Trail Blazers vs Grizzlies: Battle for the 8 seed

[tpols]

Trail Blazers vs Grizzlies July 31, 2020 game thread, 4 p.m. ET on NBATV.

This Blazer teams has a scary ceiling with Nurkic back, Dame and CJ. I didn't know they had Whiteside and Melo too... who may be washed up, but they raise the team's potential KO power.

[ncrizzle]

JJJ

[insidehoops]

Tuned in now.

Late 1Q: Blazers 25, Grizzlies 23

PF Jaren Jackson Jr looking good for Grizzlies: 11 pts

Ja Morant 3 assists

For Blazers, CJ McCollum 3 of 4 for 8 pts

Skinny Melo started at SF, has 5 pts

[insidehoops]

I like that they're giving the "virtual fans" actual real air time during play stoppage.

[tpols]

jeez the reffing is unbearable right now... every damn play is a foul.

[KennyPowers]

Pulling for Ja and JJJ to get the 8th seed.

[brooks_thompson]

Grizz offense looks awful, especially without Tyus to back up Ja. Melton is no PG.

Shit, Hezonja just had the best two minute stretch he's ever had, so the defense ain't so hot either.

[insidehoops]

Coming into this game, Grizzlies are the West 8 seed, while Blazers are 3.5 games out of 8th and tied with the Kings record-wise.

[brooks_thompson]

God damn. Every play is a foul. Let em ****in play.

[tpols]

Coming into this game, Grizzlies are the West 8 seed, while Blazers are 3.5 games out of 8th and tied with the Kings record-wise.

for all intents and purposes this is a playoff game for portland.

[brooks_thompson]

Ya know, I try to prop up Lillard, but he still gets too cute with those 35 ft pullups. 2 already today.

Ugh the fouls

[ncrizzle]

way too many fouls. JJJ and Jonas are cooking on offense but we are turnstiles on d

[insidehoops]

End of 1Q: Blazers 35, Grizzlies 30

Blazers:
CJ McCollum 8
Damian Lillard 2 of 7
But Blazers as a team, 62% FG and lots of bench points

Grizzlies:
Jonas Valanciunas 12 pts (3 of 3)
Jaren Jackson Jr 11 pts (4 of 7)

[brooks_thompson]

way too many fouls. JJJ and Jonas are cooking on offense but we are turnstiles on d

This is a funky team rotation now that Tyus is out. But also, this is still a pretty funky team overall that is glaringly missing...something. i guess something to provide cohesion. Jae Crowder would've helped a little, but it would still be noticeable. Despite good JJJ and Jonas, the offense looks awful.

[brooks_thompson]

Long story short, we should probably go ahead and pencil in Grizz-Blazers as the 8-seed playoff.

[tpols]

my god :facepalm

[insidehoops]

Wonder what seed the Blazers would be right now had Jusuf Nurkic been healthy all season.

[insidehoops]

Mid 2nd quarter: Blazers up 48-39.

Off the Blazers bench, Gary Trent Jr. and Mario Hezonja have 18 points on 7 shot attempts.

[brooks_thompson]

Wonder what seed the Blazers would be right now had Jusuf Nurkic been healthy all season.

A comfortable 8th, no danger of play-in tournament. They still missed Collins and Hood.

[tpols]

nurkic is a good defender too. between that and whiteside the blazers have some rim protection.

[insidehoops]

Mid 2Q: Blazers up 10.

For Blazers, CJ McCollum now 7 of 9 for 17 pts

For Grizzlies, Jonas Valanciunas 4 of 4 for 16 pts

[dbugz]

Ja is a non factor so in this game. Dude need to be aggressive.

Blazers looking really really good with nurkic.

[brooks_thompson]

Am I crazy for thinking Grayson Allen may actually end up a respectable 8-9th man in the rotation for a team for several years? He's not there yet, but I can see him sticking around a while.

[brooks_thompson]

Too much Melton, not enough Dillon Brooks in the first half. Dillon's the type of wildcard they need to have out there even if he only delivers half the time.

[ArbitraryWater]

Long story short, we should probably go ahead and pencil in Grizz-Blazers as the 8-seed playoff.

What happens then again?

[dbugz]

Whiteside don't know how to effin boxout :facepalm

[insidehoops]

Brooks Thompson > Dillon Brooks

[brooks_thompson]

30 first half grizz free throws. I want them to win and even I find that disgusting. Only thing keeping them from getting smoked. Morant a near-no show so far.

[tpols]

portland cant keep grizz off the boards at all.

[insidehoops]

Wonder if Blazers SF Trevor Ariza (who declined to join the NBA restart plan) is watching each game. Probably.... just must be interesting to be home while the entire rest of your team made the trip.

[dbugz]

nurkic has like 8 blocks already? wtf

[insidehoops]

What former NBA stars does Jaren Jackson Jr's style of play remind you of?

[insidehoops]

nurkic has like 8 blocks already? wtf

Nurkic has four blocks

[insidehoops]

Mid 3Q: Blazers only up 2.

Morant does have 7 assists now.

[tpols]

JJJ has a frame like tristan thompson, and a shot like korver. what the ****...

I just want to see the blazers in the playoffs because this grizz team is an easy 1st round sweep...not even watchable. theyre scrappy but offense is ugly af.

[dbugz]

Jackson jr is really good.

[raprap]

Rooting for Grizzlies. Morant is not having a good scoring game though. I like that he’s not forcing it and is still looking for his teammates.

[insidehoops]

Ja Morant has COME ALIVE in the 3rd quarter

[tpols]

damn blazers just dont look as hungry. a 4.5 game hole with 8 games left? that's a wrap. this is their season right here.

[KennyPowers]

Ja and JJJ having a nice 3rd quarter

[raprap]

Ja Morant is a beast. Damn

[dbugz]

Portland too many TOs :facepalm

Too many drive and kick. Just simply start the offense on nurkic on the post and you build from that :facepalm

[ArbitraryWater]

Memphis destroying them now

[tpols]

all the grizz do is chuck 3's... but theyre hitting them. what a turn around.

[brooks_thompson]

What former NBA stars does Jaren Jackson Jr's style of play remind you of?

I can’t think of the precise one, but the answer is a SG. No joke at all. JJJ is literally a classic SG.

[KennyPowers]

all the grizz do is chuck 3's... but theyre hitting them. what a turn around.

Mainly Jaren


https://i.ibb.co/qMwrv2L/led.png

[tpols]

Great finish to the quarter. Gotta get that 4th.

[dbugz]

Just feed the ball to nurkic on the post.

Too many drive and kick that resulted to TOs.

[KOBEtherealKing]

Grayson Allen is horrible :lol

[tpols]

BOOM.

Whiteside. Lets get it.

[brooks_thompson]

Anderson at point eh. Gonna need Tyus back. Really hope they can hold on this game.

[raprap]

Mario Hezonja is horrible lol

[tpols]

Dame keeps taking retarded shots. 35 footers with no passes? You're bailing the defense out.

[dbugz]

Just feed the ball to nurkic on the post.

Too many drive and kick that resulted to TOs.

They're doing this maybe too late already :facepalm

[ArbitraryWater]

These techs are so retarded


Can someone slap these manchild refs, or at least have a talk with them

[tpols]

Who said these games arent competitive?

T after T being called. These guys are going at each other like a fight.

[dbugz]

See something good happen if you involve nurkic in the post on offense

[tpols]

wow that no call for collins killed all the momentum. he got hammered. Blaze need a miracle now.

[raprap]

Weak ass techs

[jayfan]

Happy for Nurkic. He was great out there today. Would never have known he had an injury.

[raprap]

JJJ has superstar potential

[brooks_thompson]

Dame keeps taking retarded shots. 35 footers with no passes? You're bailing the defense out.

This is the one thing that keeps me from being completely sold on him as a true franchise dude. Love him as a person, but he needs to admit to himself he’s a little too casual and smug with those bombs. They have a time and place, but he hasn’t been tasteful about it today.

[tpols]

MELO.

What a gangster.

:bowdown:

[ImKobe]

Melo got something left in the tank.

[tpols]

Win or lose, this has been one of the best back and forth games of the year.

[ralph_i_el]

Meloooooo


This game has been so ****ing good even with all the fouls. I forgot how awesome it was to watch a game where both teams really really want to win.

[raprap]

Melooo

[Real14]

Melo!!!!

[KennyPowers]

Need JJJ to hit a 3 for win

[brooks_thompson]

Goddamnit Ja

[KOBEtherealKing]

They had a timeout wtf

[Real14]

What a game tho! I like both of these teams. Morant is definitely a future superstar.

[raprap]

Great game! First bubble OT

[Real14]

CJ!

[brooks_thompson]

Well that sure got settled fast. Good game Portland. Gary Trent played pretty well.

[tpols]

what a dogfight.

never over with these damn 3's though.

[tpols]

what a dagger. Goodnight. CJ after that punk dillon talked shit all game.

[ImKobe]

Man, I don't wanna see Portland in the first round.

[Real14]

Man, I don't wanna see Portland in the first round.

That would be a great matchup indeed.

[tpols]

that's a textbook charge.

[raprap]

Lmao what a game

[Real14]

Dame Dolla!

[dbugz]

whiteside :roll: :roll:

[Real14]

Great game!:applause:

[dbugz]

good game :pimp:

[tpols]

Man I have to say... not even close to a Melo fan, but after nurkic fouled out, and they went small ball.. Melo hit the two biggest shots of the Trailblazers season. He is the difference between them making the playoffs and not off that.

[RoseCity07]

The refs did everything in their power to help Memphis and it still wasn't enough.:oldlol:

They fouled out Nurkic and Collins. Gave a late 4th tech on Collins and Gary Trent Jr.

Grizzlies shot 50 free throws:roll:

Blazers STILL won:bowdown::bowdown:

We belong in the playoffs.

[Axe]

Morant choked? That's kinda sad.

[tpols]

Man, I don't wanna see Portland in the first round.

the blazers have serious personel to at least make it a 6 game series... grizz would be a sweep. They're led by rookies. it's still a long road though. Portland's schedule is brutal too.

[NugzFan]

The refs did everything in their power to help Memphis and it still wasn't enough.:oldlol:

They fouled out Nurkic and Collins. Gave a late 4th tech on Collins and Gary Trent Jr.

Grizzlies shot 50 free throws:roll:

Blazers STILL won:bowdown::bowdown:

We belong in the playoffs.

How does fouling out players and giving techs mean the refs were helping Memphis?

[coin24]

Big di.ck clutch Melo:rockon:

Rather see the blazers in the playoffs than bs Memphis and the choking young core loser pelicans

[ArbitraryWater]

Big di.ck clutch Melo:rockon:

Rather see the blazers in the playoffs than bs Memphis and the choking young core loser pelicans

Aren‘t you a Lakers fan?

[coin24]

Aren‘t you a Lakers fan?

Yeah, I want to watch entertaining games.

[tpols]

Yeah, I want to watch entertaining games.

bingo.