Yes, we let one slip away. But lets list the positives we saw: 1)We were able to get multiple 10+ point lead stretches; we have 4 games to adjust and learn how to keep and build those leads, thats plenty. They can't keep up with our transition and run+gun style. The Blazers were CRAWLING back and got calls and lucky 3PTers to drop. 2)As much as our D is weak vs LMA and Lillard, the Blazer's isnt any better vs D12, Harden and Parsons. 3)JLin is a great option off the bench to go up against their weak bench. The man is clutch. How many times has he come up big is tight situations over the season. 4)Bev's D energy rubs off on the rest - but that's nothing new. 5)Harden's 3PT shooting will only get better through the series. 6) The reffing cant get any worse...no it cant...the league will address what it saw today with meetings for all refs in this series. Rockets in 6.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"><p>Per Rockets: Beverley has a sprained right knee. Will have an MRI on Monday. Tore miniscus in right knee March 27.</p>— Jonathan Feigen (@Jonathan_Feigen) <a href="https://twitter.com/Jonathan_Feigen/statuses/458120674813292544">April 21, 2014</a></blockquote> <script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
How does one stay positive...our starting PG is probably out for the rest of the playoffs and we completely choked game 1 away. This team is done.
If Beverley is done, we're done. If he can play, good news is Howard and Harden didn't play well, Lillard and LMA did and we barely lost. We can still win 5 or 6. TT should've already been initiated.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"><p>"To see him (Pat) go down hurts. He sacrificed his body for us, now we have to sacrifice our body for him."- Howard on Beverley hurting knee</p>— AdamWexlerCSN (@awexler) <a href="https://twitter.com/awexler/statuses/458124275317088257">April 21, 2014</a></blockquote> <script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
Aldrige and Lillard combined for 80 points, Harden missed 20 shots, the refs were some of the worst i've ever seen in a playoff game, and we still only lost by 2 in overtime. I'm actually still feeling good about taking this thing in 6.
Dodged a bullet there... At least for his career he's not permanently out and while I think Bevs energy does rub off on the team, he really got exposed for me tonight. Hopefully he's injured and that's why he couldn't stay with his man for the life of him. Hate to see your backup outplay your starting pg on both ends badly... Hopefully lin can step back into the starting role with confidence for our sake
Nawh be bevs important but F that! Howard and harden have to step up they are superstars and are capable of taking over a game just like LMA & lillard did tonight...
If Beverely was healthy i think we'd take this in 7. Seeing now that he's likely done, yeah... I don't see us winning this.
The series is over is Bev is out and McHale elects to put Parsons on Lillard, who is too big and slow footed to stop a small PG. The series is very much still alive if he just lets Lin guard Lillard like conventional match-ups would suggest he do.
Harden will bounce back. The real scare is how easily Portland came back into this game being down 10 wiht 4 min to go. Who can you blame that on? Bad McHale D? Dwight missing FT's?
Hack-a-Howard really screwed the game for us. If he had made two of the four shots, we would have probably won.