Game 58: Utah 93, Portland 89 (OT)
Written by Seth Johnston   
Sunday, 21 February 2010 22:44

You know what usually sucks about playing the Jazz? Everything. You know what usually sucks the most? That you know exactly what they will do but can’t do a thing about it. At least that’s supposed to be the story, and in Portland’s earlier meetings with the Jazz it had been true. With Utah in town and Portland coming off their worst loss of the season against Boston I had a sneaking suspicion that I would be writing about the Blazers getting blown out. That’s never fun. So...hooray for overtime losses?

In the first half the Blazers shot 53% from the field and 33% from three, compared with 40% and 0% from Utah. That disparity was good for a 13 point half-time lead even with Roy playing just eleven minutes in accordance with Nate’s ever popular two fouls-no playing time rule.

Of note during that feel good first half was the play of one Nic Batum. Batum stalked down Deron Williams on a breakaway layup for a spectacular block that infused the crowd with more energy and Batum with additional confidence. On the offensive end he put himself in the right places and finished the half with 14 points (5-6 shooting) to go with six rebounds.

It was all too fun to last, and just like every other NBA game ever, the team that was down big rallied. The Jazz started hitting shots. Carlos Boozer was a monster (22 points, 23 rebounds). Andre Miller went cold. Portland still seemed to seal the victory late with a combination of good enough offensive execution, clutch offensive rebounding, and get this, defense. Then Boozer tipped in a missed Deron Williams jumper as time expired to send the game into overtime. Once it was bonus basketball Portland couldn’t overcome the mighty Ha Seung-Jin like powers of Kyrlo Fesenko (seriously) and ended up losing the stinking game after Roy’s potential game tying three rimmed out. Bummers all around.

Let's be positive. Tonight Portland took their first sip of Marcus Camby goodness. Marcus’ 16 rebounds, 4 blocks, and 2 steals were much welcomed. I’ve heard that good shooting is contagious; I guess the same goes for blocking shots. Portland had ten of those tonight, which is six more than they average on the season. The Camby Effect was nice and I want more.

Brandon Roy looked better, but isn’t quite back to his Roybot/Everything/(bland and uncreative nickname I refuse to use) self. He ended up with a solid line tonight but that transcendent gear was still missing. If nothing bad happens it appears that Roy will have himself back in dominant form sooner rather than later.

Portland now heads off for a five game road trip clinging to the final playoff spot. I won’t argue that missing the post-season is imminent; not with Memphis fizzling, CP3 fighting injuries, and the Rockets having to integrate a major new player and compensate for the loss of another. That isn’t to say that Portland couldn’t slip out of the playoffs, that could happen, I’ve just decided to side with optimism for now.

My worries focus on Portland having to face the Lakers in the first round of the playoffs. Don’t get me wrong, I love all the BEAT LA ra- ra-go team stuff as much as anyone else, but I can’t see Portland beating the Lakers in a playoff series. Moving into a position that avoids the best team in the conference would be desirable. Just like Mama says, the more playoff experience the better.

Box score

  • AK47 not gelling up his hair and then playing only limited minutes because of back spasms. He totally doesn't take Portland seriously.
  • Most everything after half-time.
  • Camby!
  • Batum's first half.
  • Roy getting healthy.

Photo: AP



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Comments (16)Add Comment
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written by thebigoutdoors, February 22, 2010
Nate does two things wrong when he enjoys a healthy lead:

He does not change his strategy to throw off the other coach and he lets his hot players get cold on the bench.

However, he has been known to the slow ball down, or he might play his favorites for forty minutes, like the Web if he's hot.

Blazers sink jumpers but have little success in the paint for two quarters. Jazz goe to zone to put pressure on the ball and the shooter. Nate helps other team by slowing the ball down so Jazz can set up. Run, you fool, before they set up to counter what you have been showing them for the last half hour. Oh, and maybe not sit Nic for an hour while his powder gets wet.

Sophia was great on Talkin Ball. Rashaad, your loyalties to Nate betray the Blazers.
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written by Billy Hoyle, February 22, 2010
I'm so sick of hearing how it's Nate's fault every time we lose a game. Last I checked our key players have just plain lost their hearts when it comes time to battle, can't hit open shots, and generally start looking for excuses (refs) as soon as things stop going their way. Nate can't control any of that. He's damned if he does, and damned if he doesn't. It's easy to second guess and criticize every move he makes, as if the exact opposite move would be the cure, but really, who again is this mystical coach that would do so much better with what we have and lead us to the promise land, despite our still glaring lack of big men and a lingering injury to our franchise player?

And don't even get me started on Aldridge...his inability to rebound a fucking free throw on the defensive side is inexcusable. I'm sure that is somehow Nate's fault too?
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written by DogPissJones, February 22, 2010
@Billy H, we've seen this exact game how many times in the past 2-3 years? Getting a big lead and then going into conservative mode and not adjusting to the other team's gameplan. Who do you blame? If you're not blaming the coach, I guess you can blame the players. But ultimately, it's the coach's job to make sure the right guys are on the court and executing the coach's plan. This has happened too many times to call it a fluke. Not to mention our 1-8 OT record.

Feel you on LA though. 4 defensive rebounds all night. Boozer would be a hall of famer if he faced LA every night.
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written by Billy Hoyle, February 22, 2010
I just don't see how you can blame Nate for the 4-27 shooting in the 4th quarter and OT?

When you say the right guys needed to be on the court, who would that be? Let me guess, you will say Batum needed to start the second half. I've seen that all over. Here's my counter-point.

We ran the same rotation in the first half when we built a decent lead. Batum came off the bench and did just fine, so why is it all of the sudden so different for him to do the same in the second half? The fact is, we had our largest lead midway through the 3rd quarter, with the same rotation...our starters completed a 14-0 run to put us up 64-39 midway through the third, sans Batum. So it's not like there was any indication we were struggling without him in.

Rudy was our first sub in the 3rd quarter, just as he was in the 1st quarter. Rudy was also extremely effective in the first half, +21 if you didn't know, in fact it was higher than Batum's first half, which was +11. From there, the wheels just fell off and Utah pretty much dominated us in every facet of the game. If you still can make a case that it's on the coach and not the players at that point, be my guest.
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written by DogPissJones, February 22, 2010
4-27....on jump shots....1 on 1 isolation...no movement...no running...no cutting. This isn't new. Nate is a conservative coach and this style of play has been indicative of that since he's been here. There's a reason good coaches like Sloan and Adelman carve us up. He has employed an offense that if jump shots aren't going down and Brandon isn't getting to the basket, we're @#$@ed.

Batum needs to start. Starting Martell just to see if his head is in the game for the night and deciding whether or not to play him 10 or 35 minutes isn't cutting it.

You are right, if Canby or LA box out and get the rebound, or if Roy hits a couple free throws, or if any number of other things happen we win the game. But how many big leads do we have to blow for the coaching staff to be looked at? Our 4th quarters this year have been atrocious. Especially at home.
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written by Billy Hoyle, February 22, 2010
Lets just agree to disagree. I put it on the players, you put it on the coach. Blowing a 25 point lead stings either way.

I do think Batum should start, but I don't think it's as critical of an issue as it's being made out to be.
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written by SethJohnston, February 22, 2010
I want BillyHoyle vs. DogPiss in a blog-off. Interested?
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written by Goosey McGhee, February 22, 2010
I'm not one to blast Nate, in fact I think he's done a phenomenal job coaching this season...BUT, wow, if you blow a lead like that the coach needs to take the blunt of the blame.

The coach is the guy who needs to keep his team focused and energized but clearly they lost both of those elements halfway through the third and never got them back. And Batum sitting out 95% third? That horrible isolation play for Brandon in OT when there was ample time to run a play? Bad stuff, Nate.

That being said, their PG play really sucks, especially Brainless. All he does is run at the hoop and hopes to draw contact. He can't run an offense and he makes silly fouls on defense. With Blake gone he's really going to hurt this team down the stretch because you just can't trust him to be out there by himself for long stretches of the game. If he doesn't take any significant stride forward from now until the end of the season they need to think about cutting the cord on Mr. Bayless.
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written by O Storm!, February 22, 2010
The players need to finish the job, but that doesn't mean that Nate ISN'T to blame. Giving up a 20+ point lead is a catastrophic failure on all levels.

As for 1-8 in OT, that is getting outcoached.

My money is on DPJ!

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written by DogPissJones, February 22, 2010
I don't put it squarely on the coach...but it's happened too many times the past few years for Nate not to get called out. We go into "let's not lose" mode when it should be "Let's finish these guys" mode. Hell..I think a quarter of our victories this year have been games where we've had a big lead and just barely hold on. Let alone the ones we've lossed.

Normally, I wouldn't care so much about Batum but Nate has a poor history of substitutions, lineup changes, not making lineup changes, etc. Which I believe, is another knock against him. It's obvious that Batum is our SF of the future. It's obvious he is more effective than Webster on both sides of the ball. So just put him in there already.
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written by Billy Hoyle, February 22, 2010
Ok then how do you explain last year where a good chunk of our wins had a substantial point differential?
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written by Billy Hoyle, February 22, 2010
Again, what's with all the emphasis on Batum and the 3rd quarter. Last I checked our collapse was in the 4th where we shot 2-17 (11.7%) from the field. We were also out rebounded 15 to 10. When all was said and done we outscored the Jazz 23-22 in the 3rd quarter, and they had a 23-10 4th quarter comeback. Batum played all but 2 minutes of the 4th quarter.
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written by SethJohnston, February 22, 2010
Fellas, fellas, fellas! (Or gals, gals, gals!) Save it for the ring!
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written by KneeJerkNBA, February 22, 2010
I think it's safe to say we know Martell's ceiling by now. He's probably as good as he's gonna get. Batum gets better every game. Personally, I'd love to see him out there 35 plus minutes a game.

In terms of the 'Nate sucks' debate, every team in the league loses big leads. Every team. My biggest gripe with Nate is his lack of imagination in the final two minutes. For years, teams have known we'll just be running isos for Roy. It's so easy to defend.
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written by 4everOregon, February 22, 2010
I'm sorry, but Coach lost us that game in the 3rd quarter. It was obvious after the first half, that Martell was cold as ice, again; and that Batman was hot as hot could be! So starting Webster in the 2nd half, to see if he'd heat up and letting a super hot Batum freeze up on the bench, was insane. And we really could have used Nic's defense too. How can Coach blame the team for "losing focus" and "not playing like they had played in the first half" - when he was the worst offender?!
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