Pick and Scroll
Nathan Begley | Wednesday, April 21, 2010 at 10:13AM Your daily (Mon-Fri) roundup of links from around the blogosphere, typically Trail Blazers related.
• Dwight Jaynes suggests we move on from last night’s debacle. That’s great, maybe Marcus Camby can lend me some of the $20-plus million dollars that weighed him down (2-10 from the field), so I can buy something to wash this terrible taste from my mouth. Gin is always nice.
• Jason Quick of The Oregonian recaps the game and reports that Nicolas Batum has injured his shoulder and will be getting an MRI. Of course he did. Joe Freeman takes a closer look. Batum is “optimistic” and Webster is in denial. We’re more realistic: Batum is going to get his shoulder stuck in the MRI machine, which will then start on fire and burn down the Rose Garden.
• SJ from Rip City Project doesn’t think that last night’s loss was a momentum shifting game:
Phoenix did not get an extra win in their column for winning by 29. It’s 1-1 with plenty of basketball to be played, except now it’s in the Rose City.
• Dan Bickley of The Arizona Republic says now Phoenix knows what is coming.
• Rob Mahoney of TrueHoop Network sister site Hardwood Paroxysm agrees with Bickley, and expounds on the notion of “the reveal” through the metaphor of Ridley Scott’s Alien vs. James Cameron’s Aliens. I don’t know about you, but for me, the mental image of Nate McMillan’s face bursting through some ill-fated crew member’s chest was far (far) more disturbing than Ridley Scott’s iconic scene.
• Dave Deckard of BlazersEdge says that now it’s a best of five series that starts in the Rose Garden.
• Kevin Pelton takes a look at the adjustments the Phoenix Suns made on defense, in addition to putting up the most efficent offensive performance of the postseason thus far.
• Geoffrey C. Arnold of The Oregonian floats the idea that perhaps Martell Webster should start in place of some Spanish guy who allegedly plays for Portland. I don’t know about you, but I have not seen any proof in the post-season that this “Rudy Fernandez” character even exists. I think he was just a rental for the regular season.
• So what is it that Phoenix did to hurt Portland last night? Why not saunter on over to Synergy Sports and take a look for yourself? As I’m sure you’ve heard, Synergy Sports has created a version of their incredible video and statistical analysis database for general consumption. For a small monthly fee, even Bill Simmons could (eventually) become a knowledgeable basketball pundit. Do you want to see what sort of defensive attention Greg Oden receives in the low post compared to LaMarcus Aldridge? You can bring up every post play to see who commanded double teams and what each player should improve to become more effective. Are you a numbers junkie? Synergy has stats right there so you can see how many points per possession were scored off a given play type, be it spot-up, transition, P&R (ball handler and roll man), isolation, post-up, cut, off screens, offensive rebounds, and more. Don’t like numbers and want to see it with your own eyes? Watch the video of each and every play type and come to your own conclusions. This is a new and powerful tool that basketball fans would have killed for back in the day where the most advanced statistics were found on the back of an Upper Deck player card. The PRS team been testing the system for them the past few weeks and it already has ruined all of our respective relationships. It’s that good.
Reader Comments (8)
"We’re more realistic: Batum is going to get his shoulder stuck in the MRI machine, which will then start on fire and burn down the Rose Garden." You made me snarf on my coffee!
Sorry to get your hopes up with the Suns horrible performance on Sunday, but it doesn't look like you'll be seeing the WCF, let alone the second round. If I were you guys I'd be proud to see game 6.
It was fun 48 hours while it lasted though . . . right?
Alright, who am I:
My team can barely pull out a win, BARELY, against one of our opponents worst performances of the year = Blazers are going to the WCF, naw, F-it, we're the World Champs!
ANSWER: Blazer fans after game 1 up until the minute game 2 started. Classic.
It's always fun to argue with a straw man, right PHX?
It's only because his team's PF is a Tinman... no heart.
You Portland fans are so clever, only if you could be half as smart about your basketball team. See you 'homers' back in Phoenix for game 5.
"We’re more realistic: Batum is going to get his shoulder stuck in the MRI machine, which will then start on fire and burn down the Rose Garden."
Thats some funny shit, until it actually happens. What a f&cking year.......
what the hell is going on with Rudy?? isn't that guy suppose to be a baller? This is his chance and he is blowing it big time. I say give him one more start and see if he can pick it up a little or bench that fool!
I really thank to one who wrote this article.
I have always been reading and writing texts like this in blogs. Also, I, as a daily writer, present my respects to everyone. I just watched videos like this in research in all areas.
I think people must first research before writing.
Thank you for the information
The article is very professionally written. I enjoy reading every day
abercrombie uk
abercrombie and fitch uk
Abercrombie & fitch uk