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Re: [37-20] SWISH | shitty trade deadline write-up

Postby Lamrock on Sun Nov 27, 2016 12:24 pm

FEBRUARY RECAP

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Record: 39-21 (6-5) | 3rd in Conference, 1st in Division
Offensive Rating: 110.1 (1st) | Defensive Rating: 104.4 (24th) | Differential: +5.7 (5th)


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Noah Vonleh sighting!!!

The Trail Blazers have cooled off a bit after their scorching ten game winning streak, but at 39-21 are still on pace to finish with one of the league's top records. Suffering a 43 point loss to the Thunder, who lead them by a game and hold the tiebreaker for the 2 seed is not a good look, but overall Portland appears primed to make a deep playoff run. With 22 games remaining, the key now is to maintain that top three seed, while staying healthy.

Were the post-season to start today, the first round matchup would be the 32-27 Kings, who Portland went 2-1 against in the season series. Match-ups against the Rockets, Spurs and Clippers are all distinct possibilities as well. Regardless of who the Trail Blazers play, it appears that conference finals or bust is the sentiment of the Blazers' brain trust.

Also, shout-out to Damian Lillard for redeeming himself after that horrible 3-point shootout performance by winning the All-Star game MVP. He was chucking it out there but he got 34 points and the W so…

GALLERY

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AROUND THE LEAGUE

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Golden State continues to dominate, having won eight straight. Would anyone be that shocked if they close out the year with a 28 game win streak to win 70 again? Maybe a little, but it could happen. While the top four in the West seems to be set (props to the surging Grizzlies who are winning without Conley somehow), it's a surprisingly tight race for the lower four seeds, with only the Suns and Mavericks more or less out of it.

In the East, the Chicago Bulls continue to shock the world, by overtaking Cleveland for first in the conference. Of course, the Cavs proved in the finals last year that home court advantage isn't everything. Still, Fred Hoiberg coach of the year will never not sound weird.

NBA STANDINGS

Western Conference (PotM: Russell Westbrook | RotM: Brandon Ingram)

1 Golden State Warriors 50-12*
2 Oklahoma City Thunder 40-20*
3 Portland Trail Blazers 39-21*
4 Memphis Grizzlies 36-24
5 Houston Rockets 33-27
6 Sacramento Kings 32-27
7 San Antonio Spurs 31-30
8 Los Angeles Clippers 31-31
Seattle SuperSonics 30-30
Minnesota Timberwolves 30-31
Kansas City Knights 30-32
Los Angeles Lakers 29-33
Utah Jazz 28-33
Denver Nuggets 27-34
Phoenix Suns 25-35
Dallas Mavericks 18-40

Eastern Conference (PotM: LeBron James | RotM: Caris LaVert)

1 Chicago Bulls 43-17*
2 Cleveland Cavaliers 43-20
3 Toronto Raptors 39-23*
4 Detroit Pistons 36-26
5 Atlanta Hawks 36-26*
6 Boston Celtics 31-31
7 Philadelphia 76ers 30-30
8 New York Knicks 29-32
New Orleans Pelicans 28-31
Indiana Pacers 24-34
Washington Wizards 26-37
Milwaukee Bucks 25-37
Orlando Magic 23-36
Charlotte Hornets 18-45
Brooklyn Nets 17-45
Miami Heat 16-43


*** NEWS ***

Blazers Announce Rebrand For 2017-18 Season

The Portland Trail Blazers will be sporting a new look next season! They will be wearing new jerseys, and their court will have a new design, as seen in the photo below. Furthermore, it was announced that the Moda Center will go back to its original title, the Rose Garden.

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Magic fire Frank Vogel, hire Steve Clifford
The Magic were doing shitty

Trevor Booker (BKN) out for season with torn achilles
So much for that last-minute playoff run...
Dante Exum (UTA) out 2-4 months with fractured left leg
Utah's offense should get a boost from this. Also ouch!
Taj Gibson (CHI) out 6-8 weeks with torn left MCL
Injuries continue to pile up for the Bulls, who win despite all odds
Arron Afflalo (SAC) out 4-6 weeks with broken right hand
Tough break for the Kings, who are fighting for a playoff spot
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Re: [39-21] SWISH | february recap - finally on pg. 2!!!

Postby Phil89 on Sun Nov 27, 2016 4:35 pm

It's pretty cool how many potential match-ups there are in the western conference right now, with the 5th to 14th seeds being so tight.

Hopefully you can avoid the Spurs or Clippers in the first round.
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Re: [39-21] SWISH | february recap - finally on pg. 2!!!

Postby Lamrock on Wed Nov 30, 2016 11:37 am

MARCH 2017 RECAP

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RECORD: 50-26 (11-5) | 3rd in Conference, 1st In Division
ORTG: 110.5 (1st), DRTG: 104.5 (27th), DIFF: 6.0 (5th)


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The first game of March was a gut-punch for the Blazers. While they did narrowly defeat the Mavericks in Dallas despite 30 from Harrison Barnes, it came at a cost as starting power forward Al-Farouq Aminu suffered a broken ankle, sidelining him until at least the playoffs. The Blazers went back and forth starting Leonard and Vonleh, ultimately deciding on Leonard with Alan Williams getting spot minutes.

They got blown out at home by 27 points by the Raptors, but would go on to win ten of their next fourteen, including a five game winning streak that saw them clinch a playoff berth, separate themselves from the fourth place Grizzlies, and get revenge with an OT win over the Clippers. While the defense has been as suspect as ever, particularly blatant in a 120-103 loss to the Wolves, the team nonetheless looks to be in good form heading into the postseason. The bad news? Their opponent will likely either be the Houston Rockets, who they've struggled with, or the San Antonio Spurs, who are well, the Spurs.

Here's hoping Aminu heals up soon and nobody else goes down. Go Blazers!

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In our hearts.

THE MONTH IN PICTURES
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NBA STANDINGS

Western Conference (PotM: James Harden | RotM: Kris Dunn)

1 z-Golden State Warriors 62-15
2 x-Oklahoma City Thunder 54-23
3 x-Portland Trail Blazers 50-26
4 x-Memphis Grizzlies 46-30
5 Houston Rockets 42-34
6 San Antonio Spurs 41-35
7 Seattle SuperSonics 39-37
8 Minnesota Timberwolves 39-37
Sacramento Kings 39-37
Kansas City Knights 37-39
Los Angeles Clippers 36-40
Utah Jazz 36-41
Los Angeles Lakers 34-41
-o-Phoenix Suns 29-47
-o-Dallas Mavericks 23-52

Eastern Conference (PotM: LeBron James | RotM: Ben Simmons)

1 x-Cleveland Cavaliers 55-22
2 x-Chicago Bulls 50-25
3 x-Toronto Raptors 49-29
4 x-Atlanta Hawks 43-35
5 Detroit Pistons 42-34
6 Philadelphia 76ers 37-38
7 Boston Celtics 37-40
8 Indiana Pacers 36-39
New Orleans Pelicans 36-40
New York Knicks 34-41
Washington Wizards 32-44
Milwaukee Bucks 32-45
Orlando Magic 31-45
-o-Miami Heat 22-53
-o-Brooklyn Nets 22-54
-o-Charlotte Hornets 22-56


AROUND THE LEAGUE

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Sonics, Wolves, Kings In Three Way Tie For Last Two Spots
They all suck though
Warriors Claim League's Best Record For Third Straight Year
Fuck KD
Westbrook, LeBron, Curry Lead MVP Race
WHAT ABOUT LILLARD?!?!?!?!!11?/!??
Rookie of the Year favorite Simmons carrying Sixers to playoffs
#trusttheprocess #hinkie #notmypresident
Millsap, Randolph, Redick to Test Free Agency
tryna get that solomon hill money
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Re: [50-26] SWISH | march recap - baaaad injury :'(

Postby Valor on Thu Dec 01, 2016 10:28 am

Unlike the new jerseys, new court looks amazing :applaud:

That Aminu pic is underrated :lol: :lol: :lol:

Good job getting to 50 wins, you're in a solid position to make some noise in the playoffs!
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Re: [50-26] SWISH | march recap - baaaad injury :'(

Postby Phil89 on Thu Dec 01, 2016 4:20 pm

It's gonna be a tough series against whoever you end up facing in the first round. Good luck
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Re: [50-26] SWISH | march recap - baaaad injury :'(

Postby Lamrock on Thu Dec 08, 2016 2:55 am

APRIL 2017 IN REVIEW

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The Portland Trail Blazers managed to lock down the 3 seed with solid play down the stretch. They finished the season with a record of 53-29, twelve games behind the #1 Warriors. Portland rested their starters in the season finale, a loss against the Lakers in which Pat Connaughton and Noah Vonleh both posted career scoring highs. They will now take their talents to the playoffs, in which they will face the #6 seeded Houston Rockets in a rematch of their 2014 playoff series.

Unfortunately, backup center Festus Ezeli has suffered an ankle injury (why always ankle injuries with us this season?) and will miss 4-6 weeks. Hopefully we do well enough to see him come back this season. In the meantime. Either JaVale McGee or Alan Williams will need to step up in his absence. Al-Farouq Aminu is expected back soon, but has not been cleared to play game 1.

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League Standings

Western Conference (PotM: Russell Westbrook | RotM: Brandon Ingram)

1 Golden State Warriors 65-17
2 Oklahoma City Thunder 58-24
3 Portland Trail Blazers 53-29
4 Memphis Grizzlies 51-31
5 San Antonio Spurs 46-36
6 Houston Rockets 45-37
7 Minnesota Timberwolves 41-41
8 Kansas City Knights 41-41
Sacramento Kings 40-42
Utah Jazz 40-42
Los Angeles Clippers 40-42
Seattle SuperSonics 39-43
Los Angeles Lakers 37-45
Denver Nuggets 34-48
Phoenix Suns 31-51
Dallas Mavericks 24-58

Eastern Conference (PotM: Jimmy Butler | RotM: Ben Simmons)

1 Cleveland Cavaliers 60-22
2 Chicago Bulls 54-28
3 Toronto Raptors 52-30
4 Detroit Pistons 48-34
5 Atlanta Hawks 45-37
6 Philadelphia 76ers 41-41
7 New Orleans Pelicans 40-42
8 Boston Celtics 39-43
Indiana Pacers 38-44
New York Knicks 37-45
Washington Wizards 35-47
Orlando Magic 35-47
Milwaukee Bucks 33-49
Brooklyn Nets 24-58
Miami Heat 24-58
Charlotte Hornets 22-60


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Player Evaluations

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Damian Lillard: 25.5 PPG, 8.5 APG, 3.3 RPG, 1.6 SPG, 3.2 TOPG (.474% / .406% / .915)
Lillard was a beast all year - what else is new? Disgracefully an afterthought in the MVP race, Lillard has continued to improve, upping his assists average considerably and continuing to be one of the league's most prolific scorers.
Grade: A+

CJ McCollum:
23.5 PPG, 4.8 APG, 2.9 RPG, 1.5 SPG, 2.7 TOPG (.490% / .469% / .836%)
A season removed from winning the most improved player award, McCollum arguably had a case to win it again. His raw stats only had a modest jump, but his efficiency was off the charts. However, injuries held him back, likely costing him an all-star selection as well as 25 or so games.
Grade: A-

Evan Turner:
12.3 PPG, 6.0 APG, 4.9 RPG (.471% / .274% / .903%)
The addition of Evan Turner seemed like a square peg in a round hole going into the season, but Turner's solid all-around play has been huge for the Blazers, though not headline-grabbing. Turner seems to have finally found his place in this league.
Grade: B+

Al-Farouq Aminu:
9.4 PPG, 6.4 RPG, 1.2 SPG, 1.1 BPG (.412% / .363% / .790%)
Aminu's numbers leave something to be desired, but his versatility has been missed in the games he's been out. Though he's one of the worse rebounders at the power forward position, he holds his own defensively, and his floor spacing is essential with Evan Turner on the floor.
Grade: B+

Ed Davis:
5.8 PPG, 8.6 RPG, 1.2 BPG (.577% / .000% / .578%)
Ed Davis took over the starting spot when Ezeli went down the first time, and that's right when the team got on a role. He's solid but absolutely nothing special.
Grade: B

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Allen Crabbe: 12.2 PPG, 2.3 RPG (.426% / .343% / .898%)
Crazy his 3pt% is so low - he's money from beyond the arc... I didn't want this guy on the team at first - $17M for Danny Green minus the defense? However, he has been a fantastic sixth man, hitting some big shots and fitting in wherever he's neded.
Grade: A-

Meyers Leonard:
6.5 PPG, 5.5 RPG (.447% / .294% / .741%)
He's had his moments, but he's so damn soft. Leonard definitely has some offensive skills, but he's trash on the other end, and has trouble finishing inside.
Grade: C-

Festus Ezeli:
5.4 PPG, 8.5 RPG, 1.3 BPG (.442% / .000% / .455%)
We got Ezeli to bolster the defense, but he didn't prevent the team from being at the bottom of the league in defensive efficiency... He's injury prone, which we knew, and when he recovered from his first injury, he found himself coming off the bench due to his lack of an offensive game.
Grade: C

Noah Vonleh:
4.8 PPG, 4.0 RPG (.467% / .449% / .885%)
Vonleh didn't play a lot this season. He still has the potential to be a decent stretch 4, and is a better defensive player than Meyers Leonard. However, he makes a lot of silly mistakes and has a long way to go to be a solid contributor.
Grade: C+

Shabazz Napier:
4.3 PPG, 3.0 APG (.386% / .326% / .842%)
Shabazz has been in and out of the rotation all year. He does a decent job of running the offense, but his shot has been off all year, which has continued to hold him back.
Grade: C-

Dorell Wright:
3.8 PPG, 1.8 RPG (.414% / .432% / .842%)
Wright came in and replaced Moe Harkless as the backup small forward. He doesn't get a lot of minutes, but his ability to make threes makes him a new positive.
Grade: Pass

JaVale McGee:
3.0 PPG, 3.5 RPG, .5 BPG (.540% / .000% / .531%)
The Blazers don't miss a beat with McGee in at Center. However, there hasn't been a ton of minutes for the former Shaqtin' MVP due to the logjam at the big man positions.
Grade: Pass

Alan Williams:
2.4 PPG, 4.6 RPG (.551% / .000% / .474%)
If you told me this guy was one of those fake D-Leaguers from 2K10, I'd believe you. Williams is... fine, I guess. Another body.
Grade: Pass

Pat Connaughton:
5.2 PPG (.528% / .542% / .500%), 10 GP
I had written this guy off, but damn, he can really shoot! He has only gotten minutes in garbage time and games McCollum missed, but he's looked solid!
Grade: Incomplete

Steve Blake:
2.3 PPG, 1.7 APG (.500% / .333% / .000%), 3 GP
No disrespect to Steve Blake, but if he's getting minutes in a game that isn't a blowout, we're in trouble.
Grade: Incomplete

2017 NBA Playoffs

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Round 1 Matchups

1 Golden State (65-17) vs. 8 Kansas City (41-41)
4 Memphis (51-31) vs. 5 San Antonio 46-36
3 Portland (53-29) vs. 6 Houston (45-37)
2 Oklahoma City (58-24) vs. 7 Minnesota (41-41)

1 Cleveland (60-22) vs. 8 Boston (39-43)
4 Detroit (48-34) vs. 5 Atlanta (45-37)
3 Toronto (52-30) vs. 6 Philadelphia (41-41)
2 Chicago (54-28) vs. 7 New Orleans (40-42)

TITLE ODDS:

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Golden State 3-1 (heh)
Cleveland 7-2
Oklahoma City 12-1
San Antonio 15-1
Chicago 20-1
Portland 20-1
Toronto 25-1
Memphis 40-1
Atlanta 50-1
Houston 50-1
Detroit 60-1
New Orleans 75-1
Boston 75-1
Minnesota 75-1
Philadelphia 76-1
Kansas City 100-1
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Re: [53-29] SWISH | regular season finally over - playoff opponent is???

Postby Phil89 on Thu Dec 08, 2016 7:53 pm

Poor Kansas City. They make the playoffs in their first season and have to face Golden State :lol:

Good luck against the beard. Make sure Beverley stays away from Lillard's knees.
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Re: [53-29] SWISH | regular season finally over - playoff opponent is???

Postby Valor on Sat Dec 10, 2016 2:30 pm

Houston should be a piece of cake. Hoping Golden State blows a 3-1 lead to Kansas City :lol:

A- for Allen Crabbe?! :o
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Re: [53-29] SWISH | regular season finally over - playoff opponent is???

Postby Lamrock on Thu Dec 15, 2016 8:49 am

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Tonight, the first annual NBA award show took place, and it was a riveting watch, posting ratings that rivaled the draft lottery. The awards, originally slated for June were moved up to April so as to not undermine the fact that these are regular season awards.

Without further adieu, here are the winners!

Rookie of the Year: Ben Simmons
Runners up: Brandon Ingram, Buddy Hield, Joel Embiid, Dario Saric

No surprise here. Ben Simmons has been fantastic right out of the box for the 76ers, leading a team most expected to be at the bottom of the pack, to a surprise playoff berth. The future looks very bright for Simmons.

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Sixth Man of the Year: Brandon Knight
Runners up: Manu Ginobili, Marcus Smart, Jeremy Lin, Alec Burks

Yes, the Suns were ass this year. However, Brandon Knight's willingness to come off the bench despite being a starting caliber player is worth something, and thus, this award is his. I would have probably chosen Ginobili, but whatever.

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Defensive Player of the Year: DeAndre Jordan
Runners up: LeBron James, Andre Drummond, Paul George, Kawhi Leonard

It was a very disappointing season for the Clippers, which saw the team miss all-star Blake Griffin for most of the season and the team miss out on the playoffs for the first time in six seasons. However, DeAndre was a major bright spot, leading the league in blocks and rebounds and keeping them afloat for much of the year.

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Most Improved Player: Kyle O'Quinn
Runners up: D'Angelo Russell, Nikola Jokic, Harrison Barnes, Mario Chalmers

Okay, this is baffling. This award has yielded questionable winners in the past, to be sure. However, Kyle O'Quinn takes it to another level. With a few more minutes per game, O'Quinn went from being a marginal player to being a marginal player. He failed to average double digits in any statistical category, and is a big man who shoots 36% from the field. Such a shocker that O'Quinn himself was not present to accept the trophy.

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Coach of the Year: Steve Kerr
Runners up: Billy Donovan, Fred Hoiberg, Brett Brown, Tyronn Lue

Steve Kerr is the first back-to-back coach of the year winner in NBA history. While the Warriors did post the league's best record, their win total decreased by 8 despite the team replacing Harrison Barnes with Kevin Durant. Oh well, could be worse.

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Most Valuable Player: Russell Westbrook
Runners up: LeBron James, Stephen Curry, Kevin Durant, Damian Lillard

Averaging 28 points and nearly a triple double, there is no doubt that Russell Westbrook has been the league's most valuable player this season. Leading the Thunder to a better record than last year despite losing stars Kevin Durant and Serge Ibaka, Westbrook had a season for the ages.

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All-NBA First Team:

Russell Westbrook (OKC)
Stephen Curry (GS)
LeBron James (CLE)
Anthony Davis (NO)
DeAndre Jordan (LAC)

All-NBA Second Team:

Damian Lillard (POR)
Jimmy Butler (CHI)
Kevin Durant (GS)
Paul George (IND)
DeMarcus Cousins (SAC)

All-NBA Third Team:
Chris Paul (LAC)
Kyle Lowry (TOR)
Kawhi Leonard (SA)
Paul Millsap (UTA)
Andre Drummond (DET)

All-Defensive First Team:

Russell Westbrook (OKC)
Chris Paul (LAC)
Paul George (IND)
LeBron James (CLE)
DeAndre Jordan (LAC)

All-Defensive Second Team:

Rajon Rondo (CHI)
Victor Oladipo (OKC)
Kawhi Leonard (SA)
Paul Millsap (ATL)
Andre Drummond (DET)

All-Rookie First Team:

Ben Simmons (PHI)
Brandon Ingram (LAL)
Dario Saric (PHI)
Buddy Hield (NO)
Kris Dunn (MIN)

All-Rookie Second Team:

Joel Embiid (PHI)
Caris LaVert (BRK)
Tomas Satoransky (SEA)
Wade Baldwin (MEM)
Jamal Murray (DEN)
Last edited by Lamrock on Fri Dec 16, 2016 6:45 am, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: [53-29] SWISH | nba awards show with kevin hart, trump, kanye, etc

Postby Phil89 on Thu Dec 15, 2016 8:27 pm

Great effort by Lillard to make the second team.

Sucks that Westbrook missed out on averaging a triple-double by 0.6 rebounds :P (N)
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Re: [53-29] SWISH | nba awards show with kevin hart, trump, kanye, etc

Postby Lamrock on Sat Dec 17, 2016 7:02 am

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BLAZERS / ROCKETS SERIES PREVIEW

The Portland Trail Blazers are taking on the Houston Rockets in the first round of the 2017 Playoffs, a rematch of the 2014 series in which Damian Lillard destroyed Rockets' fans hopes and dreams in the span of five seconds.

The 53 win Trail Blazers will have homecourt advantage against the 45 win Rockets, and are favored in this series. However, the Rockets did win the season series, and will be hard to stop with James Harden and Mike D'Antoni's high-powered offense. With Portland boasting the league's top rated offense, one should expect this to be a very high scoring series. First team to 120 points wins?

phpBB [video]

Never forget.

Patrick Beverley is one of the league's top defenders at the point guard position, but will have his hands full with Damian Lillard. The Rockets' Harden and Blazers' McCollum will also post match-up challenges in what should be a chess match. The victor will take on the winner of the Thunder/Timberwolves series in the second round.

Houston Rockets roster

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Re: [53-29] SWISH | nba awards show + series vs. houston preview

Postby Wyze on Sat Dec 17, 2016 7:47 am

Truly a historic MVP season by Westbrook -- Crazy to think he's producing similar numbers in real life.

Good luck in the first round. I usually find when playing the computer Harden doesn't dominate as much as he should...hopefully its the same for you.
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Re: [53-29] SWISH | nba awards show + series vs. houston preview

Postby Valor on Sun Dec 18, 2016 3:06 pm

Oh damn, Westbrook very nearly misses out on that triple double average, still insane numbers though :applaud:

Should we expect to see some very high scoring games since you're playing against the Rockets? :lol:
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Re: [53-29] SWISH | nba awards show + series vs. houston preview

Postby Axel The Great on Tue Dec 20, 2016 8:57 am

OMG I so fucking hate that game-winner. :crazyeyes: Should be an interesting series to continue the playoff rivalry.

Nice to see you doing another story that (hopefully) you continue for a long time.
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Re: [53-29] SWISH | nba awards show + series vs. houston preview

Postby Lamrock on Fri Dec 23, 2016 5:36 am

GAMES 1 & 2 IN PORTLAND

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Blazers' Fourth Quarter Comeback Nets Them 1-0 Lead
Portland 113, Houston 105

At the hostile Moda Center, the place where Damian Lillard ended their 2014 season with one shot (gotta bring that up as many times as possible), the Rockets came out like they had something to prove, blocking shots and hitting three pointers at will. Thanks to their high-powered offense and a poor shooting night from Damian Lillard, the Rockets led by 12 at the half.

The third quarter saw the Blazers struggle to make inroads, as a turnover or timely three would stretch the lead back out again. It wasn't until the fourth quarter, when the team, frustrated and down by 10, turned their brain to… neutral, and started taking dumb shots and committing bad turnovers. Stotts pulled them and inserted a bench lineup that included Pat Connaughton, who made 7 of his 10 threes in the regular season finale. He got the crowd fired up with a pair of triples. This led to an inspired sequence that saw the Trail Blazers lock down on D, and a double digit deficit become a five point lead.

Still, with 5 minutes left, it wasn't over, and Stotts put his starters back on to finish the job. While Lillard eventually did manage 13 points and 8 assists, it was fellow starters Evan Turner, Ed Davis and CJ McCollum that helped them close the deal. Davis was money from close range (14 points on 7-9 shooting), Turner had 17 points, 9 rebounds, 5 assists and 5 steals and McCollum posted his standard 24/3/5 on good efficiency. The Rockets found themselves in a similar situation as the Blazers, but with less time, and they were unable to regain the lead - a backcourt violation by the Rockets sealed the deal.

With their 113-105 win, the Blazers take a 1-0 lead in this best of seven series. Game 2 is also in Portland, before heading to Houston for games 3 and 4.

Blazers lead series 1-0.

Turner: 14 points, 9 rebounds, 5 assists, 5 steals, 5-9 FG, 7-8 FT
McCollum: 24 points, 5 assists, 3 rebounds, 10-17 FG, 4-8 3pt
Davis: 14 points, 9 rebounds, 3 blocks, 7-9 FG

Harden: 23 points, 6 assists, 4 rebounds
Beverley: 17 points, 11 assists

Atlanta 96 Detroit 115 - DET leads 1-0
Reggie Jackson: 46 points, 9 assists, 19-32 FG

Philadelphia 123 Toronto 111 - PHI leads 1-0
Ben Simmons: 21 points, 19 rebounds, 6 assists

New Orleans 105 Chicago 87 - NO leads 1-0
Tyreke Evans: 20 points, 8 rebounds, 7 assists

Boston 103 Cleveland 106 - CLE leads 1-0
LeBron James: 20 points, 10 rebounds, 10 assists

Minnesota 90 Oklahoma City 115 - OKC leads 1-0
Westbrook: 31 points, 14 assists, 5 rebounds

San Antonio 106 Memphis 84 - SA leads 1-0
Patty Mills: 17 points, 8 assists, 4 rebounds, 3 steals

Kansas City 93 Golden State 107 - GS leads 1-0
Stephen Curry: 32 points, 7 assists, 7 steals, 12-20 FG, 4-6 3pt


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Blazers Down Rockets With Another Big Fourth Quarter
Portland 126, Houston 118

Early on, it seemed like the Rockets were destined to knot the series at a game apiece. James Harden and Ryan Anderson were scoring at will, and on the rare occasion where they'd miss a shot, Clint Capela was right there with the offensive rebound. Portland's complete lack of defense saw them down 20 at the end of the first quarter.

Damian Lillard and CJ McCollum kept the game within reach for Portland, but it was Capela who continued to haunt them, ultimately finishing with 18 points and 19 rebounds (10 offensive). Some inspired defense to end the third quarter by the bench closed the gap within five, and in the final period, the starters went to work.

Unsung hero Ed Davis was an absolute beast on the defensive end, blocking 6 shots and racking up 4 steals. Evan Turner had 19 low-key points, and the Meyers Leonard-Noah Vonleh tandem at the 4 were passable. However, it was the star backcourt duo of Lillard and McCollum that made this comeback win a reality. Outscoring the Rockets 33-20, Portland shot 13-16 from the field in the final period and sank all their free throws as the Rockets could not keep up with them down the stretch. An Allen Crabbe steal followed by a Damian Lillard layup sealed the deal with a minute to play as the Rockets fall into a 2-0 deficit.

Lillard and McCollum each scored 31 points, the former chipping in a playoff career high 15 assists. Harden and Anderson led the Rockets in scoring with 27 and 24 points respectively. The Blazers overcame the Rockets' rebounding edge by shooting 55% from the field. "The defense could have been better. I mean, giving up 55% is alright, but it's pushing it", said Rockets coach Mike D'Antoni following the game.

Portland takes a 2-0 lead in this series, with games 3 and 4 to be held in Houston. Winning at least one of the two games there would put the Rockets on the ropes, and with Al-Farouq Aminu reportedly slated to make his return in game 3, there's a lot to be excited about for the Blazers faithful.

Blazers lead series 2-0.

Lillard: 31 points, 15 assists, 11-17 FG, 3-4 3pt
McCollum: 31 points, 5 rebounds, 4 assists, 3 steals, 12-19 FG, 4-10 3pt
Turner: 19 points, 6 assists
Davis: 8 points, 9 rebounds, 6 blocks, 4 steals, 4-6 FG

Harden: 27 points, 8 assists, 10-18 FG
Anderson: 24 points, 11-19 FG, 2-7 3pt
Capela: 18 points, 19 rebounds, 8-12 FG

Cleveland 119, Boston 103 (CLE leads 2-0)
Kevin Love: 35 points, 15 rebounds

Atlanta 90, Detroit 84 (Series tied 1-1)
Dennis Schroder: 15 points, 8 assists, 5 rebounds

Philadelphia 101, Toronto 100 (PHI leads 2-0)
Jahlil Okafor: 33 points, 6 rebounds, 16-18 FG

Chicago 95 New Orleans 82 (Series tied 1-1)
Rajon Rondo: 9 points, 10 rebounds, 13 assists

Golden State 108, Kansas City 82 (GS leads 2-0)
Stephen Curry: 25 points, 12 rebounds, 8 assists

Memphis 118, San Antonio 95 (series tied 1-1)
Mike Conley: 15 points, 13 assists

Oklahoma City 104, Minnesota 91 (OKC leads 2-0)
Russell Westbrook: 37 points, 9 assists, 6 steals, 5 rebounds


That first game was awesome. I typically suck at defense in this game, but during that fourth quarter, I was locked in. Always good to be on the right side of those fourth quarter comebacks!
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Re: [Playoffs Round 1] SWISH | games 1 & 2 vs. houston

Postby Phil89 on Fri Dec 23, 2016 2:57 pm

You're not doing things the easy way. But comeback wins are always more exciting :P
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Re: [Playoffs Round 1] SWISH | games 1 & 2 vs. houston

Postby Lamrock on Fri Dec 23, 2016 7:03 pm

Yeah, game 1 was the funnest game I've played so far in 2K17. I thought I might have finally had defense figured out after that comeback. However, the Rockets punched us in the face to start game 2, and I had to beat them on offense.
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Re: [Playoffs Round 1] SWISH | games 1 & 2 vs. houston

Postby Wyze on Sat Dec 24, 2016 8:04 am

A couple of good all-around team efforts. Hopefully you can complete the sweep on the road.
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Re: [Playoffs Round 1] SWISH | games 1 & 2 vs. houston

Postby Lamrock on Wed Dec 28, 2016 8:39 am

GAMES 3 & 4 IN HOUSTON

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Lillard Carries Blazers To Commanding 3-0 Lead
Portland 118, Houston 110

No team has ever come back from a 3-0 series deficit, and for the Rockets to advance, they, not Portland, will need to be the real trail blazers here.

Okay, bad joke, but you know what else is bad? The Houston Rockets in the first quarter. One of the league's most potent offensive teams mustered just 13 points in the first period, souring things from the start. James Harden was held to just 8 points in the first half, while Damian Lillard ran amok. Nonetheless, the Rockets kept it close, closing the gap to 5 at one point in the third quarter. However, the Trail Blazers always had an answer.

Harden started to heat up in the fourth quarter, but his attempts to put the team on his back fell short, as his team simply couldn't get stops on the other end. Lillard was doing his best Steph Curry impression, hitting pull-up threes with ease, while McCollum was inexplicably left open on numerous occasions, making the Rockets pay. In the end, the game wasn't as close as the score suggested, as the Blazers were in control the entire game.

Also noteworthy was the return of starting power forward Al-Farouq Aminu, who had missed the past few weeks with an ankle injury. He looked as spry as ever, scoring 19 points and getting to the line 9 times.

With their season on the line, the Rockets will hope to avoid the sweep in game 4. They will have their home crowd behind them, but unless they can find a way to contain Lillard and the Rockets, it appears that Houston may have a problem…

Blazers lead series 3-0.

Lillard: 38 points, 14 assists, 6-9 3pt
McCollum: 24 points, 7 assists, 4 rebounds
Aminu: 19 points, 6 rebounds, 2 blocks, 5-8 FG, 8-9 FT

Harden: 32 points, 11-25 FG
Anderson: 21 points, 6 rebounds

Cleveland 112, Boston 99 (CLE leads 3-0)
LeBron James: 34 points, 11 assists, 8 rebounds

Atlanta 97, Detroit 95 (ATL leads 2-1)
Dennis Schroder: 21 points, 8 assists

Toronto 88, Philadelphia 79 (PHI leads 2-1)
Jonas Valanciunas: 14 points, 18 rebounds

Chicago 104, New Orleans 91 (CHI leads 2-1)
Jimmy Butler: 29 points, 5 assists, 10-15 FG

Golden State 104, Kansas City 95 (GS leads 3-0)
Klay Thompson: 39 points, 12-19 FG, 6-9 3pt, 9-10 FG

San Antonio 121, Memphis 86 (SA leads 2-1)
Kawhi Leonard: 37 points, 6 rebounds, 15-20 FG

Oklahoma City 115, Minnesota 95 (OKC leads 3-0)
Enes Kanter: 20 points, 10 rebounds, 7-10 FG


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Rockets Live To Play Another Day
Houston 110, Portland 108

Up two with eight seconds to go, Patrick Beverley was sent to the free throw line. Being the best player for his team up to that point, with 26 points and 9-10 from the charity stripe - it appeared that he would ice the game. First shot - brick. Okay, well, he can still make it a three point game. Brick. Portland got the rebound and took a timeout. Here we go…

Rockets fans can take a collective sigh of relief… at least for a couple days, as their team managed to do something it hasn't done much of lately - get a stop. Indeed, the Damian Lillard isolation was so predictable that even Mike D'Antoni saw it coming, and while he may have gotten past Beverley, he was blocked at the rim by Clint Capela. We're heading back to Portland.

This game was damn close throughout. With Portland's atrocious 5-27 shooting from beyond the arc, you'd expect this to be a blowout, but Damian Lillard, and his apparent life goal to make Rockets fans lives miserable, was able to get to the line at will and kept his team afloat despite its shooting woes. He would finish with a game high 35 points, but it was his counterpart Patrick Beverley, who, missed free throws aside, was the star of the game.

And so after a game with too many lead changes to count, the Rockets now find themselves in a 3-1 hole, which, as meme culture loves to remind us, is not an insurmountable deficit. However, they will be huge underdogs going into game 5 at the Moda Center.

Blazers lead series 3-1.

Beverley: 26 points, 8 assists, 4 steals, 7-10 FG, 9-12 FT
Harden: 24 points, 7 assists, 6 rebounds
Capela: 11 points, 10 rebounds, game clinching block

Lillard: 35 points, 8 assists, 4 rebounds, 4 steals
McCollum: 20 points, 5 rebounds, 6-21 FG

Kansas City 87, Golden State 85 (GS leads 3-1)
Shaun Livingston: 12 points, 12 assists

San Antonio 118, Memphis 89 (SA leads 3-1)
Kawhi Leonard: 35 points, 11 rebounds, 6 assists

Minnesota 110, Oklahoma City 98 (OKC leads 3-1)
Karl-Anthony Towns: 27 points, 8 rebounds

Boston 121, Cleveland 87 (CLE leads 3-1)
Isaiah Thomas: 43 points, 7 assists, 6 steals

Atlanta 117, Boston 89 (ATL leads 3-1)
Paul Millsap: 19 points, 8 rebounds, 7 assists

Philadelphia 135, Toronto 100 (PHI leads 3-1)
Wesley Matthews: 25 points, 10-12 FG, 5-6 3pt

New Orleans 92, Chicago 91 (Series tied 2-2)
Anthony Davis: 37 points, 19 rebounds
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Re: [Playoffs Round 1] SWISH | games 1 & 2 vs. houston

Postby Phil89 on Wed Dec 28, 2016 12:45 pm

Lamrock wrote:No team has ever come back from a 3-0 series deficit, and for the Rockets to advance, they, not Portland, will need to be the real trail blazers here.

:turrible:

Haha.

Nice job winning one game in Houston at least. Lillard is on fire after that quiet opening game of the series (Y)
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Re: [Playoffs Round 1] SWISH | @ houston for games 3 and 4

Postby Lamrock on Thu Dec 29, 2016 6:43 am

Thanks man. I'm really glad that I wrote these recaps because I played this series about a month ago. Hoping to have the thread caught up with my game by the start of next season. :P
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Re: [Playoffs Round 1] SWISH | @ houston for games 3 and 4

Postby Phil89 on Thu Dec 29, 2016 4:04 pm

I'm always in the same situation. I think a combination of laziness and the game being fun to play really stretches the gap between where you are in game and how much you have posted here.
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Re: [Playoffs Round 1] SWISH | @ houston for games 3 and 4

Postby Lamrock on Fri Dec 30, 2016 8:03 am

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Houston, we have a problem...

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Lillard, Blazers Send Rockets Packing (Again)
Portland 115, Houston 103

Damian Lillard played like a man possessed, scoring 31 points and falling just one rebound short of a triple double, as the Portland Trail Blazers dispatched the Houston Rockets in game 5.

Portland led 28-17 after the first. While the Rockets couldn't seem to buy a basket, the Blazers were rolling all throughout the first half, leading by 17 at intermission. Houston, not ready to give up yet, opened the third quarter on a 16-5 run. They were able to keep it close, but the Blazers, red hot from behind the arc, were able to maintain their lead. Any time it looked like Houston might pull ahead, a Blazer would hit a big shot to get momentum back on their side.

Up eight going into the fourth, the Blazers put in their starters, and put the game away with a nice run fueled by a pair of egregious James Harden turnovers. Credit Clint Capela, arguably Houston's MVP in this series, for keeping the score respectable with his work on the boards, but the Rockets proved to be clearly outmatched in this series.

Lillard led the way with 31 points, 13 assists, 9 boards and 5 steals, but six different Blazers scored in double digits. James Harden, meanwhile, capped a rather pedestrian series with 21 points on 9-20 shooting. "I played like crap. No way around it. Is that gonna stop me from hitting up the strip club? Well, what do you think? But still, this loss stings. Still, I like where the team is headed - coach (D'Antoni) and I really see eye to eye on a lot of things. We'll be back," commented Harden in the post-game presser.

Portland will face the winner of the Timberwolves/Thunder series. The heavily favored Thunder hold a 3-2 lead, but have lost the last two in a series that has suddenly become interesting.

Blazers win series 4-1.

Lillard: 31 points, 13 assists, 9 rebounds, 5 steals
McCollum: 18 points, 10 assists
Davis: 13 points, 12 rebounds, 6-7 FG

Harden: 21 points, 10 assists
Capela: 10 points, 14 rebounds

Golden State 126, Kansas City 91 (GS wins 4-1)
Kevin Durant: 22 points, 17 rebounds, 8 assists

Memphis 111, San Antonio 105 (SA leads 3-2)
Mike Conley: 31 points, 6 assists

Minnesota 102, Oklahoma City 96 (OKC leads 3-2)
Karl-Anthony Towns: 26 points, 12 rebounds

Cleveland 98, Boston 96 (CLE wins 4-1)
Kyrie Irving: 32 points, 8 assists

Detroit 109, Atlanta 100 (ATL leads 3-2)
Andre Drummond: 18 points, 21 rebounds, 4 blocks

Philadelphia 90, Toronto 83 (PHI wins 4-1)
Ben Simmons: 34 points, 12 rebounds, 5 assists, 3 steals

Chicago 113, New Orleans 93 (CHI leads 3-2)
Dwyane Wade: 26 points, 7 assists, 6 rebounds, 4 steals


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Memphis 106, San Antonio 95 (Series tied 3-3)
Marc Gasol: 21 points, 10 rebounds, 4 assists

Oklahoma City 94, Minnesota 84 (OKC wins 4-2)
Russell Westbrook: 20 points, 11 rebounds, 9 assists

Detroit 92, Atlanta 89 (Series tied 3-3)
Reggie Jackson: 13 points, 16 assists, 6 rebounds

New Orleans 93, Chicago 82 (Series tied 3-3)
Anthony Davis: 39 points, 16 rebounds, 17-26 FG


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San Antonio 104, Memphis 77 (SA wins 4-3)
Kawhi Leonard: 37 points, 10 rebounds, 13-18 FG

Detroit 104, Atlanta 102 (DET wins 4-3)
Reggie Jackson: 25 points, 13 assists, 4 steals

New Orleans 107, Chicago 102 (NO wins 4-3)
Anthony Davis: 36 points, 9 rebounds


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Conference Semifinals:

1 Golden State (65-17) vs. 5 San Antonio (46-36)
2 Oklahoma City (58-24) vs. 3 Portland (53-29)

1 Cleveland (60-22) vs. 4 Detroit (48-34)
6 Philadelphia (41-41) vs. 7 New Orleans (40-42)

It's Blazers/Thunder in the second round! Clearly out of the league of their bitter rivals the Rockets, Portland takes on MVP Russell Westbrook and the deadly Oklahoma City Thunder.
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Re: [Playoffs Round 1] SWISH | portland blows a 3-1 lead???

Postby Phil89 on Fri Dec 30, 2016 1:19 pm

Good luck against Goatbrook. Should be a terrific match-up with Lillard.

That series looks very winnable for the Sixers. Could they reach the conference finals? :shock:
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Re: [Playoffs Round 1] SWISH | portland blows a 3-1 lead???

Postby Lamrock on Sun Jan 01, 2017 2:55 pm

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BLAZERS VS. THUNDER SERIES PREVIEW

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We're playing the Thunder in the second round. They're pretty good. HEEEEEEEERE's their roster:

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Last edited by Lamrock on Mon Jan 02, 2017 9:07 am, edited 2 times in total.
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