Assemble Your Own Blazer Team: Read 'Em and Weep
OK, for all of you who have been faithfully assembling your own Blazer team to take into battle, here is the big reveal. Give us the final list of your players and let us know why you think YOUR team is superior. Offense, defense, win now, win later, win always...lay it all on the table. You have one day to show us why you're the best Blazer-picker ever, or at least why you have an irrational fondness for your very own team.
Thanks to all who have played along. I thought it turned out to be an interesting twist on just "pick your top Blazers ever". I had some real surprises along the way seeing who people picked. I also couldn't help but swell with nostalgia and pride both seeing all of those names listed in actual lineups again. No matter who you picked, you probably have a great team.
--Dave (blazersub@yahoo.com)
1 recs |
75 comments
Comments
My Team of Blazer Ballers!
I will go over every player individually and what they mean to the team:
Starters:
C – Greg Oden- The future and the big “gamble” of my team since he hasn’t played a game yet, at this moment he is projected to be a maybe 10-15 ppg 6-12 rpg and maybe a block per game for his rookie career. This should be agreed by almost anybody and is probably modest to a lot. He has shown he is a good passer as a center and is not afraid to jam on anyones dome. I am making this choice assuming he will be a great center and possibly unseeding Walton as our best ever and should have a long and successful career, hopefully with blazers for most if not all of it!
PF-Maurice Lucus-The enforcer! Lucus is plain scary, he will gobble up rebounds and put anyone to the ground that dares think not! Oden will learn well the aggressive and assertiveness from Lucus and what it takes to become one of the dominate big men which will help him on both sides of the ball. I would like to see anyone try and cut down the lane with these two monsters guarding it!
SF-Rasheed Wallace – The tallest on the team at the 3? Well what 7 footer (aside form maybe Dirk) loves the 3 more then Sheed? Despite his hight I feel sheed has the best lateral speed to keep up with SF’s on the defensive end, also Sheed could crowd the middle with Lucus and Oden making an unpenatratable fortress of drift out and rain threes on the shorter defenders all day. Also one of the best blockers in the game and a LONG wingspan, watch out shifty slashers because this guy can close a gap from the weak side and send your lay-up into the three hundred level! Who can get a rebound on this front three?!
SG-Clyde “The Glyde” Drexler – Do I even need to make an argument for this guy? The best player to date to wear a blazer jersey! Roy (I am hoping for) someday may surpass this amazing man’s legacy for this franchise but as of now there is no one better to carry a blazer team to success (Just don’t let us face a mean Detroit team or a smooth Jordan led Bulls…....Wait with this line screw Bad Boys and MJ we are sweeping them!)
PG-Terry Porter – One of the best backcourts ever assembled so why would i break it up? Porter is such a great PG who can get anyone the ball anytime, take it to the house, or hit a strocker in your eye! Retire his number!
Bench:
Big Man: Mychal Thompson – An underrated player in blazer history for sure. A great scorer and rebounder his whole (and decent length) career. With Thompson rounding out my bigs, a team comprised on a young O’Neil, Garnett, Duncan and Yao is the only one that can have a chance (ok that might be a little bit of an exaggeration, but these 4 big’s can ball it up!)
Scorer: Jim Paxson – He may not be that great of a GM (getting pritchslapped multiple times) but this dude can SCORE! with Paxson coming in for drexler or sheed at SF for a smaller line up the offense should stay strong and keep pounding teams into submission!
Point Guard: Kenny Anderson – Kenny has had a long and successful career and luckily played for the blazer pretty early in it so we still get a long lasting and affective career! When Porter needs a rest the offense shouldn’t miss a beat with this unselfish PG who can also find his own shot when needed. Also Porter could play a combo guard spot at times at the 2 with Kenny, causing the team to have to guard two players that can bring the ball up and run the offense affectively. OUCH!
I tried to pick players that have long and affective careers. That way we can not only win now, but be a dominate team for years to come. A lot of the immediate success relys on Oden’s recovery and play his first couple years, however I am confident he does not need to be dominate for this team to succeed, especially with the other big men that surround him. This team should dominate the paint and be one of the hardest to score on. The offensive depth is also something teams will struggle with as it will be impossible to stop the points from coming and next to impossible to match the fire power this team has.
by Trail Ducker on Aug 8, 2008 1:00 AM PDT reply actions 0 recs
First post means I'm number 1
Right? ;D
by Trail Ducker on Aug 8, 2008 1:01 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
No
because you don’t know the difference between Jim and John Paxson…. :)
Other people don't have as much practice at being wrong as I do -- HT, timbo
by jscot on Aug 8, 2008 2:26 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
amen
Man I love tongue tacos - Mortimer
Only thing better is Trout on a stick roasted over an open fire - annthefan
I have a pic like that of my dog - tominhawaii
by Outlaw is Rejector on Aug 8, 2008 2:45 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
hahaha omg im such a retard
Lol, so ummm scratch that line then about Paxson as a GM, does me typing this all at 1 am count for anything?
by Trail Ducker on Aug 8, 2008 6:53 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
Great starting lineup
If I’d known the Clyde trade was going to be on offer, I might have grabbed Sheed when you did, so I could slot him in at the 3 and trade away Kiki. You’ve got the inside/outside threat, with both Clyde and Porter to slash.
I don’t like that Sheed can disappear in big games, but his defense will probably still be there, and you’ll hardly need his offense most of the time. But if he isn’t a threat to hit 3s for you when it counts, teams might collapse on you, and you really only have Porter as a deep threat if that happens.
I don’t like your bench. Oh, I like them a lot. But if 2 of your three key reserves are guards, then you are very thin up front. Thompson’s flexibility helps, he can play either PF or C, which is why I took him, too. But Sheed is not really a small forward, and you don’t have anyone to back him up who is, either. I think my SFs will light you up big time (Kiki/Natt) and Sheed will have a hard time keeping up with them, get frustrated, lose his head, and end up ejected. And then you are even thinner. And Paxson just isn’t going to be an answer to my SFs, especially Natt. Calvin will just punish Jim, and I liked him too much to be happy about you putting him in at SF against my guys. It isn’t fair.
I don’t think you can afford to have a non-SF Sheed who is known for losing his head being your only SF. You’ve got to be able to pull him, quickly, when trouble is developing. Your lineup doesn’t let you do that.
Other people don't have as much practice at being wrong as I do -- HT, timbo
by jscot on Aug 8, 2008 3:21 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
I forgot to mention it
But Clyde can play small forward, and if needed be paxson at sg, clyde at sf (If there weren’t any rules i probably would have put clyde there and had roy as my sg)
by Trail Ducker on Aug 8, 2008 6:58 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
But that's a kluge
You don’t want your best player regularly playing out of position. In an emergency, yes, but not regularly. And you still don’t have any real SF.
Sorry, I declare my team better than yours. And everyone knows how unbiased I am.
Other people don't have as much practice at being wrong as I do -- HT, timbo
by jscot on Aug 8, 2008 1:44 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
So would you have been more impressed by my roster is I took out Lucus instead of Kersey?
I took out Kersey because I just remember seeing past plays by Lucus more and hearing from my dad about how much of a brute he was which i thought would make such a scary tandom with Oden. I was worried about Wallace drifting to the three line too much and not helping Oden out enough inside, If i kept Kersey and instead took out Lucus and started Wallace at PF would you be think I had a better team? Just wanting to see your reaction jscot, you do bring up great points I didn’t think as hard about as I maybe should have.
by Trail Ducker on Aug 8, 2008 5:39 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
You'd have a better balance
Because you would then have a true SF and Sheed could presumably back up Kersey some, as could Drexler occasionally.
Yes, I think that would be a better lineup. That’s the decision I made when acquiring Drexler, that I had to let Luke go. We’ve just had, historically, more depth at that position.
I never, ever liked Rasheed, so I don’t think I would have taken him even if it gave me a better lineup. But there’s no doubt he could ball, and he gives you a deep threat along with Porter.
Would you start Sheed or Thompson? Personally, with that lineup I would start Thompson, so you have Sheed to back up all three front line positions, but I could see going the other way.
Other people don't have as much practice at being wrong as I do -- HT, timbo
by jscot on Aug 8, 2008 8:56 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
Sheed at the 3
This experiment didn’t work long term for Portland in real life. Eventually they let Brian Grant and Jermaine O’Neal go because Sheed was not effective playing out of position over the long run. He hasn’t played there at all with Detroit. For that reason I would have to say it won’t work on your fantasy team either.
PTB Liberation Day - 2/10/04
by tssbro on Aug 9, 2008 11:44 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
As Mr. Burns would say..
Excelllent…
Briefing: I tried my best to think out of the box and assemble the strongest team within the boundaries that Dave presented. I wouldn’t be surprised if I had one of the most uncommon line up in all Blazer Edgedom, but I stick with it.
Center: Arvydas Sabonis
The reason I chose Sabas wasn’t due to his history or my overwhelming fandom for him. I chose him because this excercise wasn’t about a players overall stats, but more about what they did while they were a Blazer, and what they did after they were a Blazer. I knew before I started assembling my team what I was looking for, and I wanted a Big man who could pass the ball, and defend the best in the game. This might lead some to think “why not take Walton then?”, the answer is that Sabonis could shoot from anywhere on the floor, and he should have an NBA ring with the Blazers. Period.
Power Forward: Maurice Lucas
When I was growing up my Dad use to tell me weird stories about the Blazers, cause he desperately wanted me to be a fan (I love him for this), and one of the stories he told me was about the time he met Luke… Him and his buddy were waiting outside the Memorial Colliseum to see a game against Warriors, and back then I guess the players were much more accessible and would park in the parking lot of the arena. Well my Dad’s friend kept urging him on to go see if they could catch any players arriving, but my dad kept saying “No I don’ t wanna have to get back in line” (what a lamer). However, eventually my Dad was convinced and he went with his friend to the far parking lot where the players would park… Lo and Behold, Maurice Lucas was the last player to show up that day for the game and he got out of his car and was surrounded by maybe 12 fans, and was very friendly, my dad and his friend got his autograph, but the big deal is… Daddio met this girl who was also wanting a Maurice Lucas autograph… :) A couple years later I was born…My Dad gave my Mom his autographed shirt because my mom had nothing better than her hand to be signed. Sometimes I think, is Maurice my God Father? Also Mo Luke was a great player!
Small Forward: Scottie Pippen
Scottie Pippen is considered one of the 50 greatest players to ever play the game, and he was considered that before he ever joined the Trail Blazers roster. When he was traded to the Blazers there was a lot of pressure put on him, as a former champion and running mate of the greatest player ever to play the game, Portland fans expected him to fill a void left by Clyde Drexler. Oddly enough he kind of lived up to the expectations, granted he was no Clyde, he was without a doubt the best player the Blazers had for several years, and became the leader of a team that was so talented and had no guidance. He led the Blazers to within minutes of the NBA Finals, and did so while flip flopping positions between Small Forward and Point Guard. He was a guy able to keep the team in check. Is it any surprise that after he left the team, the Blazers went into their darkest days as Jail Blazers?
I put him on my roster because he is a leader, and he never faultered as a talent in this league. He is unselfish and he can play multiple positions on the court. He will be a welcome fit for me.
Shooting Guard: Geoff Petrie
in 1971 and 1972 the Portland Trail Blazers were lucky enough to have back to back rookie of the year players in Geoff Petrie and Sidney Wicks, although Mr. Dave Cowens did tie Petrie in 1971. He is one of those few players who played their entire career with one team, and although it wasn’t a very lengthy career, he made sure his stay with the team was worth it. Unfortunately he was not part of the NBA championship team, but his ability to play the game of Basketball is undying. Today he is the Executive for the Sacremento Kings. But his contributions to the Blazers will not be forgotten. Career Stats
Point Guard: Lafeyette Lever
This is a guy who really didn’t do a whole lot as a Blazer but went on to be quite a remarkable player. He played in Dever which was a rather unheralded Sports city and therefore may have lost his chance to really be a superstar.
But their is no denying that this guy could play, and play at such an incredibly high level. he is one of 3 men to do someone remarkable in the playoffs, in a club with Jason Kidd and Wilt Chamberlin
It was my belief that my started lineup was intimidating, confident, strong, and dedicated to the game. I wanted to make sure I had guys who would work well with each other and forus on winning.
Bench:
Drazen Petrovid
LaMarcus Aldridge
Sidney Wicks…
More on them later:)
Man I love tongue tacos - Mortimer
Only thing better is Trout on a stick roasted over an open fire - annthefan
I have a pic like that of my dog - tominhawaii
by Outlaw is Rejector on Aug 8, 2008 1:49 AM PDT reply actions 0 recs
petrovic*
Man I love tongue tacos - Mortimer
Only thing better is Trout on a stick roasted over an open fire - annthefan
I have a pic like that of my dog - tominhawaii
by Outlaw is Rejector on Aug 8, 2008 1:50 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
Great lineup
But you don’t really have any backup SF, you only get four years of Drazen, you only get an old Sabonis and Pippen, and injuries will likely hit you at least one year, so you are only likely to win 2-3 championships. You’ll dominate for those years, break the record for wins in a season, and perhaps set a record for consecutive playoff wins, but your horizon is very short.
Other people don't have as much practice at being wrong as I do -- HT, timbo
by jscot on Aug 8, 2008 3:07 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
And this is a bad thing???
:-p
Man I love tongue tacos - Mortimer
Only thing better is Trout on a stick roasted over an open fire - annthefan
I have a pic like that of my dog - tominhawaii
by Outlaw is Rejector on Aug 8, 2008 3:20 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
The short horizon is bad
I’m going to win 8 championships, at least. :-p :-p :-p
Other people don't have as much practice at being wrong as I do -- HT, timbo
by jscot on Aug 8, 2008 3:22 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
as far as youth goes.
I was banking on Aldridge, Lever, and Petrovic (sad as that is).
The team has a “Win now, and Sustain” mentality. Also… Does Sabonis count from the time we drafted him??
Man I love tongue tacos - Mortimer
Only thing better is Trout on a stick roasted over an open fire - annthefan
I have a pic like that of my dog - tominhawaii
by Outlaw is Rejector on Aug 8, 2008 3:25 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
Also
We drafted Sabonis when he was 18…
Don’t I get him from then?
Man I love tongue tacos - Mortimer
Only thing better is Trout on a stick roasted over an open fire - annthefan
I have a pic like that of my dog - tominhawaii
by Outlaw is Rejector on Aug 9, 2008 3:52 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
I may never forgive Dave for the Drexler thing
You build your whole team around a certain assumption, and then he makes Clyde suddenly available.
But that’s reality. Teams will build, and then all of a sudden they trade for a lottery pick and win the lottery, and the superstar they hadn’t planned on becomes available. So I went with it. Here’s my team.
Oden
LMA
Kiki
Clyde
TP
Mychal
Natt
Paxson
Oden was my big gamble, but I’m going for a dynasty. If you’ve got Sabonis, you just have a very few years. If you’ve got Walton, you don’t really have a superstar for very long. I’m going to win at least 8 championships with my lineup.
LMA. I had Lucas starting here, but had to let him go in the Clyde trade. LMA is going to be a perennial 20/10 guy, good shot-blocker. He’ll be a very good defender on the perimeter, and Oden will defend the other team’s muscle guy inside. Twin Towers for 10 years plus. Not my first choice, but a great fall-back. He was my utility big man anyway—this is not a major step back. In fact, LMA MIGHT end up better than Luke, in time. We won’t be as strong without Luke in year one, but we’ll still be awesome.
Vandeweghe. You have to spread the floor. You have to have some decent 3 pt threats. And with the rebounders we’ll have at 4-5, you have to have a guy who will score, and score, and score when he fills the lanes on the break. No one has a better scorer and 3 pt threat than Kiki. My interior shot blockers will help cover for his defensive liabilities.
Drexler and Porter. One of the best backcourt tandems to ever play the game together for more than 5 years. These guys will run and run and run, Drexler is simply a superstar, they are both great defenders, you DON’T want Clyde to get the ball in the open court on a break, you DON’T want TP to take the final shot against you (not that this team will have many close games), and if they had a great center with them, they would have won 5-7 championships. Easily. MJ would not have been MJ if Sabonis had been in the States—MJ would have been the best player of his era who led his team to maybe a couple titles. But we would have been Showtime with 5-7 titles. Drexler/MJ would have been like Magic/Bird.
Bench:
Mychal Thompson. Perennial 15-10 guy, good teammate, a winner, willing to be a role player to win a championship. He’ll win a lot of them, backing up both Oden and LMA, though he might start over LMA at first, because he was really, really good even in his rookie season. We’ll have twin towers whichever of the three is resting.
Calvin Natt. Great scorer, great on the fast break, will fit in great with TP and Clyde that way. If we’re getting badly hurt at SF on the defensive end or in rebounding, Calvin will do a job for us. In certain matchups, he might start over Kiki. He should have been one of the options for starting SF. I’m glad he wasn’t, because that means I’ve got him off the bench. Expect him to virtually share PT with Kiki, at least 20 mpg.
Jim Paxson. Good enough ball handler to get some PT next to Clyde. Great shooter, can help spread the floor. Good all-round game. Doesn’t have to be holding the ball, great without it, we’ll find him. If a guard is scoring a lot on us, look for Pax to come in and run him through 10 screens on every offensive possession until the guy is ready to drop from exhaustion. If he gets lazy on D, Pax will score, pure and simple.
I can still use a specialist defensive stopper, a 45% 3 point threat, a lightning quick PG, and a big banger 7 foot center for situational substitutions. But those are my 8 main guys, and no one has a better 8. Why? Because I said so, and I am me. Secondarily, because it is true.
Other people don't have as much practice at being wrong as I do -- HT, timbo
by jscot on Aug 8, 2008 3:02 AM PDT reply actions 0 recs
I see why you responded to my lineup...
We could be competeting for best team….
Man I love tongue tacos - Mortimer
Only thing better is Trout on a stick roasted over an open fire - annthefan
I have a pic like that of my dog - tominhawaii
by Outlaw is Rejector on Aug 8, 2008 3:27 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
Well, that and...
I’m arrogant enough to not only have an opinion about everything, but express it.
I am sure you will win 1 or 2 championships against me, if we were head to head, in the early years. But by year 3, we’ll be pretty much even, and by year 5 I’m going to totally dominate you. Sorry, that’s just the way it is.
Other people don't have as much practice at being wrong as I do -- HT, timbo
by jscot on Aug 8, 2008 6:32 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
So if Porter get's hurt
your having Paxson as your back up PG? I don’t know about that personally just because he is such a scorer (almost like when Iverson tries to play PG to me), that’s why I went with Kenny Anderson. Also I don’t know much about Calvin Natt at all! 1. I wasn’t alive when he wa son the blazers and 2. He’s not mentioned much in blazer talks (might have been because of the time he was on the blazers, not much happening then for us). You seem pretty high on him so he must have been good, but I have no idea! lol
by Trail Ducker on Aug 8, 2008 5:48 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
Natt was very good for us
http://www.nba.com/historical/playerfile/index.html?player=calvin_natt
Porter isn’t having any major injuries. The man played 17 seasons and only had two where he played less than 68 games. His first 9 seasons, the fewest games he played was 77, and 7 of them he played 80 or more. And he didn’t foul out a lot, either. So Paxson will only need perhaps 10 mpg at the point, and we’ll have a young rookie project (Koponen?) we’re developing that we’ll want to give a few minutes here and there at the point. By ten years from now, when Porter has his first injury season, Kops will probably be a pretty decent backup. Remember, we’ve only discussed our top 8 here, I’ll have utility players to fill out the roster who can help in case of injuries.
Other people don't have as much practice at being wrong as I do -- HT, timbo
by jscot on Aug 8, 2008 9:09 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
Honestly
I dont think Clyde shoulda been made available at all. It just changes the entire mentality of the game here. I understand why it was done, but I think the teams were stronger pre drex.
Personal Opinion.
Man I love tongue tacos - Mortimer
Only thing better is Trout on a stick roasted over an open fire - annthefan
I have a pic like that of my dog - tominhawaii
by Outlaw is Rejector on Aug 8, 2008 3:31 AM PDT reply actions 0 recs
I considered actually not taking him
The cost was so high. But because we’ve had so many good PF/C types, I didn’t think I was getting a huge downgrade to drop Luke.
And the guard tandem was just so very, very good. No one is going to tell me my guards wouldn’t be able to play together.
Other people don't have as much practice at being wrong as I do -- HT, timbo
by jscot on Aug 8, 2008 6:34 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
You may be correct
but there were a couple of things:
1. The avalanche for Roy really shocked me. There seemed to be not much of a real choice at SG.
2. Some of the teams were looking similar, so we needed another choice to differentiate and to pep things up.
3. The big deal was, to give everybody a chance to draft whoever they wanted on the last day I had to open the field completely. But the obvious, overwhelming choice there was Jermaine O’Neal. I had frankly forgotten about him when listing the utility big men. Because of my blunder there, I would have almost had to restrict J.O. as well as Clyde…and then it just didn’t seem like a true “Blazer great” team. So…Clyde came back in, at a cost.
—Dave
by Dave on Aug 8, 2008 1:24 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
I still can't believe
you left Calvin Natt off the SF choices to start with. But I thank you.
Other people don't have as much practice at being wrong as I do -- HT, timbo
by jscot on Aug 8, 2008 1:45 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
That's because
despite his height Natt was really more of a power forward. In those years Mychal Thompson pretty much played the center role with Natt as our big forward and Kermit Washington helping both out. Then we threw a ton of guards plus Bob Gross out there.
—Dave
by Dave on Aug 8, 2008 5:57 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
I <3 you forever
Man I love tongue tacos - Mortimer
Only thing better is Trout on a stick roasted over an open fire - annthefan
I have a pic like that of my dog - tominhawaii
by Outlaw is Rejector on Aug 9, 2008 3:49 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
STARTERS:
Walton | Wallace | Kersey | Drexler | Porter
BENCH:
Duckworth | Carr | Porter
If you just asked me to make a team and then lose one of my starters, I’m not sure it would have been this one. However, Walton and Drexler are The Greats—you can’t pass them up. Those two plus a little leadership plus anybody else are an awesome team.
by jtanzer on Aug 8, 2008 5:16 AM PDT reply actions 0 recs
Now this team would win the olympics
Walton
Lucas
Kersey
Roy
Porter
Bench
Paxson
Aldridge
Natt
I wanted team players. With the Big Red Head anchoring the middle, I wanted unselfish guys who could shoot/pass/cut to the hoop.
Walton and Lucas clearing the boards firing outlets to Porter, Kersey, Paxson and Aldridge.
Clutch late game shooters in Roy and Porter.
Perimeter players when Walton gets double teamed. Porter, Paxson.
Fowards who can bang and hit a 20 foot jumper: Natt, Lucas, Aldridge
No backup point guard needed as Porter can play 38-40 minutes at the point and Roy can play the other 8-10 with Paxson as his backcourt mate.
Aldridge to back up Walton and Lucas.
No one messes with the Big Red Head with Lucas and Natt on the team.
Walton anchors the defense in the middle with Aldridge and Kersey helping out.
Decent backcourt defense (although could be hurt by speedy point guards). But the middle will be clogged.
I see 73 wins.
by blazermaniac32 on Aug 8, 2008 7:17 AM PDT reply actions 0 recs
Identical starting lineups
But we have completely different benches.
I also wanted team players surrounding Walton, and so built a starting five of players who would work together on both sides of the floor. But on my bench I decided to take a few risks. I like picking Drazen because the guy was such a great scorer. I wanted Rasheed because I think he would love to just slip in behind Walton and Luke, with no pressure to be the man, and do all sorts of damage (again on both sides of the floor). And I decided that I needed someone in my rotation that could spell the shooting guard or small forward, provide some more scoring off the bench, and really connect with the fans. So I took Bonzi. Wasn’t I worried about putting Rasheed and Bonzi back together? A little bit, but I think with Walton, Lucas, Roy, and Porter on the team, those guys would be much more likely to settle in and do what they’re supposed to do.
My final lineup then is here
starters:
C Walton
PF Lucas
SF Kersey
SG Roy
PG Porter
Backups:
C/PF Wallace
SG/SF Wells
G Petrovic
(Roy can slide over some to PG, and there’s enough flexibility to play a huge lineup or a little smaller lineup.)
by jc burg on Aug 8, 2008 8:16 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
That was my exact starting line up
Until Dave threw that Drexler curve ball at us! I still like Sheed in this game over alderidge because of his steller defense and versatility (although i hope one day Aldirdge passes him up as a better PF) but all around good hustling team you got there
by Trail Ducker on Aug 8, 2008 7:24 AM PDT reply actions 0 recs
I was always taught
“Stay back on the curve ball and don’t sucker”. We will see how that plays out.
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 Aug 8, 2008 9:15 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
Very Interesting
Clyde Drexler/ Terry Porter / Scottie Pippen / Maurice Lucas / Duckworth
Rasheed/ Drazen Petrovich / Steve Johnson
This has been an interesting exercise. I’m not going to spend a lot of time justifying my team. Now that the exercise is over and I’m looking at some other peoples combinations I have to admit I’m a little worried about my choices. Oh, sure I’ve got enough talent that this team would be awesome but if I’ve taken anything from this exercise it’s been a different perspective on how difficult it must be to be a GM. Despite the pick 1 of 3 daily format, and the suprise of adding Drexler at the end I’m afraid I’ve pulled a Whittsit. I’m a little afraid in my enthusiasm to create a “Field of Dreams” of The Blazer hardwood I’ve not paid enough attention to chemistry…too many Chiefs not enough Indians. Plus I can’t believe I forgot Mychal Thompson! One of my favorites when I was a kid. This team probably isn’t my best work. I’m relatively happy with my starting 5 but not too happy with the balance of my bench. Hat’s off to many of the Blazer’s Edgers many of these teams are fantastic. Hopefully I’ve learned something from this and just scrolling through the line-ups has brought back some great memories. I’ve got to go scour the “D” league….how much for Von Wafer? I need some guard help off the bench…..
"Mother Nature started this fight, I think it's about time we ended it!"
by Krang on Aug 8, 2008 7:26 AM PDT reply actions 0 recs
I got in a hurry...
and screwed up slightly on the last day. I was looking for a three point specialist and didn’t notice I only had one bona-fide PG.
My lineup:
Strickland
Drexler
Oden
Williams
Elie
Paxson
Wallace
Murray
If I had the last day to do over I would go with Stoudamire instead of Murray. Nevertheless, I like my team.
"I love this game!" -Moonbeam, from 'Rollerball' right before he was knocked into a permanent coma
by -ken on Aug 8, 2008 7:40 AM PDT reply actions 0 recs
Pax can play some point if needed
I’m counting on that on my team.
Other people don't have as much practice at being wrong as I do -- HT, timbo
by jscot on Aug 8, 2008 1:47 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
My team rules
Oden -
This man will be legendary. He’s so incredibly underrated by more conservative bloggers here, it’s incredible. Yes. He’ll struggle a little at first, but his attitude, his work ethic, his talent, and his ceiling are Shaq levels or higher people. Do you drool of lebron james without the attitude, that man is Oden.
Additionally, and more importantly Oden is greater than the other center options. He’ll play longer, he started a blazer, and he will recover from the knee. Health concerns are a risk, but the talent vs that risk is far to great to not take. Particularly considering the other centers available. If Walton could have stayed healthy… if sabonis could have come in his prime…
I get to play oden much longer, and that’s important for those championships down the road.
Finally… Walton wouldn’t survive in todays game. Different league, different strengths, different rules.
Lucas:
He’s tough… he’s mean… he can score… he can rebound, and most importantly I think he’d fit a good bench role on my team behind aldridge. He gives me another deep post presence and will work well with a rotation of aldridge at center as well.
Kersey:
I remember this kid being athletic. He’s strong defensively and a slasher. He also scores, has longevity to outlast the shorter foresight teams, and will be my guy on defense outside the paint.
Brandon Roy
I thought about Clyde, but there is NO way I get rid of brandon Roy. Everyone who dropped him just became teams without a leader, anchor, direction. This kid has constructed the character and culture of this team. He’s brought the players together and this team, despite any superstar on it, will always be about brandon.
He can help focus that lucas desire to win and chip on the shoulder into energy on the court. He’ll lead by example and help this team achieve. Additionally… he’ll have a long time line as well. I may not win at teh beginning of the season against these teams, but I will dominate towards the end.
Brandon is unselfish and will focus on winning regardless of his own stats. He’s a winner. Also, I see him moving without the ball better and hitting more threes.
Porter:
He’s a hard worker. He overachieves, he hits threes and he’ll be another strong leader on the court. This is brandon’s team though. Additionally I have some nice defense. The knock on porter will be his speed… but….
Bayless
Big risk on my part, but this kid will be worth it. This is probably the guy where people will look at my team and go “you’re out”. Yeah, I gambled and maybe I didn’t need to. I had a VERY solid team and Rudy would have also been a huge selection. The problem is, I love the Porter, but it’s a different time and a different game. I want the three’s porter gives, but I need the speed and athletiscm of bayless. This kid has the mindset to be great.
If I’m wrong, my team may falter. If I’m right, I’ll have championships every year. One thing I’ve learned watching basketball… never underestimate the killer instinct, and bayless has it. You need that on a team to get over that last hill. I have that in bayless.
LMA:
This man can shoot inside and out. Coupled with Oden he’ll develop into a defensive twin tower. Aldridge can play defense but our team was really messed up last year without oden. This year, Aldridge will really show us what he’s got… He’s also young and fits my timeline well.
Paxson:
meh… decent numbers and NOT a headcase. Also some longevity. If severe headcase wasn’t an issue… but to me an my team… it is. this is Brandon’s team and about culture.
I have a superstar that is greater than Clyde in Oden.
I have support/secondary player in Aldridge
I have a leader/all around incredible game guy in Roy.
That’s a balanced starting line up. I have killer instinct in Bayless coupled with incredible athletiscm.
Porter can rain my threes.
Kersey and porter keep my perimeter defense tight.
My guys all played games every year. A lot of other players didn’t. That helps take me over the edge.
Aldridge fills PF and Center which means i’m always strong in the post.
Porter/Bayless/Roy can rotate positions and do pretty dang well.
Kersey has Paxson or Roy or even aldridge depending on line up.
I have character, toughness, flexibility, longevity, scoring, incredible defense, games played, rebounding…
I’m sorry guys, no team assembled will beat this one.
Ford: Bill, you're claiming victory already? Have you had a "Mission Accomplished" banner printed yet?
http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/draft2008/columns/story?page=DraftDebate-080624
by ratbastird on Aug 8, 2008 8:24 AM PDT reply actions 0 recs
That's a great team
but you’ve left out the greatest Blazer ever, a sure HOFer, to keep a one-time All-Star.
And you only have Porter as a legit three-point threat. I’ll slap Terri Porter on him defensively, and collapse into the paint on the rest of your guys, and with my Oden and LMA to hold down your Oden and Lucas and reject Kersey and Roy when they penetrate, we’ll slow you down big time. You better have some good fastbreaks, because you can’t spread the court enough to get anything in the halfcourt. Sorry.
I like your Bayless pick. I was tempted, but I needed to pick up a big man after losing Lucas in my Drexler trade. If I had known Drexler would become available, I might not have tied my hands with Paxson, and I couldn’t take another guard.
You’re horribly thin up front. You have four guards to cover two guard positions, and only four front-line players to cover three center-forward positions. Bad move. I’m going to have Oden pounding it in on you all game, and your Oden will be foul-prone. Once he’s in foul trouble, you’re toast—no depth up front. Lose one guy and you’ll be hurting. I can afford my Oden to get fouls. If necessary, in a crunch I can even slide Natt over to PF. Kind of ugly, but matchup problems for you if I do.
Other people don't have as much practice at being wrong as I do -- HT, timbo
by jscot on Aug 8, 2008 1:57 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
I have changed my line up by breaking the rules
See below. Your team is dust now.
Ford: Bill, you're claiming victory already? Have you had a "Mission Accomplished" banner printed yet?
http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/draft2008/columns/story?page=DraftDebate-080624
by ratbastird on Aug 12, 2008 8:02 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
You know what Dave
I’m breaking your rules.
I don’t want Paxson. I want Rudy.
I’m dropping Paxson and taking Rudy AND bayless.
My line up is:
Oden
Lucas/Aldridge
Kersey/Rudy
Roy/Rudy/Bayless
Porter/Bayless
I don’t know why it didn’t occur to me to be able to break the rules before, but that is my team. I am now 100% happy.
I have serious defense in Oden/Lucas/Kersey/Porter. I have serious 3pt threat in porter/Rudy and also Roy at some point. I have slashing in Roy/rudy/Bayless. I have excellent post with Oden/Lucas/Aldridge.
This team would be unstoppable.
If I could fit Frye on here, I would fit him too as he’ll be greater than what we’ve seen and he’s also an ultimate team player. There is no room though, so I leave him off.
Ford: Bill, you're claiming victory already? Have you had a "Mission Accomplished" banner printed yet?
http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/draft2008/columns/story?page=DraftDebate-080624
by ratbastird on Aug 12, 2008 8:02 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
thisteamplayedhard
Big Bill
Luke
Pip
B. Roy
Terry
Sheed
JR Rider
Steve “sureshot” Smith
This team is a team of dopeness – and they shall play harder than your team.
Good, related read here:
http://sports.yahoo.com/nba/blog/ball_dont_lie/post/KD-s-DVDs-Utah-at-Portland-2000-Part-II?urn=nba,99308
Ball Don't Lie
by bothteamsplayedhard on Aug 8, 2008 9:43 AM PDT reply actions 0 recs
my team is good
Greg
Lamarcus
Pip
Clyde
Terry
——-
Drazen
Rasta Monsta
Dave Twardzik
That team would win games.
Boomshakalaka
by jksnake99 on Aug 8, 2008 10:15 AM PDT reply actions 0 recs
Lots of games
but only for a few years. No 10 year dynasty there. Pippen, Drazen, and Twardzik did not have long and successful post-Blazer careers.
Other people don't have as much practice at being wrong as I do -- HT, timbo
by jscot on Aug 8, 2008 1:59 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
Team Donkey
C – Walton
Took our team to the promised land in 1977. Would have done it again except for injuries (that in retrospect, probably could have been avoided). Was on the Boston championship team as well. Still one of the best outlet passers in the game. Was a great defender, shot blocker and rebounder. With modern training and medicine, would be virtually unstoppable. Fantastic basketball IQ in part due to his tuitlage under Wooden.
PF – Lucas
The Enforcer. Gives the team the toughness that it needs, plus has a great work ethic, good basketball IQ (he’s an assistant coach now) and can knock down the points. Averaged (per 36 minutes) double/doubles in points and rebounds for 11 years (and was extremely close the remaining years). The power forward’s power forward.
SF – Kersey
The human dynamo. Also has done some coaching around the league. Good shooter, great runner, great intangibles, good lockdown defender. Strong basketball IQ.
SG – Roy
The Natural. The sky’s the limit for this kid. A born leader with an incredible basketball IQ and the potential to be one of the Top 50 players in the NBA. A playmaker and a floor general. Deceptively quick.
PG – Porter
A consummate point guard. Averaged double/doubles in points and assists in 1987/88 and came close in the next three seasons. Great basketball IQ (is an NBA coach) combined with a can-do attitude and a deadly outside shot. Can step up and be the go-to guy or play off the ball for the catch & shoot.
B1 – Robinson
A great all-around player who is comfortable coming off the bench as 6th man. Can play center in a pinch and can score pretty much at will. Brings a lot of energy onto the floor and plays well with Kersey and Porter. Somewhat questionable off-court habits, but Luke and Roy can keep him in line.
B2 – Paxson
Good defender, great scorer. Basketball is in his blood. Is big enough to play SF in a ‘small-ball’ linup or team with Roy as a big guard combo. Exceptional work ethic – makes up for his relative lack of athleticism by practicing twice as hard and playing three times as smart. Gives the team mid-range shooting plus great drives to the rack. Never stops moving – defines great off-the-ball play. Only downside…bad choice in facial hair.
B3 – Natt
Another scorer. That’s all he does. Score. And rebound. And defend (somewhat). But mainly he’s there to score.
Maybe not the best team assembled (no Clyde, no Oden), but all these players bring something complementary to the game and all were known for non-selfish play – the most important aspect of a team.
by DonkeyShins on Aug 8, 2008 10:50 AM PDT reply actions 0 recs
Very well-balanced team
Natt could defend ok. He could definitely rebound.
I think you’re a little short on 3 point threat, but Paxson was such a good shot and so good without the ball that he helped spread the court even if he didn’t hit a lot of long ones.
Other people don't have as much practice at being wrong as I do -- HT, timbo
by jscot on Aug 8, 2008 2:01 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
Thank you, sir!
That’s what I was aiming for…it was hard to pass up the Glide (curse you, Dave!).
Cliffy and Terry could both hit the 3 pretty regularly. Brandon can hit it in a clutch (but it isn’t his specialty).
by DonkeyShins on Aug 11, 2008 9:56 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
My team has it all!!!
Starters:
PG: Terry Porter. Why? DUH!
SG: Brandon Roy. I was tempted to swap him for Clyde, but having BRoy means you don’t necessarily NEED a backup PG, cause he can fill that roll, which allows me to have another wing player on my bench.
SF: Jerome Kersey. Aside from him being my favorite Blazer as a kid, he’s the do-it-all, floor-burn, hustle, defensive specialist you need in the starting lineup. Doesn’t need a lot of shots or plays run for him, and he runs the floor well. Would love to see him shut down Kobe!
PF: Maurice Lucas. The muscle on this team. The enforcer. Can score down low and bang with the best of ‘em. Just try intimidating this team!
C: Greg Oden. Sure, Sabas was great in his prime, but as a Blazer he could barely get up and down the court or play more than 25 minutes a night. And Walton had injury issues most of his career. With the rest of my starting lineup so solid, I could take a chance on what could potentially be one of the best defensive big men of all time. This team is largely built on defense, and G.O. is the anchor!
Bench:
Outside Shooter: Drazen Petrovic. Sadly his career was cut short by tragedy, but he was a money shooter from distance, and had all the energy and charisma you could ever hope for as a bench scorer.
Big Man: Lamarcus Aldridge. This is based largely on potential. It was a tough choice between him, Sheed, and Uncle Cliffy, as all 3 would fill the same roll. An outside shooting big man that can play C or PF, and combine with Mo Lucas or Oden. Any of the 3 would be sweet, but my bias toward the current roster shows up big time here. I’m hoping he can further develop his defense and rebounding, which is what put him ahead of Cliffy, and his attitude put him ahead of Sheed.
Wing: Calvin Natt. I’ve honestly never heard of this player before, but looking at his stats, I just couldn’t leave him off. I almost went with Sidney Wicks, but that would leave me with a glut of PF, and I needed another wing to back up Kersey.
My team is built to win now, and forever! All of these players are (were) young when they started playing for the Blazers, and thus would be young on my theoretical roster. Much like the current incarnation of the Blazers. The team is built on defense, with solid outside shooters to spread the floor. If I were to add 2 more players, they would be Joel Pryzbila and Steve Blake. The perfect backup/veteran C and PG. They would really solidify the culture of team play and defense that this team is built around.
by BustABucket25 on Aug 8, 2008 11:31 AM PDT reply actions 0 recs
Love your team
Only two real 3 pt threats. Good balance, decent depth everywhere.
Never heard of Calvin Natt? How can someone not hear of him and yet pick such a good team.
Very simply, my team will beat yours because I’ve got Porter/Drexler. Porter/Roy would be great, but not of the same caliber. Maybe some day.
Other people don't have as much practice at being wrong as I do -- HT, timbo
by jscot on Aug 8, 2008 2:06 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
Your philosophy and mine agree
Nice work.
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 Aug 8, 2008 9:12 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
Team Dynasty: Here come your perennially awesome fantasy world champions
And now calling to the floor, in mint condition, for your Poooooooortland Trailblazers:
As Center: Greg Oden (Sheed)
As Forward: Rasheed Wallace (Maurice Lucas)
As Forward: Kiki Vandeweghe (Sidney Wicks)
As Guard: Brandon Roy (Drazen Petrovic)
As Guard: Terry Porter (Roy)
Head Coach: Jack Ramsay
Assistant Coach: Rick Adelman (to keep any bad behavior in check)
General Manager: Kevin Pritchard (take that, this team will only get better over the years)
I don’t want to go again through every position and why they are great players - unless you want to question this ;)
That would just rehash what has already been described in more detail than possible here in the individual posts. Several guys might have been qualified just as well, but generally I selected players based mostly on their total career production and achievements (titles, awards, team selections, etc.), preferably high up over many seasons since I wanted to build a dynasty and not a one and done team that just spikes for a year or two.
The team is well balanced on every position, with a focus on athletic big men who rule under both baskets and versatile scorers who can bury you from inside and outside. The bench is amazing, so there are virtually no holes in the rotation. Everybody on the team could start in case somebody goes down with an injury, is super strong in at least one category (FG%, 3P%, rebounds, assists, steals), and has no major weakness. There are no guys with really bad character (I don’t consider Sheed a flawed guy, despite the fact that he could have made even more out of his potential). And the team has great on-court and off-court leadership from Porter and Roy.
Key Strengths: Everyone is a scoring threat (inside and/or outside), outside shooting, athletic big men (especially on defense), passing
Weaknesses: No major ones. Less strength in defending opposing SGs when Roy sits.
Actually, all teams I’ve seen should be really good, and there is hardly any way to find out which one would be the best. Nice work all.
Odenied: Coach, I promise I wasn't running hard ...
by Norsktroll on Aug 8, 2008 11:44 AM PDT reply actions 0 recs
LOVE the pic
and your picks are pretty good too…
Ball Don't Lie
by bothteamsplayedhard on Aug 8, 2008 12:07 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
Nice cards!
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 Aug 8, 2008 9:04 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
:)
We are the only people to go with Wicks. Cheers
Man I love tongue tacos - Mortimer
Only thing better is Trout on a stick roasted over an open fire - annthefan
I have a pic like that of my dog - tominhawaii
by Outlaw is Rejector on Aug 9, 2008 3:56 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
I just haven't posted yet...
PTB Liberation Day - 2/10/04
by tssbro on Aug 9, 2008 11:54 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
The Team
C- Oden: Defense and inside presence, with the occasional backboard-shattering
PF- Buck: Solid D, Solid mid-range jumper, great team guy, enforcer
SF- Ruben Patterson: Wing Defender, Kobe-stopper, hustle-guy, can hit open jumpers
SG- Drexler: No explanation needed
PG: Porter: Great combo guard, True leader of his era of Blazer teams, great outside shooter
Bench-
Wallace- Can play C or PF, plays great position D, truly skilled big man with no (skill-centered) weaknesses
Paxson- Can play SG or SF, great scorer, underrated passer, good quickness for a stiff
Kenny Anderson- Slashing PG who can drive and kick, will find the open man, very very fast, can lead break, good at stealing the ball and pressuring
My team has it all-
The backcourt can all drive and kick, or hit open jumpers, they all have a gambling defensive style that produces lots of steals and resultant fast break opportunities.
The frontcourt guys are all lockdown defenders who help off the ball well, and can erase the mistakes my gambling backcourt makes.
My entire team can run and will at every opportunity.
My team will destroy just about anyone on the pick-and-roll as well- my PFs and SF can hit open mid-range jumpers or drive to the hoop with a good chance of scoring. The guards excel at getting to the hoop, and can finish or pass off with equal skill.
Most of my players can move up a position if needed (with the exception of Anderson and Oden). This presents many different combos to offset bad matchups.
In the locker room Buck can be sure to keep Sheed and RuPatt in line. The rest of my guys are pretty laid-back, with good leadership qualities. Any rookie or young guy would benefit from being added to this team.
Weaknesses- Doesn’t have optimal size, Potential for foul trouble is high, SF position is feast-or-famine on the defensive end
Here’s my depth chart
C- Oden, Wallace
PF- Buck, Wallace, Patterson
SF- Patterson, Paxson, Drexler
SG- Drexler, Paxson, Porter
PG- Porter, Kenny
I’d put my guys up against any other All-Blazer team and feel pretty confident they would compete (and win most of the time).
"I like your Christ. I do not like your Christians. They are so unlike your Christ." -Gandhi
"Throw Thag, throw. Throw throw throw throw throw throw"- Far Side
by TheThinWhiteDuke on Aug 8, 2008 11:50 AM PDT reply actions 0 recs
it's funny that...
even though the team was built around Zach Randolph for years, he comes nowhere close to this discussion.
Ha ha, the Knicks.
Here’s my team. I’m not sure if it follows all the rules. I just really like this group of players. Picture a small ball team that’s totally disfunctional, like the Warriors:
Terry Porter
Brandon Roy
Clyde Drexler
Buck Williams
Rasheed Wallace
The bench has Cliff Robinson who was the best sixth man of my childhood. It also has Ime Udoka- good teams need a bench guy like this. And the wild card:
Martell Webster, lucky #7 #8. It doesn’t make sense that he’s on the team, but that’s the thing I love about Martell: nothing about him makes any sense.
by jose luis on Aug 8, 2008 2:08 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs
thinking about it further...
Martell starts. This team has enough going on that he can just disappear for entire quarters. Brandon Roy comes off the bench and delivers.
by jose luis on Aug 8, 2008 2:10 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
Congratulations to all
I think everybody’s teams are formidable and I really can’t criticize anybody’s logic, I just like mine best. So there.
Starters: Walton, Lucas, Natt, Drexler, Porter.
Bench: Wallace, Petrovic, Thompson
Hey, Walton and Lucas started on the Ring Team. Drexler & Porter were the backcourt on the Gotta Look Atta Ring Team and Drexler eventually gravy trained for one so I reckon he’d be able to do likewise here. Natt was a one time all-star and rounds out a stellar starting lineup.
Wallace won a ring and so Number 1 pick in the draft Thompson won two. Wallace can play any front court position and Thompson can eat up started minutes at center to rest Big Red.
Petrovic bombs from the outside and though many complain about his defense you should see the antics he pulls from heaven. It’s like something out of the Flubber movies.
I’m happy with this team.
Free Joel Freeland! (with the purchase of 1 Wafer)
by LaughingJon on Aug 8, 2008 2:10 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs
Let the games begin...
A lot of good teams with a lot of variety and great banter.
My lineup ( with Blazer career stats only)
C – Sabas (12.0 Pts, 7.3 Reb, 2 Ast, 1 Blk)
PF – Buck (10.2 Pts, 8.7 Reb , 1 Ast )
SF – Kersey (12.1 Pts, 6.1 Reb, 2.1 Ast, 1.3 Stl)
SG – Roy (18.1 Pts, 4.5 Reb, 5.0 Ast, 1.1 Stl)
PG – Porter (14.9 Pts, 3.4 Reb, 7.0 Ast, 1.5 Stl)
Bench
C – Mychal (16.7 Pts, 8.0 Reb, 3.3 Ast, 0.9 Stl, 1.4 Blk)
C\PF\SF – Cliff (16.2 Pts, 5.2 Reb, 2.1 Ast, 1.1 Stl, 1.1 Blk)
SG – Paxson (16.0 Pts, 2.2 Reb, 3.2 Ast, 1.4 Stl)
There were many players that I would have loved to have on my team. But with the rules in place I tried to go with a team concept and not necessarily the best player available. I also tried to have two players avaliable at all positions.
At Center – Sabas, Thompson and Cliff are able to play D, pass the ball, hit the 3 (minus Thompson) or play pick and roll.
At Power Forward – Buck and Cliff with Buck being the mussle and able to rebound with the best of them. Cliff can take them outside and either hit the three or open up the middle.
At Small Forward – Kersey, Cliff and Paxson(depending on who we play) Kersey is all the intangiables of the team, the hustle guy, the guy that comes out of no where to swat the shot into the 10th row, The man who is not going to back down from a challenge.
At Shoting Guard – Roy and Paxson. Roy is able to do so many things on this team and Paxson coming of the bench gives them a scoring threat.
At Point Guard – Porter and Roy. Porter is the best PG the Blazers ever had able to hit the 3 or pass to the open man. Roy can handle himself in spot minutes as well.
My major weekness is I have no pure shooter but I believe that I am covered everywhere else. I can defend, Get blocks, Get steals, Pass, Hit the 3, Shoot free throws, and hustle.
Not a bad team.
I still would have liked to put Drexler at the Small forward position next to Roy. Maybe next year.
D Marty
by Dmartyparty on Aug 8, 2008 7:20 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs
scoring bench
your bench guys had better scoring averages as blazers than all but one of your starting lineup! that’s pop off the pine!
by FlyingOutlaw on Aug 9, 2008 2:15 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
I tried to go with a starting lineup ...
...that was versital and a bench that could score when needed. I think it worked.
D Marty
by Dmartyparty on Aug 9, 2008 11:07 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
At this point most eyes have glazed over
But there is some really good stuff behind the picks everyone has made.
My team is
Oden 2008-present 7-0 285 0%
Lucas 1974-1988 6-9 215 87%
Kersey 1984-2001 6-7 215 85%
Roy 2006-present 6-6 215 80%
Lever 1982-1994 6-3m 170 83%
Aldridge 2006- present 6-11 240 85%
Petrovich 1989-1993 6-5 195 88%
Webster 2005-present 6-9 2150 89%
The rules for determining the comparisons are being quietly chortled over by Dave (diabolical as he is) and will likely spring as many surprises as his roster selections. Here are my questions:
1. How to account for durability of players
2. How to account for minutes played
3. How to compare sizes older to newer (Lucas weighed 215)
4, Ability to adjust lineups to an opponent including minutes
5. How long will the contest continue
6. How to account for current players (especially Oden Rudy and Bayless who have no history)
7. How to account for culture
8. Formulas for determining the various non-scoring statistics during the game
I am sure there are many more. Here are my thoughts:
1. & 2. The durability issue apparently led some to shy away from players who played a short career (Petrovic) or were often injured (Bowie, Walton). In addition the Blazers have had good players play relatively short minutes because of the player ahead of them. One way to quantitatively adjust is to multiply average minutes per game played by % games played during the years under contract and assign these minutes as available. Then adjust player averages to the minutes. I note the % games played for each of my players.
3. By sizes I mean LMA is heavier than Lucas by 15 pounds. How will they fare against each other. My guess is that there is no meaningful method to account for modern body building techinques and they get the production earned at whatever time.
4.5. & 6. To maintain this game throughout the year might be necessary to reflect new players made eligible by Dave (especially Oden). One answer is to use current year’s actual numbers for current players and established career averages for retired players. As far as adjustments go the Commissioner (Dave) will establish a schedule each week of games to be played and opponents to coincide with actual current game dates. A modification of the minutes allocation suggested in 2. would be to allow the derivative of that formula as the upper limit for each game for each player. The GM/Coach then assigns minutes based upon the opponent. This could get exciting if most of us have at least one current player.
7. This is the wildcard. I suggest that Dave as Commissioner has the authority to maintain the NBA image and can suspend players with a history of on court or off court offenses at random time known only a day before each game date.
8. This will be fun to see what Dave actually has formulated. Some are easier such as possessions determined by opponent shooting %, turnovers, steals, blocks, rebounds etc. Others are harder for assists, defensive reputation etc. Perhaps using an established formula such as David Berri’s would work.
Of course I think we all expect to be competitive every game Let the fun and games begin!
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 Aug 8, 2008 9:00 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs
PS
My team does not have Clyde Drexler. It does have a balanced attack with defense and rebounding and ball handling valued highly. Every player can play two or three positions (maybe stretching Luke a bit). It shoots for average and for effective FG%. It contains a balance of old and new signifying the legacy and the hope.
Clyde’s late availability did not present great problems to me. His cost was simply too high. Set a plan. Test the plan. Complete the plan. Flex when appropriate. That is what I see KP doing as well.
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 Aug 8, 2008 9:10 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
OK, I know this doesn’t count because I have been silently reading along and playing in my mind, but I have to say one thing:
All of you will lose… because none of you picked up Moses Malone. “Fo’, fo’, fo’”. I win. Book it.
MLB2PDX!!! (someday...)
by The Cactus Leaguer on Aug 9, 2008 12:25 AM PDT reply actions 0 recs
Dave said we couldn't
You lose for cheating. Book it.
Other people don't have as much practice at being wrong as I do -- HT, timbo
by jscot on Aug 9, 2008 7:11 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
Dave I'm sure you answered this before but...
Do we get Sabas from the time we drafted him or from when he first suited up??
Man I love tongue tacos - Mortimer
Only thing better is Trout on a stick roasted over an open fire - annthefan
I have a pic like that of my dog - tominhawaii
by Outlaw is Rejector on Aug 9, 2008 3:55 AM PDT reply actions 0 recs
Built for speed
I must say it was tough to not choose guys knowing you wouldn’t get a chance at them as back-ups. It left me having to choose one player I have never seen play but based on stats I couldn’t leave him off the team. So here goes.
Walton – Best Blazer big man so far. He could pass, shoot, play individual and team defense, inspire his teamates to play their best and rebounded the ball whenever it came off the rim. Sound in the fundamentals of BB but also able to be creative. He is the greatest outlet passer of all-time in the NBA. Putting him on the floor with Clyde, Terry, and Jerome….oh man.
Aldridge – Stepped into the starting line-up after I picked up Clyde. He can play center if the need arises but combining his skill, jumper, and feel for the game with Walton in the half-court offense would be a sight to see. Under rated defender who will only get better as he gets stronger. Lacks in defensive rebounding but is a great offensive rebounder.
Kersey – Hustle guy who could hit the 18 foot jumper enough to keep his man honest. Great defender and understood what to do with the ball on the break. Also a strong rebounder and excellent outlet passer.
Clyde – No description needed. Clyde had to be here just to be the guy that keeps me in every ball game. He gets a bad rap for not hitting enough big shots but he carried the load every night to keep them in the game. He will probably have to bring the ball up some if we are limited to 8 players. I do remember Dave saying something about assuming you have guys to fill out your roster so I would obviously need a Robert Pack,Steve Colter or Danny Young to relieve Porter for a few minutes a game.
Porter – Ignites the break, hits the threes, hits the big shots, distributes the ball, runs the offensive sets, plays smart defense, rebounds well for a PG, Fantastic chemistry with Clyde and Kersey,
Drazen – comes off the bench to shoot and score. A bit of a liability on defense but he will be effective in the new zones we will be able to run. He was always smart on defense but lacked in the lateral movement a bit. My zone buster along with Porter.
Outlaw – surprised my self with this pick. Scoring off the bench is essential to staying in games. This is the one thing Iknow he can do fairly consistently even if others are having off games. Another weak link on defense but I also needed him for hs veratility in playing the 3 and 4 positions. He might get beat, but he will beat up his defenders on the other end.
Wicks – No idea how he fits on my team except for scoring and rebounding (over 20 and 10 in three of his NBA seasons). He also played the 4 and 5 positions so I can keep LMA at PF and play him at the Center off the bench or vice versa.
Honestly, defense might be a bit of a problem when my second unit is one the floor. The halfcourt offense might be lacking a bit, but expect LMA and walton to put pressure on the defense ina high low set and Kersey and Terry to hit jumpers while Clyde penetrates and dishes. In reality, I envision Walton and Kersy pulling down rebounds, hitting TP or Clyde at halfcourt with Clyde, Jerome, Porter and/or LMA beating their defenders down the floor for easy basket after easy basket. With Drazen, Outlaw and Wicks in the game, things may slow down, but all three are capable of putting up 20plus on any night to keep me in the game until the runners get back on the floor.
Total domination on the break from a relentless running team. We might get slowed up in the playoffs but that is when Walton, Porter and LMA will go to work in the half court. Also, the offensive rebounding from this group would be tremendous so any missed shots will be scooped up and put in by LMA, Clyde, and Kersey not to mention Walton.
You guys are all going down!!!!
PTB Liberation Day - 2/10/04
by tssbro on Aug 9, 2008 12:33 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs
My Team
Just letting you know my lineup
Walton
Lucas
Kiki
Roy
Terry
Aldridge
Paxon
Ainge
by littleharry96 on Aug 9, 2008 4:12 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs
THE TEAM
WALTON, LUCAS, KERSEY, ROY, PORTER, ROBINSON, PETROVIC, WICKS.
by moses on Aug 9, 2008 9:23 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs
My team
C: Walton
PF: Lucas
SF: Vandeweigh
SG: Roy
PG: Lever
6: Wallace
7: Paxson
8: Wicks
by jamon51 on Aug 10, 2008 10:18 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs
Confused
Don’t know where to find the rules but three of the fifty greatest players played for the blazers . Walton, Pippen, and Drexler. You have to have them on your teams. Oden, Aldridge, Roy, and Bayless I believe can be on that list given time. Then Lucas for the dirty work.
by 1spike62 on Aug 11, 2008 9:37 AM PDT reply actions 0 recs
One rule was that you only get them from the first time playing for the Blazers to the end of their careers
So you don’t get that much e.g. out of Pippen’s career. Drexler at first was deemed “injured” and thus unavailable, and only on the final day was made available if you drop two people from your team (one being your starting SG, mostly Roy). And you could only pick one player on each position out of a group of three or four guys, thus e.g. not Waltan AND Oden. That’s why the teams look the way they are. Dave didn’t just want to find out the “all time greatest Blazers”.
Odenied: Coach, I promise I wasn't running hard ...
by Norsktroll on Aug 11, 2008 9:58 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

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