All Hail the Blazers
Did you tune in for the Game 7 fest on May 12? We were spoiled with two back to back game sevens. The Toronto Raptors, with home court advantage, would face the Philadelphia 76ers. The Denver Nuggets would then play the Portland Trailblazers at home. Which teams would triumph?
The current statistic for Game 7s in the NBA playoffs, not including the finals, shows that the home team has won 78% (105/133) of the time. Both number two seeds should then take the W today. Simple right?
As you now know, I am rooting for the Blazers. I completely understand Denver had the better regular season record. I am aware they are the stronger team. However, just like there was something special, even magical, about the 2017-2018 Celtics team, I see the same thing in the Blazers this playoff run. Before looking at the Nuggets vs Blazers Game 7, let’s quickly recap Game 6.
All Hail the Role Players
Game 6 in Portland was a game where Portland took care of their home court. CJ McCollum ended his spectacular night with 30 points (12/24). Lillard had himself a game with 32 points (11/23) and 4/4 free throws. Jokic, of course, played yet another outstanding game for the Nuggets. He led the Nuggets in points, assists, and rebounds. For the Blazers, I loved seeing Kanter and Turner leading in rebounds and assists respectively. As impressive as Jokic is, I especially like seeing role players lead their team in their strengths.
What is a Role Player?
One definition describes a role player as a player who plays a supporting role on his team and does it well and willingly. The Free Dictionary has a sports-related definition that says a role player is a team athlete who plays mainly in specific situations.
Do you see your role players supporting your team well and willingly? If not, perhaps you haven’t given them a purpose. The more purposeful the task, assuming it is a complimentary assignment, the greater success a role player can have. Hats off to the genius coaches who figure out these roles and inspire players to be great at them.
The consistency of Rodney Hood (25 points), Collins’ shrewd defensive and offensive abilities and the astute playmaking of Turner were priceless. Whether in blocks, rebounds or guarding key players as Millsap and Jokic the dedicated work of these role players made the win in Game 6 possible.
Game 7 with a Sunday Buffet on the Side
Game 7 began while my husband and I busily navigated the Sunday buffet at Karl Strauss Brewing Company. Unfortunately, we could not hear the commentary of the game. We watched as the Blazers offense struggled in the first half and the Nuggets took their predictable double-digit lead.
I’ll be honest. I highly doubted the Blazers could come away with a win. They were on the road. The Nuggets were almost impossible to beat there. Four and a half minutes into the 2nd quarter, the Nuggets built their lead up to 17 points (39-22). Still, we watched intently while enjoying bottomless mimosas and an extensive brunch buffet selection.
All I could hope for as half time neared was that the Blazers would make up the deficit and tie it up. The half ended with the Blazers behind 39-48. It was what I expected to happen. The look on the Blazers’ faces was nowhere near troubled, however. In his post-game interview, Coach Stotts, at halftime, told his team to keep trusting each other and to compete.
3rd Quarter
As we watched the 3rd quarter, the bartender asked who we were rooting for. We replied that we were vouching for Portland, who were now fluctuating between a single-digit and double-digit deficit as the second half began.
Oddly enough, there was something different about this second half. Despite the lead, the Nuggets were not dominating the game. The Blazers were making attempts to close the gap to a one-possession game. As Damian Lillard would say in his post-game interview, they wanted to stay close. Since it was a Game 7, there was a chance the Nuggets would get tight in the 4th quarter.
The Blazers would take their first lead of the game towards the end of the 3rd quarter. It was incredible to see. What a relief! I experienced my first glimmer of hope. There was a good chance the Blazers could take this game.
4th Quarter
With my newfound hope, I couldn’t bear to watch the end of this game. My husband asked for the check. We exited the buffet stuffed like Thanksgiving turkeys. Now, this may not make sense to you. Why would anyone stop watching the game during its most significant moments? At times, the intensity is too overwhelming for me. Of course, I still had my other screen handy!
My deep breaths continued as I monitored the game from my phone. I eagerly read the live updates on ESPN and kept praying the Blazers would score on their possessions.
We ended up at the Westfield Shopping Mall in La Jolla. It was a lovely day to walk around. The Blazers had somehow increased their lead by 5-points. For this series, this was a lot of points. I could see Zach Collins, Evan Turner, and Leonard Meyers impacting the game in positive ways. Even though Seth Curry didn’t have the numbers tonight, you could see the impact he was making by his +/- stat (+7). Curry was doing all the little things right. With Rodney Hood out with a hyperextended knee, the bench was stepping in and causing a ruckus. All hail the role players!
Diamonds and Destiny
In the final minutes of Game 7, Evan Turner’s words during his post-game interview come to mind. Pressure can bust pipes or make diamonds. CJ McCollum was the ultimate diamond in the rough for the Blazers today. As he did in the insanity of Game 3, McCollum defined clutch. McCollum secured buckets only a true superstar could.
The Blazers captured Game 7, on the road, with a 22% chance of winning. The final score was 100-96. Watching the NBA, I get goosebumps from time to time. Whether it’s a cool move or a historical moment, they catch me by surprise. Tonight was another one of those surprises. Even though I’m not watching but writing about it now, the goosebumps are back!
On the flip side of the coin, the Nuggets were not themselves today. This game was theirs to lose. My initial thought about the Nuggets going into the playoffs was that there would come a time when they would find a breaking point. At least for who they were today, they would go as far as they could go. Then they would hit an unconquerable wall. I didn’t know when I would see this, but in the second half of Game 7, I saw the road end for the Nuggets. Regardless, the Nuggets are a threat. They will be a threat for years to come.
At the end of the day, Rachel Nichols’ tweet sums this series up in one sentence.
