theGoldmangod
All Star
Cac or not, Jokic is the best big man in the league. Hard to argue it after watching him be consistently this good thru a series and a half in his first playoffs
Weed is Legal in Both States So Let's Blaze Fat Nuggets: POR vs. DEN Round 2 Official Thread
- Thread starter Floyd Pinkerton
- Start date
DoubleJ13
Smooth sailing from here on out...
Magic stepped down from helping run the Lakers so he get this kind of hard hitting, no bullshyt analysis out there to the people
Flex Grossman
Funky
Magic stepped down from helping run the Lakers so he get this kind of hard hitting, no bullshyt analysis out there to the people
That’s exactly what went thru my head when I saw that tweet. Dude left a president role in one of the most storied sports franchises ever to narrate parts of games on Twitter
GoddamnyamanProf
Countdown to Armageddon
You tellin me a young ass team bout to go from out the playoffs right to the WCF? :mjthink:
ISO
Pass me the rock nikka
Them boys good man. Portland gotta win 2 of the next 3 without home court. I think the Nuggets are just better this year
GoddamnyamanProf
Countdown to Armageddon
I like it.
The Unknown Hype
The One
I notice they would have open looks only to drive into traffic for a off balance floater. They move the ball well but I don’t get the off balance shot taking. Jokic was on fire with the putbacks and taking outside shots when he had them
Dame had a bad shooting night. CJ was solid though for the most part.
The first half was solid, but I think they got too excited an cocky.
Everyone act like they were up 20 when Denver was only down 6.
Denver just kept their cool and came strong in the 3rd.
Ultimately a series of dumb mistakes fukked the blazers.
Zach gettin a tech in the last 6 minutes and dame missing free throws, came back to hunt us.
From what I've Jokic looks cooked man. Dude is about to have one of those harden game 7, chokes like last year where he just cant push anymore.
Stotts needs to tweak the rotations more.
One thing is for sure. ET can stop Millsap.
If the blazers want to really win, I'd start ET on Millsap. ET makes millsap miss every fukking time.
Also the blazers need to get hood in the rotation more. He's got the size to be mismatch for the nuggets.
Can we beat the nuggets? fukk yes, but it's going take some tweaking.
Yinny
I miss LLC Twitter
I picked Jokic (and Denver) all the way back in Oct /Nov to advance this far, being a smart casual pays off
storyteller
Superstar
The Nuggets/Blazers series has mostly been about great offense overcoming quality defense. The execution on Murray/Jokic pick and rolls has been damn near perfection while the Blazers' allstar backcourt has kept up with incredible shot making. That means even a brief slip-up from those stars can be painful. The Blazers outscored the Nuggest in 3 out of 4 quarters, but Lillard struggling with his jumper in the third gave the Nuggets ample opportunity to make up their deficit and take a lead to withstand the fourth quarter push of Mccollum early and Lillard late. So what were the keys to this one? Free throw shooting hurt the Blazers late; but the boards were where I could see this game decided. Portland won the defensive rebounding battle 31 to 28 but the Nuggets managed 17 Offensive Rebounds. In a series where execution has been elite for both squads, you have to seal out the possessions that you do force a miss on. Second chance opportunities can be momentum builders or killers and in a game decided by 4 points; 116-112, they were the deciding factor. Let's take a closer look at the Blazers performances fam:
Lillard: Damian Lillard couldn't quite find the three ball which would have taken a great performance up a notch to brilliant. It was a lesson in "take what the defense gives you" out of the gate, with Lillard trusting players like Aminu to execute whenever the defense honed in on making someone else beat them. Dame's 28 points and 7 assists weren't easy to come by, Denver made a strong effort to keep him from getting comfortable looks deep (2/7 from three and 9/22 overall). The fact that the Blazers' star was still such a force really came down to smart forays into the paint to draw free throws. Defensively, we saw a pair of steals early and solid effort but Lillard's usually guarding less players to conserve that energy for offense. It's worth noting that Lillard missed a key FTA late though, and his third quarter shooting woes included even the good looks. There were some blemishes in this performance, but it feels like nitpicking when the guy demands so much attention that Al-Faruq Aminu can go off offensively.
Mccollum: After an abysmal third quarter for the Blazers, CJ McCollum opened up the fourth by taking all of the momentum for his damned self. The Blazers SG turned in the best performance on the team to the tune of 29 points and 5 boards shooting 50% from the field (10/20) and from three (4/8). When the Blazers needed a bucket, McCollum was consistently there to deliver regardless of what shot the Nuggets forced him to take. You could chase him off the line but he'd get to the rack or step by and pull up for two; if you didn't respect his three, you paid the price. McCollum delivered a pick-your-poison offensive game and kept pace with Jamal Murray most of the way. He was good to the point that I found myself wishing he'd assert himself even more, but the statline tells you all that you need to know...CJ McCollum balled out.
Harkless: When I talk about great offense beating quality defense, this guy is the central example. I didn't think Harkless played bad defense while tasked with guarding Murray for most of his stint out there, but no matter how much he challenged guys...they made the shots. Harkless poured in energy but couldn't deliver scoring that was necessary to keep pace with the Nuggest onslaught of offense and as good as he defended, Murray and co. just weren't taking no for an answer. Harkless finished 1/5 from the field and 0/2 from three, tallying 4 points, 5 boards and 2 assists in 17 minutes. He wasn't as bad as that efficiency suggests, but he can't get more minutes without converting more because the Nuggets offense is just too damned good.
Aminu: Al showed up last night and managed to keep up with Paul Milsap, who played excellent ball in his own right. Aminu was the main player to take advanatage of all the attention Damian Lillard drew, contributing 19 points and 8 rebounds to go along with a pair of blocks. The big man was able to work his inside for a number of cuts that led to easy finishes and his only flaw was poor three point shooting (1/4 there). Defensively, was a steady but not game altering presence. He was solid, but like Harkless even some of his better sequences ended with giving up points. This was just a really nice complimentary performance to the stars.
Kanter: Any of yall that are familiar with me will know I have a lot of problems with Enes Kanter's style of play. That said, I can't go too hard on a guy with a bummy shoulder and the worst possible match-up for his game. The effort was there for Kanter, but he has to concede space in pick and roll situations since he's slow laterally. That space is too much for Jokic and Murray to operate in when they're cooking and both those boys were on fire. Offensively, it wasn't bad but wasn't pretty either. The Blazers denied position on the blocks really well and that meant less opportunities to score and no chance at many of the offensive boards where he's usually a terror (he still got two last night). The boards were still his domain though, Kanter was the only Blazer with double digit rebounding and one of two Blazers that grabbed more than 5 on the night. He finished with 5 points 10 rebounds and a noteworthy 4 TO's. When Kanter's forced to work further out, the TO's can compile but he also got hurt by some shoddy illegal screen calling.
Curry: The other Curry did his Steph impersonation in the second quarter, but was fairly quiet the rest of the way. That's not to take away from a really nice contribution. Seth Curry converted three pointer after three pointer in the second quarter and was an active defender on the end (something I usually don't give him credit for). My favorite moment from Seth was his very first play though; he handled through a screen and made a nifty lead bounce pass for his only assist on the night. It's a quick flash of passing and awareness that I wish he'd use more often. Anyway, Curry put up 16 points, 3 boards and that one assist in 27 minutes; he covered for some of the offense Kanter and Harkless didn't have.
Hood: Rodney Hood might be the close second to Aminu in taking advantage of the Nuggets defense focusing on the stars. He did a bit of everything and had a stand out crossover to a step back jumper that was really beautiful. In his 24 minutes, Hood posted 7 points, 4 boards and 3 assists; a steady contribution across the board that was more needed than those numbers might suggest. He showed up and made good on his minutes offensively. Defensively he did lose track of his man for some back door plays, which always frustrates me.
Collins: Zach Collins had a respectable performance that would get a lot more love if he'd have hit the boards harder. Collins posted 4 points, 2 assists, 2 blocks and just 1 rebound in 21 minutes out there. He moved well, set solid screens and did a mostly solid job but it translated to a fairly forgettable stat-line. That said, it's no surprise he tallied across the box score. He did play a solid game and made the right plays most of the time. He was quiet, but good.
Turner: It felt like Turner was doing more out there with his limited minutes than the numbers suggest. He had a goose egg scoring, 2 assists and 4 boards but that's in 12 minutes and combined with visibly making a difference defensively. Turner's size really adds some utility to his game as he's good to switch on damn near anyone out there. He can handle some and create, but this may just be similar to Harkless in that he wasn't scoring and the Blazers needed baskets.
Stotts: This dude Terry Stotts is in no man's land against that Jokic/Murray combo without the pieces to defend it. It's hard for me to blame him with the effort and performance of his team last night. Now missed FT's and box outs are some things you don't want to see a team habitually plagued by, but that's something I'd need to monitor long term to get on the coaching staff for. There's not too much to critique for me on this end, I like Stotts as a coach. The players gave him a great effort. That third quarter was just too much to overcome...very Knicks-like tbh.
@Serious
wasn't gonna leave you and Blazers heads hangin' fam.
Lillard: Damian Lillard couldn't quite find the three ball which would have taken a great performance up a notch to brilliant. It was a lesson in "take what the defense gives you" out of the gate, with Lillard trusting players like Aminu to execute whenever the defense honed in on making someone else beat them. Dame's 28 points and 7 assists weren't easy to come by, Denver made a strong effort to keep him from getting comfortable looks deep (2/7 from three and 9/22 overall). The fact that the Blazers' star was still such a force really came down to smart forays into the paint to draw free throws. Defensively, we saw a pair of steals early and solid effort but Lillard's usually guarding less players to conserve that energy for offense. It's worth noting that Lillard missed a key FTA late though, and his third quarter shooting woes included even the good looks. There were some blemishes in this performance, but it feels like nitpicking when the guy demands so much attention that Al-Faruq Aminu can go off offensively.
Mccollum: After an abysmal third quarter for the Blazers, CJ McCollum opened up the fourth by taking all of the momentum for his damned self. The Blazers SG turned in the best performance on the team to the tune of 29 points and 5 boards shooting 50% from the field (10/20) and from three (4/8). When the Blazers needed a bucket, McCollum was consistently there to deliver regardless of what shot the Nuggets forced him to take. You could chase him off the line but he'd get to the rack or step by and pull up for two; if you didn't respect his three, you paid the price. McCollum delivered a pick-your-poison offensive game and kept pace with Jamal Murray most of the way. He was good to the point that I found myself wishing he'd assert himself even more, but the statline tells you all that you need to know...CJ McCollum balled out.
Harkless: When I talk about great offense beating quality defense, this guy is the central example. I didn't think Harkless played bad defense while tasked with guarding Murray for most of his stint out there, but no matter how much he challenged guys...they made the shots. Harkless poured in energy but couldn't deliver scoring that was necessary to keep pace with the Nuggest onslaught of offense and as good as he defended, Murray and co. just weren't taking no for an answer. Harkless finished 1/5 from the field and 0/2 from three, tallying 4 points, 5 boards and 2 assists in 17 minutes. He wasn't as bad as that efficiency suggests, but he can't get more minutes without converting more because the Nuggets offense is just too damned good.
Aminu: Al showed up last night and managed to keep up with Paul Milsap, who played excellent ball in his own right. Aminu was the main player to take advanatage of all the attention Damian Lillard drew, contributing 19 points and 8 rebounds to go along with a pair of blocks. The big man was able to work his inside for a number of cuts that led to easy finishes and his only flaw was poor three point shooting (1/4 there). Defensively, was a steady but not game altering presence. He was solid, but like Harkless even some of his better sequences ended with giving up points. This was just a really nice complimentary performance to the stars.
Kanter: Any of yall that are familiar with me will know I have a lot of problems with Enes Kanter's style of play. That said, I can't go too hard on a guy with a bummy shoulder and the worst possible match-up for his game. The effort was there for Kanter, but he has to concede space in pick and roll situations since he's slow laterally. That space is too much for Jokic and Murray to operate in when they're cooking and both those boys were on fire. Offensively, it wasn't bad but wasn't pretty either. The Blazers denied position on the blocks really well and that meant less opportunities to score and no chance at many of the offensive boards where he's usually a terror (he still got two last night). The boards were still his domain though, Kanter was the only Blazer with double digit rebounding and one of two Blazers that grabbed more than 5 on the night. He finished with 5 points 10 rebounds and a noteworthy 4 TO's. When Kanter's forced to work further out, the TO's can compile but he also got hurt by some shoddy illegal screen calling.
Curry: The other Curry did his Steph impersonation in the second quarter, but was fairly quiet the rest of the way. That's not to take away from a really nice contribution. Seth Curry converted three pointer after three pointer in the second quarter and was an active defender on the end (something I usually don't give him credit for). My favorite moment from Seth was his very first play though; he handled through a screen and made a nifty lead bounce pass for his only assist on the night. It's a quick flash of passing and awareness that I wish he'd use more often. Anyway, Curry put up 16 points, 3 boards and that one assist in 27 minutes; he covered for some of the offense Kanter and Harkless didn't have.
Hood: Rodney Hood might be the close second to Aminu in taking advantage of the Nuggets defense focusing on the stars. He did a bit of everything and had a stand out crossover to a step back jumper that was really beautiful. In his 24 minutes, Hood posted 7 points, 4 boards and 3 assists; a steady contribution across the board that was more needed than those numbers might suggest. He showed up and made good on his minutes offensively. Defensively he did lose track of his man for some back door plays, which always frustrates me.
Collins: Zach Collins had a respectable performance that would get a lot more love if he'd have hit the boards harder. Collins posted 4 points, 2 assists, 2 blocks and just 1 rebound in 21 minutes out there. He moved well, set solid screens and did a mostly solid job but it translated to a fairly forgettable stat-line. That said, it's no surprise he tallied across the box score. He did play a solid game and made the right plays most of the time. He was quiet, but good.
Turner: It felt like Turner was doing more out there with his limited minutes than the numbers suggest. He had a goose egg scoring, 2 assists and 4 boards but that's in 12 minutes and combined with visibly making a difference defensively. Turner's size really adds some utility to his game as he's good to switch on damn near anyone out there. He can handle some and create, but this may just be similar to Harkless in that he wasn't scoring and the Blazers needed baskets.
Stotts: This dude Terry Stotts is in no man's land against that Jokic/Murray combo without the pieces to defend it. It's hard for me to blame him with the effort and performance of his team last night. Now missed FT's and box outs are some things you don't want to see a team habitually plagued by, but that's something I'd need to monitor long term to get on the coaching staff for. There's not too much to critique for me on this end, I like Stotts as a coach. The players gave him a great effort. That third quarter was just too much to overcome...very Knicks-like tbh.
@Serious
wasn't gonna leave you and Blazers heads hangin' fam.
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idk why you're not writing sports columns.This straight is piff..
Appreciate the write up.
@raidersreceiver @Skooby @thelonious21 make sure to read, rep and dap this.
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