Today's Poll

I predicted a loss, but not like that.

Our offense was atrocious, and their defense in the first half was outstanding. They smothered Roy, Aldridge, and Oden at every touch.

We’ll do better, undoubtedly. GO will be fine. We’re still going to the playoffs. Hopefully, the rest of the league will now think we’re phonies and won’t see us coming.

Although it was incredibly frustrating to watch our guys miss open shot after open shot, I can only feel that this team, after a very poor effort against a very, very good team, has nowhere to go but up. Friday will be much prettier.

As for Oden, I wasn’t disappointed with his 13 minutes (although a free throw would have been nice, Greg). As for the injury? I sort of feel a detached numbness toward the whole situation. If he truly is hurt, we will make the best of it and I will still love to see the team play. If he’s ok, great and let’s get after it.

A loss is a loss, whether we lose by 20 in a blowout or 1 on a last-minute play.

The season has started.

I went between that and Disappointed.

I’m really worried about Oden, not only for the team, but also because he seems like such a good guy who doesn’t deserve this.

I’m also worried about their play last night. Not the game itself; bad losses happen to good teams. But more about the fact that they didn’t seem to have any real offense in place and had a terrible time getting good shots up. Plus their defense seemed to degrade further. I’m hoping that was a case of nerves, but it’s worrisome.

but yesterdays performance left way too many unanswered questions.

The Blazers are (going to be) a much better team than they were last night. Phil Jackson said it well, when he suggested that his team couldn’t take credit for most of the Blazers misses last night.

LMA was awful. Our guards did very little to disrupt the L*ker defense. We looked like a skiddish version of last year’s team – taking 90% jumpers. At least we played decent defense.

In my opinion, intensity was the area we need the most improvement after last night’s game.

Teams that do well in the NBA have to know how to overcome adversity.

Last night was plenty of adversity. This is not the D-league, fellas, this is the big show. If things come too easy at first, then this group is never going to develop the toughness it needs to go all the way.

Games like last night are an essential part of the development process in transforming a young team with “potential” into a confident team with grit and the ability to win against any opponent.

The first month of the season is for this team to figure out how to win in the big-boy league. Talk to me in March if we’re still struggling, then maybe it might be time to reconsider some things. But for right now, we’re going to take our lumps. And that’s a good thing. Really.

I figured we were going to lose, but still expected a better showing. The first quarter was awful, obviously nerves, and alot of disjointed play. Not really sure what to make of it all, guess we could have played a few more pre-season games. Im kind of mad at the NBA for abusing our team by giving us such a terrible schedule for the first quarter of the season.

Nothing else. Looooongggg season. One game does not make a season.

that Nate realizes his mistake in placing Outlaw on the starting team.

with Nate, Roy, Aldridge, Outlaw, but not Oden.

Nate didn’t get the team ready to play. He’s using the same very basic offense and can’t make any adjustments in game. Using the high pick and roll 10 times in a row and having it fail 10 times isn’t good coaching. He can do better.

Roy and Aldridge both need to be more aggressive and not settle for dribbling around or taking long jumpers. They were double teamed most of the night, but that’s what happens to good players, they need to play through that.

Outlaw showed us the offensive game that we like from him, but nothing else. No ability to play in the scheme or play defense or expand his game at all.

I’m not disappointed with Oden. He need time to develop and he needs to be free from the weight of our massive expectations. He just needs to be able to play the game.

Travis. And don’t for a second beieve the players didn’t sense that. Nor did it help in the outcome. Let this team grow. Start Batum for here on and take your lumps.

Secondly, read my case for starting Pryzbilla over Oden for the time being. Anyone who’s played team sports knows that starting roster consistency is one of most important keys to success. And Oden is anything but consistent in his play or availability. Depending on him so much is going to wreak havoc on this team’s starting lineup. Sorry Oden honks, Greg is a great kid, but he is what he is at the moment. This may also relieve some of the pressure he puts on himself.

With that off of my chest – I’m not worried one bit since it is 1 of 82.

Brandon, in the second half showed how awesome he is off the dribble. Slipping through impossible cracks in the defense, hitting shots, just basically being Brandon. He is a joy to watch when the ball is in his hands.

RUDY!!! What can you say, he’s everything we need and more. All over the place, smoking from the field, I love this guy. Best player of the game.

The journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step. That’s a rocky road and we have really big feet. There will be a few turned ankles along the way.

Why isn’t that an option? I had to go with dissapointed.

I know that we will be fine, and the boys had a TOUGH match up last night. The pressures of the media and fans, and Oden going out really affected them. It’s going to be ok, but I am just embarrassed at how fragile we looked out there.

Let’s kick some Spurs butt Friday night ok? PLEEAASSE???

Plus my sadness at the loss cannot over come my sheer joy that the season has finally started!! Guess what happens in 2 days? Another Blazer game!!!!! WOOHOO!!!!

…are too diverse for a flat out poll. I voted “worried” but only because of Odens injury and not knowing the results yet. Take Odens injury out of the picture and I think I would just of voted disappointed and even then mostly because I’m always going to be at LEAST disappointed when we don’t beat LA.

Young team vs. Defending WC Champs on National TV on their homecourt on opening night? YES, I wanted a different outcome and game but is it really totally unexpected?

but it’d be no fault to our team, I expected way too much to begin with.

but I’m very upset about it.

per eddgers I think, oden doesn’t seem too concerned about it….joel apparently told him to in not so many words, “suck it up and get back out there”…..

Greg was quoted as saying he “wanted to get back out there for the second half”

so, I have questions…..is this injury something that a cortizone shot could fix for the durration or is this an injury that can get worse if he plays on it….

I know squat but seems to me that if it’s just pain…..they make drugs for that!!

;) greg will be ok. but I"m still P.O’d.

between ‘upset’ and ‘disapointed’ ? Voted for disapointed but don’t really know the difference between the two…

foul..oh wait on on that second part. Blazers will be good when the team learns how to utilize all the scoring threats. They have all the weapons they just don’t know how to use them yet. That’s Nate’s job.

He did a crap coaching job beginning at about, ooohh 10 minutes following the morning practice/shootaround.

You need to add “angry " to your "pick the emotion” poll…

SOphia

and actually held them out of the Utah game. For what? So Oden doesn’t break a nail? He treated them soft and the played soft. Once they get beat a few times they will toughen up just watch. Roy should be much better after the game last night.

disappointed in the rest of the team.

But its one game.

Nate was drastically outcoached. (beginning even before the game)

Our players didn’t bring their “A” game either.

by the end of the season? If so, explain your logic - if you dare!

Lakers = Veteran team also defending western conference champs, who a lot of analysts have picked to win the championship. Their time is now.

Blazers = Young, universally talented team who are lacking game time together and sport the youngest average age of any team in the NBA. Also have 4 rookies who expect to get rotation time. Their time will come, but not for a season or two.

As long as oden is ok, im looking forward to seeing the team grow together, the fact that the core players actually enjoy each others company is a big plus, and although theres going to be some frustrating losses, i would rather have it this way than a few seasons back where we won 22 (?) games.

BRING ON THE SPURS!

… it appears that a large number of BE’ers are Wall Street traders. They go off the deep end at the slightest whiff of trouble.

whatever the result of the first game, still cant deny the fact that the blazers have the most talent of any team in the NBA………..

just not sure how long it will take for everyone to get used to playing together