[loyalty4life]

<center><font size=5><font color=red>Portland Trail Blazers</font>
VS
<font color=blue>Dallas Mavericks</font></font></center>

<center>5-4-03
TV: ABC
12:00 pm PST

<font color=red>VS</font> </center> </center>
<center>

Main Matchup
VS

VS
VS

X-Factor:
Sabonis JEGA!
</center>
<center><font color=red>Portland (3-3) Dallas (3-3)</font></center>

Click on the pictures up above to access more information on the players and teams involved in the game.

[HOWIE]

I think that game seven is going to be alot closer than tonights game. I have to wonder what if the ref had called that three pointer in game 3 a two point shot since his foot was over the line. Would Portland have been able to force a win in overtime? Winning this series tonight, 4 - 2?

I guess either way this series will be over on Sunday, it has been a wild ride for the first round I must say. I think that Dallas will be forced to take tough shots in game seven. Question is, will they fall for them? Portland sure has shut them down the past few games. I like Portland's chances.

[loyalty4life]

This is it!

If I could get a JEGA from each one of you guys, that would be very cool!

Can I get a JEGA in preparation for this game?



JEGA!!!!


Who can top my JEGA?

[Blazers4ever]

I love Portland's chances. We have been playing with our backs against the wall for 3 straight games. We have been in game 7 situations before......Dallas hasn't. They have the home-court disadvantage, because the Blazers are road warriors. We just have to not let them get into any kind of rhythm, and force them to take bad shots. Control the glass like we've been doing, and get to the free-throw line. If all these things happen, we'll be at Arco next week.

[Speed]

ONE THING that Dallas hAS done is two years ago, they were down 0-2 vs the Jazz and they won three straight to win the series. Of course last year, down 1-3 to Kings, they folded though.

Go Blazers

[hasoos]

Its not what Dallas does speed, Portland cannot control that. It is what Portland does. Portland has to control the game and the crowd, and play aggressive, and the rest will take care of its self. I am just totally bewildered now that it has even come to this. My head is swimming with the thought of sunday's game, and no matter what has happened the last few years, I just want Portland as a team, to redeem itself for a lot of bad publicity, fan relations, and low confidence (myself included) in the team. A couple of years ago, when we faced LA in the WCF, I thought, I will be happy this season if we force LA to a game 7, then we can challenge the next few years. That meltdown, and the subsequent next couple of seasons, I realized, I was probably the most miserable I have been as a Blazer fan in years because of the opportunity missed, the way the press pounds on the Blazers every time it gets a chance grinds on me, and I just want all of that to go away. Winning will make it go away. Beating Dallas would be a step in the correct direction on getting this team confidence it can compete at a high level again, and get it some good press instead of some bad. Sunday is a day that a lot of Blazers can win people back, including, themselves.

[digital jello]

Loyaly4Life, although I have no clue what it means, I'll shout it out one time.

JEGA!!!!

Hope it helps. A win Sunday would be impressive.

[brewmaster]

My two biggest concerns right now (as of Saturday moring):

1) Will Dale Davis play? And if he plays, will it be at 100%?

2) Will the refs yet again allow Portland to play a physical game? I mean, they have all series, but I'm afraid the refs may change their style in game 7.

[loyalty4life]

Originally posted by <b>digital jello</b>!
Loyaly4Life, although I have no clue what it means, I'll shout it out one time.

JEGA!!!!

JEGA is Lithuanian for POWER.

[Ed O]

Issues as I see them at this point:

-- As others have wondered: will Davis play? If not, or if he's not close to 100%, do the Blazers start Pippen in his place, slide Rasheed to the 5 and Bonzi back to the 3? Or put RP in the starting lineup for DD? And if it's RP, will Damon start over Pippen?

If Davis is out, I think I'd go with this lineup:

Damon, Bonzi
RP, ZR
Wallace

-- A reason I would go with this lineup is because the Blazers MUST attack the basket to start the game. I think the Mavs players will equate physical play with harder play, and if they see Portland accellerating to the hoop, they're going to try to take their heads off. Which, assuming that Portland players aren't actually HURT (and that they don't respond violently) it could serve to actually SOFTEN up the Mavs interior defense even more because Raef, Shawn and maybe even Dirk could be in foul trouble after the opening minutes. Obviously, Dirk has nothing to do with good interior defense, but he IS their best defensive rebounder and he reportedly has some offensive skill.

-- Will Dallas go with the zone? The Blazers really just seem like they've got it figured out. ZR, Wallace and RP (along with Sabas and Wells, who actually are normally pretty good at it) seemed especially effective making the extra pass last night.

If Dallas goes man-to-man, attacking the basket obviously still applies: go right at Dirk with whomever he's guarding... and without Davis around, there'd be nowhere for either Dirk or Shawn to hide defensively.

It should be fun!

Ed O.

[Samuel]

Originally posted by <b>Ed O</b>!
Issues as I see them at this point:

-- As others have wondered: will Davis play? If not, or if he's not close to 100%, do the Blazers start Pippen in his place, slide Rasheed to the 5 and Bonzi back to the 3? Or put RP in the starting lineup for DD? And if it's RP, will Damon start over Pippen?

If Davis is out, I think I'd go with this lineup:

Damon, Bonzi
RP, ZR
Wallace

-- A reason I would go with this lineup is because the Blazers MUST attack the basket to start the game. I think the Mavs players will equate physical play with harder play, and if they see Portland accellerating to the hoop, they're going to try to take their heads off. Which, assuming that Portland players aren't actually HURT (and that they don't respond violently) it could serve to actually SOFTEN up the Mavs interior defense even more because Raef, Shawn and maybe even Dirk could be in foul trouble after the opening minutes. Obviously, Dirk has nothing to do with good interior defense, but he IS their best defensive rebounder and he reportedly has some offensive skill.

-- Will Dallas go with the zone? The Blazers really just seem like they've got it figured out. ZR, Wallace and RP (along with Sabas and Wells, who actually are normally pretty good at it) seemed especially effective making the extra pass last night.

If Dallas goes man-to-man, attacking the basket obviously still applies: go right at Dirk with whomever he's guarding... and without Davis around, there'd be nowhere for either Dirk or Shawn to hide defensively.

It should be fun!

Ed O.

I think it pretty much comes down to this: will Dallas be hitting their shots? If so, Portland will be harder pressed to come up with stops. If not, then they'll have earlier chances to build a lead.

[loyalty4life]

This will really test our ability to come in with a tough crowd rooting against you while getting the WIN to advance...

I am a tad worried, but I do look forward to the game.

[Samuel]

Originally posted by <b>Loyalty4Life</b>!
This will really test our ability to come in with a tough crowd rooting against you while getting the WIN to advance...

I am a tad worried, but I do look forward to the game.

hey, at least we got this far! It's fun to think about the possibility of playing Sacramento, but the season was over for us fans, mentally, after game 3.