NBA/Blazers 2025-26 Thread

[pezsez1]

I actually don't know why I keep finding such bad stats, but the correct stats don't change the narrative.

Looked up the actual box scores, and here's what Steph Aminu did with wide-open shots.

Game 1: 1-5 from 3, 7 pts in 30 mins.

Game 2: 4-6 from 3, 14 pts in 36 mins.

Game 3: 3-8 from 3, 21 pts in 31 mins.

Game 4: 5-11 from 3, 27 pts in 35 mins

His last game was good enough for someone who was being allowed (by the other team's defense) to basically do what he wanted offensively. CJ also had a solid Game 4. (The gradual shifts in Aminu's numbers actually show how Lillard and the coaches were trying to work around the Pel's Dame-centric game plan.) But Anthony Davis balled out and so did Jru. Game 4 was a high-scoring shootout. The difference was the Pels had the matchups to shut down our best player (Dame) but we didn't have the matchups to shut down their best player (Anthony Davis). Nurk had a very quiet series and fouled out in Game 4. Jru Holiday had a great series, and he benefited mightily from Anthony Davis being unstoppable and commanding so much attention from our defense. Damian Lillard didn't have that kind of wingman, and honestly never did until he got traded to Milwaukee -- and unfortunately, either he or Giannis was always injured during the playoffs.

Deni is going to be Dame's best Blazers teammate since LaMarcus Aldridge. Let that sink in.

Jru is a solid player, and I understand why teams like having him around. He's an elite backcourt defender. Beyond that though, nothing he does is elite. Dame is an elite shooter, and three-level scorer, a shot creator, a distributor, a floor leader, and an all-world closer. The only thing he's never been elite at is playing defense. And most NBA point guards aren't known for being all-world defenders like Jru, which is what makes Jru special. But Dame's skillset is more productive at that position than Holiday's which is why the Bucks traded Jru for him and why the Blazers happily took him back and gave him a no-trade clause. Jru has never been the best player on his team, and he probably hasn't even been the second-best player since his stint with the Pels. (And that's fine, Jru is what he is and that's good enough. He plays a role and does it extremely well.)

[TheDrake]

You two should get a room real soon!!

[UOducksTK1]

Ya there's a nice offtopic section waiting for you two. Put it right next to the political chatter lol.

[OregonFan4Life]

How do you guys have the time and energy to debate this intensely over Dame Lillard? Let me help you guys. Phalanx, you hate Lillard too much. Pez, you love Lillard too much. He’s a really good player with faults. Does that coming from a non-Blazers fan help?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[droop10]

How do you guys have the time and energy to debate this intensely over Dame Lillard? Let me help you guys. Phalanx, you hate Lillard too much. Pez, you love Lillard too much. He’s a really good player with faults. Does that coming from a non-Blazers fan help?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

I've tried this approach before, and it will not succeed.

Phalanx will shoehorn a complaint about Lillard into every post, and Pez will come in to defend Lillard. This is destined to be the cycle of all of these Blazers threads. I just follow for the entertainment. With Wemby potentially out the next couple of games, I think there's a chance the Blazers could actually pull off the series. Unfortunately, the NBA playoffs have really just become a matter of who has the fewest critical injuries to their roster in the playoffs. That said, it also wouldn't surprise me to see Wemby come back with the Spurs down 3-1 and they reel off 3 consecutive wins.

[Phalanx]

These are such funny responses to a couple of people talking about the Blazers in a thread about the Blazers. I was also trying to help Pez figure out how to look up stats and accurately represent them in everyday conversation. It's a valuable skill I am teaching him that may end up changing his entire outlook on life. It's something his Mom and Dad should have taught him, but they didn't for some reason. Stat Illiteracy is no laughing matter; it's a growing problem affecting roughly one out of every 2 Americans. I'm not looking for thanks here, I am just happy to help out a fellow Blazer fan.

I don't think Wemby is traveling to Portland to not play. He might sit out game three just to make all the talking heads happy, but he should be ready to go by game four. The idea that Portland has a chance in this series is a fleeting fantasy that could all end tomorrow night, so please, let us enjoy it while it lasts.

P.S. Some of you should look at your own post counts before commenting on mine.

[pezsez1]

I appreciate the dialogue, even with Phalanx! He teaches me about stats, and then I put those stats into context. It's win-win.

Pivoting toward the Wemby discussion, I also think he'll sit Game 3 and play Game 4. The Spurs would be reckless to put a guy who was just knocked out cold into a heated NBA playoff series.

The Blazers will come out fast and dominate Game 3. Then Wemby will come back, and all bets are off for Game 4. I think this is the best-possible outcome because the Blazers would go back to San Antonio with THE CHANCE to do the unthinkable. I don't think San Antonio will lose again at home, but for the Blazers to fight to a Game 7 and get that experience under their belts would be pretty meaningful.

[OregonFan4Life]

Thanks guys for this thread btw, as a Spurs fan it’s been fun to discuss this with you guys. Outside of Scoot’s mouth in game 2 (I’m sure you guys loved it but can understand why it’s annoying to opposing fans) I like this Blazers team a lot. I think Splitter was a great hire and as a Spurs fan I’m grateful for what he did at SA so I have to root for him to succeed.

If Portland takes a 3-1 lead this series is over even if Wemby does come back. Is Wemby enough of a game changer if properly utilized that the Spurs could win 3 straight games? Yes, but will that happen? No. I know Mitch Johnson is a finalist for COY but that is absolutely ridiculous to me, the Spurs to play tough and physical but the way they play looks as if they never had practice and offensive set/playbook. This team plays so much 1v1 ball and do not move the ball near enough. As someone who was a hardcore fan of the Spurs back in the Duncan era this pains me to say, but the Spurs just play bad basketball particularly on the offensive end, and if they go down 1-3 that will keep them from completing a 3 game streak to win the series in 7.

From my perspective the Spurs are a more talented team, heck they might be the most talented team in the NBA, but they are very immature and haven’t learned how to play as a team. In games 1 and 2 I kept rolling my eyes at how far from the paint Wemby is receiving his entry passes, and he’s better than he was his first two seasons! With Wemby who is arguably the best at receiving an alley-oop and the guards who are tough and amazing at getting to the hoop, this Spurs team should be unstoppable, but they aren’t. And the Blazers aren’t far behind talent wise and I think they’re much better than their record and now that they have sort of figured out their roster, if they continue to keep this roster they’ll be a top 4 seed next year in the West. If the Spurs don’t properly utilize the talent the Blazers are more than talented enough to take advantage of the Spurs poor style of basketball.

TLDR: even if Wemby comes back, if Portland wins both games in Portland, this series is over.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[bellsduck]

Games are spaced out so much any more that a relatively minor injury allows players to come back without missing many games at all.

[pezsez1]

In games 1 and 2 I kept rolling my eyes at how far from the paint Wemby is receiving his entry passes, and he’s better than he was his first two seasons!

I've actually been thinking about this a lot. Wemby seems so unstoppable anywhere near the rim, it feels like a basketball crime for him to be anywhere near the 3-pt line when his team is on offense. I mean yeah, he's also a pretty decent 3-pt shooter, and he cooked us from distance in Game 1. But he's so automatic near the hoop, it seems like he should spend more time down there.

The benefit of keeping him in the backcourt though is he can get back quickly on defense and take away Deni's fast break. I honestly wasn't watching to see whether that was happening in real time, but that could explain what was clearly a decision for him to hang away from the basket on so many possessions.

[OregonFan4Life]

In games 1 and 2 I kept rolling my eyes at how far from the paint Wemby is receiving his entry passes, and he’s better than he was his first two seasons!

I've actually been thinking about this a lot. Wemby seems so unstoppable anywhere near the rim, it feels like a basketball crime for him to be anywhere near the 3-pt line when his team is on offense. I mean yeah, he's also a pretty decent 3-pt shooter, and he cooked us from distance in Game 1. But he's so automatic near the hoop, it seems like he should spend more time down there.

The benefit of keeping him in the backcourt though is he can get back quickly on defense and take away Deni's fast break. I honestly wasn't watching to see whether that was happening in real time, but that could explain what was clearly a decision for him to hang away from the basket on so many possessions.

I don’t want to relegate him to the paint only, he has lowered his 3 point attempts per game this season to 3-5 compared to 7-10 the prior two seasons. He’s so talented and skilled I do want him to be all over the court, but there’s no doubt he’s at his best deeper in the paint. Even if he’s going against someone thicker than him his height, reach, and vertical allows him to reach over them if he’s close enough. He’s trying a ton to go against smaller quicker guys 1v1 from the top of the key to the 3 point line and he’s too lanky to do that, and he keeps falling awkwardly which resulted in his injury and unfortunately in today’s NBA he gets bailed out with free throws way too often.

The Blazers have done an excellent job defending him so far and if the Spurs continue to play this way the Blazers will continue to make things difficult for Wemby.

Again, I’ve been impressed with Tiago Splitter, I think he was a good hire.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[alxtw]

Tough to watch shaedon sharp and grant play…scoots still one step forward two steps back kind of player.

Thought wemby would definitely need to come back by game 4 but he can take a nice leisurely recovery, as the spurs rookies and young guys look very good by themselves playing on the road.

[Phalanx]

Blazers come back down to Earth in game 3. Deni having a terrible night shooting, Clingan is quiet and TooMany was not enough. Shaedon once again barely gets off the bench. Jrue played 40 minutes and tried to carry the team, but the Spurs are too good from outside, shooting nearly 50% from three. They just kept hitting in the late 3rd and 4th quarter and the Blazers had no answer. Too bad, it was a golden opportunity and Deni and Toumani weren't up to it.

I was glad to see Scoot have another decent game. Seems like he is growing up in these playoffs. I continue to believe they need a scoring punch for the power forward position. I like Toumani, but on a playoff team, he is probably best as a rotation player they bring in for defense.

I will be very surprised if they win another game from here. Portland just doesn't have the horses.

[Boom]

Deni is kind of a one trick pony offensively. It’s fine for the regular season, but teams can game plan him out of the playoffs.