How To Watch Portland Trail Blazers vs. Memphis Grizzlies:
Location: FedEx Forum, Memphis TN
Time: 6:30 pm, PDT
TV: TNT | KGW (in Portland)
Online Streaming: WatchTNT
Radio: Rip City Radio, 620 am
和Moda中锋
杰米·库珀的Dime在季后赛中对开拓者进行了有趣的报道。他称之为绞刑架的景象。这是一篇有导言和三章的长文。< / p >In the Introduction he writes about the tenacity of the Portland fans from his viewpoint of having covered Portland the last two years each time they won a desperation game four:
On both occasions, the Blazers played with a sense of urgency that had been inexplicably absent in each of the previous three games. Although, I suppose, as Samuel Johnson once alluded to, nothing focuses the mind quite like the sight of the gallows.
Chapter 1 is about some of the pluses and minuses of the Moda Center and the city.
In most NBA cities, it's a logistical nightmare getting in and out of an arena. Not here. Most folks leave their hybrid cars at home and hop the train, or just walk, and riding the Max to the game with hundreds of other delirious fans all decked out in the team's signature gear is a great way to get amped up.
Mass marketing and consumerism is the subject of Chapter 2 and he reviews the Moda Center's efforts in this area.
Some of it is actually kind of interesting, like the "Get to Know" spots that sometimes flash across the Jumbotron with fascinating and peculiar little tidbits of information about your favorite players. Such as the fact that Nicolas Batum's favorite food is Oreo cheesecake and that he's apparently under the impression that his nickname is Batman (?), or that Damian Lillard's favorite television show is Monk, all of which would indicate that the segment should be renamed "Things You Can't Unknow About Your Favorite Player."
Chapter 3 covers the perks of having media access (no comment) including sitting in media row which evidently expands during the playoffs. This year Cooper got to sit next to a guy from the Memphis area and asked him how the FedEx Forum compared to the Moda Center.
"[The FedEx Forum] gets just as loud," he said, "But there isn't the synergy that there is here."
Since Cooper alluded to a Samuel Johnson quote (English Writer, 1709-1784) I was compelled to look at Bartlett's Familiar Quotations (because BE readers are literate) and this is the quote from September 19, 1777:
"Depend upon it, sir, when a man knows he is to be hanged in a fortnight, it concentrates his mind wonderfully."
This is an entertaining read, and many Blazer fans will likely identify with this quirky look at ourselves, our arena, and our city. Let us know in the comments what you think of Cooper's Portland experience!
开拓者边缘周末播客回答了几个邮件问题，其中包括对开拓者队对孟菲斯队战略的讨论、本赛季的成功以及对蒂姆·弗雷泽的深入了解。
开拓者队的边缘周末播客回答了第34集的几个邮件问题，包括对开拓者队对孟菲斯队战略的讨论，本季的成功以及对Tim Frazier的深入了解。
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在队在狭窄的损失灰熊混合惊人精彩的表演用惊人坏。
2014-15季节结束了该开拓者今晚他们倒在了孟菲斯灰熊99-93 。如果说他们的努力是辉煌的英雄不会做到公正。在另一方面“令人震惊的坏”描述它一样好。开拓者不能决定他们是否容易发怒的历史搅拌器试图强迫赛6排除万难或受伤，疲惫的球队只是在寻找回家。他们结束了在从未胶凝的溶液混合两者。巴掌保利·肖尔对蒙娜丽莎的脸，你会明白我的意思。生辉保持游戏接近，但缺陷发言响亮，在5结束系列
Thankfully the Blazers called a halt to the insanity. Damian Lillard and CJ McCollum drove the lane, converting on quick layups or drawing fouls. As the quarter progressed Memphis' bench players couldn't keep up the run their starters had begun. Lillard and McCollum scored 14 straight points while Memphis stalled. Despite Portland's comically bad start the game was tied at 20 after the first.
The Blazers have not played a single game in this series without blowing at least one quarter. Tonight was no exception. McCollum and Lillard hit 3 of the 4 shots they took during the second period. Meyers Leonard canned 1 of 2 three-pointers. Nobody else could hit to save their lives. When the Blazers weren't turning over the ball they were clanking it off the side of the rim (jump shooters) or missing the rim entirely (LaMarcus Aldridge). It was ghastly. Portland was lucky to escape with 19 points. That was 10 more than they deserved.
Fortunately Portland's defense was not as bad as the offense. Memphis' big players--Marc Gasol, Zach Randolph, Kosta Koufos--got bottled up by swarming Trail Blazers. But Portland could not secure a rebound to save their lives. Second chance after second chance allowed a struggling Grizzlies offense to produce points despite their miscues.
The Blazers were also the unfortunate recipients of Vince Carter's "Turn Back the Clock Quarter". When everybody else was covered, Carter made free at the rim with devastating layups and dunks. The last time I saw VC do that much damage I was watching "Platoon". Carter's 7 points in 6 minutes led the Grizzlies to 26 in the quarter and a 46-39 halftime lead.
At this point the Blazers weren't just suffering from missed shots, but from missed opportunities. Turnovers and lack of rebounding kept them from getting up shot attempts, choking off their supply of points and rendering their defensive efforts moot. Something had to change or a good effort would be wasted.
Then came the third period and the advent of the one foretold, the young lad sent to lift the Blazers out of their misery. During halftime a star hovered over FedEx Arena and lo, at the 10:11 mark of the third period Trail Blazers Coach Terry Stotts did see it as Its rays touched the head of CJ McCollum. Then angels appeared unto the coaching staff, proclaiming, "Fear not, for we bring you heavenly tidings! The Lord Most High says unto you this day, 'What the hell are you doing leaving CJ on the bench??? Are you trying to lose? Get a clue!'"
Then did the coaching staff fall on their knees in awe and wonder. But before they did Coach Stotts pointed McCollum towards the scorer's table.
Seriously, you can just play "O Holy Night" over CJ's third-period highlight clip. It fits perfectly. And you'll need the whole song just to cover his three-pointers.
As soon as he hit the floor McCollum sank 4 triples on his way to 16 points in the period. (Keep in mind the Blazers had only scored 19 total in the second.) Coupled with a three from Meyers Leonard and faint signs of life from Aldridge, McCollum's barrage sent Portland to a comparatively massive 27-point total.
Once again, Portland's defense flourished. They finally decided to guard the Memphis Grizzlies like they were the Memphis Grizzlies, peeling a defender off the perimeter to bother Gasol every time he headed into the paint. With a man in front of him and a man behind, Gasol did nothing but turn over the ball. Nor could Randolph score against the sagging defense. Memphis was left shooting long shots...not their specialty. They missed. And missed. The Blazers were on their way to taking control of this game.
Except... Except... Except...
They couldn't grab a rebound. Again.
Part of this was systemic. Collapsing the defense to the ball brings outside defenders in, but also brings inside defenders out. After shots went up, nobody seemed to know who was minding the shop under the rim. Sans security guards, the Grizzlies scooped up the ball and converted freebies while Blazers fans yelled, "Get out of our store!"
Still, Memphis managed only 22 in the third and Portland trailed 68-66 going into the decisive frame.
Portland's defense held up through the early part of the fourth. They did a decent job of forcing the Grizzlies outside, or at least making their inside looks tough. But rebounding issues remained. The Blazers stayed alive by scoring at the rim with Aldridge, Lillard, and Robin Lopez contributing, but never made headway.
The score read 78-75 Memphis when Portland called a timeout with 5:35 remaining. Tension was thick. Everybody knew the game would be decided in the next couple minutes. Whoever made the first run would have the advantage.
Sadly for the Blazers, that team was the Grizzlies. The heretofore-silent Jeff Green--a Blazer-killer in the regular season but a non-entity in this series--scored 5 points in a minute, followed quickly by a jumper from Randolph. The Blazers countered this mini-explosion with a McCollum turnover, Aldridge getting his shot blocked, and a pair of missed threes.
When the Blazers called timeout again, 2 minutes and 10 seconds after their last one, they were down 10.
Three-pointers from McCollum and Leonard kept the door open for a while but the Grizzlies guards picked that exact moment to begin hitting mid-range jumpers again. When they finally missed, the Blazers gave up yet another offensive rebound. The McCollum-Leonard threes ended up shaving nothing off the margin. Portland trailed by 9 with a minute remaining.
From then on it was a game of desperation fouls and desperation shots. The Grizzlies ended up obliging Portland with missed free throws, shooting 10-14 from the line in the last 1:04. But Portland couldn't hit enough shots. Lillard and Steve Blake each hit threes in the last 30 seconds to pull the Blazers within 4 but Courtney Lee hit the ensuing foul shots and Gasol blocked Nicolas Batum's leaning attempt with 6 seconds remaining to seal the game. Memphis took the fourth quarter 31-27, the game 99-93, and the series crown 4-1.
Analysis
Portland held Memphis to 42% from the field tonight, a miserable 7% (1-14) from the three-point arc. It was clearly their smartest defensive effort of the series. Had the Blazers been able to secure a rebound it would have been enough to provide a win. But the Grizzlies ended up with 15 offensive boards. That single, massive flaw proved fatal.
Not that this was a classic Trail Blazers effort on the offensive end. It was downright weird, in fact. Damian Lillard scored 22 but the rest of the starters combined for only 24. The bench actually outscored the starters 47-46. The last time that happened was...never. Portland's reserves shot 17-30 (57%) while the starters managed only 16-52 (31%).
The Grizzlies limited the Blazers to 5 offensive boards and 30 points in the paint. They paid for it by allowing Portland to shoot 40% (13-33) from the three-point arc. It was a near thing but the trade-off ended up being worth it.
Though the Blazers had a chance in this tantalizing, frustrating game, their fans can't be too upset about the way the series turned out. The Grizzlies played more consistently, played harder for longer, and executed better. They were the superior team. The Blazers appeared to be learning how to defend, and even score on, their opponents. But that knowledge didn't come quickly enough and frankly the team looked too tired and discombobulated to put it into action.
One team tonight played imperfectly but with their famous grit. One team played imperfectly and looked like they were just hanging on, desperately riding a surge from their bench players and praying it was enough. It wasn't. Desperate teams seldom emerge victorious from 7-game series anyway. There's plenty to rue about this series, but little to complain about.
Individual Notes
LaMarcus Aldridge played his worst game of the series, shooting 5-18 for 14 points with 9 rebounds and 2 blocks. His defense was masterful once again in spurts, but he wasn't the force we're used to seeing. Part of that was Memphis' amazing defense. They bottled up Aldridge like nobody else has, forcing him to dribble into traffic repeatedly...not his strength. But even when his shots came clean his release wasn't normal. It looked like his thumbs had finally given out. He couldn't control the ball and he often missed wildly. It was not a pretty end to his season.
In hindsight Aldridge might have served his team better by getting surgery back in January and coming full-strength into the post-season. But it's impossible to do anything but applaud him for his effort and irreplaceable production this year. The Blazers tried to win without him all series long. That they couldn't manage it tells you what kind of player Aldridge is and how much he means to this team.
Damian Lillard was the definition of "mixed blessing" in this game. He scored 22...the only starter to produce points. He was impressive in the lane. But he missed 7 of 8 three-pointers, a chronic problem in this series. Plus he was a turnover waiting to happen, committing 6 and never looking completely secure with the ball, his handle, or his footing. The Blazers tried to hide Damian on defense, switching him to Courtney Lee for parts of the game. It didn't work.
It's hard to fault Nicolas Batum when the boxscore reads 10 rebounds and 7 assists but we're going to anyway. He missed wide...open...shots all night, putting undue pressure on his teammates. Aldridge missing was bad enough, but Batum's bricks added on top were near intolerable. He scored 6 points on 2-12 shooting, 1-7 from the arc.
As was true every game of the series but one, when the Blazers needed a shot in the arm Batum wasn't there. His play ranged from occasionally-inspired to occasionally-awful, landing mostly on "didn't matter". It was a fitting ending to a season that was mostly slump. Both Batum and the Blazers will need to do some serious thinking about his future this summer. He's only 26 but he just completed his 7th season, one of his worst. Ironically this in one of the best set-ups he's ever had. Something needs to change.
Robin Lopez played 18 minutes, once again doing his best but once again finding his contributions blunted by the opponent's playing style. The Blazers have had a hard look at Lopez's gifts and limitations now. He's the kind of guy you want on your team forever but he's probably not the only center you want to be depending on to get you through the playoffs. Too many good teams have a counter for him.
Arron Afflalo played 14 minutes, missed both his shots, and didn't look like he was that healthy. This was a disappointing end to the season for him.
On the very, very bright side CJ McCollum scored 33 points on 12-20 shooting, 7-11 from distance. It was one of the most memorable playoff performances in Blazers history, probably among the top 3-4 from a bench player. CJ has come alive. The caveat here comes in the exuberance with which people say, "CJ can be a starting shooting guard (or star) now." This was one game. It came on the tail end of a good run at the end of the season, but it was one game nonetheless. People are going to dog Damian Lillard for his performance in this series, questioning his fitness. Keep in mind that Lillard has accomplished far more than McCollum has in this league. If Damian's not a guarantee after all we've seen, CJ shouldn't be labeled one yet either. But there's far more hope surrounding McCollum now than at any time in his career.
Ditto Meyers Leonard. He shot 3-6, 3-5 from distance for 9 points in 32 minutes. His contributions go beyond the numbers, though. Memphis had to respect him after he hit his first couple shots, opening the floor for McCollum and company. Meyers' fresh legs and "go for it" attitude were a boon in this series. 6 fouls and only 4 rebounds toinght provide counterpoint. Leonard isn't all the way baked yet. But he's solidifying. Flipping on the light and peeking inside the oven, it looks like the end product could be tasty. It's certainly better than the lumpy, gooey mess we were talking about at this time last year.
Steve Blake played 6 minutes and hit his first 2 shots of the season. His defense wasn't bad either.
Chris Kaman played 5 minutes with 2 rebounds. He looked awkward, he looked like he wasn't feeling 100%, and either way Meyers took his jerb.
And that's the season, folks. Beginning tomorrow we're going to begin discussing the hottest issues of the off-season, including the one on everybody's mind. You're not going to want to miss that. Plus we'll have a season recap, player reviews, and a heck of a lot more in store for you.
A shout-out to Timmay, Ryan, Sagar, Dylan, Eric, and everybody who's kept our Game Night experience running this year, plus Peter, Bryan, Arthur, and everyone who's provided In-Arena Reports. They get to rest until October, but for the rest of us the work is just beginning. It's going to be one heck of a summer. We're glad you're along for the ride.
Huge thanks to everyone who stopped by those GameDay threads to leave a comment as well, and special props to akicks who leaves us with this wonderful commemoration of the season.
If you go to Grizzly Bear Blues, offer them congratulations and best wishes. Their team played really well. Plus thanks to the folks from Golden State of Mind who joined our GameDay thread this evening. We'll return the favor sometime next season.
You'll be able to catch me on Oregon Public Broadcasting radio tomorrow morning at 7:45. Or drop by at noon for the first of a couple important and definitive LaMarcus Aldridge articles.
--Dave blazersub@gmail.com / @DaveDeckard / @Blazersedge
我们亲爱的朋友和鼓舞人心的人把他最好的作品留到了最后，纪念2014 - 15赛季结束“最后的跳投”< / p > < p > <图类=“e-image”> < img alt = " TheLastJumper data-mask-text =“false”src = " https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/LLrPUJ6_WK8mV9CgOvQhKloQDrQ=/400x0/filters no_upscale () / cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/3656454/AkicksLastJumper.0.jpg " > < /图> < / p > < p >不会让你流泪，没有什么会。我们感谢他的贡献和创造力。这个夏天你会在这里看到更多他的作品!< / p >
在CJ McCollum后面，波特兰径燃烧器制作了勇敢的努力，但出现了短暂的努力沿着孟菲斯灰熊队的延伸。
由cj mccollum的33分，从三个从3个点引导。不幸的是，这是领导者的整个名单;剩下的燃烧器均得分最小，或拍摄夜晚较差。麦考卢姆亲自留下了整个夜晚的燃烧器，但没有一个支持的铸件是不够的。
Lamarcus Aldridge完成了5-18次拍摄的14分，而Damian Lillard在8-19拍摄时增加了22分;这是6-16之前，在灰熊被无负的后期上篮得分。没有其他西装外套在双重数字中得分。
第一季度：又是另一个可怕的开拓者开始打开游戏。他们在前两家财产上有失误，而灰熊队迅速开启了4-5。波特兰需要早期超时，已经下降了8-0。 The timeout didn't help, as Aldridge fell down and turned the ball over on the next possession, and soon Portland was down 13-1 and the rout looked imminent. But as CJ McCollum and Meyers Leonard arrived, Portland pushed back, closing the deficit to 18-15 late in the first. They made another push late in the first, as the the lane opened up and the Blazers took advantage. McCollum's jumper tied the game at 20 as the quarter came to a close. Lillard, McCollum and Batum scored all the Blazers' points.
Second Quarter: The Blazers came alive, taking a 4 point lead while spreading around the scoring. But it didn't last long, as Memphis regained control after a timeout. The teams battled back and forth, exchanging the lead for most of the quarter. But every Portland shot rimmed out loud, and Vince Carter came alive, leading the Grizzlies to a 7 point halftime lead.
Third Quarter: The Blazers came out with their normal starting lineup. The result was the same: Within minutes, Memphis pushed their lead to 13. Lopez, called for multiple fouls within minutes, was forced out of the game. But, with help from a flagrant foul by Zach Randolph, the Blazers scored 8 quick points to cut the Memphis lead to 5. That was as close as things got, as the Grizzlies stormed out of the timeout to restore their lead. But they didn't count on McCollum, who carried the team on his back, scoring nearly at will to pull the Blazers into a tie, then a three-point lead, forcing a Memphis timeout. They took back the lead out of the timeout (a familiar refrain), and held on for a 2 point advantage heading to the fourth.
Fourth Quarter: More struggles for the Blazers, as Memphis continued to hold a slim lead. Portland couldn't get defensive rebounds, and turned it over when they grabbed the board. At the halfway point, Memphis held a slim 1 point lead, and both teams were struggling to score. But while Portland missed shot after shot, Memphis found their stroke, and started hitting like crazy. With 3:30 left, Memphis took a 10 point lead, and Portland was stuck playing out the clock as a promising season came to an end.
Thanks to all who read Blazer's Edge Gameday Coverage this season. Stay tuned, as there will be plenty of coverage to come this summer for free agency, draft, and Summer League before the players report in September.
Port-Game Reaction
— Damian Lillard (@Dame_Lillard) April 30, 2015
Nic Batum knows he will be bashed for poor season: "I understand that ... I understand why people will get mad. I'm the first to get mad.''
— Jason Quick (@jwquick) April 30, 2015
Aldridge said he'll have his left hand checked soon. Said there's a 20% chance it healed on its own, if not he'll have surgery.
— Mike Richman (@mikegrich) April 30, 2015
Hardest thing for LaMarcus Aldridge to digest after series: "That we never played our best basketball. I didn't play my best basketball''
— Jason Quick (@jwquick) April 30, 2015
Dame and Meyers hit the road. pic.twitter.com/LEKfS5URhP
— Bruce Ely (@bruceely) April 30, 2015
"We just wanted to leave it all on the court." -@CJMcCollum Watch " http://t.co/dzHDtApDUD pic.twitter.com/fZcR2MhMqD
— Rip City (@RipCity) April 30, 2015
"This season was a very special season." -Coach Stotts Watch " http://t.co/UfQhVdqCMx pic.twitter.com/QrytWn2MCq
— Rip City (@RipCity) April 30, 2015
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The Portland Trail Blazers beat the Memphis Grizzlies in Game 4 Monday night to stave off elimination, cutting the Grizzlies series lead to 3-1. But the series shifts back to Memphis.
Portland hopes to use their formula for Game 4 success to continue shifting momentum, and hope to push to a Game 6 back in Portland. No NBA team has come back from a 3-0 deficit, and the last team to push an opponent to a seventh game was the 2003 Portland Trail Blazers, against the Dallas Mavericks.
Arron Afflalo and Chris Kaman are expected to play for the Blazers tonight. Mike Conley will not play after getting surgery due to a facial fracture suffered in Game 3. Beno Udrih is likely to play for Memphis.
Location: FedEx Forum, Memphis TN
Time: 6:30 pm, PDT
TV: TNT | KGW (in Portland)
Online Streaming: WatchTNT
Radio: Rip City Radio, 620 am
即使在地板迈尔斯，开拓者还没有想出如何得分孟菲斯集防御。然而，他们所使用的迈尔斯在过渡效果和攻击地面的中间时，在篮下创造轻松的外观。
通过三种游戏，开拓者的罪行为贫血灾难。吹上篮，尴尬的失误，并从外面投不中。这是所有有。他们有进攻得分97.4，表现对周围的尼克斯”水平。换句话说，他们是非常糟糕的。
周一，进攻通过大张旗鼓地爆发，以更高的速度比他们的赛季平均得分竟。每100个回合107.3分是不可小看。 Perhaps more miraculous is that the statistical profile of the game didn't look all that different. The Blazers took a couple more shots but nothing drastic (87 in game four compared to 84 in games one through three). They shot a little bit better but not all that much (eFG% of 46% compared to 44.4%). They took care of the ball a little better but only cut out three giveaways (9 compared to 12). How in the world did all of that make such a huge difference?
In truth, doing a lot of things a little bit better can pay big dividends. That's part of what makes basketball so interesting. Little changes have such a large impact that teams can play drastically different basketball from night to night. But even if we accept that narrative as true it isn't very satisfying. If the Blazers are going to repeat those same results then we need to identify what little things improved and how they improved them.
Looking at the statistics one level deeper, two things stand out. First, the Blazers took more shots early in the shot clock. Through the first three games, a little under 25% of their shots came during the first eight seconds of a possession. Even more frustrating, they only shot an effective field goal percentage of 37%. In game four, those numbers improved to 32% and 55% respectively, much more in line with the team's season averages.
Second, they did a much better job finishing in the paint. Inside of five feet, the Blazers increased their field goal percentage from 52% to about 60% as a team. Leading the finishing charge were C.J. McCollum and Damian Lillard. Their combined shooting percentage near the rim improved from 51% to 69% and they were probably the two biggest reasons Portland snatched a "W".
No doubt, these two things are related and both were buoyed by the presence of Meyers Leonard. Pace and space has taken off to the point it's almost gospel these days. It's amazing to see how something goes from innovative to common knowledge. A few years ago, it was considered good analysis to discuss how a shooter influenced the space of the court. Only a few writers did it in a meaningful way. Now, every person at the bar follows comments about a big man's outside shooting percentages with "And don't forget, he opens up the floor for the rest of his teammates as well".
This is a laudable step forward in our understanding of the game but we need to continue to push the envelope. A lot has been made of Meyers' shooting pulling Marc Gasol away from the hoop. What has been missing is how that impact varies significantly depending on the situation. Even with Meyers Leonard on the floor, the Grizzlies did just fine once their defense got set. In game four, the Blazers had an effective field goal percentage of 41.7% after the shot clock reached 15. Where Meyers' influence was really felt was in the first few moments of an offensive possession.
At the NBA level, if you give players enough space they can get to the rim. Guys are just too good to be defended one-on-one in space. The only way defenses function is to have the first defender take away straight line drives and then rely on help defenders to do the rest. In transition, the help hasn't arrived yet. To compensate, big men will often run back and plant themselves in the middle of the key providing backup for their perimeter defenders. By doing this, they're able to hold down the fort for a few seconds as the rest of the defense gets set.
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CJ McCollum is gearing up for a drive against Courtney Lee on the right side of the floor. Marc Gasol is guarding LaMarcus Aldridge but his focus is entirely on deterring the drive. He'll worry about Aldridge later. Gasol plants himself in the very heart of the paint and his presence is enough to make CJ reconsider his attack.
Move Gasol outside the paint and it's a completely different story.
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These two pictures are very similar except for the position of Marc Gasol. Leonard has spotted up in the corner and Marc Gasol can't ignore him for one second. If he does, it's an easy kick out for a triple. Everyone else is concerned about the perimeter as well so the lane is wide open. CJ McCollum blows by Lee for an easy layup. Gasol taking a few steps out was the difference between a quick two and being forced to run the offense.
This effect is pronounced because the rest of the defense isn't in position yet. Once the Grizzlies get set, they defend well enough as a team to protect the paint even if Gasol is pulled away from the rim. There are enough bodies to clog the lane in other ways. Sure, Meyers' shooting has some marginal effect but it hasn't been enough to beat Memphis' half court defense consistently. However, by combining Leonard's presence and attacking quickly, they're able to create some meaningful space. It's the combination that's the key. One without the other hasn't worked so far in the series.
In order to create these transition opportunities, the Blazers need to control the defensive glass. They did a great job in game four only giving up 7 offensive rebounds. They also got more stops allowing them to attack off the rebound instead of taking the ball out from under the hoop. Since the offense needs to get out early to be effective, the defense finishing plays will be especially important over the rest of the series.
The other factor that combined with Leonard's shooting was the absence of Mike Conley. Conley did a great job of funneling the ball into certain places. He worked expertly in concert with Gasol trapping the ball far away from the rim. Nick Calathes and Beno Udrih were much less consistent in game four and it meant Gasol was out of position occasionally.
Notice how Gasol shimmies over to the left sideline and prepares to defend the Meyers' screen. As Lillard starts his attack, Gasol is still moving left. He was expecting Udrih to do his job and keep Lillard out of the middle. If Udrih had succeeded, here's how this play likely unfolds: Gasol cuts off Lillard's drive along the sideline allowing Udrih to recover. Lillard swings the ball to an open Leonard at the three point line. However, since Gasol stopped the ball so high (notice his feet are almost touching the three point line), he's close enough to Meyers to recover and prevent the three. Meyers has to swing the ball and the defense resets. If Udrih keeps Lillard on the sideline, Memphis has a good chance to deny penetration and neutralize Leonard's shooting threat at the same time.
However, once Lillard explodes towards the middle, Gasol is essentially out of the play. Gasol has to choose between chasing the ball or staying close enough to Leonard to prevent the three. He can no longer do both. This is an important relationship to understand because it helps explain why Meyers wasn't having the same transformative effect in the first few games. If Memphis' guards can't control the ball, Meyers' shooting becomes a much bigger problem.
Dame misses this layup but he really shouldn't have. This happened a lot in games one through three but rarely in game four. Meyers deserves a boatload of credit for his effect on the game but CJ and Damian were also just better. They will need to continue to play well for Portland to have a chance.
For the first time in this series, the Blazers have really punched back. Playing Meyers and CJ extended minutes and pushing the ball more consistently are things the Grizzlies will have to adjust to. The first and most obvious possibility is that Memphis doesn't overreact but just emphasizes certain principles. It's not like the Blazers walked away with the last game. Perhaps a better focus on transition defense and funneling the ball would do the trick.
If they do decide to do something more drastic, playing Gasol on Aldridge could be one option. He's done a phenomenal job checking LaMarcus in the post and Aldridge has struggled from three. I can't believe I'm saying this, but Gasol might have more freedom to help in transition if he's checking Aldridge rather than Leonard. Giving up early long two's is probably something Memphis could live with. Just go back and look at where Gasol positioned himself in the first picture when he was checking LaMarcus. If this happens, Aldridge will need to start hitting his jumper, and fast.
They could also go small more, knowing that Leonard can't hurt Green on the block. The Grizzlies have rarely done this for extended stretches as it gets them away from their identify. However, the bench units with Green and Koufos at the four and the five have absolutely torched Portland during the series. They could just try and outscore the Blazers in a shoot out. However, you got to figure that Memphis has had so much success playing their game that they wouldn't want to start playing Portland's.
I expect Memphis to keep the same game plan heading into game five but with more emphasis on controlling the ball and getting multiple defenders back on defense. It will be interesting to see if they are able to execute more effectively and if the new focus leads to mistakes elsewhere. The Grizzlies can handle Meyers Leonard if he's the only wrinkle. But combine his shooting with transition opportunities and drives down the middle and things could get interesting.
Finally, Memphis has something to worry about.