Well, this is what happens when a smart team goes after the Trail Blazers the right way. Portland’s pick-and-roll defense is no better than it was weeks ago and that’s allowing the opposition to get whatever matchups it wishes. But you’re tired of listening to me about this. . . so here’s Dave from Blazers Edge ranting about the same thing:

Most teams look for matchups to exploit, figuring that if your power forward can’t guard theirs they have an advantage. The Blazers have revolutionized that concept for the opponent. If you have a mismatch against any Portland player you can just run screens until you get them matched up against you. The Blazers’ point guard on your 7-foot power forward? No problem. A center against your point out on the perimeter? You got it! Call in the next 12 minutes (because you know we can’t do this all day) and we’ll throw in a case of ineffective double-teams, three or four instances of slow interior rotation on drivers, and a lifetime supply of not getting out to your shooters. Regular readers will know this is not a new phenomenon for the Blazers. But the Mavericks with their Dirk Nowitzkis and their Jason Kidds and Jason Terrys make it painfully obvious. How many times can you see Jerryd Bayless on Nowitzki before you throw your hands up in disgust?

Well said, Dave. I get a lot of comments from people who say, “You idiot, do you think you’re smarter than Nate McMillan?” No, I don’t. Not at all — at least in terms of basketball. But this is one area where I just don’t understand what his team is attempting to do on defense. Folks, this isn’t a player problem, it’s a system problem. They’re being coached to switch and then they never bother, even, to switch back.

I’ve watched the Blazers and Mavs play twice this season and I’m a firm believer that Portland has the better players. But the Mavericks have won twice because they’ve played better. Smarter.

Watch last night’s game and see the way Dallas, which doesn’t feature very good defenders, handles the pick and roll. Most of the game, the Blazers didn’t get much because the Mavs simply popped out on the screen, defended the ball, stayed with the man rolling off the screen . . . oh hell, you saw it. Of course, it makes a difference that the Blazers seemingly NEVER look for the man rolling away from the pick. Oden is rapidly losing interest in the whole process because it’s so futile for him.

Yes, I’m sick of writing about this. But get used to it. It doesn’t look to me as if rapid change is on the way. And allowing 55 percent shooting just isn’t going to get it done against real NBA teams.

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Two lackluster defensive teams matched up Thursday night in New Jersey and the Blazers, down the stretch, made more shots, got better penetration and out-talented the Nets. It was a win the Blazers needed — badly.

And — hey, my bad on this one — Jerryd Bayless had a terrific night. He got into the paint and all the way to the basket all night against the Nets, who defend even worse than the Blazers. He was ridiculously good. So good, that I’d be worried he’s going to think it’s going to be this easy for him every night. It’s not. But give him a lot of credit — he recovered from some horrendous shooting in previous games to step up when the team needed him most.

His ability to penetrate, if he can do it on a consistent basis, is a welcome addition — particularly if he can get the hang of laying the ball off to the big men when he draws the extra defender.

Brandon Roy played through obvious pain and did so very well and LaMarcus Aldridge did a nice job, too. The Blazers were very good on offense down the stretch of this game — as they often are when Roy is controlling things.

That was the good from the Nets game — and I guess I can’t blame Trail Blazer fans if that’s all they want to hear. But the fact was, this was another night in which Portland seemed totally overwhelmed by the pick-and-roll. At some point during the game, I got this e-mail from a long-time Blazer fan who now lives in California:

 Hi Mr. Jaynes,

Watching this Nets game….what is going on with the Blazers trying to defend the pick and roll???? The guard doesn’t even try and get over, under, or through the pick…they just simply switch. I’ve never seen such poor defense in all my playing or viewing years. Help me understand this please.

Morgan

Well, Morgan, I can’t help you. I don’t get it, either. But I do know one thing — it’s going to be mighty hard to ever win a playoff series simply switching every pick and roll. Good teams dream about feasting off these sorts of mismatches. And it’s just one more thing that takes the Blazer big men and puts them in a vulnerable position. But that doesn’t seem to matter much. With all the minutes Travis Outlaw gets at power forward, with Rudy’s big minutes off the bench, this is on its way to turning into a very small-ball team. A very guard-oriented team, if Bayless begins to get more minutes, because he’s going to have the ball in his hands a lot when Roy doesn’t have it.

It will be interesting to see how that works out.

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