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  6. article_body => "<p>The Trail Blazers\u2019 brain trust has discussed changes for Game 2 after New Orleans opened the series with a 97-95 win at the Moda Center.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWe\u2019ve discussed matchups,\u2019\u2019 Blazers coach Terry Stotts said Monday after practice. \u201cWhether we pull the trigger on change, that\u2019s to be determined.\u2019\u2019<\/p>\n<p>Stotts wouldn\u2019t reveal whether those internal discussions involved lineup changes or assignment adjustments.&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>Game 2 is Tuesday night in Portland.&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI think you have to be prepared to do something like that,\u2019\u2019 Stotts said, referring to a lineup change. \u201cMatchups certainly matter. Changing the start lineup can have an impact. But I also think it depends on how you feel after that game \u2013 if you feel something that significant is worthwhile.\u2019\u2019<\/p>\n<p>Throughout the course of Sunday and Monday's media availabilities, it did not sound like Stotts felt the Blazers needed major changes. In fact, he felt the Blazers' defense was sound, and that the offense executed the game plan, outside of making open shots.<\/p>\n<p>Still, coaches often don't telegraph big moves, and both Stotts and New Orleans coach Alvin Gentry&nbsp;have experience in changing&nbsp;series with surprise decisions.<\/p>\n<p>In 2010, when he was head coach of the Phoenix Suns, Gentry and the Suns lost Game 1 at home to the Trail Blazers after Andre Miller bullied Steve Nash with 31 points. In Game 2, Gentry switched assignments, moving 6-foot-8 wing Grant Hill to guard Miller and stashing Nash on second-year player Nicolas Batum.&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>With Hill\u2019s length, Miller was neutralized for the rest of the series, scoring 12, 11, 15, 21 and 4 points as Phoenix rebounded and won the series in six games. Meanwhile, Blazers coach Nate McMillan never tried to expose Nash guarding the taller Batum, saying Batum at the time didn\u2019t have a post-up game and wasn\u2019t ready to assume a scoring role.<\/p>\n<p>Stotts, meanwhile, was part of the Dallas staff in 2011 that switched its starting lineup in the middle of the NBA Finals, inserting jitterbug JJ Barea into the Game 4 starting lineup instead of Deshawn Stevenson. Down 2-1 at the time, the Mavericks went 3-0 with Barea and secured the NBA title in six games.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cIt\u2019s a tough call,\u2019\u2019 Stotts said. \u201cIt often depends where you are in a series. When we went to the finals in Dallas and changed the starting lineup and brought in JJ Barea, which was pretty significant, that kind of turned the tide for us.\u2019\u2019<\/p>\n<p>So is there a tide-turning change in store for Game 2?<\/p>\n<p>One change that could happen is the return of Maurice Harkless for the Blazers. The starting small forward has been upgraded from out to questionable for Game 2 after he missed the season\u2019s final nine games and Game 1 recovering from a March 28 surgery on his left knee.&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>Other possible changes: Starting Zach Collins or Ed Davis on Anthony Davis, moving Al-Farouq Aminu to Davis, or using the athleticism of Pat Connaughton to combat Jrue Holiday.&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>Stotts on Monday also openly analyzed the defensive performances against three of New Orleans\u2019 top Game 1 weapons \u2013 Anthony Davis (35 points, 14 rebounds), Holiday (21 points) and Nikola Mirotic (16 points).<\/p>\n<p>Stotts said he felt starting center Jusuf Nurkic \u201cdid a good job\u201d against Davis, noting that five of his eight baskets against Nurkic were outside shots, which indicated Nurkic did a good job of keeping Davis away from the basket.<\/p>\n<p>And he indicated that Evan Turner on Holiday and Aminu on Mirotic were not so much matchup problems as much as momentary breakdowns in team defense.&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>\u201cIt\u2019s easy to say Evan started on Jrue and he had (21), maybe you have to change the matchup,\u2019\u2019 Stotts said. \u201cI think you have to look closer at it, than just making changes. It would be different if a guy was posting up all night and it was 1-on-1, but the way he\u2019s moving around, it\u2019s not so much about matchup. And if they are scoring off pick-and-roll, is it about the matchup or the pick-and-roll defense? I just think there are a lot of factors that go into it.\u2019\u2019<\/p>\n<p>Either way, Game 2 became a little more suspenseful after Stotts acknowledged his staff has talked about making changes. When told his answer was intriguing, Stotts smiled.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWell, so was your question,\u2019\u2019 Stotts said.<\/p>\n"
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Portland Trail Blazers

Portland Trail Blazers

The Trail Blazers’ brain trust has discussed changes for Game 2 after New Orleans opened the series with a 97-95 win at the Moda Center.

“We’ve discussed matchups,’’ Blazers coach Terry Stotts said Monday after practice. “Whether we pull the trigger on change, that’s to be determined.’’

Stotts wouldn’t reveal whether those internal discussions involved lineup changes or assignment adjustments. 

Game 2 is Tuesday night in Portland. 

“I think you have to be prepared to do something like that,’’ Stotts said, referring to a lineup change. “Matchups certainly matter. Changing the start lineup can have an impact. But I also think it depends on how you feel after that game – if you feel something that significant is worthwhile.’’

Throughout the course of Sunday and Monday's media availabilities, it did not sound like Stotts felt the Blazers needed major changes. In fact, he felt the Blazers' defense was sound, and that the offense executed the game plan, outside of making open shots.

Still, coaches often don't telegraph big moves, and both Stotts and New Orleans coach Alvin Gentry have experience in changing series with surprise decisions.

In 2010, when he was head coach of the Phoenix Suns, Gentry and the Suns lost Game 1 at home to the Trail Blazers after Andre Miller bullied Steve Nash with 31 points. In Game 2, Gentry switched assignments, moving 6-foot-8 wing Grant Hill to guard Miller and stashing Nash on second-year player Nicolas Batum. 

With Hill’s length, Miller was neutralized for the rest of the series, scoring 12, 11, 15, 21 and 4 points as Phoenix rebounded and won the series in six games. Meanwhile, Blazers coach Nate McMillan never tried to expose Nash guarding the taller Batum, saying Batum at the time didn’t have a post-up game and wasn’t ready to assume a scoring role.

 

Stotts, meanwhile, was part of the Dallas staff in 2011 that switched its starting lineup in the middle of the NBA Finals, inserting jitterbug JJ Barea into the Game 4 starting lineup instead of Deshawn Stevenson. Down 2-1 at the time, the Mavericks went 3-0 with Barea and secured the NBA title in six games.

“It’s a tough call,’’ Stotts said. “It often depends where you are in a series. When we went to the finals in Dallas and changed the starting lineup and brought in JJ Barea, which was pretty significant, that kind of turned the tide for us.’’

So is there a tide-turning change in store for Game 2?

One change that could happen is the return of Maurice Harkless for the Blazers. The starting small forward has been upgraded from out to questionable for Game 2 after he missed the season’s final nine games and Game 1 recovering from a March 28 surgery on his left knee. 

Other possible changes: Starting Zach Collins or Ed Davis on Anthony Davis, moving Al-Farouq Aminu to Davis, or using the athleticism of Pat Connaughton to combat Jrue Holiday. 

Stotts on Monday also openly analyzed the defensive performances against three of New Orleans’ top Game 1 weapons – Anthony Davis (35 points, 14 rebounds), Holiday (21 points) and Nikola Mirotic (16 points).

Stotts said he felt starting center Jusuf Nurkic “did a good job” against Davis, noting that five of his eight baskets against Nurkic were outside shots, which indicated Nurkic did a good job of keeping Davis away from the basket.

And he indicated that Evan Turner on Holiday and Aminu on Mirotic were not so much matchup problems as much as momentary breakdowns in team defense. 

“It’s easy to say Evan started on Jrue and he had (21), maybe you have to change the matchup,’’ Stotts said. “I think you have to look closer at it, than just making changes. It would be different if a guy was posting up all night and it was 1-on-1, but the way he’s moving around, it’s not so much about matchup. And if they are scoring off pick-and-roll, is it about the matchup or the pick-and-roll defense? I just think there are a lot of factors that go into it.’’

Either way, Game 2 became a little more suspenseful after Stotts acknowledged his staff has talked about making changes. When told his answer was intriguing, Stotts smiled.

“Well, so was your question,’’ Stotts said.