To win Playoffs and Championship

[swish3]

Dame and CJ were excellent, and in points, plays, poise, determination, and the final score were superior to George and Westbrook in the home win over OKC in Playoff Game 2. This was also an outstanding game for Mo, Seth, and Meyers, and a major step forward for Blazer coaching that made substitutions that kept energy high and allowed determination to win out. Dame, CJ, Mo, and Meyers were leaders in the +/- and each contributed some memorable defensive and offensive plays.

By dominating the swish3 scoring (13 of 32) vs OKC 5 of 28, we had a 24 point advantage that is enough to account for the win, with 10 of the swish3s contributed by Guards Dame, CJ, and Seth. While short of the statistical advantage ideal of 15+ scored swish3s, the Blazers are in position to win Round 1 and on the way to a having a high chance to win 16 games in the Playoffs and the NBA Championship. When the Blazer game plan recognizes the power of 3P scoring, and feeds assists to high % shooters in the corners and on the arc, as seen in this game, we can beat any team in the Playoffs. In the coming games, let's continue to optimize use of Blazer talent to get the 16 Playoff wins!

Meyers again showed that he excels in the Playoffs, and should be relied on to score at least 3 swish3s per game, to add to the composite of 5 man swish3 scoring that will achieve those 45+ points that strongly enhance wins against the strongest teams, including the Warriors, Bucks, Rockets, Spurs, essentially all contenders. Round 1 is shaping up as the start of the Title journey that I imagine is the year for us if we continue to build to match or exceed swish3 scoring even when those opponents score 27+ swish3s in a game. Let's continue with developing the Dame Time idea to grow into Blazer Time that includes 3P scoring festivals that include Dame, CJ, Seth, and Meyers, our leading swish3 scoring threats!

 

[swish3]

Playoff game 3 against OKC was a disappointing loss because the Blazers failed to maintain the swish3 scoring dominance, relying on 5 from CJ, 3 each from Dame and Chief, and 1 from Rod. Seth attempted 0 and Meyers only 1 when the plays and shooting mandate should have been for 6 swish3 attempts from each of these 45% swish3 shooters. OKC made the magic 15 that give the high probability for a win and distributed them among 5 players. That 15 + scoring ideally among 5 players is what the Blazers must do in future games.

Defensive intensity is certainly important, and having determined defense and hustle for the ball throughout the game will bring better scoring as well as curtailing a few scored open swish3s. The Blazers need to run floor patterns that favor shots from the corners and the arc as well as back cuts. Seth and Meyers should each be scoring at least 9 points by swish3s.

In addition to decisively biased reffing, 14 first half turnovers, a 17 point 2nd Q, and a weak 18 assists, the Blazers could have won this game with the offensive power of at least matching swish3 shooting. In the coming games, let's give Dame and CJ more swish3 scoring help from the top 2 Blazer swish3 scorers, and win games 4 and 5!

 

[KingSpeed]

There have now been 20 playoff games. 19 of the 20 have been won by the team that shoots the best percentage from three. This highly favors us as we are the better three point shooting team and have been all season long.

 

[swish3]

The Blazers won the 1st Round vs OKC in 5 games and show strong signs of the team cohesiveness and determination that can mean the 16 Playoff wins for the NBA Championship. Dame sealed it with his 10th swish3 in the last second and his 50 points in the exhilarating win in Portland Apr 22 118-115. This was a moment that will be a highlight in Blazer history!

The Blazers scored 13 of 35 vs OKC 12 of 27 with CJ, Chief, and Seth each adding 1 to Dame's 10 of 18 swish3s. In the upcoming Round 2 Playoffs, the Blazers will need to add more swish3 scoring of 15+ and be ready to match up to 24+ from talented high 3P% opponents, and should look to Seth and Meyers as the leading Blazer efficiency scorers for 6+ per game. The Blazers are on the road to winning the Western Conference and NBA Championship!

 

[swish3]

The Blazers won Game 2 at Denver 97-90 with some major adjustments that won the 1st half and carried most of the game, but was badly flawed in the 4th Q when failure to make substitutions to keep fresh energy, rebounds, determined defense, and scoring almost allowed DEN to catch up. Allowing DEN to win rebounds 58-47, and win offensive rebounds 23-7, was facilitated by highly flawed ref calls. But the Blazer coaches could have substituted Meyers and Skal when Enes and Zach were fatigued and losing every rebound to Jokic and Millsap. To win this series, and indeed to beat Golden State, it is necessary to keep aggressive defense on consistently, win rebounds, screen effectively, and use off-ball floor movement and crisp passes to keep the game under control.

We need to call on our reliable swish3 shooters, Meyers and Seth, and possibly Rod and Skal, to provide more swish3 scoring and keep the 45+ points scored from swish3s to be a consistent part of the Blazer Championship strategy. Remember the 132-105 win over the Jazz in Jan. It does not make sense to leave fresh legs and the best swish3 scoring talent on the bench when the guys who got the lead in the first half are slowing down due to fatigue. Let's optimally use the Blazer talent to get the 4 wins to take Round 2, and aim for 15-20 swish3 scoring games in the Western Conference Finals!

 

[swish3]

The big Blazer letdown and losing the 4th Q 26-19 cries out to the coaches to make substitutions when starters get tired late to seal the win! Let's see active coaching and progress through the Playoffs!

 

[kjironman1]

You will see Meyers again in this series. Bet on it.

 

[swish3]

Great! Thanks! I am counting on it, and imagine Meyers contributing significantly to the Blazers winning the Championship!

 

[swish3]

The Blazers showed the determined team play that will win the Championship in Round 2 Playoff Game 3 in the 4 OT win over DEN, for which Blazer players deserve exuberant fan praise. You really have to admire the continued defense through the end of the 4th Q and the 4 OT periods and the apparent will to win that both Dame and CJ referred to in post-game interviews. This remarkable game, following on the Game 2 win that now has us up 2-1 is an instant classic that will be viewed as a high point in Blazer history. Enes and Mo deserve kudos for mental toughness that fueled the team hunger to win the game in spite of injuries, and Rod deserves a salute for the cool, deliberate play exemplified by the dagger swish3 and defense. CJ and Dame were both notable drivers of the dive for the loose ball mentality that was enough to win the game.

This was not, on the other hand, the best performance that the Blazers could have achieved, and must be improved to win the Western Conference Finals and the NBA Championship. DEN was ahead of the Blazers in swish3s 15 of 42 vs 12 of 42, FG% 45.4 vs 41.9, bench points 36 vs 32, rebounds 66-62, and assists 28-23. Importantly, Blazer coaches made the mistake of keeping tired players, especially Enes and Mo, on the floor in the overtimes when they appeared fatigued and should have been replaced with the energy and fresh legs of Meyers and Rod or Zach. While the will power of the Blazers got the win, it might have been better if providing some relief for the tired and injured Blazers would be given by active substituting from the bench. Let's look for better optimization of talent in the coming Playoff games to better support these excellent efforts and growing team cooperative achievement on the way to the Championship!

 

[swish3]

Since Game 3, Blazer coaching decisions have been weak and as the result we lost both Games 4 and 5! Blazer coaches are relying too strongly on player determination and not providing the substitutions that better match DEN to provide energetic hustle, scoring, defense, and wins. Instead of overcoming the deficits noted in Game 3 analysis, Blazer coaches have pressed further on Enes, Dame, CJ, Chief, and Mo when they appeared to have lost peak hustle, and allowed DEN to run ahead. Blazer determination will count for even more if optimized by sustained peak play by the bench that can win Round 2 for us. Now is the time for greater energy and judgement by Blazer coaches to substantially advance to win Round 2 and the WCF! And the NBA Title!

 

[swish3]

This Round 2 Game 6 is absurd, as Jokic is beating us with Enes doing little to stop it. Come on Blazer coaches! Put Meyers in to counter Jokic, set screens, rebound, and score at least 3 swish3s!
NOW!

 

[swish3]

Enes has only 5 points, is not getting rebounds or hustling, and looks tired in this 3rd Q. Get Meyers in there for him for swish3 scoring, rebounds, hustle, and help for Dame. Coaches!!!

 

[hoopsjock]

Enes has only 5 points, is not getting rebounds or hustling, and looks tired in this 3rd Q. Get Meyers in there for him for swish3 scoring, rebounds, hustle, and help for Dame. Coaches!!!

You have some very unrealistic standards if getting 14 rebounds "is not getting rebounds or hustling."

 

[H.C.]

You have some very unrealistic standards if getting 14 rebounds "is not getting rebounds or hustling."

15 or go home.

 

[swish3]

Standing still to let Millsap and even Craig get rebounds appears to me as fatigued, despite his 14 rebounds earlier. And Enes was manhandled and stripped of the ball too often, getting worse in the 3rd Q. When Enes is fatigued, injured, fasting, and slowing down, it is time to replace him with Meyers. Thanks to great play by Zach, Rod, Dame, and CJ, we beat DEN and achieved the target 15 swish3s scored that it takes to win. In DEN on Sunday we will need the additional swish3 scoring, screens, rebounds, and hustle that Meyers can bring, and should use the Meyers and Zach combination with Rod to up the scoring and overcome the league-leading advantage that DEN enjoys on its home court.

Let's see the Blazers coaches optimize the considerable bench talent to get the Round 2 win and continue to improve as we win the Western Conference Finals!

 

[swish3]

Now is the time to optimize use of team talent and cohesiveness by using Meyers, Zach, Seth, and Evan to keep defensive effectiveness and scoring up against GS without Durant or Boggie! GS will be relying on swish3 scoring without those 2 and probably getting 54+ from the arc. We need to match or exceed the 18 and should game plan to include our best swish3 percentage shooters, Meyers and Seth, to be set up with catch and shoot options from sweet spots, including the corners, for high efficiency shooting--6 scores each. Meyers can average 1.47 points/FGA as he did during the season. Adding to swish3 shooting by Dame and CJ, enabled with strong screens by Meyers, Seth can win the swish3 contest over Steph for the win. Let's do it and win WCF Game 1!

 

[swish3]

WCF Game 1 was a disastrous loss by 22 points (116-94) with a loss of the swish3 contest by 30 points! GSW was 17 of 33 while we were 7 of 28 (pathetic 25%!). This is the disaster that my previous post warned against, if we did not play Meyers and collect the minimum of 3 swish3s each from Meyers and Seth. We have got to match GSW in swish3 shooting to win these Playoff games! Steph had 7 uncontested swish3 shots and that is unacceptable! Enes sagged so badly that both Steph and Klay had a swish3 shooting field day!

In the 2nd and 4th Q, Blazer coaches needed to play Meyers to get open swish3 shots for Dame, CJ, Seth, and Rod, which Enes was not doing, and was failing to play defense, which the network commentators extensively noted. When Enes is not bringing hustle and not providing defense, not to mention failing to box out and get offensive rebounds, or putbacks, it is critical to put Meyers in the game. With Meyers on the floor there is more hustle and more Blazer scoring. In the rest of the WCF games we need to have at least 16 min with at least 6 swish3 attempts, and the screens, rebounds, passes, and determined defense that Enes lacks when he gets fatigued. We can beat GSW and win this WCF if we rely on our best talent and keep fresh legs in the game.

The commentators also noted that CJ was the only one who showed energy in the 4th Q when we got within 5 points. Steve played 11 guys to keep them fresh, but Terry didn't. The 'clear the bench' group in the last 3 min showed how bad desperate shooting can be. Despite this decisive loss to GSW, we can win this WCF Playoff round. Let's optimize talent and win the 4 games!

 

[swish3]

Returning to the 1st post of this thread, the Blazers need to score through the post to beat GSW, and the high post with Meyers, similar to that with Nurk, can do it. Terry will probably start Enes and the low post, and let's see him score as many points near the rim and with putbacks as he can, maybe 12+ points, and protect the paint. Mo, Evan, Zach, or Rodney should make it tough on Steph and Klay as well as moving actively to keep both defense and offense more energetic that GSW. When Chief is not defending, play Zach with aggressive defense. And as soon as Enes slows down, or doesn't actively defend, let's play Meyers to keep up the defensive and offensive level, staying ahead of GSW. Meyers can excellently screen, pass, score, and defend, energizes chatter, has Blazer leading season statistics, and we won both games he started. Let's see Meyers score 12+ points!

I imagine that there will be a game plan to defend the PNR of GSW, and Blazer coaches need to use team talent and the determined play that won the last 2 series to outplay GSW and win Game 2. There is enough Blazer talent to win Game 2 and 3 more if we allow the hustle and teamwork that have gotten us this far to emerge in these WCF games. Let's beat GSW!

 

[wizenheimer]

Returning to the 1st post of this thread, the Blazers need to score through the post to beat GSW, and the high post with Meyers, similar to that with Nurk, can do it. Terry will probably start Enes and the low post, and let's see him score as many points near the rim and with putbacks as he can, maybe 12+ points, and protect the paint. Mo, Evan, Zach, or Rodney should make it tough on Steph and Klay as well as moving actively to keep both defense and offense more energetic that GSW. When Chief is not defending, play Zach with aggressive defense. And as soon as Enes slows down, or doesn't actively defend, let's play Meyers to keep up the defensive and offensive level, staying ahead of GSW. Meyers can excellently screen, pass, score, and defend, energizes chatter, has Blazer leading season statistics, and we won both games he started. Let's see Meyers score 12+ points!

I imagine that there will be a game plan to defend the PNR of GSW, and Blazer coaches need to use team talent and the determined play that won the last 2 series to outplay GSW and win Game 2. There is enough Blazer talent to win Game 2 and 3 more if we allow the hustle and teamwork that have gotten us this far to emerge in these WCF games. Let's beat GSW!

did you see the movie "My Big Fat Greek Wedding"...?

the father walks around the house with a bottle of Windex. It was his all-purpose-all-everything solution to any situation. Streaky glass - windex; squeaky hinge - windex; bug on the wall - windex; carpet stain - windex; pimples - windex; burns - windex. Absolute blind faith that Windex could solve all ills

Meyers is your Windex

 

[swish3]

No Wizenheimer, you are mistaken. Meyers season record shows talent that wins games, and when you recognize his achievements on record, it is evident that my view has merit. Meyer is an important element of Blazer team chemistry that fuels the hustle that leads to defensive and offensive energy to win Playoff games. Meyers should be a significant force in our path to the Championship, and that is what I see as the result of the Playoffs. Let's get him in the game with Zach, Dame, CJ, and Rodney, scoring, facilitating, defending, and winning over GSW!

 

[swish3]

Game 2 of the WCF was a major blow as GSW won 114-111 after we had a 65-50 halftime lead. The 2nd half was a different game, as the refs called a lot of fouls in favor of GSW and failed to call many fouls of the Blazers that in fact handed GSW the win. There were at least 3 major fouls of Dame, 2 of them on swish3 attempts, that would have very probably resulted in a Blazer win! But the 2nd half was a game in which GSW was allowed to be so much more aggressive that scoring was shut down and GSW ended up with 9 more FTA than we did, deciding the game.

Dame was definitely fouled on a swish3 by Steph, and the refs ignored his request for a response, followed quickly by Steph faking a swish3 attempt foul called against Dame (a 6 point swing). There was also a crashing foul of Meyers that stopped a lob dunk by Draymond. The final play included Dre Iguodola grabbing, holding, and pulling Dame that should have been called a swish3 attempt foul that could have sent the game into overtime. But the refs failed to call any foul on GSW in about the lost 8 min of the game, proving the point that the refs handed it to GSW.

Dame, CJ, Mo, Seth, Rodney, Chief, and Meyers all had a good game, and we scored 18 of 39 swish3s. But we were outrebounded 50-37 and outscored 54-32 on points in the paint. The active defensive game plan and better substitution plan was a big improvement over Game 1, but should be carried further in Game 3 with more swish3 attempts (at least 8 each) by Seth and Meyers, more min for Meyers and Rodney, and more aggressive play as the refs should allow us equal pushes and touches on our home court. With consistent foul calls, we will win future games.

Let's keep our intensity higher than GSW and we can win the WCF and the NBA Championship!

 

[swish3]

Game 3 of the WCF was a win in the 1st half with Meyers starting at Center and running the offense through him in the high post, and we led at halftime 66-53. But then in the 2nd half, Blazer coaches allowed GSW to take away the scoring, passing, screens, and off-ball movement that facilitated swish3s, dunk2s, midrange2s, and rebounds. Changing the game plan for the 2nd half took away defensive intensity, floor spacing, and the chance to win this game. The Blazers should have won this game!

Meyers scored 13 points in the first half, was hot with 3 of 6 swish3 shooting that should have led to another 3 swish3s scored in the 2nd half, gave Dame, CJ, Mo, Seth, and Zach good passes, and should have finished with 26+ points rather than the 16 that he finished with. Let's start him again in Game 4 but continue to run the offense through him on the high post to open several hot shooters for enhanced scoring.

The major factor that beat us in this game is the severely flawed referee calls that allowed Dray Green to take over the game with strongly physical fouls. Steve Kerr called him the "wrecking ball," which he was, more than 18 times that I noted grabbing, pushing, pulling, hacking, and kicking several Blazers. Dray should have fouled out in the 3rd Q, which would have changed the outcome. On our home floor, Dame, CJ, Mo, Chief, Meyers, Seth, Zach, and Evan were fouled by Dray. And every screen that I saw Dray execute was a moving screen that should have been called a foul. This failure to have a game called consistently and by the NBA rules at the Moda Center is one that the Blazer coaches need to correct. It does not make sense to be passive about having a professionally competent job done by the refs on the Moda Center court.

Often during this WCF series, Dray, Klay, Bell, Jerebko, Looney, and others have hard fouled us without being called. Looney landing on Dame causing separated ribs is an example where there was not even a foul called. The NBA needs to attempt to protect players in the Playoffs in general, and should be criticized for allowing anyone to act like a wrecking ball instead of a basketball player. If Blazer coaches will be assertive, rather than passive, about getting us quality consistent jobs from refs for the upcoming games, we still have a chance to win the WCF and NBA Championship!

 

[swish3]

Game 4 of the WCF was again a win in the 1st half with Meyers as starting Center, scoring 25 points with 5 of 6 swish3s and 10 of 12 FGA, setting screens, passing, and good defense. However, the Blazer coaches did not recognize the hot hand shooting by having Meyers shoot another 6 swish3s in the 2nd half, and continue to run through the high post. Even though Meyers did get some open shots for Dame, CJ, and Seth in the 2nd half, they were not falling. The swish3 dominance that allowed the 69-65 lead at the half could have been continued if the game plan had continued to feature Meyers in the high post to score another 25 points. Instead, Meyers, who ended leading Blazer scoring with 30 points, 12 rebounds, 3 assists, a steal, and a block only attempted 2 swish3s and only 4 FGA in the 2nd half. Rodney took 6 swish3 attempts, making only 1, Dame attempted 12, and CJ attempted 9. My suggestion since the Jazz win Jan 30 has been to have him shooting 6 swish3s per half. Those 2 swish3s in a row with about 3 min to go are the indicator of a scoring force that should be continued!

This WCF Game 4 shows again the 80%+ swish3 shooting that we should be calling on every game. The commentators were forced to give Meyers major game dominater credits in the 1st half, and noted how Blazer coaches should rely on him in the 2nd half. I was disappointed that we again failed to call on him, leaving him open on the arc 3 times that were prominent, and maybe more. Meyers even made a swish3 in the last min of the 1st half. Meyers was hustling, moving, talking, and directing the offense from the high post, and really deserved the fan chants!

Perhaps Blazer coaches can learn to recognize the hot hand, feed him, keep the off-ball movement featuring him in the high post, and win games like this next season, and win the Playoffs and NBA Championship that now seems much closer!

 

[tiredhunter]

For better or worse, Meyer's career game tonight certainly supports your thesis. I hope he has a good off season, and effective start to the year since he and Collins will have huge roles while Nurk heals.