Blazers vs. Hornets: Statement Game #13
by explicator on Feb 2, 2009 3:53 PM PST
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PrintThis is a bit subjective, but I think it is an interesting way to look at Portland's season. The intent is to show a different perspective (not better or worse than any other metric) of where the team is at relative to the rest of the league, and perhaps provide a glimpse of what can be expected in the playoffs.
I defined a "Statement game" as a match against the top two teams in each Conference (at the time the game was played) home or away; road games against the top 9 in the Western Conference; and any game against the Lakers and Spurs, due to reasons that are both current and historic (they currently are the top two teams in the conference anyway).
A statement game is your chance to show the league that you have arrived and are to be reckoned with.
Blazer 2009 statement games:
1. at LA Lakers, opening night: L by 20
2. San Antonio: W by 1
3. at Phoenix: L by 11
4. at Utah: L by 7
5. at New Orleans: L by 6
6. at Phoenix: L by 10
7. at Boston: L by 15
8. at Utah: L by 9
9. at Denver: L by 8
10. Boston: W by 5
11. at LA Lakers: L by 14
12. Cleveland: L by 6
Portland is 2-10 in Statement games in 2009. Its average margin of loss is 8.3. The Blazers are 0-9 on the road in Statement games.
Tonight, the Blazers play at the Hornets, for Statement game #13. Portland can feel good about its winning streak (and it should), but until the Blazers start winning Statement games, little can be expected from this team in the playoffs.
I am interested to see how the Blazers play tonight, and if they can break through. They have an estimated 11 more Statement games this year, so plenty of opportunity to turn it around and build momentum for the playoffs.
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injuries are part of the game
Won’t that even be a bigger statement then if you don’t win it? Everyone has injuries, but the Lakers and Celtics and Cavs still seem to find a way to win. I disagree Chandler’s absence means it has no importance.
Statement games are on national tv
Or in the playoffs.
"Only dunk and go to the defense." Rudy Fernandez
So ESPN decides what a big game is?
I guess that Golden State v. Phoenix game the other night was huge.
Regarding the playoffs comment, obviously Game 7 of the NBA Finals is bigger than Blazers/Hornets tonight, but you don’t make the playoffs if you don’t win big games in the regular season, which is the point of the post.
You said statement game
Not big game. Tonight is a big game.
"Only dunk and go to the defense." Rudy Fernandez
every game is a statement game
hows that for subjectivity
Sophia
Though patience be a tired mare, yet she will plod. - William Shakespeare
Roses are red
violets in bloom
Sophia’s in love
with Nicholas Batum
-Bow4Meow
wai t
IM supposed tosay “touche”
Sophia
Though patience be a tired mare, yet she will plod. - William Shakespeare
Roses are red
violets in bloom
Sophia’s in love
with Nicholas Batum
-Bow4Meow
Of note for 12 remaining "statement games"
10 will be played at home and 2 on the road. We should expect that a much better record will occur in that last 12 games than in the first. Numbers mean little without context.
much like LeBron in Cle
one groin pull away from obscurity
"..[Travis Outlaw] could jump, grab a rafter, eat a sandwich, and then dunk.."
tmundal 12/30/07
Yes we can!! (beat the Hornets in Round 1 of the playoffs!!)
That, my friends, was the statement tonight.
Consistency is the hobgoblin of small minds.
-Ralph Waldo Emerson
But dude we beat the Hornets on November 26.
Consistency is the hobgoblin of small minds.
-Ralph Waldo Emerson
This was a statement :)
since we have won
Though patience be a tired mare, yet she will plod. - William Shakespeare
Roses are red
violets in bloom
Sophia’s in love
with Nicholas Batum
-Bow4Meow
Enjoy the win, but great post...
+1
Damn that was a great win at New Orleans tonight. 38-15 in the 4th. This is a good post. I would think that Phx game at home is a statement game.
But I do see and agree with your perspective. I do believe you can pick “statement games” and gauge how well you do in the playoffs to a degree.
This was a statement
that with Chris Paul playing well, we’re toast, and with him out, they are.
When I rule the world, everyone will know how to use Excel.
B-Rex's Statement: RRRRRWWWWWOOOOOWWWWWRRRRR!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Blazer's Edge Ambassador to The Dream Shake Blog
LMA Rocks and B-Rex RRRRRRROOOOOOOWWWWWRRRRRRSSSSSS!!!!!!!!!!!!!
41:53 Mins 9-21 FGs 4-4 FTs +1? 5 Off 11 Rebs 2 Asst 22 Points - LMA vs Hornets 2-2-09
24:04 Mins 7-9 FGs 5-7 FTs +16 2 Rebs 6 Asst 2 Stl 19 Points! - B-Rex vs Hornets 2-2-09
Why is it that you select only our loses as statements? We have many great wins: 30-17!!!!!!!!!
Our record makes a much louder statement!
Blazer's Edge Ambassador to The Dream Shake Blog
LMA Rocks and B-Rex RRRRRRROOOOOOOWWWWWRRRRRRSSSSSS!!!!!!!!!!!!!
41:53 Mins 9-21 FGs 4-4 FTs +1? 5 Off 11 Rebs 2 Asst 22 Points - LMA vs Hornets 2-2-09
24:04 Mins 7-9 FGs 5-7 FTs +16 2 Rebs 6 Asst 2 Stl 19 Points! - B-Rex vs Hornets 2-2-09
Statements?
I guess that given we’ve had our starting SF out for the entire season – forcing us to go with a young and entirely uproven rookie in Batum, and also don’t have our starting PG on the floor, that the reverse is also true. Other teams cannot consider any game played against the Blazers a “statement” game.
Injuries are injuries. How many games have we lost this year because Webster hasn’t played? And, how many others because Blake’s lost time at the beginning of the season and now in this run, Roy had early surgery and was out for a stretch recently, Rudy missed some games, and Oden was coming off one injury, hurt himself again, and then took another 30 games or more just to get into playing shape and start giving us the kind of productivity we’d hoped for.
No one’s showing any sympathy for the Blazers – and if this team had been healthy for the season – you could easily argue that we’d have another 5 or more wins on the board.
So what if Chandler is out, or Paul went down near the end of the 3rd quarter. That’s why we call it a “team game”. You either have the players and depth to overcome it – or you don’t.
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