Trail Blazers (35-28) at Celtics (34-30) Game #65 5/2/21

[SparzWizard]

Season in serious jeopardy right now if Brown/Tatum are not 100%. Real danger Cs miss the playoffs.

Might be a good thing for this team. Let it be a learning lesson that they should never crap up games against sub .500 teams, and always play at maximum effort and to never play for only one half. Respect the opponent whether they are extremely good or extremely poor.

[blink]

Giving up 129 points in regulation can't be acceptable for this group.  Our defense has to improve, and it has to start at the top with Tatum and Brown... because IMHO that's where the biggest dropoff has come.  Tatum went from an above average defender to a mediocre one.  Brown has always been a bit inconsistent - generally excellent on-ball and spotty off-ball - but he has gotten worse in both categories this season.  He's legitimately a poor overall defender right now. 

We have the tools to be a very good defensive team.  Instead we're a bad one, and fixing that is one of the things that must happen if we are going to contend at any point within the next few seasons.  Our stars have to lead that charge.

Those comments are spot on.  If those two, and our team overall plays better def, we don't need 60 from Tatum to beat the spurs.  Tatum's first two years, he was a PEST defensively, long arms, hustled all the time, it was way different than now.  I guess as you take more offensive responsibility you can't play like that on def all the time, but both need to be better.  Both JB / JT have generally been on fire on off all year, it def is the other side of the ball where they can assert their leadership.  The attitude needs to be that we are going to get stops and make every team we play earn every bucket.  That has never happened this season.

[Silas]

Rob +13, Aaron +11, and Payton +8.  Everyone else on the team was a big - 

[liam]

Smart with more than 10 FG attempts (14) and, fittingly, we lose the game.

It's inexcusable when there are guys who are red hot shooting!!!!

[Csfan1984]

Never going to make a finals if they can't defend pick and roll and keep turning it over. Not enough consistent effort or team chemistry.

[liam]

Rob +13, Aaron +11, and Payton +8.  Everyone else on the team was a big -

That line up with those 3 and Fournier and Tatum was money!!!!

[gouki88]

Smart with more than 10 FG attempts (14) and, fittingly, we lose the game.

Our record in games where he shoots 10+ times is abysmal. Hope he's elsewhere next season

[liam]

Brad saying how Nesmith and Payton and Fournier played well. Why did Payton and Nesmith only play 20 minutes each?

[liam]

Smart with more than 10 FG attempts (14) and, fittingly, we lose the game.

Our record in games where he shoots 10+ times is abysmal. Hope he's elsewhere next season

Maybe this could be pointed out to Mr. Smart!!!

[gouki88]

Smart with more than 10 FG attempts (14) and, fittingly, we lose the game.

Our record in games where he shoots 10+ times is abysmal. Hope he's elsewhere next season

Maybe this could be pointed out to Mr. Smart!!!

I'll write it on the back of his plane ticket to his next team

[hpantazo]

With the Heat winning tonight, we are now at #7. How do you guys like our chances? The 2 Miami games are gonna be huge.

This team has shown that when healthy , they can beat anybody. It's been great to see Tatum and Brown both take that next step this year, to see Rob break out, and to see that Nesmith and Pritchard are legit players.

With that said, if Brown is out and Kemba's still out for those Miami games, we better start preparing for the play-in tournament.

[radiohead]

Season in serious jeopardy right now if Brown/Tatum are not 100%. Real danger Cs miss the playoffs.

Might be a good thing for this team. Let it be a learning lesson that they should never crap up games against sub .500 teams, and always play at maximum effort and to never play for only one half. Respect the opponent whether they are extremely good or extremely poor.

I agree. Those two OKC losses are already haunting us, with the standings this close. I think JB should sit a couple of games out if needed. We have Fournier and Nessie to somewhat cover for him. We need our guys healthy for the playoffs.

With the play in format in place, the 7th and 8th seeds are practically the same right? They just need to win once to officially get the 7th seed? Am really not a fan of this format.

[slamtheking]

all starters with huge negative +/-.  all Portland starters with huge positives +/-.  says a lot about the defensive effort from the starters.  Of course Smart killed them in stretches.  Jaylen also had some real issues.

[liam]

Smart with more than 10 FG attempts (14) and, fittingly, we lose the game.

Our record in games where he shoots 10+ times is abysmal. Hope he's elsewhere next season

Maybe this could be pointed out to Mr. Smart!!!

I'll write it on the back of his plane ticket to his next team

TP

[gouki88]

all starters with huge negative +/-.  all Portland starters with huge positives +/-.  says a lot about the defensive effort from the starters.  Of course Smart killed them in stretches.  Jaylen also had some real issues.

Felt that PP, Nesmith and Rob really brought the energy. Tatum and Fournier were the only two starters who showed up