Let's Get Real

by raoulduke on Dec 26, 2008 11:02 AM PST Comment 104 comments

Roy = two years of NBA play, 1st year, missed about a third of the season due to injury

LMA = rookie year surgery, mop up minutes behind Zach, so he's got 1 + full year of NBA experience

Sergio = nice rookie year, spot minutes his second year, 2 - years NBA experience

Oden = rookie, coming off major surgery

Batum = rookie

Fernandez = rookie

Webster = starting SF, injured not playing

How good should this team be? How deep do you think they should be going in the playoffs

In the entire recorded history of man has a team this young done this well? Seriously. I'd like to see another NBA example of a team like this, doing as well or better than this team.

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Not deep in the playoffs, but let's make it to the dance.

I agree we are ridiculously young and inexperienced, and maybe we should have no business being where we currently are, but the fact of the matter is for the 2nd year in a row we have a legitimate shot at the post-season. To miss out again would be very disappointing…so let’s go get it!!

by socalblazer on Dec 26, 2008 11:21 AM PST reply actions 0 recs

Sure, but lets resist the temptation

to think that we should sacrifice even a little bit of the future to get a doomed run at the playoffs this year.

Chicago has been down that road more than once since Jordan left, amassing some good young talent and falling victim to the urge to trade it away for a shot at right now. You see where it’s gotten them.

by raoulduke on Dec 26, 2008 11:28 AM PST reply actions 0 recs

Um, Chicago is at a point where they wish they had made a Gasol deal

Because it seems the GM severely overvalued some of his guys.

Vinny Del Negro interviewed for the job today. I mean come on! Nobody else thinks this is nuts?
by Juiceboxjerry on Jun 6, 2008 4:21 PM CDT actions actions 0 recs

by Ozzie Montana on Dec 26, 2008 1:05 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

Of course, doing it more and harder will get better results.

by raoulduke on Dec 26, 2008 1:10 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

That's a very unique read of the situation.

In fact, Chicago is mostly criticized for standing pat on their collection of B players and never doing a major consolidation trade to get a star. They’re killed by their fans for not pulling the trigger for Pau, for Kobe and for KG, all of whom were rumored to be available for some combo of their players.

by howlingfantods on Dec 29, 2008 7:48 AM PST up reply actions 0 recs

Thanks for pointing that out

What that tells me, is that if we threw them all together for a trade for two 14+ year veterans, we might make the playoffs this year or the next and then we can start rebuilding again. Blazers fans love the draft.

"There is a difference between having two guys banging down low and having two guys who can bang down low." - Blazin'

by tominhawaii on Dec 26, 2008 11:44 AM PST reply actions 0 recs

Well I gotta admit I love watching the draft

But I’d much rather be bored while watching for the next 10 or so years.

by Timmay! on Dec 26, 2008 12:21 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

Doesn’t that mean we’d be playing 2 on 5 basketball for the rest of the year?

GO
THE TEACHER ......come into my classroom "THE PAINT" for some tutelage.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
"You could hurt somebody in the first row with a shot like that" -
Mike Rice, Portland at Denver 12/22/08

by Blazer1342 on Dec 26, 2008 7:26 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

Thanks Raoul

very concise and spot on post. People want their ring and they want it now. Yes I mean now, in late December not June! I swear when I read some of this stuff it’s like people actually think we won’t be absolutely mopped in the 2nd round if we are lucky enough to make it past the first round (or get into the playoffs at all). This year is a development year and the sooner people get used to that the better.

I still think we will make the playoffs, but I realized that my original prediction was a bit too high (50 wins) I’ve scaled that back to 46 to 48. Really, it all depends on the lightning rod…I mean Oden and how quickly he develops. This is part of the reason I call for Bayless to get more minutes because I see this year as our last year of development being the primary focus. The core in my mind is LMA, Roy, Oden and Bayless with Rudy, Sergio and Joel being our core back ups. Blake may or may not be on the team in the future and if he keeps balling at current levels he might even be our mainstay. Everything depends on Oden’s development and the development or procurement of a perimeter defender. If those two things don’t happen we will never get past the 2nd round. This year is about development I’m sorry but them’s the facts.

He's Coming! Oden Slayer of Giants

by Idog1976 on Dec 26, 2008 12:24 PM PST reply actions 0 recs

Actually the team is ahead of your original projection.....

People seem to forget that PTB have had a very difficult schedule. Lots of road games and lots of home games against quality teams. Even with out factoring in the difficulty of the schedule, the team is on pace to surpass fifty.

Why is everybody freaking about loosing two games (Clips and Orlando) on last second prayers and loosing one game to a quality opponent (Dallas)? The team is fine. They were tired and in a little bit of a funk. It happens.

by upper left corner on Dec 27, 2008 10:30 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

I predicted around 47 wins and a dog fight for 7th or 8th place.

If we get 50 wins it would be a Great season, IMO. We got off to a good start by being a little lucky and catching a few veteran teams coming out of the gate slowly (Houston and San Antonio at home and Orlando on the road), which raised some high expectations. Since then we’ve beat a few good teams and lost to a few not-so-good teams, as can be expected. It was unrealistic to make predictions based on our 7-0 home record. We are now 10-3 at home, which is a pace to win 31-32 games at home, and we are on a pace to win 19 on the road. So 50 wins still looks plausable and I would be very happy with that.

by BlazerFanSince1970 on Dec 26, 2008 12:44 PM PST reply actions 0 recs

Two reasons we need to be in the playoffs this year.

1. We need to get the experience for future progression. It would a big disappointment to be #9 this year.

2 . It’s like Brandon and the All-Star team. He made it last year and now he gets more calls. We need to be in the playoffs so next year we will be looked at with more respect.

I don’t know how far we will go in the playoffs, but we MUST be in them.

by TallTimber on Dec 26, 2008 12:49 PM PST reply actions 1 recs

"Must" is a strong word.

What happens if we don’t? Does the Columbia dry up? Does the dollar fall even further in relation to the yen?

What exactly happens if the team doesn’t make the playoffs, since they must?

by raoulduke on Dec 26, 2008 1:01 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

i think nate gets fired

honor rasheed wallace

i like ike

by Zaron5551 on Dec 26, 2008 1:19 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

Depends

We miss the playoffs if we have key injuries and only win 41 games again. Nate is safe.

If we win 49-50 and miss the playoffs because others won more, Nate is safe.

If there is no reason, but the wheels fall off and we only win 41, questions will be asked.

If you can't convince them, confuse them -- Harry Truman, U.S. President

by jscot on Dec 26, 2008 2:09 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

Well stated jscot.

I’ve quietly had a feeling that while the national media is glowing about Nate, in reality his own seat is quietly glowing from KP’s heat. KP says publicly that Nate’s doing a great job, and a coach really isn’t as important as people say… but IMO, privately, KP knows every day that previous management hired Nate. It’s the only area KP has not placed his stamp on the team.

If the team wins 42 or less games this season, and is in 10th or lower place (though it’s hard to imagine who would pop above us to 9th right now), then KP and Paul Allen will discuss coaching options. I bet KP has ideas in mind right now.

If Portland wins more than 46 games, playoffs or not, Nate’s job is safe for the next season unless the players are revolting (unlikely). If there’s no playoffs next season (and possibly even a quick poorly-played first round exit), he’s on the hotseat again.

As long as there is no major injuries, the team should continue to improve slowly every season, and hopefully plateau at a level above 60 wins within 5 years. If we stall, and KP believes it’s not a personnel error on his part, Nate’s head will be considered for chopping.

by Timmay! on Dec 26, 2008 4:12 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

Wouldn't it be fun to be KP

He gets paid to do all this discussion with his staff while we are doing all of it for free.

by TallTimber on Dec 26, 2008 4:19 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

But he has the resources that we only dream about.

Pro-scouts, a unique database on all the players, a very creative right hand man in Tom Penn and a boss with impossibly deep pockets. I’m sure others can list more.

by parkinglotj on Dec 26, 2008 9:05 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

Resources

A lifetime supply of second round draft picks?

If you can't convince them, confuse them -- Harry Truman, U.S. President

by jscot on Dec 27, 2008 9:51 AM PST up reply actions 1 recs

I like your patience...

But I think it is Nate who has been pretty clear that he wants veteran help if the expectation is to win now. My sense of it is that KP has been keeping expectations low (in the wins/playoff category) for Nate because he knows he has given him the youngest roster in the NBA the past two years. (Last year even with Raef included, this year with him subtracted.)

The Blazers are on the right track and Nate is a good coach. They will be fine this year. They will keep improving and win somewhere around 46-48 games and challenge for the playoffs. If they make the playoffs, I would guess that Nate gets an extension. If not, he will probably have to coach out the last year of his contract and earn another one.

PTB Liberation Day - 2/10/04

by tssbro on Dec 27, 2008 3:42 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

If we don't make the playoffs...

it stunts our growth. We won’t think of it a successful season. It will add at least one, maybe two, more years until we win a championship. We gotta get that playoff experience sometime, might as well get it now. We only have so many years with this group. We need to go through a stretch run and make it to the next step which is the playoffs. We need to go through what it takes to get ourselves in a playoff series, first, and then we need go through a playoff series to gain the experience needed when we have a real chance to win the whole thing. If we win 46-48 and don’t make it, it will look like we made progress, but it’s still NOT having a chance to play playoff basketball and the gain the experience.

I think it will actually a step backward if we don’t get in. We still won’t be seen as a playoff team. We will get less respect. All of the doubts will start creeping in. We’ve already seen it. “Can Nate coach a winning team?”, “Greg’s a bust”, “Travis has a low BBIQ”, “LMA can’t rebound” and so on and so forth.

If we get in the playoffs those issues are not so important, the season looks a heckuva a lot better and we are not in the lottery AGAIN.

by TallTimber on Dec 26, 2008 3:27 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

I can't resist

but Dollar Vs. Yen may not change much but the dollar’s value for purchasing goods will drop into a hole from which it cannot be retrieved. Look for a new Regional currency by 2011. For realz dog. This whole banking thing ain’t an accident (perceived or real)problem =massive debts and frozen credit, reaction= printing more dollars to inflate away the debt and unfreeze credit while destroying what’s left of the fabric of america, solution = Amero and the North American union.

/tin_foil_hat off

He's Coming! Oden Slayer of Giants

by Idog1976 on Dec 26, 2008 3:53 PM PST up reply actions 2 recs

I’m baffled that they’ve lost any games at all.

by 50backflips on Dec 26, 2008 1:06 PM PST reply actions 1 recs

Of the 9 teams in the hunt who do you think we are demonstrably better than?

Is LMA plus Roy better than:

Nash and Stoudamire
Parker and Duncan
Billups and Anthony
Kobe and Gasol
McGrady and Ming
Kidd and Nowitzki
Harris and Boozer
Paul and Chandler

Just who are we so decisively better than that we should EXPECT to be in the playoffs?

by raoulduke on Dec 26, 2008 1:08 PM PST reply actions 0 recs

Harris and Boozer?

Did you mean Williams and Boozer? I don’t remember a player named “Harris” on the Jazz

by two4larue on Dec 26, 2008 1:48 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

yup, got in hurry

by raoulduke on Dec 26, 2008 1:52 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

Not to nitpick, but..

shouldn’t it be Paul and West?

"Well, Travis just showed us that we can go to Travis Outlaw." - Nate McMillan

by 12sharks on Dec 26, 2008 3:44 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

You get the point though, right?

by raoulduke on Dec 26, 2008 5:08 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

Is it..

that you need a short/skinny guy and a tall/strong guy?

"Well, Travis just showed us that we can go to Travis Outlaw." - Nate McMillan

by 12sharks on Dec 26, 2008 5:24 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

Something like that.

by raoulduke on Dec 26, 2008 5:25 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

Paul and West. West is the dude, not Chandler.

"Now with a non-provocative footer!"

by timbo on Dec 26, 2008 11:15 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

Good point.

I don’t think we are better than any of those teams right now.

by Nick Van Excellent on Dec 26, 2008 1:51 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

Actually,

I think NO is the most fragile of those 8. That team lives and dies by CP3, and although he’s been balling out of his mind, I think our team is more balanced. That team will lose if CP can be taken out of his game. I definitely think we can win the season series against NO.

by premthegrem on Dec 26, 2008 2:13 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

Take away Roy

and we’re screwed. I’d say Brandon and CP3 are equally “necessary” to their team’s success

by two4larue on Dec 26, 2008 3:31 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

You're correct.

Last season, when Roy didn’t play, we looked like the team formerly known as the Sonics. (Heck, the Sonics beat us)

Without Chris Paul, NO is a lottery team.

by Timmay! on Dec 26, 2008 4:13 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

If Brandon Roy doesn't play well

The Blazers don’t look like a good team at all, either. Take away KG, Kobe, etc etc no team looks any good.

Vinny Del Negro interviewed for the job today. I mean come on! Nobody else thinks this is nuts?
by Juiceboxjerry on Jun 6, 2008 4:21 PM CDT actions actions 0 recs

by Ozzie Montana on Dec 26, 2008 5:47 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

Some teams play just fine without a dominant player

That’s basically the definition of the Ewing Theory.

I suspect that without Kobe, the Lakers are at least a .500 team. Without KG, the Celtics may still make the second round in the East.

Without Carmelo, Denver hasn’t lost a step.

Some teams can handle a missing star better than others…

by Timmay! on Dec 26, 2008 6:09 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

Fortunately it's not a 2-on-2 league, so we have a chance to beat out Dallas or perhaps Denver.

But I agree with the point that our big 2 is not any better than these other big 2’s, and in some cases significantly worse. And in most cases that won’t change much next year either, so we will go nowhere in the playoffs in the future without major improvements in some positions. Oden is obviously the most likely to improve significantly, but it’s hard to know where he ceiling will be until we know how much (if any) of his athleticism will ultimately return. He will definitely improve as he learns some basketball skills, but he will need that athleticism if he is to lead us to the promised land. How much improvement can we expect from LMA, Webster, Rudy, or Bayless in the next 2-3 years. Without trades will it be enough?

by BlazerFanSince1970 on Dec 26, 2008 2:17 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

I agree and I think that also points to the fact that there is no quick fix

barring a Gasol type windfall. It will be growth of who is on the team plus a well considered trade or FA signing that builds for the future. There is no quick trade we are going to do right now that adds enough to make enough of a difference for it to matter very much this season.

So relax and enjoy the ride.

by raoulduke on Dec 26, 2008 2:33 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

There could be a quick fix

RLEC makes it so. Maybe not until mid-February, but KP will have the choice to make a deal that will help improve the team’s chances at making the post season, or to “stand pat” and treat 2009 as another “evaluation year…”

One of the team’s stated goals at the beginning of the season was to make the playoffs. I don’t think anyone (Nate, Brandon, KP, the fanbase) will be satisfied if they stand pat and finish 9th (neither do I believe KP will mortgage the future and take on a bad contract just to win a few more games…)

by two4larue on Dec 26, 2008 3:36 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

Right on

People jobs are on the line if we don’t make the playoffs, especially Nate.

by TallTimber on Dec 26, 2008 3:39 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

i don't think KP sees it like that

if we finish under .500 with a healthy brandon roy, then then maybe.

Activate Shavlik Randolph

by appel82 on Dec 26, 2008 3:42 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

i didn't mu mu mean t t t ta stutter

Activate Shavlik Randolph

by appel82 on Dec 26, 2008 3:43 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

I don't know what KP thinks...

but I think it is somewhat strange to hear Nate say sometime back, that even he doesn’t know if he will be the coach when the team is winning big.

by TallTimber on Dec 26, 2008 4:00 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

there was that interview recently

Activate Shavlik Randolph

by appel82 on Dec 26, 2008 4:20 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

there was that interview recently

in which KP speaks

Activate Shavlik Randolph

by appel82 on Dec 26, 2008 4:21 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

http://trailblazerscentercourt.blogspot.com/2008/12/catching-up-with-kp.html

Activate Shavlik Randolph

by appel82 on Dec 26, 2008 4:23 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

dude i'm sorry for all that

my browser was weird

Activate Shavlik Randolph

by appel82 on Dec 26, 2008 4:24 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

Thanks for the link

So KP says the goal is to make the playoffs. The city and the organization are hungry for it. He doesn’t expound too much more but I do get the feeling he won’t be very happy if we don’t make it.

by TallTimber on Dec 26, 2008 4:35 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

KP's great for the doublespeak

He’d never say publicly what he really thinks of the players or coaches. And good for him, that’s something that’s for internal use only.

But it also means I don’t really take any of his interviews too seriously. He’s very diplomatic.

“Diplomacy is the art of saying ‘Nice doggie’ until you can find a rock.”
— Will Rogers

by Timmay! on Dec 26, 2008 5:21 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

that's what i been saying....

by Blazin' on Dec 27, 2008 4:28 AM PST up reply actions 0 recs

Youngest Team in the League

KP recently made a comment that if you don’t include Raef’s when calculating our team’s age, that we have the youngest team in the league. I was a bit stunned by this.

That’s not to say that the second youngest team in the league being this good isn’t surprising. It is.

But for whatever reason the realization that we are in fact still the youngest team (Raef shouldn’t count), really struck me.

Pretty amazing. Whatever we do this year will be fine with me. We’re building for the future.

by grigs on Dec 26, 2008 1:23 PM PST reply actions 0 recs

I think there are more of us who take your view...

… then there are those who apparently are unhappy with the team as it stands now or are only happy finding fault with it.

It is just that the second group seems to stand out. Perhaps that’s because stupidity has a knack for drawing attention to itself.

hakkaa päälle !

by timg56 on Dec 26, 2008 1:36 PM PST reply actions 1 recs

I think Tomm's post in another thread

about being fans of the team vs being fans of winning is right on.

I grew up with the 1960’s Phillies, god help me, but they were my guys and what I rooted for was for them to get better or at least to play over their heads. Rooting to get rid of them for better guys never occurred to me. My biases still run that way.

by raoulduke on Dec 26, 2008 1:39 PM PST reply actions 0 recs

In the entire recorded history of man has a team this young done this well?

The ‘76-77 Blazers had no main players with more than 2 years of NBA experience, as we all know went 49-35 and won the Larry O’Brien trophy

So it can be done. But I wouldn’t bet on a reprise from the 2008-2009 Blazers

I hope this year’s team can make it into the playoffs. But I’m much less optimistic than I was 10 games ago

by two4larue on Dec 26, 2008 1:43 PM PST reply actions 0 recs

But they did have lucas who had wba experience. But to the point, in the 60 or so years

of the NBA it’s happened once. Maybe.

by raoulduke on Dec 26, 2008 2:03 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

Last year the Blazers were the 3rd youngest team in NBA history.

The 1st and 2nd youngest teams in NBA history only won something like 10 to 12 games, and as we know we won 41 games last year. This is way off the charts for statistical norms. As for this year, I don’t think we could ask anything more from a team this young.

The kind of mistakes the Blazers are making should be correctable by the end of the year, and some of these tough losses will be close wins.

by Blazer1342 on Dec 26, 2008 7:43 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

Twardzik also had ABA experience

If you can't convince them, confuse them -- Harry Truman, U.S. President

by jscot on Dec 26, 2008 2:11 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

Oh, and Lloyd Neal

was certainly a main player on that team, and it was his fifth year, I think.

If you can't convince them, confuse them -- Harry Truman, U.S. President

by jscot on Dec 26, 2008 2:12 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

and Corky, and Squirmin' Herman, and Larry Steele, etc

I read Walton’s congratulations to Bob Gross the other day, Bill said the starters and main reserves had 1-2 years of experience, that’s what I based it on

But obviously that was a different era. The NBA changed a lot in ‘76 with the merger. The Lakers and Celtics had gotten old. The 76ers wouldn’t have made it to the finals without Dr. J and McGinnis, and Portland wouldn’t have been there without Luke and Pinball

by two4larue on Dec 26, 2008 3:41 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

I don't think the Blazers make the playoffs.

poor defense+13 jump shooters+ slow pace= Lottery

The Blazers are playing way over there head right now. Unless they make a trade or another one of the elite teams in the west gets massacred by injuries I don’t think this team has a very good shot of making the playoffs.

by Nick Van Excellent on Dec 26, 2008 1:50 PM PST reply actions 0 recs

you don't think a young team with a bunch of young players will improve as the season goes along?

Seems like they should be one of the most improved teams at the end of the year.

In the GM survey in the preseason, that was the thought.

Dave said with nine or ten wins in ‘08 we would have a chance at the playoffs. We have 18, potentially 19 or 20. Saying we’re out of the playoffs is way premature.

honor rasheed wallace

by Cablinasian on Dec 26, 2008 1:59 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

I agree its too soon to tell, the point is, it won't be an epic fail on anyone's part if they don't.

by raoulduke on Dec 26, 2008 2:04 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

No, it definitely won't.

We aren’t going to win the title this year, so it’s not an astronomic failure to miss the playoffs. There are eight very good teams in the west besides the Blazers, all of which have much more experience.

We have a great future. That’s why playing Oden is smart. I wish Bayless got time… the other three rookies do.

I don’t think we’ll get anywhere in the playoffs anyway. It would be nice though.

honor rasheed wallace

by Cablinasian on Dec 26, 2008 2:18 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

I think the team thinks it would be an epic fail if they didn't make the playoffs.

I’m not saying they are right or wrong to think this. But I think that’s what they think.

What do you think? – Elgin

It doesn't mean you should just because you can. Like Abraham and Ishmael, fighting over sand - it doesn't mean you should just because you can. That is a fact of life. - Adrian Belew

by 22baylor on Dec 26, 2008 9:48 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

They want to make it.

I think the team is right to think it. You play to win games and make the playoffs.

by TallTimber on Dec 27, 2008 7:33 AM PST up reply actions 0 recs

you don't think a young team with a bunch of young players will improve as the season goes along?

Look at last year, they won 13 straight, and then hit the wall

I’m not hoping it happens again this year, but it could

A lot of the pre-season expectations were based on Oden showing more than what he has actually delivered, to date. The rookies may not improve as the season goes on, there are no guarantees

by two4larue on Dec 26, 2008 4:01 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

I think it's a pretty good bet the one of the 8 teams the Blazers have to beat

will suffer a major injury. That may well be the Blazers window of opportunity if the team stays healthy.

by raoulduke on Dec 26, 2008 2:09 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

maybe Utah will collapse?

one can only dream.

Activate Shavlik Randolph

by appel82 on Dec 26, 2008 3:50 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

I have said it before and will say it again

Need to look at the long term.

by Sabonis4Ever on Dec 26, 2008 2:28 PM PST reply actions 0 recs

If we miss the playoffs we will be nationally considered this year's Major Flop in the NBA.

It’s easy to say it doesn’t matter now, but at the end of the year if we miss the playoffs this forum will be buried in demands to fire Nate and trade everyone but Roy. Playoff expectations were set nationally for this team, and I’m betting by Paul Allen. This year has never been a rebuilding year. It is supposed to be the first playoff experience leading to a championship run later. If we miss the playoffs Nate is definitely gone. He will be called “a good young coach, but just not the right one to lead this particular group of players to the playoffs and beyond, blah, blah, blah”.

by BlazerFanSince1970 on Dec 26, 2008 2:32 PM PST reply actions 1 recs

+1

I didn’t see your post down here when I responded above.

You are right on. It’s a step back if we don’t make it. We need the playoff experience this year to help us progress to where we want to be in a couple of years.

by TallTimber on Dec 26, 2008 3:32 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

The Blazers will make the playoffs

"There is a difference between having two guys banging down low and having two guys who can bang down low." - Blazin'

by tominhawaii on Dec 26, 2008 3:19 PM PST reply actions 1 recs

if they don't then they will be the warriors of last year

And will be beaten by Denver or perhaps Dallas this year by 1 game, in which case, close to 50 wins is a great season if you are thinking long term.

Activate Shavlik Randolph

by appel82 on Dec 26, 2008 3:47 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

My two bits:

Going out on a limb, as currently constructed we will not make the playoffs falling 4-5 games short of the 8th spot. It’s no big whoop. With the right trade (maybe one I have planned) we can make the playoffs this year while peaking and beat the Celtics in 6 for the championship. Oh – it’s me that’s peaking.

by oregonslee on Dec 26, 2008 5:30 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

Martell?

When is Martell going to be back? There is not a lot of coverage about his injury flare-up. We need him bad.

Less minutes for Batum and Frye, more of last night’s Travis and Rudy, and insert a healthy Martell, and we should see some better ball.

"I didn't know I was going to score 52 so I didn't think to Tivo it or nothin." -B Roy

by Dodoh on Dec 26, 2008 4:52 PM PST reply actions 0 recs

Frye played 5 minutes last if the boxscore was right...

Batum 13 minutes LMA only 25 BC of fouls…..so maybe if there was more confidence in backup 4 we could put the Trav at the 4 experiment to rest (no functional bigs = trouble) trav was 34 min on the floor . 4 rebounds and NO FOULS…for Gods sake man…HACK someone!! . . only blake & roy had more minutes…we need another pie chart…

so martell takes away Trav’s 3 minutes (theoretically)…. still, the backup 4 … more trav minutes there? really? we missed 34 shots and grabbed 9 offensive rebounds…half by the guards..outrebounded by 10 as a whole…The little bit of game I watched a couple of nights ago, i saw Channing moving in for boards and trying to be present down low…maybe if we tell him he can hoist one 3 for every 2 rebounds he gets… :-)…

But yeah…incredibly young bunch … lotsa talent …i picked 50 or 51 wins I forget….still think that can happen – - they will have more improvement game over game than more veteran groups — more ++ from experience and less impact from long season = strong finish (one can hope)..

by LetsBlaze on Dec 26, 2008 7:43 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

They're on pace to finish in the 48-51 range

honor rasheed wallace

by Cablinasian on Dec 26, 2008 7:50 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

that's great

now Outlaw is being criticized for NOT fouling. – Elgin

It doesn't mean you should just because you can. Like Abraham and Ishmael, fighting over sand - it doesn't mean you should just because you can. That is a fact of life. - Adrian Belew

by 22baylor on Dec 26, 2008 9:49 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

lol

December 18, 2008.

"Roy is Roy, and if I were to bet my life on a game of 5-on-5, I’d bet on whichever team Roy was playing on." by HurraKane212

by maid tu rek on Dec 27, 2008 4:10 AM PST up reply actions 0 recs

Yeah...it's something else that comes with experience,,,using fouls wisely

Their guards had 20 rebounds last night…more…that means nobody was punishing them for hanging around the lane…one well timed over the back foul will cause some one to be looking over their shoulder a bit more….

have you ever noticed how much our players are knocked onto the ground?

by LetsBlaze on Dec 27, 2008 12:59 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

I love concisativity

reccamundoed

Wait you’re agnostic. That means you worship lawsuits. --TiH

by prezofdeath on Dec 26, 2008 11:50 PM PST reply actions 0 recs

he prez

Do you have some earlier comments that are now missing?? I replied to you and “bust a bucket” and they are gone. Not only is my reply gone your original comments are also gone??
Here’s a reply I made to you earlier and it’s gone also

Just quoting a TV personality…
I think it was our own Mike & Mike…but don’t remember for sure?
I think Pryz is having a good year because the 4 guys around him are playing better. Teams can’t just focus on Roy & Pryz.
Clairvoyance works in a world with free will otherwise we’d all have the gift, but I am most definitely not clairvoyant.
I did almost date a physic girl one time, but she left me before we met.

by Blazer1342 on Dec 27, 2008 3:41 AM PST up reply actions 0 recs

Hmm I don't know....that's weird.

I remember seeing this line before somewhere around here, although I don’t remember if it was from you or someone else…..

I did almost date a physic girl one time, but she left me before we met.

Anyway. Hmm. Weird.

Wait you’re agnostic. That means you worship lawsuits. --TiH

by prezofdeath on Dec 27, 2008 12:21 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

It was from me

But I plagiarized it from Woody Paige’s Blackboard on ATH

I know the lag time for this reply is super slow, but I just remembered your original comment
i.e. you said

"Why is Pryz having the year of his life, what if his best year is in the future and he plays another 10 years, What are you clairvoyant".

Or something like that. Then I followed with the afore mentioned about quoting a TV personality.

If indeed that was you, a black hole ate your words.

To the real point – I was posting a pic when it happened and I think that’s what ate everything.
I may have discovered the secret “eat the comment you don’t like” weapon – don’t tell anybody!!!

by Blazer1342 on Dec 28, 2008 7:32 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

in my crystal ball i see

two things that can happen……

1. we make the playoffs, probably lose in the first round, all the key players gain valuable experience and are better players for it.

2. we miss the playoffs by a small margin and we gain a valuable lottery pick. btw im not calling for any trades, just that we may have a lottery pick in this scenario.

either of these would be fine by me, as long as we are at .500 or better at seasons end and we have shown signs of improvement and play hard, then i’ll be happy.

i predicted the blazers to win 46-50, im still going to stand by that!

by Yawnie on Dec 27, 2008 7:59 AM PST reply actions 0 recs

Everyone has a different perspective, that's what makes this place great

I would be happy with #1 but not with #2.

by TallTimber on Dec 27, 2008 12:28 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

What about in a wins perspective?

Would you be happier if we won 42 games and just got the 8th spot, or won 49 games and just missed that 8th spot?

For the former, I’d have short-term glee at making the playoffs, but would be heavily disappointed in the overall team (and would wonder if changes are needed).

For the latter, I’d be disappointed we missed the playoffs, but would see noticeable progress in our record.

I’m definitely more focused on our wins and less on our playoff chances. It’ll likely tell us more long-term about our progress.

by Timmay! on Dec 27, 2008 1:10 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

Would depend on how we play in the playoffs

42 wins and get swept? Yuck. 42 wins, but come to play and knock someone off or at least take it to 7 games? I’d take it. I’d be disappointed at that level of wins, but the playoff experience would be valuable.

I’d take 49 and missing the playoffs, too — but justice in such a case would demand we win one of the top three picks.

If you can't convince them, confuse them -- Harry Truman, U.S. President

by jscot on Dec 27, 2008 2:04 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

Playoffs or bust

38, 43, or 49 wins, doesn’t matter. Just get in them. We need the playoff experience. It’s a whole different kind of experience than the regular season.

by TallTimber on Dec 27, 2008 5:54 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

I'd say.

45 wins and second round of the playoffs at best. We are good enough to make the playoffs. I don’t see us going deep in the playoffs this year.

by CanadianBlazerfan on Dec 27, 2008 3:09 PM PST reply actions 0 recs

"We are good enough to make the playoffs"

that means we are better than one of the other 8 perennial powers in the Western Conference. What you been smoking?

by Blazin' on Dec 28, 2008 12:00 AM PST up reply actions 0 recs

im not sure if youve noticed,

but were a pretty good team

December 18, 2008.

"Roy is Roy, and if I were to bet my life on a game of 5-on-5, I’d bet on whichever team Roy was playing on." by HurraKane212

by maid tu rek on Dec 28, 2008 4:17 AM PST up reply actions 0 recs

A non smoker, and have noticed.

For one I am a non smoker. Yes I have noticed we are a pretty good team. However, what I meant was I was being cautiously optimistic. I think it is premature to start saying we’ll be heading to the finals this year. Anyhow I’ll stop right there, as I don’t want to say anything that makes me sound like I am smoking something.

by CanadianBlazerfan on Dec 28, 2008 2:02 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

And how many

of those players you listed were first round picks? (ALL) Shouldn’t a certain level of success be expected from a team with that many first rounders? They have the talent, or they wouldn’t have went in the first round. How we are using that talent is the question.

There is probably no more terrible instance of enlightenment than the one in which you discover your father is a man — with human flesh.
Paul Muad'Dib - Dune (Frank Herbert)

My Translation: My Dad is a dude just like me, and my sons are dudes like me also. I love that.
Season Tix: Section 315, with my sons

by johnv59 on Dec 27, 2008 3:18 PM PST reply actions 0 recs

i think i read somewhare that we have 13 first founders on our roster?

and i think we have quite a few lottery picks as well, roy, oden, aldridge, fry, ike, bayless, przy,webster, i think raif was lottery, but it duznt really matter, cuz he dont count. for some reason i keep thinking blake was second round, and batum was suposed to be lottery but wasnt cuz of medikl problems. i dont know if im remember this right, cuz im lazy.

December 18, 2008.

"Roy is Roy, and if I were to bet my life on a game of 5-on-5, I’d bet on whichever team Roy was playing on." by HurraKane212

by maid tu rek on Dec 28, 2008 4:24 AM PST up reply actions 0 recs

Thanks

This was really helpful.

"Well, Travis just showed us that we can go to Travis Outlaw." - Nate McMillan

by 12sharks on Dec 28, 2008 4:26 AM PST up reply actions 0 recs

< /s >?

December 18, 2008.

"Roy is Roy, and if I were to bet my life on a game of 5-on-5, I’d bet on whichever team Roy was playing on." by HurraKane212

by maid tu rek on Dec 28, 2008 4:47 AM PST up reply actions 0 recs

Eh, sort of..

It seemed mostly like “it seems to me this may have been the case, but then again maybe not and I don’t care to inform myself of my own opinions before commenting.”

To put it clearly, I’m not sure what your point was – that we have a lot of lottery guys? Wasn’t that the essence of the person’s comment before yours? It was a lot of ‘perhaps’ info with no real basis in reality, plus an admission that you don’t care enough to check up on it.

At least you’re honest! (no sarcasm there)

"Well, Travis just showed us that we can go to Travis Outlaw." - Nate McMillan

by 12sharks on Dec 28, 2008 4:55 AM PST up reply actions 0 recs

yeah, u make a good point,

im not really contributing unless i can offer something definitive that most people dont allready know any ways. my efforts to further expand on johns point were really overshadowed by my lazieness. i love the BEdge for the insight, but a lot of hard work and reserch seams to be charaistic of my favorite posters. with out that, reserch, im just kinda adding to the unnessassary white noise. fair enough to call it bad ettiquette, or at the least, not good. ill be back after i confirm wut i previously posted.

December 18, 2008.

"Roy is Roy, and if I were to bet my life on a game of 5-on-5, I’d bet on whichever team Roy was playing on." by HurraKane212

by maid tu rek on Dec 28, 2008 5:11 AM PST up reply actions 0 recs

...

Blake – 2nd round, 39th pick, – Wizards 2003
   Rodriguez – 1rst round, 27th pick, – Suns 2007
      Bayless – 1rst round, 11th pick, – Pacers 2008
Roy – 1rst round, 6th pick, – T’ wolves 2006
   Fernandez – 1rst round, 24th pick, – Suns 2007
Batum – 1rst round, 25th pick, – Rockets 2008
   Outlaw – 1rst round, 23rd pick, – Blazers 2003
      Webster – 1rst round, 6th pick, – Blazers 2005
Aldridge – 1rst round, 2nd pick, – Bulls 2006
   Fry – 1rst round, 8th pick, – Knicks 2005
      Diogu – 1rst round, 9th pick, – Warriors 2005
         Randolph – Undrafted – 76ers 2005
Oden – 1rst round, 1rst pick, – Blazers 2007
   Przybilla – 1rst round, 9th pick, – Rockets 2000

LaFrentz 1rst round, 3rd pick, – Nuggets 1998

December 18, 2008.

"Roy is Roy, and if I were to bet my life on a game of 5-on-5, I’d bet on whichever team Roy was playing on." by HurraKane212

by maid tu rek on Dec 28, 2008 6:26 AM PST up reply actions 0 recs

Way to go, dude.

Every time a BEdger researches, an angel gets its wings.

I like it.

"Well, Travis just showed us that we can go to Travis Outlaw." - Nate McMillan

by 12sharks on Dec 28, 2008 7:08 AM PST up reply actions 0 recs

i'm going to judge the season on wins

and on the development of greg oden. how we finish the season. making the playoffs is secondary in my mind — in that if we miss by a single game but win 50 and oden is averaging a dbl/dbl then we’ll know we’re on the right track.

i hope martell returns, so we can see if he is any kind of a real answer or not. i want to see him make some clutch shots and not disappear.

ignacio

by ignacio on Dec 27, 2008 11:17 PM PST reply actions 0 recs

I don't think anyone disagrees

with the general proposition that our team is young and because of their inexperience is unlikely to make that much noise in the playoffs.

But I don’t think that’s mutually exclusive with being able to intelligently diagnose where our problems are and what sorts of things we need to do to keep getting better.

by howlingfantods on Dec 29, 2008 8:17 AM PST reply actions 0 recs