Have we learned anything?

by Philthyanimal on Apr 25, 2009 10:05 PM PDT Comment 19 comments

As a team, our Blazers have been challenged numerous times. Each time we have learned from our past/mistakes and have overcome those challenges. Every question we have had about this team, has been answered. We have shown resiliancy, ability to beat championship contending teams, able to win without Brandon/Lma, ability to end losing streaks, ability to shut out bottom feeder teams, ability to come from behind, etc. We've had 54 regular season wins...some were blowouts, others were heart attacks waiting to happen. Each player has had their moment to shine this year from Brandon all the way down to Shavlick in the preseason.

One of our goals this season was just to get a taste of the playoffs to gain experience for next year. However...3 games into the series, have we learned anything as a team? Have we seen any growth? What have we learned about how our players are responding to the intensity of the playoffs? Was the game 3 loss a moral victory that we can be pleased with? How do you currently feel about our personel and what areas of concern do you have?

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Trout confuses me

Trout has never been a player with good shot selection, yet he has always found a way to score. At times it seemed as if he had a higher % of making the shot when the defender was right in his face and there was a lot on the line. Trout recently said in an interview that he isn’t getting as good of looks as he is used to (to credit HOU following the scouting report). Trout’s athleticism has always been enough before, its just confusing that he isn’t able to pull through. He is supposed to be one of the top 6th men in the league, but now he can’t contribute anything on the offensive or defensive end. I know there are enough Trout bashing threads, I just don’t understand why he appears to not have confidence in his shot all of a sudden.

I got 6 years of playoff blue balls going on, and I'm ready to release. GO BLAZERS. ~Mortimer

by Philthyanimal on Apr 25, 2009 10:15 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs

i think its a combo

of his injured finger throwing off his shot, plus his first playoff games, plus a lack of confidence going into the playoffs and Shane Battiers good defense.

I think the Blazers have good players and a solid game plan, in the playoffs it just comes down to willing yourself to play as hard as possible and i dont think the Blazers have learned that yet.

Woof

by Charles Barkley McLovin on Apr 25, 2009 10:22 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

Trout has been struggling with his shot for a while

He had a really nice shooting performance in the Denver game, but other than that the end of the season was brutal for Trout. Trout is one of my favorite Blazers, but he really isn’t getting it done and I would be happy if Nate mixes things up a bit and plays Rudy more. I also am unhappy to admit that this series might be the deciding factor whether or not Trout stays on this team next season, I think if he keeps struggling he will get traded this summer (baseless/pointless speculation I know).

by trailblazersfan on Apr 25, 2009 10:26 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

I've been back and forth on Trout

As long as Trout is comfortable being in a 6th man role…I don’t have a problem with him staying on the team. He may not be a complete player, but if he was, then he wouldn’t be on the bench. I’m ok with letting go of Travis, but I’m not sure if Rudy can fill the 6th man role right now. When the defense keys in…will he be able to make the contested shot? I’ve seen him do it when he was on the ACB, but we’ve yet to see him score much off his own dribble this year (I’m sure it’ll come to him).

I got 6 years of playoff blue balls going on, and I'm ready to release. GO BLAZERS. ~Mortimer

by Philthyanimal on Apr 25, 2009 10:31 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

If he can’t be our 3rd scorer in the playoffs then I don’t know what his role on this team is going to be long term. Scoring is what Travis brings to the table and he isn’t getting it done, when a roll player isn’t performing their role you get a new role player. I hope Travis gets his confidence back, I’d love to see him here for the next 5 years.

by trailblazersfan on Apr 25, 2009 10:38 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

I don’t think I’ve learned anything yet about the Blazers from this series, but I have strong suspicions that tomorrow night we all will learn something about this team and I think it will be very very encouraging. With the way we played defense for 3/4 of last night’s game we I think we can be an elite team and I think we can win in anyone’s building. Tomorrow night I want to say I know we can win anywhere and I know we can contend for a championship this year!! GO BLAZERS

by trailblazersfan on Apr 25, 2009 10:30 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs

Blake's "steadiness"

I’ve continually backed up Blake saying he is an adequate PG for us, and that we could make a deep run with him as our starter. He may not dominate games, but his steadiness is one of his most valuable assets. However in this series, he has been underwhelming. I didn’t expect him to contain Brooks defensively, but at the same time I thought he would be doing a better job managing the offense.

I got 6 years of playoff blue balls going on, and I'm ready to release. GO BLAZERS. ~Mortimer

by Philthyanimal on Apr 25, 2009 10:37 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs

His minutes have gone up big time.

I am beginning to wonder if maybe we need to see Sergio more. I am not a huge Sergio homer but he was playing pretty good towards the end of the season, and him playing more minutes keeps Blake fresh. I realize you shorten up your rotation in the playoffs; but clearly we could use the unpredictability in our offense that Sergio helps bring.

by lethaldose on Apr 25, 2009 10:57 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

i agree with your assessment of sergio

Blake shouldn’t be playing as heavy minutes as he has…if anything Rudy should be taking some of those away. As much as I like Sergio…I can really picture his confidence being shot right now. He was playing some of the best ball over a 2 or 3 week period and he gets pulled because he couldnt stay in front of Brooks. I wouldn’t really play Sergio the rest of this series unless we were really desperate or if the game is out of reach. We’ve seen how poorly Bayless and Surge have been when they have had their confidence shot, and I don’t want to spend a few games for him to find his game.

I got 6 years of playoff blue balls going on, and I'm ready to release. GO BLAZERS. ~Mortimer

by Philthyanimal on Apr 25, 2009 11:05 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

Yes, Rudy needs to play more.

Especially when he is on fire! I would have to place the true blame of our last loss on Nate. So sorry, but why play Rudy only 22 minutes when he clearly has the hot hand, for Outlaw. Plus no time outs at the end of the game? Nate lost the coaching match-up pure and simple.

by lethaldose on Apr 25, 2009 11:40 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

Rudy needed to play 34 minutes last game

Sergio needed to play just 4-6 so Roy could get some actual rest and not be useless in the 4th.

That’s 16-18 minutes that Blake/Roy/Trout should have been on the bench that they weren’t. Blake did good in the fourth, despite playing a ton of minutes, but Roy was obviously dead tired. Trout was just ineffective.

by Zaig on Apr 26, 2009 1:59 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

I'd rather not play sergio than to play him less than 10 minutes

Whenever he gets the feeling that Nate is watching over his shoulder he is at his worst.

I got 6 years of playoff blue balls going on, and I'm ready to release. GO BLAZERS. ~Mortimer

by Philthyanimal on Apr 26, 2009 5:28 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

Yes

What we’ve learned

1) Roy is a bonafied superstar in the making ready to drop 50 in the playoffs

2) LMA can take over a playoff game even with a tough physical kryptonite like opponent

3) Joel will never back down and is key to the two headed monster

4)Rudy is going to be the peskiest pick running, pass stealing, 3 daggering, alley ooping beast we were hoping for (to think he came for cash and JJ)

5)Oden is going to be a beast. I hated this match up possability 3 weeks before the playoffs. But in hind sight. This series lesson is the best thing for Greg in the long run. He’s figuring it out. Ask Yao, I’m sure he’ll agree.

6) Nate is growing right along with this team and they trust him. I have full faith in Nate’s ability to lead this team to the promise land.

All I wanted from game 3 was to be close. They’re figuring Houston out and will win game 4. A blow out could’ve lead to a 5 game series. A close game gives them the confidence to take game 4 and come home for a 3 to 2 lead.

by keepfryealive on Apr 26, 2009 12:18 AM PDT reply actions 1 recs

Things I have learned

1) It is difficult to play well in your first ever playoff game.

2) Even though the Blazers’ offense was the most efficient in the league this year, there is still a lot of room for improvement.

3)The refs in the playoffs are very inconsistent. Fans from both team will complain.

4) Rudy and Greg are ready for larger roles than they have had thus far.

I think that the remaining games will also be able to teach us a lot, especially about which players and coaches are able to make good adjustments after playing the same opponent repeatedly.

by trk on Apr 26, 2009 1:12 AM PDT reply actions 1 recs

Agree, but would qualify #4 and say Rudy and Greg have the potential for larger roles

"its tough to play with one eye, unless you're a pirate." Delonte West
"una canasta a Pau en la cara" Rudy

by Honka Playboy on Apr 26, 2009 1:41 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

yes.

When I came here (in 2004), guys like Nick (Van Exel) and Damon, they were a breath of fresh air for me,'' Przybilla

by Nick Van Excellent on Apr 26, 2009 2:16 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

1) subsection a) It is difficult to play in your first ever playoff road game.

by pxilpooshr on Apr 26, 2009 4:02 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

The biggest thing of all:

The Blazers are learning from direct experience just how demanding playoff basketball is. You have to raise your game, play hard for 48 minutes, adjust and compete against a team over and over as it adjusts to you (and to your adjustments to its adjustments, etc.).

As Roy said after winning game 2: It’s hard work winning in the playoffs (paraphrased).

You can’t afford to be indecisive or unprepared, you can’t take plays off, you can’t sit around and hope someone (Brandon) takes over, and you can’t count on your opponents stinking it up.

If the Blazers go home after this round, that knowledge will sit in them and fester, and it will simmer in the back of their minds all season. I fully expect our boys to beast it like beastly beasts in next year’s playoffs, regardless of what happens this week.

Playoff basketball isn’t the same as regular season basketball.

And that’s quite a lesson.

by Marvin100 on Apr 26, 2009 5:03 AM PDT reply actions 0 recs