I’ll start with this…I thought it was somewhat ironic that the OKC’s Thunder ESPN beat writer Royce Young was in Portland covering this game and asked the first question of Terry Stotts in the post game presser. It must have been refreshing to walk into a press room and be treated like a professional by a NBA basketball operation after covering a game which was relevant. I’m assuming Little Nick Gallo wasn’t there and was home busy helping Russell Westbrook doing diapers and helping with their baby twin girls and Noah.
I think that’s the first NBA post season game to go into quadruple overtime since 1953 if I heard Dave Pasch and Doris Burke correctly. Those two are excellent as a tandem and Doris Burke along with Jeff van Gundy are my two favorite NBA analysts.
Portland just has that look that’s all I can write at this point. CJ McCollum wants to show the world that not only has Damian Lillard passed Russell Westbrook, but he has as well. And to me.. that’s the storyline in Portland moving forward in the event Portland plays Golden State in the Western Conference Finals. ‘
That being, have Damian Lillard and CJ McCollum both advanced to the point where they can make a series competitive against Kevin Durant and the Splash Brothers in a Western Conference Finals?
That will be tough given the Warriors’ starting five and the way they’re playing right now as they finally seem interested in playing some basketball. But you never know and that’s why you play the games.
Who picked Texas Tech vs. Auburn in the first national semi-final, right?
It’s a good story for Enes Kanter as well as he continues on this magical ride of his after being discarded by the Thunder and the NY Knicks. Another great move by Sam Presti in a sequence of great moves ever since that autumn Saturday when he traded James Harden for a one year rental of Kevin Martin, Steven Adams, Jeremy Lamb, Alex Abrines and if I remember correctly the draft pick which turned into Mitch ‘Weed’ McGary, who of course is no longer in the league. I need to recheck the McGary pick as that seems like a lifetime ago when the Thunder were relevant. Tell me he’s the owner of a cannabis retail store and I promise I won’t doubt you.
Every little thing is magic for the Blazers right now though. In the fourth OT…Mo Harkless started cramping and Rodney Hood entered the game after sitting for over an hour and matter of factly hit what turned out to be the game winner in overtime No. 4.
Hard to tell how each team will respond after twenty extra minutes of play with Game No. 4 slated for Sunday at 4:00pm, but how could you bet against the Trailblazers right now at least until they have to possibly hook up with the Warriors.
Here’s Mitch ‘Weed’ McGary in his rookie preview mix for the Thunder. Kind of hard to see how this guy got past Troy Weaver and Sam Presti when on his profile he noted eating cannabis brownies and playing ping pong with a buzz as his two favorite things to do outside of basketball. I think I read earlier this week Troy Weaver is interviewing for a job with the Wizards. Go figure.