The key vs. the Cavaliers
Portland’s going to have to get inside with regularity tonight. Oden must have another good game and LaMarcus Aldridge is doing to need to come up big again in what is a big game for both teams.
The Cavs are without Ilgauskas and Ben Wallace has been suffering from flu. Cleveland does everything well, including play defense. This is not the game for Portland to be firing random jump shots from all over the place. Penetration and post play are key.
Oden must stay on the floor and out of foul trouble, which will be difficult because Lebron is going to penetrate and be right there for Oden to hack at. And when Oden goes up to block a Lebron shot, if there’s contact, I’m afraid we know which way THAT call is going to go most of the time.
Cleveland has lost two out of three, which may not be a good thing. The Cavs are too good for a major losing spell and will be looking to turn things around, now that Orlando has wrestled the East’s best record from them. Portland has had a tough time getting to 10 games over .500 and has to start making a push in what is mostly the easiest part of its schedule.
This is a bit of a statement game for Portland, like the Boston game was. You want to win at home against the very best teams, to show you belong in the upper echelon.
NBA, Trail Blazers | Dwight Jaynes | January 21, 2009
Ben Wallace, Cleveland Cavaliers, Dwight Jaynes, Greg Oden, LaMarcus Aldridge, Lebron James, Portland Trail Blazers
The Blazers’ are among the best in the league in offensive efficiency (points scored per possession) and in the bottom third tier in defensive efficiency. This is one of the major reasons – especially considering the head coach’s pronounced goal before the season to focus on improved defense – for the team’s defensive failings. Another is the team’s tendency (somewhat improved recently) to allow uncontested baskets because their guards and small forward fail to get back on defense after missed shots, which costs an average of half a dozen points a game.
The best teams in the league (Boston, Cleveland, LA, and Orlando) are, not coincidentally, among the the top half-dozen in defensive efficiency. If those teams (with each of their vaunted offensive excellence) can excel at defense, why not the Blazers?
We’re told our team has a great player “culture” , which I interpret to mean young and eager player willing to give their all for the team. But on defense, either the players do not, in fact, possess this culture or they are undercoached. Given my personal belief that the former is true, why is the media not focusing on the team’s coaching staff — challenging it to explain why they have failed to coach well this young and otherwise admirable team in half of the game – the defensive half?
Sorry, my comment on this post was intended to be assigned to Dwight’s “Pick and Roll” post, not this Cavalier game item.
But speaking of the Cavaliers, does anyone remember the Blazers’ inaugural season featuring 10 wins (against 2 losses) against the Cavs? That must have a post-expansion league record by some measure!
Here’s the key for a blazer win…Hope Lebron doesn’t have a good game
I would love to see how Batum does on him. Lebron likes to drive and maybe if we keep him to jump shots, it may be enough…
There another team that has had our number…hopefully tonight will be different
Start Bayless……
BTW…..Tim Duncan had his 27th double double of the season last night….. Thats how a real center plays.
I think one of the major keys to this game, like many other superstars….. Make the rest of the team beat you.
If Lebron has 20 or 40, the rest of his team also has to step up. If you let Lebron do his thing and lock down the rest of the team on defense, we should have a fair chance at the game.
We then need (as Dwight says) go inside early and keep it going… We need Oden more than ever tonight!
Of course, Cleveland was an expansion team the same year the Blazers were, along with the Buffalo Braves (now the LA Clippers).
But still–having the expansion teams play lots of games against each other–sounds like something the NFL would do.
Bob: Tim Duncan is a power forward, not a center. he plays the 4 spot primarily.
F5 DO NOT FEED THE TROLL, SHE THRIVES ON BANTER…WE NEED TO STARVE HER OUT.
Never happen Jim Beam….
Did anybody else see Andrew Bynum throw both his elbows at Lebron’s throat while he was driving baseline. Bynum was a total hacker, he used all of his fouls in a borderline dirty way. No flagrant was called. The refs ate their whistles most of the night and Lebron barely got to the line by his standards.
Makes me think….hmmm… Oden was awesome against the Bobcats, but in general, Oden is way too nice and so are most of our players, which could be why our pick and roll defense is horrible. Once in a while you have to tomahawk players on both ends of the floor.
I cant believe Comcast is not showing this game tonight! Their “northwest” coverage is of a Chicago/St. Louis hockey match! WTF! Anyone know how I can find a live feed, online or otherwise? Thanks!
Sorry guys, I, Bob Whitsitt, am a total nimrod. I’ve been trolling you all along, and I just like to get a rise out of people. In all actuality, I don’t even know what I’m talking about. Go Blazers!