nobody is entitled

a proverbial slap in the face. Suffice it to say, though, the Portland Trail Blazers just aren’t a 60-win team in all likelihood. Somewhere in the low-50s to mid-50s is the most practical estimation, but there’s nothing wrong with a bit of optimism sprinkled in lightly here and there. Yet, you can overdose on optimism, so be careful to keep most of your high expectations — which are currently hopes and dreams at best — in check. Regarding McMillan, the stagnant high-low zone offense and his penchant to coach a grinding, slow-paced style will not change now or ever. It’s just not within his nature, pure and simple.

My take on the season so far is that the team has not meshed at all. There are so many factors going into it. Greg, and Joel seem to be having head troubles. LMA played pathetic D in the first game getting into foul trouble and then was pushed around by Denver in game 2. Miller is obviously not a good fit with Roy (Duh we’ve been saying that would be the case for like three years now). Webster had a year off and the team is just getting to know him again. And worst of all McMillan looks like he is winging his line ups.

But what concerns me most is that my boy Jscot is down. Come on man it’s early in the season and nobody has played up to their potential so far except Rudy and maybe Brandon. Give it time, keep the spreadsheets warm for later in the year and get ready to watch a beatdown in Houston. The Blazers will figure it out.

and the Blazers shot horrible all night long. Yet we lead most of the game. It was a good game that we didn’t pull out in the end. I’ll be let down if we lose to the Thunder.

I hate to say that because it’s such a cliche to blame the coach after a loss, but I can’t help it.

The fact that Miller is standing around waiting for jump shots just kills me. That’s the wrong way to use him and Nate should know that. The substitution patterns were getting crazy in the fourth quarter. Blake looked bad. Miller looked awkward. Aldridge was doing all the wrong things and no one seemed to be telling him.

Speaking of Aldridge, why is he suddenly playing exactly like Channing Frye?

I knew you weren’t on the level, but it didn’t entertain me. Maybe next time?

But I like watching them get bounced like a child on Uncle Lester’s knee.
And I like watching basketball look as foreign to them as it has to the Blazers at times this season.
Dude, you know I can’t wait to watch the Blazers for the rest of my life.

Just bear with them, it’ll be OK.
Oh, and watch out for a trade.
Keep your eyes and ears open.
Eventually, things will come around.
!

Just yesterday, TiH caught people with a blatantly obvious remark. And now I see you’ve done so as well. Though truth be told, I didn’t catch on quite as fast. You are subtle, future ruler of the world, you are indeed subtle.

A nice bit of perspective. While it is going to be frustrating at times, the fact his team is integrating new pieces/roles combined with a loaded Western conference is a recipe for a relatively slow start. Thursday was frustrating because that game was on the table at a lot of points, and the Blazers didn’t take advantage. Seeding is indeed important, so hopefully Portland can grab one in Denver later on, as I think the top 3 in the NW division will be tight all year.

I know the Blazers are fouling.. a LOT. But to me, it looks like the Blazers did exactly what Nate said this team was going to do, which was work on defense. They are playing very physical defense, for the most part. It looks like they spent so much time on defense that the offense is just not there yet. My guess is that they still have last season post season in there head and feel like they got pushed around so they are coming out playing a very physical game, and are getting called for it.

Greg needs to work on clutch free throws. I have never been more upset about missed free throws. And whats with Roy missing a late free throw, and Andre did the same.

I would also like to apologize… I did not do my pre game ritual… so I feel this loss was partially my fault… I wont make that mistake again.,..

as the Oregon State Football of the NBA. They can’t seem to get the top-level talent through recruiting so they have to develop from within. A slow start is a natural outcome of that internal development. I realize that this particular disjointed start has more to do with new players meshing with the existing team, but the development seems to be about learning the new game.

From what I remember of the Spurs dynasty years, they only added a bit player or two in the off-season, so the change was fine-tuning more than a complete rebuild.

You can put a lot of thought into a satirical piece—or sometimes simply copy and paste something interesting off the Web—and post it, only to find that:

• Of those who respond to it, many will not have not read it
• Of those who read it, many will not have understood it
• Of those who understand it, many will not have liked it
• Of those who like it, many will not have understood it
• Many people don’t read earlier comments that might have been instructive
• Some people will have random off-topic conversations in your post
   
  And so on.

Good thing I have my brain trained to skip to the end of a jscot post.

stuck there and then where will you be.

For my take on the Laker loss to Dallas, see:

http://www.silverscreenandroll.com

I’d give the full URL, but it’s not up until noon.

As Future Leader of the World (does one get annointed or get an ointment?) here are my suggestions for your first duties:

1. Send a World memo on humor, satire, parody, subtlety. If not, all we have is knock-knock jokes.
2. Rig the Blazer games
3. Do something about tapioca. It tastes icky.
4. Get me a date with Penelope Cruz.

With gracious thanks for your World Leader consideration,

~Munky

p.s. There’s that whole thing about the Middle East, if you have time

The key difference, of course, is that the Lakers are going to win 60+ games and easily take their division title. So their loss means little. The Blazers, meanwhile, missed their best chance to beat Denver (who was on the 2nd of a b-2-b and missing a key player) in what constitutes a 2 game swing in what is likely to be a very tight race.

So, while its just one game and won’t define the season in either case, the Blazers’ loss was much more damaging.

Love it.

Of many Satire / Sarcasm Detectors early in the responses…

I knew, absolutely knew that you of all posters would not be coming down negative on our beloved Blazers following only two games—one of which we won. So I actually paid attention to your Dallas reference.

Nice job in mimicking the theme that the majority of posts so far this short season seem to contain. Omg, I can’t even imagine what will happen if we should lose tonight—-two games in succession!

And it hurts even more because its truth rings even louder. We’re NOT an elite team because we don’t have anything close to the mentality that elite teams have.

Outlaw should be traded for a tough backup PF. Outlaw is too darn nonchalant.

Make Roy the starting PG and let Bayless play some 2. guard.

Jscot is laughing at you. His sneaky tricks will only get worse when he becomes the ruler of the world. It’s time to form an anti-jscot rebellion movement. The first meeting is next Saturday at jscot’s house. Bring your torches and pitchforks!

The team has put me in a funk.

Yes I consider preseason games to be games (gasp)

If you don’t think team has some obvious issues, you are blind.

You snagged me, but I also agree with your post.

No panic, but things ARE clicking slower than I expected. The blazers were amazingly tight and I thought some of that would roll over. Instead we have some hiccups.

It’s the end of the season that matters, not the beginning, but I would like to see some prettier plays and some better defense.

The season was just born. The Blazers are still a top 6 team in the west. But Dallas will be a good team. I picked them to be 3rd in the west behind LA and San Antonio in an office pool.

I’m a true Laker fan, through and through, and I did not get bothered by that horrid loss the Lakers suffered Friday night. The Mavericks basically pimp slapped the Lakers, and I don’t care how bad the refs were, it’s not an excuse for any team to use. I just know the Lakers will be fine.

The Nuggets will be good too. Carmello is tearing it up. This season is going to be a lot of fun to watch.