Game 5

I just got home from game 5 of the Blazers vs. Rockets, and I have a few thoughts:

 I have never been a part of a louder crowd. I’ve been a part of rabid crowds in Autzen Stadium, and other big home Blazer games, and I felt like I was at a rock concert. The ringing stayed in my ears for much of the drive home.  I couldn’t hear myself yell in the 4^th quarter. Grown men who didn’t know each other were giving each other hugs after big shots. The roof was ready to blow at The Garden. The crowd gave the home team the energy and charge they needed in the 4^th to hit the big shots even though they were tired. I will never forget how loud it was.

 Based on the last point, I feel like if this same exact game was played in Houston, the series would be over. Just about every shot that the Blazers sunk tonight was contested, with a hand in their face. Those kinds of shots only go through the hoop at home. Despite Aldridge having a very efficient game, scoring 25, I feel like Scola did a decent job defending. Aldridge never caught the ball with good position. Aldridge shot the ball well going 11-20, but several of those shots were tough. He either had a hand in the face, or he had to make some sort of spinning fall away (Still had a hand in his face on those as well.) Portland needs Aldridge to play well to take pressure off Roy, and create other shots for teammates. If the Blazers are going to bring back this series to Portland on Saturday, they need to find a way to get uncontested, open jumpers.

 I see Houston running a lot of pick and rolls on Thursday. The Aaron Brooks and Luis Scola combo in the first quarter was almost unstoppable. Either Scola had a wide open jumper, or Brooks was getting into the lane. Scola is physical and will set good screens; he can also knock down the open jumper. This pick and roll combination could attract so much attention that Yao can get good one on one looks in the post. He could possibly have a big game on Thursday (Not mention two good shooters in Artest and Battier on the weak side for open jumpers.)

 Despite the win, I feel like the Blazers were a little outcoached. The Rockets had a different look after every timeout. Whether it was a pick and roll, an isolation of some sort, or a set play for Artest, it was always something different. The Rockets changed things up defensively as well. They were being killed by the slash and kick. They made the adjustment. Every drive by a Blazer was funneled right to Yao, with the rest of the perimeter players shooting the lane for a steal. It happened two times. The Blazers made no adjustment, and continued to try to slash and kick. What worked is that Roy was so good; he was able to attract enough attention to break down the new scheme by the Rockets. The bottom line, The Rockets made more effective adjustments throughout the game than did the Blazers. But Portland did one thing that pushed them towards the win.

 Portland refused to quit. They came out fired up and focused. Aldridge looked pissed off before the game. They were ready to win at any cost. The focus and intensity needed in the playoffs was finally there. Bad calls and physical play didn’t get in their heads. In games 3 and 4, the moments got too big, and the players crumbled making silly decisions. This time around, losing in the 4^th quarter, the team was patient with the ball and went with their bread and butter: Aldridge and Roy. The real difference in the series is late game situations in games 3 and 4. The Blazers made stupid decisions, turned the ball over, and got beat to easily on the defensive end (such as not keeping an eye on a streaky shooter in Battier.) The Blazers lived up to the challenge in game 5, and hopefully that’s what they needed. They now know they can get it done.

 With this newfound will to win, and lack of fear of the playoffs, game 6 can be very interesting. The pieces are potentially in place for a great comeback in this series. The pieces are also in place for Houston to beat down Portland handily. I guess a wait and see kind of approach will have to be done for Thursday… I hate this kind of approach.