That game was pure bullshit. We're rolling over and dying.

Suns in 6, in the Rose Garden, sending 20,000+ Portlanders into the river via the Steel Bridge after the game in a mass suicide.

The foul calling in that game was pure bullshit. We didn't roll over and die, we got killed with a whistle. Also, fuck Rudy Fernandez for failing to even look like he's trying. Martell hasn't been hot in this series, but the dude puts in hustle at least.

A better way to put it would be "we allowed ourselves to be killed by a whistle."

You can't let shitty officiating dictate games for you. That's what separates winning playoff teams from losing ones. In almost every single one of the other series currently going on, there are terrible, terrible calls being made (or not being made) against practically every winning team on any given evening, and yet they are still able to win.

That's the ticket. You have to play above the influence of the refs. It's as much as part of the NBA as making shots and playing defense. Those who cannot play above the influence typically don't make it out of the first round (as we're seeing exemplified in this series).

The refs didn't ruin the game. Their foul calls were mostly accurate and they were fair. The Suns got more foul calls because they were aggressive offensively and got the ball inside. It didn't hurt they were on their home court either. The Blazers shot jumpers and didn't penetrate at all.

Meanwhile LaMarginal stood on the outside and had a massive 2 rebound game. The corpse of Rudy Fernandez played 15 minutes and took one shot. He's a shooter. That's all he is supposed to do. He won't shoot anymore.

If you're blaming officiating for this one you've been watching the Mike's too much on the local broadcast.

Word.

When the blazers start falling behind they go cold on their outside shots, yet they freeze around the outside (not penetrating). Those first 5 minutes were glorious... but then, hey, let's take out Miller! The guy with the momentum, who's making the shots and pushing this early lead. Let's take him out! Hey... and now the lead's gone.

As much as I'd love for the blazers to take out the Suns, it's disheartening that all three losses were such blow-outs. I start wondering who deserves the win...

We needed more Pendergraph earlier in the game, he's not afraid to get inside.

I'd say that the moment LA stops penetrating, take him out and put in Pendergraph or Cunningham for a bit. Even if they just pickup fouls, it might keep the energy up.

I'd also like to see Pendergraph backing up Camby and Howard backing up Aldridge.

Pendergraph doesn't realize he's supposed to be a rookie in over his head, and he'll attack and keep things hot. Howard has the experience and confidence to keep fighting when Aldridge seems to let his energy fall away.

There were some crap calls (Nash getting free throws when he was about 10 feet from any defender?), but that isn't what iced us.

Portland is too polite. The Blazers were wiping the floor with the Suns until the Phoenix fans booed their team out of sheer heart attack embarrassment. The Suns decided to get their pride back. It's time to consider trading Rudy if anyone might want him, which is doubtful.