Reflections on the Game and the Best Month In Forever

by Dave on Nov 30, 2008 11:08 PM PST Comment 48 comments

As Ben said in his excellent game recap below, I was not able to watch the game today...most of it anyway. DirecTV didn't have it up on their guide properly which means I missed everything before the last part of the third quarter. I try not to do reviews with incomplete information so Ben took care of it for me. I did have a couple of impressions from what I saw:

--The Pistons tried to steamroll the Blazers late in the game and it worked for a while. Portland was turning the ball over and getting bad shots. But after Detroit took that small lead the Blazers starters returned along with the poise. In the end it was the Pistons--a veteran, ex-championship squad--who looked hesitant and discombobulated. On a couple sets literally nobody outside of Iverson wanted to put up a shot. How's that for defense?

--Notice how the Blazers are not only setting, but using picks much better this year. For years the screen was a waste of time because even if the screener set it right (which seldom happened) the dribblers pretty much ignored him. Portland is running some of the best pick plays I've seen and that's one of the reasons they are getting good shots.

--Greg Oden's outlet passing is delicious. Notice how quickly and accurately he gets the ball out after rebounding it. We haven't seen that around here for a while.

--Oden's block on Allen Iverson in the fourth was one of a dozen or more huge moments in this game but it pretty much announced to the NBA that the Blazers are ready to be taken seriously. Iverson is supposed to score. That's what he does. Even if he misses, he's supposed to get the shot up. Erasing that attempt like it was nothing put our stamp on this contest and on AI. If we can do that to Iverson and the Pistons there are few teams who can still pretend they're immune. I can think of one in green and one in purple and gold. A couple others might be respectful, but unfazed. Everybody else will be going, "Wow...this could be trouble."

Moving beyond the game, as we finish the month of November, having passed through one of the most evil single-month schedules in league history, it's time to stop and reflect about what an amazing ride this has been so far.

We are 12-6, people.

There have been some hard losses in there but the brutal, embarrassing, "you're not ready" losses have been limited to one. The wins, meanwhile, have ranged from the solid to the spectacular.

Against this quality of opponent with this kind of schedule, 12-6 easily counts as our best month since the days when Rasheed wore our uniform. All things considered it may be the best month since the Clyde days. We've had months with far fewer losses but not with a team this young and not against these kinds of opponents.

December looms and the schedule is nearly as tough there. The Blazers aren't out of the woods yet. Also they have to be careful of letting down once they do get past the rough patch. You get zero wins on credit in this league. You have to go out and prove you're a good team for months on end before you can be considered one. So far, however, the team has performed amazingly well. Taking a moment to acknowledge that is important.

--Dave (blazersub@yahoo.com)

4 recs | Comment 48 comments

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Everyone VOTE please

You have to show your love for your blazers.. As a loyal fan, you have to vote for Brandon Roy into the all-star game.. Its really easy and its fast.

http://www.nba.com/allstar2009/asb/eng/ballot.html?referrer=

by Stegie33 on Nov 30, 2008 11:14 PM PST reply actions 0 recs

since this space has not been used to talk and this game in particular allow me to introduce myself, Back from Bend, OR

Live in the Flesh! With working wi-fi internet net free to anyone in the vicinity of my house who wants to pirate it! Yes I’m Back in town, and Dave, great write up, how was your weekend? Mine was spectacular, and even more incredible was the fact that we somehow got Bend Broadband to hook us up with CSNNW right before both these games! So here I am making 8 of my family members watch these two quality victories, Proud like a poppa, full of Steak, after hiking Smith Rock, life is good people, let’s be thankful.

Tomorrow is Monday, Back to work!

Oh, And Vote!

I come here to meet chicks...

by BlazermaniacAndy on Nov 30, 2008 11:37 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

internet net?

I come here to meet chicks...

by BlazermaniacAndy on Nov 30, 2008 11:38 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

I chose to write in Nic Batum as a Forward

(Ought to start a stampede). Look what he does to the elite SF’s and SG’s!

when you’ve been in a dry land even a little dew looks inviting —Dave
"When you want to win a game, you have to teach. When you lose a game, you have to learn." - Tom Landry

by lee3022 on Dec 1, 2008 7:14 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

it may be the best month since the Clyde days

Huge statement.

Can’t argue.

by Ben. on Nov 30, 2008 11:20 PM PST reply actions 0 recs

I love this month

I loved the clyde months, heck, I even loved the Rasheed months

but I loved December of last year, too. That’s when we officially announced:

We comin’. We comin’.

That is really hideous
--jscot

by prezofdeath on Nov 30, 2008 11:25 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

what’s funny about last december is that was the first month that we had media passes. so i will never forget that month as long as i live.

with that said, this month topped last december.

by Ben. on Nov 30, 2008 11:28 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

It's been such a long time

Since this team started off the season with a winning month. Hell, a couple of seasons, just sniffing a .500 month was considered an accomplishment.

ROTUNDITYDOTNET

Founder of the "Crash Batumcoot" Movement.

by damir on Nov 30, 2008 11:29 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

lol I remember when you freaked out and were like ZOMG I got passes!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

and took like a zillion pictures and posted them on your blog.

Haha it was awesome

That is really hideous
--jscot

by prezofdeath on Dec 1, 2008 6:20 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

I wasn't here for the clyde months, the rasheem months or even last December

but I can sure say I’m so proud to be a fan of such an amazing team and thrilled to be coming in at such a momentous time for them. You’re right Prez… they came… and they scored… and there’s a whole lot more where that came from. ;)

"An investment in knowledge always pays the best interest" · Benjamin Franklin.

by hisblazergrrrl on Dec 1, 2008 12:28 AM PST up reply actions 0 recs

Blazers are comin'

We’re comin’, We’re comin’
We’re here have no fear
Stay by our side
And we’ll take you for the ride
We’re comin’, We’re comin’
We’re here have no fear
Blazers are back
Blazers are here

(Verse 1)
Booya – that’s the name of the game
Roy and his boyz all day they hang
On the rim, representin’ -
The best ball that you’ve ever seen
Two for the money, three for the win
Time for some action
You know we don’t flop til the top
This is how we do everyday
Knockin’ out foes in the face
Like Cassius Clay
Baby, Baby, what can I do
Let’s go for a ride with LaMarcus and the crew
Unstoppable inflammable
Sensational international (RUDY)
High class quality
The best you can get
You wanna step you better check
The internet (Blazer’s Edge)
Apply while standing in the warmup line
Blazers in the house to blow your mind

(Bridge)
Stop look and listen, let me introduce
Rook Nic Batum,
My homeboy got juice like Bruce
Lee – the master of Kung Fu
Flashbacks in your dreams
Another deja vu
Boom when he comes thru the door
No doubt about the fact
That you want some more

(Verse 2)
Yo Greg, we got your back like no other
Trust, love, respect for one another
Who ain’t Blazers gonna suffer
Black and red we bleed for ya
Blazers is my family
Like daisy is my flower
We made it yes, once we play in June
Gonna creep to the top soon
Mad props and love
Gives you the Blazers family

We’re comin’, We’re comin’
We’re here have no fear
Stay by our side
And we’ll take you for a ride
We’re comin’, We’re comin’
We’re here have no fear
Blazers are back
Blazers are here

Lyrics as adapted from Eurorapper Nana – He’s coming (PG13)
Yeah, I don’t really understand how all his cheesy stuff was popular ten years ago either, but it’s fun :)

by Norsktroll on Dec 1, 2008 7:52 AM PST up reply actions 2 recs

lol that was tight

That is really hideous
--jscot

by prezofdeath on Dec 1, 2008 6:21 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

This has been an amazing month......getting this big road trip off with a win sets a great tone for the next week

by ppilot on Nov 30, 2008 11:23 PM PST reply actions 0 recs

Last December was pretty nice, too....

It wasn’t as big of an accomplishment as this month, but it announced to the city and the world that the Blazers are back. It was the rebirth of Rip City.

Nitpick: It isn’t accurate to say that the wins have ranged from “solid to spectacular”. They’ve actually ranged from “downright ugly and atrocious but still a win” to spectacular.

There will be no let-down. It’s little to do with proving you’re a good team. It’s everything to do with the fact that there are two guys wanting to take your playing time, and good enough to do so, if your play drops off.

One thing you missed, Dave: At the end of the half, the Pistons’ announcer saying, “These Blazers are as good as advertised.” Kind of nice to hear. We were getting props for ball movement, etc., from them.

They kind of thought LMA was good, too. They also seemed to think it is impressive that our backup center is averaging 9 rebounds a game, and blocking a ton of shots, and has only missed one shot in forever.

The most amazing thing about my amazing ego is I have amazingly little about which to be egotistical.
The pick and roll this year will emphasize "roll" followed by "dunk", followed by the wailings and lamentations of your women.

by jscot on Nov 30, 2008 11:25 PM PST reply actions 0 recs

I agree with the nitpick

As indeed the Blazers won a couple of games they could have easily lost sans acrobatic 31-foot jumpers and the like. To be fair, on the other hand, a couple of games we lost we were in until the end.

This month exceeded my wildest expectations, not only for the win-loss record, but for the way in which the team won several games. We haven’t had blowouts like these for a while, and I wouldn’t have predicted we would beat good teams on the road so well given such a long stretch of tough opponents.

Schonely got a raw deal. NO ONE gives Schonely a raw deal.

by OhOhOden on Dec 1, 2008 1:41 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

December/Pistons

First the game, Awsome effort. Roys rookie year, or even second/all star year this would have been a game we’d have lost. When Detriot ade there push in the 3rd i am posative our other blazer teams would have folded. It seems to me this team SO FAR has something special going on. When i watch them/gamecast,espn them and i see them down in the 3rd, 4th Etc. i just hope for a run that SO FAR has come through. B-Roy WILL NOT let this team lose so far this year and is my MVP of the league. December, as good a month as i can remember going back to that fatefull day Clyde Drexler as traded for Otis Thorpe.(Ugh, One of the worst days of my life)Personally the only other month i remember that we started out better was the year we went (91-92)63-19 and (im pretty sure) 19-2 to start the year. I could be wrong about that stat, Was off personal memory and not internet stats. By no means do i think this team will go 63-19 this year but in the next 2-3 years i think it is totally possable. I am seeing the potential of this special team and am loving it.

by blazerbeliever97504 on Dec 1, 2008 12:16 AM PST reply actions 0 recs

1991-1992 Blazers

Funny you brought that up. After 18 games in the 91/92 season the Blazers had 12 wins and 6 losses., and ended up 57-25 at seasons end and most remarkably, playing MJ and the Chicago Bulls in the NBA Finals. I love how this team, for the most part keeps their poise no matter how far they may trail. I feel that this team still has a long way to go. They have yet to reach their prime! Nice to see how well they handle the ball, and keep turnovers to a minimum.

I love where we stand in the Hollinger rankings, and to be #2 in the west is a beautiful thing. Let’s play some intense DEFENCE over the next 4 and work it out back in the Rose Garden to stay UNDEFEATED. That’s just what elite teams do!

by rizewidus on Dec 1, 2008 2:17 AM PST up reply actions 1 recs

Anyone else feeling...

that, realistically, it cannot get any better than this for the Blazers this season? That this is probably the peak or somewhere pretty close to the peak of how easily the Blazers will beat quality competition? The Blazers will be in a dead heat with the Celtics (the Celtics!) in Hollinger and Sagarin’s power ratings after the Detroit game. Say what you will about computer rankings, but they give you a pretty good idea of how well a team has played, taking into account strength of schedule and homecourt advantage. It follows that if the Blazers improve from the way the are playing now, they would be on course to battle the L*kers in the Western Conference Championship. I just do not think that is a realistic expectation for this season. Even though I know we are getting Webster back and I know that Oden is going to be a a lot better by the end of the season, but my gut tells me the Blazers must have gotten a little lucky over the past 10 games. Whether it be an injury to Luol Deng, a hot shooting night from Rudy, or the Pistons coming out flat, the Blazers have caught some breaks.

I don’t have any big complaints about the team. I’m just trying to be realistic. If Blazers are actually the 3rd or fourth best team in the NBA already, the league is in a lot of trouble. If they are really the fourth best team with two rookies in the starting line-up, with Oden still not 100%, with Rudy still figuring out the NBA, with RLEC instead of whatever RLEC will bring, without Webster playing at all, the Blazers are going to be unreal.

by PoliSam on Dec 1, 2008 12:19 AM PST reply actions 0 recs

I think the Blazers have the capability of sustaining this kind of play

I think the caveat is that other teams are now going to be even more on guard against Portland so we’ll be facing more teams at their best. Also we have not seen a race for the playoffs yet and those games get INTENSE. I think it’s fair to say we cannot take results like this for granted. But that doesn’t mean they can’t be achieved.

—Dave

by Dave on Dec 1, 2008 12:24 AM PST up reply actions 0 recs

Amen to that! I definitely agree.

"An investment in knowledge always pays the best interest" · Benjamin Franklin.

by hisblazergrrrl on Dec 1, 2008 12:30 AM PST up reply actions 0 recs

Right.

I think some of the wins will not come as easily. or that some of the closer wins may turn into loses down the road, even if the Blazers continue to improve. I have the feeling, however, that some casual observers will see the less spectacular results as the Blazers regressing and will start asking “what’s going wrong,” even though the Blazers have actually improved….

Of course, they will. That’s what fans do. I’m just talking myself into not be bothered by that reaction when it happens.

by PoliSam on Dec 1, 2008 12:35 AM PST up reply actions 0 recs

More than sustaining

We’re still integrating three key players. We definitely have the ability to continue to improve. We are not at our ceiling in terms of quality of play.

There were some real clunkers in the game last night, things that I don’t expect to be seeing by the end of the year. Nic played really well, but had some real rookie mistakes, too. Greg is improving, but still not what he’ll be on the offensive end in 2-3 months.

So I expect our play to continue to improve. Whether the >results< will continue to improve remains to be seen. As you said, we’ll be more and more a target for team’s best play. The Celtics are already looking forward to our arrival, you can count on that. They will be looking to send a message, big time.

But let’s not forget that we’ve also knocked off a significantly over-weighted percentage of the tough games in the schedule. We haven’t played OKC yet. I really am not too concerned about them being at their best, or getting intense — if we play well, those are wins.

As long as we keep taking care of us, we’re going to win a lot more than we lose, no matter what other teams do. And I do think this team is going to continue to improve at “taking care of us”.

We have the talent to be a dominant team. What we’re seeing is that the coaches have managed to meld us into a team very quickly. But there’s still room for improvement in that, and there’s still room for improvement in individual players — quite a bit of improvement, actually.

It’s true that the Blazers have caught some breaks in individual games. But we all remember what Martell looked like in that first exhibition game, and he’s been out all year. Oden missed some games, which set us back significantly. I’m not sure that luck has been for us any more than it has been against us.

What we saw yesterday was a very good team going into a very tough place to play, taking the best punch of an elite team in the first half of the fourth quarter, and then shutting them down and grinding out a quality win. There was no luck in that. When Detroit goes on that run and takes the lead in the middle of the fourth, average teams lose that game. A lot of good teams lose that game.

Very good teams make their own luck. This team will continue to do so. The dangerous thing about a young team playing over their head for an extended period of time is that they grow into that level of play earlier than they would have.

We looked like an experienced playoff team yesterday, not a bunch of rookies who caught a hot game. It’s not just that we won in Detroit, it is the way we won.

by jscot on Dec 1, 2008 12:53 AM PST up reply actions 0 recs

The league is in a lot of trouble.

There will still be nights where Portland is flat. It happens. But I think what we say over the holiday was a team taking to heart what their coach was telling them, coming out to start the game “the right way” and seeing the results – big 1st quarter leads. This was no fluke. Note what happened in the Detroit game when the 2nd unit came in and was flat offensively. Mike Barrett kept commenting on how they were giving up the lead the starters had established, rather than expanding on it. Until he looked at the score. Despite 4 turnovers and not hitting a FG, they had given up only 2 points of the lead. Instead of panicking, they contuinued to play as instructed, mainly remembering to play good defense. Nate left them in, giving his starters a nice rest. Come the 4th quarter, guess who blew Detroit’s doors off?

hakkaa päälle !

by timg56 on Dec 1, 2008 7:39 AM PST up reply actions 1 recs

I thought 11 wins was the absolute limit for the month of November

this shows what I know. 12-6 is just out of this world. The Blazers are 11-3 since Roy’s amazing buzzer beater against Houston. The Blazers aren’t supposed to be playing this well right now. I really really really hope this extrapolates to the easier parts of the schedule.

"It’s a good ol’ fashioned Rip City beat down!"

by Magnum on Dec 1, 2008 12:34 AM PST reply actions 0 recs

I thought a winning record would have been beyond reach

If they can even hold serve in December they’ll be in such excellent shape it won’t be funny. If they duplicate this winning percentage again…WOW. And I mean, WOW!

—Dave

by Dave on Dec 1, 2008 1:11 AM PST up reply actions 0 recs

Yep

Winning in NY would be an excellent way to start. But we’ll lose a few more in December than we did last year. Maybe quite a few.

by jscot on Dec 1, 2008 1:30 AM PST up reply actions 0 recs

Never forget how amazing last December was.

Lets do it again.

by Sabonis4Ever on Dec 1, 2008 1:12 AM PST reply actions 0 recs

I bet Dave is like Henry Abbott. He can't admit he knew the Blazers would get good fast because he would

be called a homer. I knew the Blazers would start beating really good teams once they calmed down.

by BRoyInThe4th on Dec 1, 2008 2:45 AM PST reply actions 0 recs

It doesn't make sense a team this young with this tough a schedule early on

would get off to such a great start. I think Dave will admit that. Aside from the homers here, I don’t know who could have rationally predicted this.

by as11osu on Dec 1, 2008 2:58 AM PST up reply actions 0 recs

I predicted 55 wins

and I didn’t think we’d get off to this kind of start, especially with the Webster & Oden injuries. No way. I was hoping to have 9-10 wins right now, but expecting more like 8. I didn’t expect us to really start to put it together until sometime in December.

by jscot on Dec 1, 2008 5:13 AM PST up reply actions 0 recs

Nope

I’ll admit it freely. I did not think it was possible to get off to this good of a start with that schedule. I knew the Blazers would be better, but they’re getting some honest, serious wins now. If I had thought they could do it, I would have said it, but I didn’t.

Two things keyed these wins, I think. The first was the inside-outside synergy in the offense. The shooters have hit and the interior players have punished. That’s a nasty combination. And it’s not just one or two guys, it’s the whole team. Nowadays when Roy gets the ball it’s not, “Here’s the guy we have to stop.” It’s more like, “Oh God…we have to deal with you TOO?” The second is rebounding. We have turned into a decent rebounding team and possession makes a HUGE difference. On the defensive end we get the ball and can immediately transition to offense without hesitation. On the offensive end we prevent opponent bigs from doing the same. Huge props to Przybilla, Oden, Batum, Lamarcus, and everybody.

The hurdles that remain:

1. Our defense overall still needs improvement.

2. We need to sustain this run and repeat it in a tough December month.

3. After that we need to avoid becoming complacent and losing to the Clippers, etc.

—Dave

by Dave on Dec 1, 2008 10:12 AM PST up reply actions 0 recs

Get used to this !

I may have to revise my 55-27 prediction,
upward. *

Stay Healthy ! GO BLAZERS !!!

It's GO time !

by walkoff41 on Dec 1, 2008 3:38 AM PST reply actions 0 recs

One impressive track record.

The trade talk is dieing down, as it should. We’ve watched three rookies show that they are significant upgrades to the team, and Sergio has improved his game. Webster still hasn’t played, Oden played his first 30 minutes given the injuries, Batum has simply surprised everyone – including KP, and Rudy has added energy and movement. Bayless is simply sitting on the bench, as we can’t even work him into playing time, and we’re showing that we’re actually over-loaded at the forward position. Yesterday Oden showed that as he gets his legs back, that he can dominate a game for stretches, Batum, who played his first 30 minutes on the first team showed that he is a future starter (after all, we won with him playing that spot on the first team), and Blake demonstrated why Mac likes him as his starter at PG – given the rest of the players. Batum and Oden both, in turn, add defensive intensity.

Downstream I suspect that we’ll make a trade of some kind. Primarily because when Webster comes back, we’ll have a tough time keeping Webster, Batum, Travis and Frye happy with their minutes.

Yet the real question becomes, given the teams youth, how can one remotely “improve” the team? Setting aside Raef, the simple fact is that it seems increasily evident that we’re likely to be very solid at SF, PG, SF and C. Granted, we might find a better PG – assuming we can talk someone into such a trade, but that will require that we ship one of the forwards, and at least one of the guards – and even that won’t let Bayless onto the floor unless we ship two of the guards.

And, as we let this team grow and gel, the value of these players rises. Players on winning teams are always coveted more than players on losing teams. It will be facinating to see what KP does with Raef, and how he positions for the future. Something, after all, that we all forget about, is that by adding three bona fide NBA players via the draft in Oden, Batum and Fernandez, as well as having Bayless still on the bench, KP has demonstrated that he can do what most other GM’s cannot do, which is draft the talent we need, rather than have to trade for it.

It’s entirely possible that KP may choose to deal with a team for a lottery pick to get the PG of the future, if that’s what it takes. After all, he’s demonstrated that he can go this route successfully. In the last few years, we’ve drafted Roy, LMA, Batum, Oden, Fernandez and Bayless. Now that, my friends, is one impressive track record. And, it has come out that KP wanted Paul, but was over-ruled. As Paul Allen commented prior to the beginning of the season – KP clearly has that “golden gut”. Amazing.

by Eben Calder on Dec 1, 2008 5:51 AM PST reply actions 0 recs

I'm starting to suspect

that Raef may be traded for a worthless player with a horrible contract and two future first rounders.

We take somebody’s garbage off of their hands and let him sit or just buy him out, and as compensation for that they give us a couple future first round picks.

Because we simply don’t need any more players right now.

by jscot on Dec 1, 2008 6:58 AM PST up reply actions 0 recs

I'd be happy with that

"I believe in [Joel]. I just love the way he plays." - Nate McMillan

by jamon51 on Dec 1, 2008 10:58 AM PST up reply actions 0 recs

very happy

more 1rst rounders for kp please

by maid tu rek on Dec 1, 2008 7:50 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

Caution

The team has played to there young abilities, Portland has always played well against the upper echelon teams in the league we may not win those games but they usually play focused. The games that scare me are the ones like tommorow night against a team we should clearly whip, that can be said for the Wiz also but they at least have some legit talent.

Portland cannot let a guy like Duhon for the knicks look like an all-star, or get too caught up in the madison square garden/NY media madness that can get a player or whole team completely out of focus.

by Dragonage on Dec 1, 2008 5:55 AM PST reply actions 0 recs

not that the all mighty dave cares...

REC!!!! ;)

The Faith don't panic, the faith freaks out burns out farms and torchs small villages in the name of The Faith.

by faith on Dec 1, 2008 7:30 AM PST reply actions 0 recs

Absolutely, Dave.

I could not have asked for more than this from our team.
We’re looking great.
Our pre-season worry players are looking fantastic.
Our stars are looking like All-Stars.
Our Coaching staff is performing AMAZINGLY.
The city is totally engaged with this team.
The NBA as a whole is becoming increasingly engaged with this team.
Any minute now Charles Nuckhead Barkley is going to say something complimentary about the Blazers and Hades will freeze over and Pigs will sprout wings and …

… I was one in spring of ‘77. I’m 33 in spring 2009. It’s about time.

__Yes this is my passport photo__
+
Rudyculize: The act of Rudy making others look slow, dim and generally oafish.
=
http://www.myspace.com/y5k

by Y5k on Dec 1, 2008 7:59 AM PST reply actions 0 recs

Barkley has liked Roy for awhile.

He’s been raving about Roy since his rookie season. He was one of the few national press who mentioned “Roy” and “MVP” in the same sentence last year. He just didn’t like our team’s chances last year for the playoffs because the offense was too dependent on the jumpshot, and I totally agreed with him then.

by howlingfantods on Dec 1, 2008 10:02 AM PST up reply actions 0 recs

And then

came LMA’s incredible improvement in his inside game, Przybilla never missing a shot, and a rookie named Oden….

"I believe in [Joel]. I just love the way he plays." - Nate McMillan

by jamon51 on Dec 1, 2008 11:00 AM PST up reply actions 0 recs

Definitely better than last December.

We’re winning games where we look like we’re supposed to be winning. Part of it is that we’re scoring very efficiently, but our offense looks like it’s just going to be that efficient, whereas last December was based a lot on James Jones’s flukiest month ever.

The thing I’m enjoying so much in the last stretch of games has been how we’ve been winning in all kinds of different ways. Good teams know how to win in different ways — blowouts, squeakers we win ugly, the evenly matched game we pull away in the 4th, and so on.

This Detroit win was one of my favorite wins in a long long time — it takes poise to blow an early lead then make a run to pull away in the 4th on the road in a rabid building like the Palace. That is a statement game. Even though it wasn’t nationally televised, I wouldn’t be surprised if the national press started paying more attention because of this one.

by howlingfantods on Dec 1, 2008 9:59 AM PST reply actions 0 recs

Best Blazer start I can ever remember

It’s just been great. If you are realistic and patient with this young team, you have to realizie that we have just taken off to an unbelievable start. Truely fantastic.

Even when the local media was busy asking if we had been falsely sold the promise of a playoff team, the national media was focused on the biggest bust since Tony Mandarich and our star player was recovering from off season knee surgury and being called out by Spanish fans for ball hogging. We still dont even have our projected starting team healthy and we finished last nights game with two rookies and two 3rd year players on the floor… we are still acting like a premier team.

I couldn’t be more excited and its great to watch the haters eat their words on an almost nightly basis. Nate for coach of the year!

by ItsMrHarris2u on Dec 1, 2008 10:20 AM PST reply actions 2 recs

unbelieveable

When I wrote this post the fans on this site seemed about 50/50 on weather the Blazers could pull off 55 wins this year. Well one month in and they are ahead of even that high pace, (I prediced them to go 10-8 this month) by 2 games! As for the rest of the NBA I had all of the Western Confrence playoff teams right so far, (just not the order) but I was only just above 50% correct on the east so far, however I do still stand by my predictions because I feel that NJ and NY will fall out soon. I think most Blazers fans are just beginning to believe, this team can compete this year, they may not win it all, but they will be in it to win it.

by usmcr3049 on Dec 1, 2008 11:23 AM PST reply actions 0 recs

You know we have arrived when......

the cameras show the opposing teams bench and their faces are angry, or dejected! When I saw AI’s anger, and frustration on his face in the 4th qtr of the game was priceles, and I was happy regardless of win, or loose. To see our teams play affect all-star players/ playoff teams says a lot to me. Nothing upsets me more than when seeing the opposing teams starters sitting on the bench laughing, and joking during the game. Now I am happy because teams are forced to take us seriously respect our game.

by SurReal on Dec 1, 2008 11:39 AM PST reply actions 0 recs