Game Two: Blazers vs. Nuggets, 7:30pm TNT
Tonight the Blazers get their first real test of the season. A game against a division rival on national television.
I had a chance to watch Denver beat up on the Jazz last night. The Nuggets are very athletic, confident and full of energy. Especially Carmelo Anthony. Melo appears to have lost weight and he looks better than ever. I have to say I'm glad they played last night, hopefully it slows their momentum.
Some keys to this game will be getting Roy and Aldridge shots early. Not only that, but Greg needs to just think about being aggressive and active, not trying to slow post up on the block. It's not working right now, he's thinking too much. He has to move around, hit the glass, set screens and let it flow.
As far as the Nuggs go, Nene and Melo will be the toughest to defend. Nene has blossomed into a very strong presence down low. He'll posterize you if your not careful and his overall contributions are impressive. Melo is going to score over 25 points a game and there's almost no way to stop him.
Portland needs to fight fire with fire. Run, push it, score a lot of points and do what you can on defense. Let's put all these talented shooters to good use.
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| Blazers | Analysis | Nuggets |
PG
| As much credit and respect Chauncey Billups gets for his clutch play and big games in the playoffs, I don't think he's any better than Andre Miller. Miller really is one of the more underrated players in the league and tonight will be a fun match-up between savvy vets. Not only that, but Steve Blake is proving his worth by continuing to be the quality 3-point shooter of the two point guards. At home, and following a game in Denver last night, I see our point guards showing fresh legs and winning this battle.
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SG
| Brandon Roy didn't have a good shooting night against Houston. Rudy played 25 minutes but didn't get a ton of shot attempts. I think that changes tonight with a less talented defensive team. JR Smith is suspended for 7 games (no surprise) so he won't be playing tonight. That leaves newly acquired Aaron Afflalo and Joey Graham. It's going to be tough going for these guys as they try to chase Brandon and Rudy around all night.
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SF
| Carmelo comes into the season in the best shape of his career. He has a serious knack for scoring and at top physical form he's going to be a tough guy to stop. Portland always seems to struggle with him anyway. I like Martell to do a lot of the little things, hopefully he can handle Melo the way Nic Batum might. I also see Travis coming back down to earth, his excellent game against Houston was more of a product of the opponent and "it's one game," then anything else.
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PF
| LaMarcus Aldridge is also going to be a bigger factor tonight. The guy is happy, comfortable and as good as ever. With a more competitive game he'll likely get plenty of touches. Plus, Kenyon Martin has really become all bark and no bite. His contributions have slowed down and he won't be able to guard LA. Hopefully Juwan Howard can also get involved, a few boards, a few assists, earn that veterans minimum!
| PF
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C
| This is the match-up that could determine the outcome of the game. Very formidable opponents and big bodies on the interior. Nene has become a beast and Chris Andersen does what he does, harasses, blocks shots, and looks like a crackhead. Greg really needs to step it up. He may not get touches so he needs to earn his own opportunities. Prz will continue to do what he does best, but I think Nene and Bird win this matchup.
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Overall Winner:
