"A Victory for the Word Poise"--Blazers 109, Nets 100 by: torridjoe Sat Mar 14, 2009 at 16:49:41 PM PDT

I'm pretty sure that's what I heard Mike Rice say towards the end of last night's broadcast of the Blazers 109-100 rejection of the New Jersey Nets, and if so then perhaps it's also a Victory for In-Game Dewar's (although saying in the 3rd that Batum literally WAS Scottie Pippin might even the score), but no matter--it's a perfect if oddly arty description of last night's game. The downside of showing poise of course, is that you only get to display it when it's required--born of some awkward or unfortunate circumstance that you must rise above. In this case, it was another in a long series of shaky starts to ball games, particularly against lesser opponents. Things did not go well particularly well for long stretches of the game, or rather for long stretches they went well for a moment--then like hell for several moments more. The Nets lead is 11, oh noes! Whew, now all of a sudden it's 5. Dang, back to 9 already? OK, they're holding it around 6-8...what, 12? Maaan. That was what it was like the first 16 minutes of the game--although what I described typically took place in about three--and certain parts of the third quarter as well.  Not to say the first quarter wasn't exciting or without some real take-home moments. How about the Pale Primate sending FIVE shots backwards, the first two early on Lopez and Yi? The team registered 10 blocks overall, including two late in the 2nd by Nic Batum, both of which were jaw dropping, to go along with his six early points on a jumper and a sweet layup on a cut to the hole. But it was the blocks, baby: the first was one in which Batum was guarding Vince Carter top baseline. Carter moved around him, but as he went for the reverse jam under the basket, Batum came from--where else--behind and swatted it down...then grabbed the steal/rebound off of LaMarcus' mishandle of the block. The second was off a Roy miss in the lane, and a fast break for the Nets. Not content with rejecting their past superstar, he decided he had to make up about 1/3 of the court on Devin Harris in about 4 strides and blast the ball out of HIS hands from behind. On a break. That he was originally far behind. Unbelievable.  {more below}

torridjoe :: "A Victory for the Word Poise"--Blazers 109, Nets 100

Those two provided the defense (and Nic some of the offense), but Roy and LaMarcus were also busy during that stretch--not on field goals, but repeated drives inside drawing contact. Roy went 0-fer in the half, LMA not much better--but Brandon had 7 pts on FT and LMA 5. It got Sean Williams out of the game early with four fouls, which put pressure on Brook Lopez with two and then three early in the third. And it kept the Blazers afloat, poised and doing what they should be even if the shots weren't falling. Around the middle of the second, down 11 at 47-36, the winds shifted and even though the Big Two still weren't clicking on the shots, poise began to pay off. Again, Nic Batum was just out of his mind on the court. The blocks I described both were key parts of an 11-2 run to close the 2nd and bring them within two at 49-47 (before the ridiculous pre-call on Bayless which gave Harris two FT to end the hald). But he also had a sweet jam to the hole and a nice rebound off Carter's misses. Amazingly, it only got better in the 2nd half.  With all that great newfound energy, you'd be forgiven for thinking poise had responded, and the turning point had been reached. Maybe it had, but it didn't come without another nadir, as the Blazer shots went cold again in the early third, and Steve Blake had some trouble with the ball. By the time it was 60-49 and all that hard work at the end of the first half needed to be redone, Nate called for a courtside chat and a change in momentum. Guess who sparked it? Batum at the 3 spread wide in the far corner, drawing Vince Carter away from the key and making help nearly impossible as Roy drove left side around Lopez and finally hit a shot, his first of the game. Coincidence? Dunno. But the next trip down, Batum hassled Carter some more (drawing a questionable foul), chasing him through two picks and finally doubling him at the baseline with Joel, forcing a violation. He wasn't involved on the next offensive trip as Roy went back to missing layups, but again fought a screen and got a hand into Carter's face, enough to screw up his jumper. Next trip down, Blake found Batum in the north corner and he drove quickly along the baseline past Carter, who had to foul him. Ding, ding went the free throws. LMA fouled Yi, Blake made a three, the Nets scored again--the next three trips were Batumless. But right after that, Blake drove and found LaMarcus on the top block, who drew everybody to him, leaving Batum utterly, completely, stupidly-by-now open on the right side of the key for a trey? Did he hit it? Must you ask? That was followed by one more highlight, another great twohanded slam as Blake fed him cutting into the lane on a break. That made it 68-65, Portland had doubled up New Jersey 16-8 since their timeout, and they were on their way to finally taking control.   Or not; the Nets quickly built it back up to eight, and THEN the Blazers took over, Brandon finally signalling the trumpets and the cherubs, driving repeatedly at the haplessly hacking Jerseyites, drawing fouls, taking foul shots, making them. This looked like so much fun that as soon as the Blazers had finally gotten within an even-up point or two, guys like Joel and LMA and Travis decided to try it. But the game did continue to go back and forth and wasn't really over until one of those classic "dagger shots" I've talked about. Who would be more appropriate to take it, having shanked the Nets repeatedly over the previous 47:31? Nic Batum, of course, having the stones---and daresay poise--to react to an opening created by a Roy steal and fast break Blake drive and kickout by calmly taking a trey with the team up just 98-96. Miss it and Devin Harris could tie it with a drive and a foul, maybe even the dreaded And One. Not to be. Batum's shot was nothing but net, and I'm not sure I even saw a smile register his face until after nearly everyone had chestbumped him into unsconsciousness. Take that, Frenchy-haters! There were some heroic performances in this one, which finished a good homestand 4-1 and set the tone for the last big road trip of the year, including games against the dangerous Hawks and obviously awesome Cavaliers. LaMarcus brought it for his fourth consecutive double double--on 7 O-reebs--and continues to reap the rewards of Oden's absence in order to take his game to that necessary next level. So true with Outlaw, who also had a double double on a night when his shooting wasn't really as on as usual. Roy still looked sick for the first half, but said Fuck That for the second and did what he wanted with the Nets.  And I've mentioned Przybilla, who did his job and then some, as usual. Sergio, Frye, Bayless all were ineffective; Blake hit a couple of key threes and some nice feeds, but also had four turnovers and was not able to keep up with Harris at all. At one point Batum even mouthed to the bench, which the Mikes picked up, "Do you want me to take [Harris?]" This while he was denying and frustrating Carter! Love it. Poise, boys! See you Sunday MORNING in Atlanta; game time is 10AM and because of the hour I might even get in a liveblog.

Tags: Nets, recap, Blazers, pro basketball, NBA, (All Tags)

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