Your favorite Portland highlight?

[zagitup]

As hilarious as the Big Will free throw moment was, mine had to be the Elias tipped pass/steal/awesome spin move/laser beam pass to SG for the jamb. Steven's smile after that play was infectious....

[fedwayzag]

my favorite play(s) was Meech causing turnovers on two straight possessions and scoring.

[rawkmandale]

I liked the Steven Gray alley oop to Will for the jam.

[Just A Zag]

I liked the Steven Gray alley oop to Will for the jam.

me too

[d2zag]

Anything that had to do with Will in that game.

[alaskazagnut]

Yep

Anything that had to do with Will in that game.

I second that, because I felt Will finally got his big day. For about 2 minutes he dominated all 5 of their players.

But after Will, my favorite moment is the entire teams intensity and heart!! Along with that was the realization that 100% the members on this board were correct. It is just some spoke up and the others didn't like to hear the truth. The several overtly and sarcastically mean posts are what some here try to point out about what is "negative". Hearing Matt Bouldin, Steven Gray, and Mark Few basically confirm what many have been saying on this board was the most exciting. In general all their words were "We didn't have the heart and intensity". They can fix the heart and intensity. Free Throw % and 3 point % isn't fixable at this point in the season. We are stuck with those averages. Defensive intensity and the offensive focus and rebounding will get 5-6 extra possessions per game. Not to mention 8-10 extra points. WOW!!! I am so happy that we are going to Memphis with this momentum and cohesiveness.

So, that was really my favorite "highlight" from this game: the realization that, if heart and intensity is actually the problem, it is fixable. They proved that tonight.

[TM27]

Arop getting thrown down at end of first half, and from his ass yelling "lets go" while pumping his fist. Sums up the team's attitude tonight for me.

[jim77]

I liked the Steven Gray alley oop to Will for the jam.

Yup...it needs to get thrown up there more too.

[titopoet]

I loved when the game was still close, Big Rob sealing off two Portland bigs to open the lane for Meech's blow by drive.

[Bocco]

Will's fist pumping exitement, and huge smile on his face after each of his made free throws.

[FrosTbear]

Seeing Big Will come to life...he smiled and was excited to be on the floor. Welcome back to the planet.

[pizzasauce]

seeing Few finally get out of that squat and get into the refs and get after HIS guys! I want to see that kind of ENERGY from Few every game!

[cjm720]

As hilarious as the Big Will free throw moment was, mine had to be the Elias tipped pass/steal/awesome spin move/laser beam pass to SG for the jamb. Steven's smile after that play was infectious....

+1

[seasontixholder]

In the middle part of the game, Sacre commited a pretty rough foul on a Portland big who was about to make an otherwise easy layin. Rob had to make an effort to even make it close. Even though the Pilot made both free throws, he came away with the correct impression that nothing was going to come easily.

So much of basketball is primal. The most bothersome part of the early league stretch against the bottom dwellers was that the Zags let those oafs climb into them without much resistance. The best remedy is to climb back into them earlier, harder, and more relentlessly because, generally, the weaker opponent will wilt after meeting superior resistance; and then the talent advantage will re-assert itself.

The Zags essentially have to bully their inferiors early on and set the tone. It takes more than just making clean, pure steals or blocks. Instead, it takes a mindset that Rob had on that particular play.

[Birddog]

The Zags essentially have to bully their inferiors early on and set the tone. It takes more than just making clean, pure steals or blocks. Instead, it takes a mindset that Rob had on that particular play.

Well some of that, but like last night, the Zags have to run opponents ragged early in the first half. The Pilots had no gas in the 2nd half, and no legs either.
Last night's game demonstrated how subbing bench players in freely kept a relatively fresh bunch on the court at all times with no downside in offensive or defensive punch.