Summer Leauge Game 5 Recap: Blazers 78, Hornets 63

by Dave on Jul 20, 2008 7:05 PM PDT

Another win! A nice way to end the 2008 Summer League. To the team’s immense credit they got the victory without Jerryd Bayless. On the other hand it was against the Hornets, who couldn’t score in the Mustang Ranch with Paul Allen’s credit card. They fought hard, stuck with it, ran plays, found the open man, and basically played decent basketball. In Summer League that’s enough.

The Blazers are being slightly coy about Jerryd Bayless’ hand. The coaches right now are saying they’re not sure what’s up and Bayless himself reports a little pain but he’s otherwise fine. Neither seems to know how the injury happened. However the word a little closer inside is that it is a sprain of the left hand. He’s still expected to practice with the national team. This is the most significant potential story right now and it seems like a non-story at this point.

In Jerryd’s absence neither of the other big two distinguished themselves completely. Petteri Koponen did a credible job of running the point, with 3 assists, 2 turnovers, and 10 points on 4 of 13 shooting. His strongest attribute this game seemed to be getting back defensively whenever the Hornets tried to run. Again he showed his willingness to work and run. A couple of his passes were inspired and he has impressed plenty of onlookers at this level. However he’s still a ways away from being able to make a difference in the big leagues. Batum shot 3 of 6 and had isolated moments of offensive effectiveness. He had 4 assists himself plus 4 rebounds. He showed his team game tonight. His most impressive attribute is definitely his fluidity. He has farther to go than Petteri if he is to contribute.

J.R. Pinnock scored 30 points on 11 of 19 shooting in taking over for Bayless in this game. Pinnock has always had the ability to score but this really says as much about Summer League as it does about J.R. Still, it was a wonderful effort. He looked good. Steven Hill had 4 blocks and 8 points on 3 of 4 shooting. The cheers from the crowd were good-natured and he seemed to enjoy the attention and take it with the right sense of humor. Nice guy. Bernard Robinson snagged 10 rebounds, helping to keep us from getting obliterated. Keep in mind with all of the forwards and centers that nobody with incredibly bright prospects would sign up for the Blazers’ Summer League team because of the big man situation on our main squad. There were no spots to be won here. That made a difference.

This is not the end of our Summer League coverage. Ben has a brief interview with Nicolas Batum to add. After I get back home I will post a rundown of thoughts and assessments from the week. Right now I need to get on the long road back home, so I will leave it at that.

It was a great week. We saw some meaningful performances, learned a bunch about our young prospects, and had some fun in the meantime. Special thanks to everyone who contributed to make this trip possible, to Ben Golliver, Casey Holdahl, the Oregonian guys, Maunu Anhava, Mike Born, the Trail Blazers staff, players, and coaches, and everyone who read and commented. Blazersedge is in debt to you all, as am I personally. Talk to you on Tuesday!

--Dave blazersub@yahoo.com

0 recs | Comment 45 comments

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Comments

First

Coach, I promise I wasn't running hard ...

by Norsktroll on Jul 20, 2008 7:07 PM PDT 0 recs

Have a safe trip Home

Elizabeth had a partner and he had a rap from the cops, Him and Lenny Suckerpunch were just out Tooling around

by Lizzy Lowblow on Jul 20, 2008 7:09 PM PDT 7 recs

+1

A Time For Heroes,
It's not right for young lungs to be coughing up blood
And it's all
It's all in my hands
And its all up the walls
Well the stale chips were up and the hopes stakes were down
Until Kp came into Town!
'Sing it Petey!

by Dheepan on Jul 20, 2008 7:13 PM PDT up 0 recs

+2

"Besides, AnntheFan will be here any minute to #25 you." T Darkstar

by annthefan on Jul 20, 2008 7:25 PM PDT up 0 recs

+3

Kevin Pritchard is a 4.0 Draft Day Student

by rmcdougall on Jul 20, 2008 7:25 PM PDT up 0 recs

+4

Integrity first, service before self, and excellence in all we do.

by prezofdeath on Jul 20, 2008 7:46 PM PDT up 0 recs

+5

Aldridge said. "We feel like we can beat any team. We feel like we can beat the Spurs, Suns, Lakers, Mavericks, whoever any night right now, and we'll still be here when those teams get old and their guys retire. We're going to be here for a long time."

by lee3022 on Jul 20, 2008 8:45 PM PDT up 0 recs

Okay, this is gettin' ridiculous

Aren’t you s’posed to rec a post when you say +1, etc?

I rec’d it myself earlier on though I didn’t bother to increment the count.

How’s it gonna ever turn green?

[This space temporarily left blank.]

by CatMan2 on Jul 20, 2008 10:41 PM PDT up 0 recs

Not necessarily

by Dheepan on Jul 20, 2008 10:44 PM PDT up 0 recs

Fun killer

Integrity first, service before self, and excellence in all we do.

by prezofdeath on Jul 21, 2008 12:58 AM PDT up 0 recs

I don't get it when people

say +1 and then don’t rec….

by jamon51 on Jul 21, 2008 9:37 PM PDT up 0 recs

That's what I'm sayin'

[This space temporarily left blank.]

by CatMan2 on Jul 21, 2008 10:20 PM PDT up 0 recs

Click it or ticket ;-)

Coach, I promise I wasn't running hard ...

by Norsktroll on Jul 20, 2008 7:31 PM PDT up 0 recs

Now has Koponen earned a roster spot?

I would say he improved his chances in Summer League, but unlike Bayless he is no locks by any means (neither should be Batum yet). I am a little worried about Petkos (declining) shooting ability. 1 for 14 from outside in the last 4 games, only solid in the first one. And just 50% from the line. One turnover per assist, against weaker defenders than he will encounter in the NBA. And still so-so defense. That doesn’t sound too promising, even if he would play the bulk of the season in the D-League. Well, we will see if the Blazers like him enough latest after training camp – don’t expect any cuts before that. Maybe Dave and Ben have some more thoughts about his future once they are back, too.

http://www.nba.com/summerleague2008/players/index.jsp?player=petteri_koponen

Coach, I promise I wasn't running hard ...

by Norsktroll on Jul 20, 2008 7:30 PM PDT 0 recs

i talked to an eastern conference scout today

with no particular knowledge of the situation, but with knowledge of koponen’s game, history, goals, etc.

the scout doesn’t think PK will make our roster and seemed pretty confident about that.

file this under FWIW

"You'd rather say 'whoa' than 'giddyup.'" ~ Dean Demopoulos

by Ben. on Jul 20, 2008 7:46 PM PDT up 0 recs

I agree, I havent been blown away by Petko like most round here seem to be...

I never thought he was going to make the roster. He is a pg and doesn’t have adequate pg skills on an nba level…yet. He is just needs a little more time in the oven and a little garlic salt, garlic salt makes everything taste good ya know…..

RUDY > MJ

by myemic23 on Jul 21, 2008 12:12 AM PDT up 0 recs

Garlic salt is good...

But you really need to try Bacon Salt.

Mmmm….bacon

by DonkeyShins on Jul 21, 2008 9:53 AM PDT up 0 recs

three cheers for Dave

I really appreciate your tireless efforts. Truth.

"Meow" --- My cat Bonzi opining on how the summer league is just fill time

by bow4meow on Jul 20, 2008 7:45 PM PDT 0 recs

bayless won summer league mvp

Oden...Aldridge...Roy.....THE REAL BIG THREE

by CroRupt on Jul 20, 2008 8:02 PM PDT 0 recs

Batum drew some pretty good defensive assignments

throughout the league.

Today he helped hold Julian Wright to 4-12 shooting while shooting 3-6 himself.
Thursday he helped hold Corey Brewer to 0-4 while shooting 5-7 himself
Tuesday he helped hold Patrick Ewing Jr to 0-1 while shooting 1-8 himself
Monday he helped hold Dominic McGuire to 1-3 while shooting 1-6 himself

His only poor defensive game was Saturday when Marcus Vinicus shot 4-5 while Batum shot 2-8.

Wright and Brewer are really good defenders themselves (maybe not as motivated) so those two games stand out to me. As does the progress in Batum’s offensive game as the week moved along.

by lee3022 on Jul 20, 2008 8:04 PM PDT 0 recs

What is your take on the Euro problem?

Unless the dollar reverses its plunge the competition for foreign players that can play in Europe seems daunting. Restricted free agency means nothing while teams can offer tax free 2 to 3 times the money and fewer games each year. Keep Petko or give him up for good?

by lee3022 on Jul 20, 2008 8:44 PM PDT 0 recs

The Dollar is going to go back up

And I don’t think it will take too long for that to happen. The EU is considering dropping interest rates and will probably follow through on that notion. The cheaper dollar is allowing for a resurgence in American exports, and increasing the competitiveness of American made goods in the world market. The EU which has several members with large manufacturing bases (France, Germany) will likely try to deflate the value of the dollar to help it’s own domestic economy. For example, Airbus is opening up a new manufacturing center in the US. The French with their chronically high unemployment, probably aren’t pleased about these types of jobs going overseas.

This combined with the wind down of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, and definite answers to the problem of government social services (medicare, medicaid, social security) will help reduce the budget deficit and encourage foreign investment of government bonds.

Secondly, the retirement of the baby boomer generation will result in mass openings in the job market. The new hirees will be younger, and cheaper to hire. America with it’s large echo-boom generation (I think it’s generation Y), will be entering the job market for the first time. This is the first PC generation, and is far more technologically savvy than the generations before them. Coupled with the investments in biotech and renewable energy of the new millennium we should be doing pretty well economically in a 2-4 years, either from foreign investment or domestic businesses growth.

This is a little off topic isn’t? Well I guess I wanted someplace to write this up.

by Dheepan on Jul 20, 2008 9:46 PM PDT up 0 recs

oops, should be "deflate the value of the euro"

by Dheepan on Jul 20, 2008 9:47 PM PDT up 0 recs

So basically the currency problem should go away pretty soon

by Dheepan on Jul 20, 2008 9:48 PM PDT up 0 recs

Actually, with a gargantuan deficit, a gargantuan balance of trade deficit, inflation up 1.1% in the last month alone...

................................... the financial market on the brink of meltdown, and home equity levels tenuous (not to mention the long-running deinidustrialization of the country), I’ll bet you donuts to your low value dollars that the greenback falls MORE against the Euro in the coming 2-3 years…

"He shoots....................... he scores!!!"

by timbo on Jul 20, 2008 10:30 PM PDT up 0 recs

Ok Timbo

If I ever see you, which I won’t, but if I see someone that’s like 6’3” and wears glasses I’ll buy them a donut.

And yeah, in 2-3 we’re going to be in a recession, but I’m talking about afterwards. I don’t think the dollar will slip too much further though. Just a feeling.

by Dheepan on Jul 20, 2008 10:39 PM PDT up 0 recs

Although if it does

We’re screwed. Especially if people start trading oil in Euros. Good thing I can move to Switzerland. Although watching Blazer games might be difficult.

by Dheepan on Jul 20, 2008 10:40 PM PDT up 0 recs

I think Dheepan is right here

and so is timbo. The US economy has all those problems, timbo is exactly right. But people in the US don’t realize the horrible tensions and problems in euroland. I won’t be surprised if there is no euro five years from now, though I expect it to take a little longer than that. And since there was no divorce law put in place for this marriage, the divorce could end up in yet another European war. That’s the drastic, unlikely possibility, but I can easily see fears over that possibility being a huge depressant on the euro within a couple of years.

Other people don't have as much practice at being wrong as I do -- HT, timbo

by jscot on Jul 21, 2008 12:14 AM PDT up 0 recs

"This combined with the wind down of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan..."

Umm…dude…last I checked, if anything, the war in Afghanistan was winding back up. And with regards to the Baby Boomers (a.k.a. the Me Generation / the Me First Generation), they may be off the payrolls, but they’ll be on the dole (Social Security). If we’re lucky, we’ll be in a recession for the next couple of years, but unless Bernanke stops futzing around, we’re going to have to go through stagflation first, and then a recession (since that’s the only way out of stagflation). I don’t know if you are old enough to remember the economics of the late 1970s, but I do. Not a fun time (what with disco and all).

However, maybe it is an omen? Similar economic problems leading to yet another Blazers’ championship? There’s gotta be a silver lining here somewhere!!!

by DonkeyShins on Jul 21, 2008 9:51 AM PDT up 0 recs

Well written but highly optimistic

To illustrate the problem for the NBA here is a blurb from today’s Sportsline.com:

In another sign that Europe is emerging as a stronger player in the worldwide pro basketball landscape, Josh Childress is considering a reported three-year, $20 million offer to play for the Olympiakos in Greece, the Atlanta Journal-Constitution reports.

In the near term the restricted free agents have a new weapon to help raise their prospects. Several foreign-born NBA players have already jumped back into Europe and should Childress actually sign such a contract it will send chills throughout the NBA.

As far as the long-term economy vs the Euro the weak dollar has made American products more attractive on the world market but USA is no longer the primary manufacturing giant it has been. Airplanes are an exception but Airbus was awarded the Air Force tanker contract (and then rescinded) for mult-billions and the airline industry in the US is hemorraging with the current oil prices so not likely to be buying many new airships for the forseeable future. makes me think Airbus is competing for defense contracts instead.

I do agree that the current generation is more technically experienced in consumer electronics products than previous generations but the decline in the educational achievements make me wonder if India and China are not better poised to expand in these fields. My generation is not as dumb as you might think (I have both an accounting degree and a EE post-grad degree and have worked with computers since 1963 but not productive any longer. I had my first PC in 1979). Every generation since 1950 has been more technologically savvy than the preceding one in the USA in my opinion. I also agree with your optimism as America has always rebounded and is likely to do so again in a decade or so. In the meantime even the NBA wants to go to Europe as the new sports frontiers in Europe and Asia will compete strongly for players and coaches,

by lee3022 on Jul 21, 2008 3:05 PM PDT up 0 recs

is it fewer games?

I was reading a random article about an American playing in Europe, and it sounded like with the kinda three-piece league, his season was 90 games.
but maybe that’s wrong.

by Section323 on Jul 20, 2008 9:57 PM PDT up 0 recs

It depends

I think they have a regular season and then they have tournaments and stuff.

But I think they only go for about 40 games. But I could be mistaken.

But they also don’t have to pay taxes, and they have free housing, and cars and other neat things like that.

by Dheepan on Jul 20, 2008 9:59 PM PDT up 0 recs

not sure about that

I think if your state has a state income tax, you still have to pay them even if you work out of state (or out of country). You may not have to pay tax to the Euro’s, but you may to pay income tax to your home state.

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.

by johnv59 on Jul 20, 2008 11:42 PM PDT up 0 recs

hmmm

Well since they are being employed for basketball, doesn’t that mean they get a work visa to whatever Euro country they are playing in? Since they aren’t working for an American company or anything like that, it doesn’t make too much sense to me why they would be State taxes. Their permanent residence after all would be their Euro address. Wouldn’t it?

by Dheepan on Jul 21, 2008 1:31 AM PDT up 0 recs

I think it really depends on which state you legally reside in...

and their laws. Oregon is tax hell, we all know that.

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.

by johnv59 on Jul 21, 2008 1:47 AM PDT up 0 recs

Actually Oregon follows US taxation laws pretty closely

and US allows a US citizen to avoid taxation if we live and work oversees for some period (maybe 18 months). A player willing to move his family and maintain a year-around residence in his country of work can avoid taxation in the USA. (And my tax knowledge is well out of date so perhaps it has changed).

by lee3022 on Jul 21, 2008 3:09 PM PDT up 0 recs

Leauge

I’m still trying to decide how that should be pronounced…

Lee-ugh?

Looosh?

Le-age?

Lowj?

by jamon51 on Jul 20, 2008 9:38 PM PDT 0 recs

lol

"You'd rather say 'whoa' than 'giddyup.'" ~ Dean Demopoulos

by Ben. on Jul 20, 2008 9:45 PM PDT up 0 recs

Thanks so much Dave

(and Ben, too). It’s been great to read your take on everything. Helps us to keep our perspective as even the guys on nba-tv seemed to go overboard on praise of just about everyone. (I think the only negatives I heard today were abt H. Armstrong)

Thanks also to everyone who gave interviews.

No comments about BE dinner??

"We, as Blazer fans, are perhaps the luckiest fans in the league."-Idog1976, July 19.

by jorga on Jul 20, 2008 9:43 PM PDT 0 recs

PORNO game

Not what you think, but it’s a funny story. I have firewall software set up to prevent my kids from looking at “bad” websites. I just plug in a bunch of keywords and if any of those words appear on a web page or in a URL then my router puts up a PAGE BLOCKED page, and one of the words I plugged in is PORN. So, I’ve noticed that in some cases when PORtland plays NO that the nba.com site labels the results page PORNO.html or something like that ( http://www.nba.com/summerleague2008/games/20080720/PORNOH/recap.html ) and I get blocked. Took me a while to figure it out, but now it makes me laugh every time. I sometimes get the same problem when we play NY (PORNY) or NJ (PORNJ). My wife says I’ve combined porn with basketball!

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.

by johnv59 on Jul 20, 2008 11:35 PM PDT 0 recs

PS

so, I was explaining this to my teenage son, and we were lauging about it, and he said “just use www.atunnel.com ”....haha…WOH, what the…? Hmmm…. there is a new word to plug in my firewall software….

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.

by johnv59 on Jul 20, 2008 11:52 PM PDT up 0 recs