Mavs Moneyball - MMB Gameday Stream 3/7: Dallas Mavericks vs. Portland Trail BlazersRick Carlisle approved.https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/community_logos/50869/mmb-fav.png2014-03-08T12:00:02-06:00http://www.mavsmoneyball.com/rss/stream/52451812014-03-08T12:00:02-06:002014-03-08T12:00:02-06:00The Aftermath: OH MY DEVIN ♥
<figure>
<img alt="" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/Ru4af29fpxax2qDRCy1YxSVz8OY=/0x25:385x282/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/29702147/3-8harrisfloaterhq.0.gif" />
</figure>
<p>Despite building then blowing a 30-point lead, the Mavericks came through in the final act, and that turned out to be the only one that mattered. Devin Harris' awkward banked runner, and one, turned out to be the play of the night. </p> <h4>The aftermath</h4>
<ul>
<li>The building of the 30-point lead made me more giddy than I've been at any game all season. But in the back of my mind, I knew they wouldn't hold the lead. It just wasn't the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.mavsmoneyball.com/">Mavericks</a> thing to do.</li>
<li>But after the collapse, the Mavericks did something else that was positively not the "Mavericks" thing to do -- hung in, returned volley and initiated a comeback against a team that had put up 127 points in a blowout win on the same court just a month and a half earlier.</li>
<li>The Mavericks now have four signature wins, and two of them are against Portland. The list includes <span>Monta Ellis's</span> game winner against the Blazers, the MontaDirk-led comeback against Houston and beating Indiana at their own game right before the All-Star Break.</li>
<li>I thought <span>Thomas Robinson</span> might have been the reason that Mavericks comeback even happened, though. After fouling Monta Ellis on a drive, he immediately picked up a technical. A seven-point Blazers lead turned into four, and then after a trip to the line for Dirk, two. Momentum shifted. The Mavs held on. Just a huge shift.</li>
</ul>
<h4>Socially acceptable</h4>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en">
<p>Picked a hell of a day to quit drinking</p>
— Kirk Henderson (@KirkSeriousFace) <a href="https://twitter.com/KirkSeriousFace/statuses/442149419581210625">March 8, 2014</a>
</blockquote>
<blockquote lang="en" class="twitter-tweet">
<p>That has to be one of the best games, maybe the best game of the entire NBA season.</p>
— Jeff Platt (@jeffplatt) <a href="https://twitter.com/jeffplatt/statuses/442149444209741824">March 8, 2014</a>
</blockquote>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en">
<p>One of the craziest game flow charts you will ever see <a href="http://t.co/f8wg7C3nOS">pic.twitter.com/f8wg7C3nOS</a></p>
— Ben Golliver (@BenGolliver) <a href="https://twitter.com/BenGolliver/statuses/442149587839483904">March 8, 2014</a>
</blockquote>
<blockquote lang="en" class="twitter-tweet">
<p>said it during the loss to the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.silverscreenandroll.com/">Lakers</a> but Portland might lose every game in Texas.</p>
— Dane Carbaugh (@danecarbaugh) <a href="https://twitter.com/danecarbaugh/statuses/442149398223409152">March 8, 2014</a>
</blockquote>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en">
<p>DEVVVVVIIIINNNN MOTHERFUCKING HARRRISSSSSS MOTHERFUCKERRRSSSSS</p>
— Hal Brown (@HalBrownNBA) <a href="https://twitter.com/HalBrownNBA/statuses/442148004162576384">March 8, 2014</a>
</blockquote>
<blockquote data-partner="tweetdeck" class="twitter-tweet">
<p>The Mavericks are the 2nd team in past 15 seasons to win a game in which it led by 30+ in the 1st half AND trailed in the 4th quarter.</p>
— ESPN Stats & Info (@ESPNStatsInfo) <a href="https://twitter.com/ESPNStatsInfo/statuses/442298921206177792">March 8, 2014</a>
</blockquote>
<p>
<script charset="utf-8" src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script>
</p>
<h4>If you like gifs...</h4>
<p><b>Too much Devin.</b></p>
<p><a href="http://cdn2.sbnation.com/assets/4107693/3-8HarrisFloaterHQ.gif" target="_blank"><img alt="3-8harrisfloaterhq_medium" class="photo" src="http://cdn2.sbnation.com/assets/4107693/3-8HarrisFloaterHQ_medium.gif"></a> <br id="1394294931198"></p>
<p><b>A 37-year-old doing things that most 27-year-old's can't.</b></p>
<p><a target="_blank" href="http://cdn2.sbnation.com/assets/4107269/3-8VinceJam.gif"><img src="http://cdn3.sbnation.com/assets/4107269/3-8VinceJam_medium.gif" class="photo" alt="3-8vincejam_medium"></a> <br id="1394262264202"></p>
<p><b><span>Terry Stotts</span> thought he saw a flop. Can you tell?</b></p>
<p><a target="_blank" href="http://cdn1.sbnation.com/assets/4107757/StottsFlop.gif"><img src="http://cdn3.sbnation.com/assets/4107757/StottsFlop_medium.gif" class="photo" alt="Stottsflop_medium"></a> <br id="1394295691197"></p>
<p>(not mine, v<a href="http://twitpic.com/dxnxqb">ia @DaneCarbaugh</a>)</p>
<p><b>I thought this was a pass until <span>Brandan Wright</span> came out of nowhere</b></p>
<p><a target="_blank" href="http://cdn1.sbnation.com/assets/4107765/3-8WrightAlley.gif"><img src="http://cdn2.sbnation.com/assets/4107765/3-8WrightAlley_medium.gif" class="photo" alt="3-8wrightalley_medium"></a></p>
<p><b>WHOA THERE WES MATTHEWS. I think Dirk has that shot trademarked. You might get sued.</b></p>
<p><a target="_blank" href="http://cdn2.sbnation.com/assets/4107773/3-8WesOneFoot.gif"><img src="http://cdn3.sbnation.com/assets/4107773/3-8WesOneFoot_medium.gif" class="photo" alt="3-8wesonefoot_medium"></a> <br id="1394296299198"></p>
<h4>Some light reading</h4>
<ul>
<li> <span>The Blazers weren't too happy with the refereeing down the stretch. </span><a href="http://www.blazersedge.com/2014/3/7/5483994/blazers-talk-calls-after-rough-loss-to-mavericks" style="background-color: #ffffff;">Their words, courtesy of Blazer's Edge</a><span>.</span> </li>
<li><span>Since I'm on the Blazer's Edge train, <a href="http://www.blazersedge.com/2014/3/7/5483864/portland-trail-blazers-vs-dallas-mavericks-blazers-30-point-lead-lamarcus-aldridge">here's their recap, too</a>. (note: this is NOT an excuse to go troll their site.)</span></li>
<li><span>This is a bit old, but I'm just coming across it -- <a href="http://blogmaverick.com/2014/02/23/my-2-cents-on-sports-marketing-and-what-i-learned-from-smu-basketball-this-week/">Mark Cuban talking on his blog about sports and marketing</a> and some other stuff. Worth reading.</span></li>
<li>Two Grantland articles that you need to read: first,<a href="http://grantland.com/features/milwaukee-bucks-giannis-antetokounmpo/"> there's a Giannis profile</a> and it makes you love him even more. Next, Andrew Sharp <a href="http://grantland.com/the-triangle/love-is-a-lie-andre-drummond-jennette-mccurdy-and-the-end-of-our-innocence/">breaks down the Andre Drummond-Jeannette McCurdy saga</a> and what exactly went wrong. Just TRY and read that without a box of tissues nearby.</li>
</ul>
<h4>Haiku and goodbye</h4>
<p><i>Might have been a charge.</i></p>
<p><i>But Devin, you're cool again</i></p>
<p><i>And your dope sportscoats</i></p>
https://www.mavsmoneyball.com/2014/3/8/5484052/aftermath-dallas-mavericks-portland-trail-blazers-devin-harrisTim Cato2014-03-08T11:35:37-06:002014-03-08T11:35:37-06:00VIDEO QUOTEBOARD: "Change your stories."
<figure>
<img alt="" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/bzfItXCzOovQntnIJL7j1M3AYS4=/0x102:4000x2769/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/29703543/20140307_ajl_an4_460.0.jpg" />
<figcaption>Jerome Miron-USA TODAY Sports</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>Postgame at American Airlines Center, Carlisle, Dirk & Co. talk about the wild and crazy ride that was last night's win. </p> <p>Well, well, well. In what was possibly the craziest game of the season, the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.mavsmoneyball.com/">Mavericks</a> did what everyone expected them to do -- until they didn't. The seemingly improbable 30 point lead, the inevitable comeback by Portland...we've seen that story before with this Mavs team.</p>
<p>But what we haven't seen enough is the Mavericks make their own comeback. Down seven, after being up 30, with the game on the line, the Mavericks made a stop. Then they scored. Then they made another stop. And so on.</p>
<p>And they won. And this is how it's going to be the rest of the season, kids. The team has to re-focus on tomorrow's game, but for now, we fans can celebrate with some quotes and video below.</p>
<h4><span>Rick Carlisle</span></h4>
<p>To the media before questions: "Did you guys have enough time to change your stories?" [laughter]</p>
<p><b>On what he learned about the team...</b></p>
<blockquote>
<p>It was great. You look at the box score and we had one bad quarter, really, it was a horrible third quarter. And they got going. And give them credit, they hung in, they kept fighting and making plays, and it didn't look good. I think we had nine stops in a row to end the game, which shows what we're capable of.</p>
</blockquote>
<p><b>On winning an important game...</b></p>
<blockquote>
<p>It's that close. You're either feeling great about it or it's a tough night, and this is how it's going to be the next 19 games. They're all gonna be hard like this.</p>
</blockquote>
<p><b>On competing...</b></p>
<blockquote>
<p>The first quarter, you're not going to have a better first quarter in this league. But there's a lot of adrenaline and you can't sustain that. Not against a quality team like Portland. And so when we got into a lull, we were still able to keep playing pretty well...the third quarter, that's the one you have to eliminate, and somehow, you just have to ignore the score and keep playing. And when you're down seven with three and a half minutes to go, we have to ignore the score and keep playing. That's what it comes down to. One stop, and one offensive opportunity. Then one stop...that's how you have to look at it. It's going to be a character test, and it's going to test our resolve, the next 19 games. But that's good. If we're not up to it, we don't deserve to go to the playoffs.</p>
</blockquote>
<p><b>On blowing the 30 point lead...</b></p>
<blockquote>
<p>We've been blowing leads all year. Ask me something that hasn't been happening, you know. Look, we've blown a lot of big leads. And so, this is one of the realities that we face with this team, and we're going to keep working to prevent it from happening next time. That's all we can do. I mean....how many whatever point leads have we blown this year? There's been a s**thouse full of them. Tons of them. [To his daughter] Abby, you didn't hear that. And look, with 19 games left, we've got to work to prevent it. Because tonight, if you talk about doing it the hard way, there's no harder way to do it than what happened tonight.</p>
</blockquote>
<p><b>On Monta and Devin at the end of the game...</b></p>
<blockquote>
<p>Monta played great defense. Harris's penetration when we were in the bonus got us back on track, Dirk wasn't getting the whistles and it looked like he was getting beat up a lot, but sometimes you don't get the whistles, and then you have to find ways to get stops and keep attacking. And Harris' three point play was as huge a play as we've had all year.</p>
</blockquote>
<p><b>On why Harris (vs. Calderon) to close games...</b></p>
<blockquote>
<p>Penetration ability, defense.</p>
</blockquote>
<p><b>On whether this game gives them confidence going forward... </b></p>
<blockquote>
<p>I'm not big into analysis. We gotta go quarter to quarter, and we gotta go whistle to whistle with this whole thing. If we could go beyond that and start looking into the future, we'll get in our own way...and we know we have a lot of good teams to play.</p>
</blockquote>
<h4><span>Dirk Nowitzki</span></h4>
<p>Dirk talks about fighting for each other, a great first quarter, losing the lead, a grind-it-out fourth, the "Get Out of the Way" play and Indiana coming up:</p>
<p><iframe width="560" height="315" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/IkrUCdV1FEg" frameborder="0"></iframe></p>
<p> </p>
<h4><span>Devin Harris</span></h4>
<p><b>On his play at the end...</b></p>
<blockquote>
<p>Just a quality game. It was a shot we needed at the time, and Dirk was well enough away to see me in the corner and I was able to get one to go. Like I said, it's tough with the lead we gave up, but definitely like the fight we had in the fourth quarter.</p>
</blockquote>
<p><b>On the "Get Out of the Way" play...</b></p>
<blockquote>
<p>That's pretty much what we call it. Just put everyone on the left side of the floor and pretty much just get the hell out of the way. It worked for us tonight.</p>
</blockquote>
<p><b>On having his number called at the end...</b></p>
<blockquote>
<p>It's been great. Obviously I've been struggling the last couple of games, but it's good to get some play calls and be able to be aggressive in that situation.</p>
</blockquote>
<p><b>On the team's resolve...</b></p>
<blockquote>
<p>Guys just kept fighting, we just wanted to hang in there. Obviously they made a run in those middle quarters, and we didn't want to give up. We knew we still had a chance to win the game and guys just kept fighting to the end.</p>
</blockquote>
https://www.mavsmoneyball.com/2014/3/8/5484906/quoteboard-mavericks-trail-blazers-devin-harris-dirk-nowitzkiRebecca Lawson2014-03-07T22:09:50-06:002014-03-07T22:09:50-06:00Dallas ices Portland, 103-98
<figure>
<img alt="" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/6pabsPJzQVWHEpIJe5Bz0eJdJIc=/0x135:4000x2802/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/29683611/20140307_rnb_an4_039.0.jpg" />
<figcaption>Jerome Miron-USA TODAY Sports</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>In a game that was far more exciting than it should have been, the Mavs beat the Blazers 103-98</p> <p>The Dallas Mavericks beat The <a href="https://www.blazersedge.com/" class="sbn-auto-link">Portland Trail Blazers</a> in this early March Friday matchup between two Western Conference teams fighting for playoff relevancy. Dirk led the Mavs with 22 points on 8-19 shooting and 5 rebounds, and LaMarcus led the Blazers with 30.</p>
<p>The first points of the Mavs' third match against the Blazers were scored on an incredibly attractive reverse layup from <span>Monta Ellis</span>, right after Nic Batum drastically overplayed Dirk on a pick and roll, giving Ellis a wide open layup to the lane. This would turn out to be an auspicious start to the game. Kind of.</p>
<p>For the majority of the first half, both team's pick and roll coverage was atrocious, but only one team capitalized. Every time the Mavs ran a pick and roll, the Blazers kept tight on Dirk and gave Monta a path to the lane, or they dropped back and gave Jose an open jumper; the Blazers just didn't know what to do to cover the Mavs, and the Mavs got whatever they wanted.</p>
<p>The Blazers, on the other hand, were getting great looks for all the first quarter - and even most of the second - but they weren't capitalizing. Sometimes they missed open jumpers, sometimes they missed the chance to pass to the open man, and sometimes they would just stop a play entirely to dump the ball to LMA in the high post. Either way, the Blazers, for no great reason beyond bad look, couldn't catch a break.</p>
<p>As a result, the first quarter ended with a 30 point Mavs lead, 40-10.</p>
<p>But, as with every <a href="https://www.mavsmoneyball.com/" class="sbn-auto-link">Mavericks</a> lead, it was hardly safe. The beginning of the second quarter looked a lot like the end of the first, except suddenly the Blazers were hitting the shots they were supposed to make, and <span>Jose Calderon</span> and Monta Ellis were no longer blazing gods of destruction. The game began to look a lot more even.</p>
<p>Then something happened that was really bad for the Mavs: the game became defensive.</p>
<p>Spurred, perhaps, by their intense energy in the first quarter, and the fury of playing against this team, the Mavs started to actually play defense. They actually defended things. It was great.</p>
<p>Unfortunately, just when the Mavs started playing defense, Portland decided that they would, too.</p>
<p>When the Blazers started hounding the ball on their side of the court, the game became much less offensively driven, and much more defensively driven, which isn't a game that the Mavs can win. The Blazers aren't great defenders, they're bottom 10 in the league, but they have the right pieces.. If the game comes down to two sub-par defenses trying really hard all of a sudden, the super-old Mavs will always lose.</p>
<p>As a result, the Blazers went on a ferocious run to end the second and third quarters, as the Mavs tried - and failed - to get stops, and the Blazers tried - and pretty much succeeded - to stop the Mavs (especially against offensively challenged Harris-Vince-Crowder lineups). Dirk, as usual, was the one bright spot on on the team while he was on the court, but Portland did a good job defending him, even.</p>
<p>As a result, the Mavericks ended the third quarter having squandered their entire 30 point lead. The ended the third quarter only up one, 75-74.</p>
<p>The beginning of the 4th was much the same story. The Mavericks couldn't score with <span>Devin Harris</span>-Vince-Jae all sharing the offensive duties against a suddenly-ravenous Portland squad, and even with Dirk joining the group, they couldn't get enough going. They were trying: Jae looked hyper aggressive tonight, scoring 8<b> </b>points on the night, including 6 free throws, and Dirk was Dirk, but they couldn't defend a single position. With 8 minutes left in the 4th, the Mavs were down 8, and it looked grim.</p>
<p>All of a sudden, though, the Mavs started doing just enough of the right things: they just kept charging at the basket and dumping the ball into Dirk, forcing double team after double team and foul after foul. Jae got a tip in, Monta drew a foul, Dirk drew a foul, Devin Harris got a tip in, and Dallas eschewed their zone in favor of their man defense and bizarre rotation system.</p>
<p>Only 1 minute after being down 8, the Mavs found themselves up by 1 point, again, 90-89.</p>
<p>From there, the Mavs traded bucket after bucket with the Blazers, keeping the game within 5 points for the next 4 minutes, until the 4 and a half minute mark, when the Blazers pulled ahead by six. It looked done.</p>
<p>The Mavs made <i>another </i>comeback, though, finding themselves down only 2, again, with 2 minutes left in the game. A steal and a breakaway for Monta later, and the game was tied again, 98-98, with a minute and a half left to play. There was hope. The game was really close. Though, the game had no right to be that competitive, one way or another.</p>
<p>Three incomplete possessions later, and the Mavs had the ball - with the game still tied at 98 - with 30 seconds to play. Off of the rebound, Harris streaks up the court and takes an ill-advised, wild floater...and hits it. And-1. Devin gives the Mavs the lead, 101-98, with 24 seconds left.</p>
<p>On the next possession, though, the Blazers went for the quick two, but <span>LaMarcus Aldridge</span> overthrew a pass to a cutting <span>Damian Lillard</span>, giving the Mavericks possession. Monta missed both free throws, but <span>Vince Carter</span> collected the rebound and hit both free throws, making it a 5 point game with 15 seconds left. Ellis, however, stole the ball immediately into the Blazers' next possession, and the Mavs won the game, 103-98.</p>
https://www.mavsmoneyball.com/2014/3/7/5483538/mavericks-final-score-dallas-portland-blazersHal Brown2014-03-07T18:30:02-06:002014-03-07T18:30:02-06:00GAME THREAD: Mavericks vs. Trail Blazers
<figure>
<img alt="" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/90kmfQyS3Eu86kxkU8YtjlwICl8=/0x1038:2887x2963/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/29670225/20140126_kkt_an4_548.0.jpg" />
<figcaption>Jerome Miron-USA TODAY Sports</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>Can the Mavericks turn around their first three game losing streak of the season against Aldridge, Lillard & Co.?</p> <p><strong>WHO:</strong> Dallas Mavericks vs. Portland Trail Blazers</p>
<p><strong>WHAT:</strong> Well, they beat them once this season....they can do it again?</p>
<p><strong>WHERE:</strong> American Airlines Center, Dallas, Texas</p>
<p><strong>WHEN:</strong> 7:30 p.m. CST</p>
<p><strong>THE STORY: </strong>Well, the past few games have certainly not been fun, and as we've written about a few times at this point, the road gets no easier for the Mavs here on out. The Mavericks return home from a two game road trip to face a very tough opponent in the Blazers. I'm not going to get into much detail here, because the fact is, the Mavs need to find a modicum of defense, and fast, or I really fear they are never beating anyone ever again. Let's hope that Dirk gets some help from Ellis, Vince, or ANYONE this game. He'll need it if the Mavs want a prayer of stealing another one from Portland.</p>
<p>While you wait, check out <a href="http://www.mavsmoneyball.com/2014/3/7/5481140/mmb-gameday-stream-3-7-dallas-mavericks-vs-portland-trailblazers">our game previews</a> and the video below (because it's awesome), and as always, goooooo Mavs.</p>
<p><iframe frameborder="0" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/tBTTd0gfkn0" height="315" width="560"></iframe></p>
https://www.mavsmoneyball.com/2014/3/7/5482664/game-thread-dallas-mavericks-vs-portland-trail-blazersRebecca Lawson2014-03-07T12:00:04-06:002014-03-07T12:00:04-06:00Talking Portland with Blazer's Edge
<figure>
<img alt="" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/4LJFthOnTiOrEi77D1kS5UjfPVU=/0x162:2393x1757/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/29644619/20121222_jla_ad3_402.0.jpg" />
<figcaption>USA TODAY Sports Images</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>Chris Lucia of Blazer's Edge swings by to talk about LaMarcus Aldridge, Damian Lillard and a possible first-round match-up between Dallas and Portland.</p> <h4><b><span>LaMarcus Aldridge</span>, who played high school ball at Seagoville, is having the best season of his career statistically, most notably in rebounding. Has anything changed in his game or is it a function of having a better supporting cast?</b></h4>
<p>I think leading up to this season, one knock for some on Aldridge's game was his slight lack of rebounding relative to his size, strength and position. He's a guy who's come back better after every offseason, so there was probably a commitment to improving his rebounding from an individual standpoint this past summer.</p>
<p>But you have to consider the addition of <span>Robin Lopez</span> as a huge factor in Aldridge's improvement on the boards -- he's even said as much several times this season. Lopez is a huge body that requires attention from opposing rebounders, thus freeing up Aldridge more. Also consider that <span>Wesley Matthews</span>, <span>Nicolas Batum</span> and Lopez are all having career rebounding years, too, and not just per game but by percentage as well. I'd say it's due to a combination of individual commitment, coaching emphasis and -- most notably, probably -- the addition of Lopez.</p>
<h4><b>Jose Calderon's defense has been a huge problem for the Mavs all season. Are they better off hiding a poor defensive PG on Nic Batum or Wesley Matthews than leaving him on <span>Damian Lillard</span>?</b></h4>
<p><b></b>With all due respect to Calderon, it's likely that he gets taken advantage of by whomever <span>Rick Carlisle</span> tries to hide him on -- Lillard would blow by him, Matthews would post him up (though his success has been limited against the <a href="https://www.mavsmoneyball.com/" class="sbn-auto-link">Mavericks</a> in two games so far this year) and Batum would find ways around him or just go over the top.</p>
<p>And if you pull Calderon off Lillard, who guards him? <span>Monta Ellis</span> gets steals but isn't exactly known as a great individual defender. At this stage in his career, could <span>Shawn Marion</span> keep up with Lillard? He's played well in both games against Dallas this year, and I think Lillard's going to find ways to be effective tonight regardless of who's defending him. Throwing different looks at him -- traps, doubles, etc. -- is probably Carlisle's best shot at hampering Lillard's game, assuming it can be executed well enough.</p>
<p><b></b></p>
<p><b> </b></p>
<p><b><b></b></b></p>
<p><b> </b></p>
<p style="display: inline !important;">
</p>
<h4><b>When Dallas is playing well, they are getting offense off the bench, from <span>Devin Harris</span>, <span>Vince Carter</span> and Brandan Wright. How has Portland's second unit, which has a ton of young guys, fared on defense?</b></h4>
<p>Portland's bench is much improved from last year, we know that for sure. Still, coach <span>Terry Stotts</span> rides his starters pretty hard in closer contests. The only guy off the bench who gets a lot of minutes is Mo Williams. No one on the bench is a great individual defender, and the Blazers can go through stretches where the team defense isn't very good, either, regardless of who's in the game.</p>
<p>The defense definitely gets worse when there are more bench players in the game -- <span>Meyers Leonard</span> and <span>Will Barton</span>, in particular, are prone to defensive lapses -- but there are also a lot of energy guys off the bench who can affect the game with some hustle, especially if they find a way to get on a roll. Williams gambles quite a bit, so sometimes that pays off with steals, but it also can put him out of position and force his teammates to cover for him, so it's a two-way street.</p>
<p>I guess the short answer would be that things can really go either way defensively when more backups are in the game for the Blazers, but they're more likely to struggle than play particularly well, especially if pulled out of position, forced to help each other and make quick decisions on the fly.</p>
<p><b></b></p>
<p><b><b> </b></b></p>
<p><b><b> </b></b></p>
<h4><b><b>The playoff situation out West is so unsettled that a number of scenarios are still in play, including a Mavs-Blazers first-round tilt. Who would you say is the best and worst-case first round match-ups for Portland?</b></b></h4>
<p>Best case scenario would probably be Dallas or Phoenix. The Mavericks play a lot of older guys extended minutes, which probably would give an advantage to the Blazers as a seven-game series progressed. Also, Ellis and Calderon could probably be exploited defensively, forcing Carlisle to try and mask their deficiencies (this goes both ways; Portland's backcourt isn't full of intimidating defenders, either). The <a href="https://www.brightsideofthesun.com/" class="sbn-auto-link">Suns</a> seem to have the Blazers number so far this regular season, but over the course of a seven-game series, I think Portland's talent would trump the Suns' youth and energy. Both match-ups would be fun, for sure.</p>
<p>I don't think the Blazers want any part of Houston in the first round of the playoffs. They have so many weapons and can attack a defense in many different ways, and Portland's definitely not an elite defensive team. Plus, Howard can obviously make it difficult for opposing guys to finish down low and he could get Lopez in foul trouble on the other end, which is never a good thing for the Blazers.</p>
<p>* * *</p>
<p><i>Thanks Chris! Be sure to stop by </i><a href="http://www.blazersedge.com" target="_blank"><i>Blazer's Edge</i></a><i> to check out their gameday coverage! </i></p>
https://www.mavsmoneyball.com/2014/3/7/5481058/talking-portland-with-blazers-edgetjarks2014-03-07T09:03:31-06:002014-03-07T09:03:31-06:00Four-Pointer: Previewing the Trail Blazers
<figure>
<img alt="" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/LALtaaz762onVaBNm8np6lm3ehk=/0x30:4000x2697/1310x873/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/29644001/20140305_jla_sx3_686.0.jpg" />
<figcaption>Craig Mitchelldyer-USA TODAY Spo</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>The Blazers, in a three-game tie for third place out West, need a win on Friday about as much as the Mavs do.</p> <h4><b>What has Portland done recently?</b></h4>
<p>After an almost miraculous clean bill of health for the first few months of the season, the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.blazersedge.com/">Trail Blazers</a> have weathered the injury bug over the last few weeks. They went 4-1 without <span>LaMarcus Aldridge</span>, who returned to the line-up on Saturday, and have had to re-shape their second unit after losing <span>Joel Freeland</span>, their primary interior reserve, for the season. There's no room for the weary in the Western Conference - despite a 21-4 start to the season, Portland is currently locked in a tight battle to secure home-court advantage in the first round.</p>
<h4><b>Which stat, player or fact might surprise you about the Blazers?</b></h4>
<p>The Blazers second unit has been bolstered recently by the play of <span>Will Barton</span>, a second-round pick in the 2012 draft. A hyper-athletic 6'6 175 ball of energy, Barton is averaging 7 points and 2 rebounds on 52% shooting in the last 10 games. While Barton has real talent, it's taken him awhile to carve out a role in the Portland rotation, as his youthful exuberance makes him the classic "No, no ... yes" player. His athleticism could be an issue for some of the older players on the Mavs bench, but his lack of physical strength and limited experience could be exploited on the defensive end.</p>
<h4><b>Which team stat might determine the game?</b></h4>
<p>The strength of the Blazers team is in their starting unit, with all five averaging in double figures. So if their bench can play the Mavs second unit to a draw, Portland has to like their chances of pulling out another win at the AAC this season. <span>Devin Harris</span> and <span>Vince Carter</span> have become barometers of the Mavs success - the Mavs, given their defensive issues, need offense from their reserves in order to win. Watch the four-minutes coming into and out of the first and third quarters - they could be pivotal stretches tonight.</p>
<h4><b>What do the Mavs need to do to be successful against the Blazers?</b></h4>
<p>The teams split their first two meetings of the season, with both winning on the other's home court - a dramatic 108-106 win in Portland in early December and a 127-111 loss in Dallas a few weeks ago. This might be a game where <span>Rick Carlisle</span> goes with <span>DeJuan Blair</span> at the center position; he had 15 points and 8 rebounds in the win while <span>Samuel Dalembert</span> had 2 points and 6 rebounds in the loss. Given their issues with defense and rebounding, especially against a big team like the Blazers, the Mavs need as much offense as they can get on Friday.</p>
https://www.mavsmoneyball.com/2014/3/7/5480956/four-pointer-preview-portland-trail-blazers-dallas-maverickstjarks