "our best player in this series"?

I'm sorry, but this take--especially saying Lillard looks like he's satisfied with getting out of the first round--is an absolute joke.


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thanks Platypus for pushing back against Labinot's little hate-screed against Dame. Yeeeeesh Labinot, did Tunchi hack your account or did Dame piss on your corn flakes? Some of the stuff you said is loopy. And by the way, it isn't Craig OR Harris defending Dame, it's the whole damn Denver defense focusing on Dame whenever he's on the court, and CJ, as always, has been drafting off the attention Dame gets from opponents

I'll add to the Platypus numbers by pointing at points/shot

during the regular season, CJ averaged 1.18 points/shot; against OKC 1.21 points/shot; against Denver he's at 1.10 points/shot

during the regular season, Dame averaged 1.35 points/shot; against OKC he averaged 1.44 points/shot; against Denver he's averaging 1.30 points/shot.

in other words, not only is Dame doing much better in this series in terms of efficiency, he's had a much smaller drop-off from the regular season to this series than CJ has. Yet CJ is getting credit for playing great and Dame is getting trashed for playing bad.

the standards some people use for judging Dame are just out of whack, especially when CJ is held to standards so far below Dame's

finally, first post last response: thanks yuyuza for that chart...it's interesting. Lillard has the 2nd biggest variance in on/off offensive impact. That sure fits the eyeball test. And fitting nto the previous discussion it's notable that CJ has about the 3rd smallest variance in impact

 

[wizenheimer]

This is why we pay Superstars the big money$. It’s how you will your team to victory on a very important game. Let’s see if Dame can do it.

well, he did it 4 times against OKC and CJ only makes 2 million less. I'd say it's more like we see if both can do it

 

[tykendo]

Hafta change something and I don't think we will. Murray cannot have easy uncontested shots.

BINGO! Murray continuously gets wide open looks. That's a fail on defensive strategy by the Blazers and Stotts. DO NOT DOUBLE DOWN ON JOKIC. Take away his easy passing lanes and stick on your man. Dame has been a better defender on Murray than any other Blazer. Harkless has been FLATOUT AWFUL guarding Murray. He's way too far off him. This game will be won by putting pressure on their shooters PERIOD! The Blazers worrying too much about Jokic has lead to easy wide open looks for all Nuggets players. Jokic is gonna get his, but make sure every other Nugget is brick city. Go Blazers!!