Blazers starting to take on a "charmed" persona?
by bfan on Nov 3, 2010 10:27 PM PDT
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PrintLet me get this out of the way. Knock on wood. Salt over the shoulder. And whatever other hex breakers you might think of. I know, I know, we're only 5 games into the season, but I am starting to get the sneaking suspicion that the Blazers might have a bit of an aura about them this season. Who would have thought Armon would come in a be this good this soon? And LMA showing a sudden aggressiveness and energy that his game has lacked for the first 4 seasons? Brandon Roy is healthy and seems happy. If Matthews has anything, he's got passion. And all is quiet on the injured center front, which is only good news if you ask me.I have a sneaking suspicion both Joel and Greg will come back and really contribute before this year is done.
Perhaps most importantly, this team is starting to smile again like it did 2-3 years ago when the guys were just a bunch of young buddies who didn't know any better. Some may pooh-pooh team chemistry, but last season it seemed like the pendulum swung too far, too business-like. There is definitely a place for that "taking care of business" attitude, but it seemed like the joy of the game had been sucked away as well. I don't know if it was the injuries or what, but the team seemed heavy--as if it were carrying a giant weight around all year. And the fanbase seemed to hold its collective breath, expecting greatness far too soon. In some ways I think the injuries of last year are a metaphor of the Blazers crumbling under the pressure of too high expectations. This year the fans seem to have a healthy curiosity about the team, rather than a do-or-die expectation.
All of these things point to the good if you ask me. We have some tough tests coming up in the form of the Thunder, L@kers, Hornets, Jazz, Nuggets, and Grizz. I am excited to see how we stack up, but not worried at all because I know Joel and Greg will give us a boost late in the year. This team is already good, but not as good as it will be at the end of the year. A fortune-teller I am not, but I am starting to believe there could be something special brewing for us this year.
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To be sure
the next few weeks will tell what type of season lay ahead.
I think it is regression to the mean on this team, last year was so unbelievably horrific on the injury front, that there is no way this season could be worse than last. The sheer fact that we have made it through preseason without a major injury (Sorry Jeff, not a major player) is a blessing in itself.
I think this year is the candy after the medicinal laced season last year and we should sit back and enjoy it.
THE 2010-11 PORTLAND TRAIL BLAZERS!!!
Starring:
Marcus Camby as The Human Trebuchet
Should be interesting
Thunder just got smoked by the Clippers after getting dominated by the Jazz. I’m hoping we’re not the team that breaks OKC’s losing streak.
"Nervous is what you feel when you're unprepared. We're prepared so we're not nervous."
Paraphrase of Coach Kelly. If the same is true for the Blazers, then let these words ease your burden a little, Jenstcy.
"I come to you now, at the turn of the tide." -- Brandon "Gandalf" Roy, April 24th, 2010
I'm a bit nervous myself.
I was out for blood at the Suns game. The last time we beat OKC in a pretty important game. If they aren’t out for our blood I don’t know what to think.
Food for thought
Blazers record against teams with a…
losing record: 4-0
winning record: 0-1
Combined record of teams we beat: 4-13 – doesn’t hurt to have played mediocre, likely non-playoff bound teams so far. And in most of those games we looked pretty bad.
Beating the 2-2 Thunder (playing a thousand mile back to back) and 1-3 Raptors at home doesn’t change the calculus either, though the former are likely playoff bound. The next significant test will be at the L*kers on Sunday – and we didn’t do too well in our first real test against the Bulls.
At least we’re winning, so far.
Lakers will beat the hell out of the Blazers...
"A bizarre and extremely rare hybrid Blazer/Laker fan, Timbo has always struggled to contain the Beast Within, like Dr. Jekyll, Bruce Banner, or Ted Kennedy." — Miled Animal
Maybe
I’d certainly want a few points to take the Blazers in that game.
But the flip side of my dour coin above is that the Blazers have been managing to win games while playing poorly. They have a historical tendency to get up for their L*kers games, so perhaps a Blazer may go Deng on them.
Unfortunately
I’m almost positive this is going to happen. Lakers this season are not the Lakers of championship last season. That team is just beastly. Not going to catch them off guard anymore.
You sir,
are cancerous to your team and to our site.
Just waiting for the Ducks to lose.
by NBAstard on Nov 4, 2010 8:24 AM PDT up reply actions 2 recs
rec for garnett joke
which actually makes me think of something: I’ve been thinking about some sort of combination of the words “garnett” and “joke” for brevity’s sake. Maybe combine them into one word, like “joke”. Better yet, that could be his new nick-name. “The Joke”
by Montavilla Steve on Nov 4, 2010 9:05 AM PDT up reply actions
I like it and will now adapt it on all my writings about the "The Joke"
"The game was delayed for over 15 minutes with 5:07 left in the second quarter after France's Nicolas Batum, who plays for the Portland Trail Blazers, dunked and twisted the rim. Volunteers and officials scrambled to put a new rim on the basket and reattach a net."
http://sports.espn.go.com/oly/olybb/news/story?id=5509394
How nice would it be to end the L*kers winning streak?
That would be so freakin’ sweet.
by blazerbeliever on Nov 3, 2010 11:55 PM PDT up reply actions
You can't ignore the fact that we were on a four-game road trip
…to the East Coast. That’s a pretty tiring way to start the season, especially with multiple back-to-backs. Sure, we could have played better basketball, but the Lakers have had blowouts against mediocre opponents at home. They’re a very good team, and we’ll get an idea about how we match up on Sunday.
I think tomorrow is the first significant test. The Thunder need to win a game to get some momentum going after two tough losses. We will be playing at home in our comfort zone for the first time in over a week.
We will be playing at home in our comfort zone for the first time in over a week
The Blazers can’t relax on their home floor and count on the crowd, though. They need to come out like they did against the Bucks. No, not the 2-14 start, but the suck it up and take it to OKC attitude from the opening jump like they showed in Milwaukee, afterwards
When reached 40 years of following Portland basketball you have, be as passionate of the Trail Blazers you will not!
I agree on the road game analysis...
Of the teams who have a record or 3 – 1 or better, Portland is the ONLY team who has only played one home game. The rest have been on the road where we are 3 – 1. Now the Blazers just need to reestablish the Rose Garden as one of the toughest places to get a “W”. Protect the home court.
The Blazers will be playing their LAST GAME ON THE ROAD...tonight.
Have heard/read that the first game back home is often just like a road game as far as how rested the players feel.
How have the Blazers done on their first game back after being on the road?
The only game I remember is the one against the 76ers two seasons ago. Miller scorched us and they were playing a back to back.
Simply way too small a sample
The teams we beat will not end up an equivalent 4-13, whatever that ends up being extrapolated over an 82 game season. Opponent record literally means nothing at this point.
by Seven06Renault on Nov 4, 2010 12:17 AM PDT up reply actions
We're only talking about 17 total games...
and we account for 4 of those 13 losses.
Yes I know
He’s discrediting Portland’s success so far because their combined record is 4-13, but we know that they won’t finish with that poor of a record (equivalently) by the end of the season.
by Seven06Renault on Nov 4, 2010 10:18 AM PDT up reply actions
in most of those games we looked pretty bad.
In the first 5 games the Blazers have been up and down in various quarters, but the common element in the first 3 wins was the killer instinct run in the 4th period to put the games away
there’s nothing “pretty bad” about that.
When reached 40 years of following Portland basketball you have, be as passionate of the Trail Blazers you will not!
by two4larue on Nov 4, 2010 8:45 AM PDT up reply actions 1 recs
Also:
Road games played: 4
Home games played: 1
"I come to you now, at the turn of the tide." -- Brandon "Gandalf" Roy, April 24th, 2010
We really aren't playing good basketball yet. Brandon Roy is not yet at his best. Our defense
has not really been all that great. We got exposed by the Bulls. Since we’ve been winning fans have been ignoring it.
I hope the Thunder don’t go off on us. They have been playing bad, but role players like Deng and Delfino have been going off on us.
The Blazers played VERY GOOD defense in the 2nd, 3rd, 4th quarters against the Bucks.
Also, LMA would like to disagree with your assessment.
I haft to agree
I love seeing a win but would rather see a 4th quarter were I am afraid to go to the bathroom. We are a top team in the league we gotta act like it. We need to start dusting scrub teams and competing to the buzzer with the best teams. It is easy to get in a habit of playing to the level of the competition but also dangerous.
fixed
I love seeing a win but would rather see a 4th quarter were I am not afraid to go to the bathroom.
you were afraid during the Buck's game
the Blazers put that one away fairly easily, not too much drama
When reached 40 years of following Portland basketball you have, be as passionate of the Trail Blazers you will not!
Who would have thought Armon would come in a be this good this soon?
Visionary2
last season it seemed like the pendulum swung too far, too business-like.
As Roy said last month, the injuries caused players to separate. Some were doing rehab, some were bailing water and trying to keep the ship afloat.
In some ways I think the injuries of last year are a metaphor of the Blazers crumbling under the pressure of too high expectations
Well, yeah, maybe. I just think the injuries were bad luck. Portland is due for some good fortune. Let’s see what the full roster can do, especially in the playoffs.
but not worried at all because I know Joel and Greg will give us a boost late in the year. This team is already good, but not as good as it will be at the end of the year
Agreed. Every win they can get right now is money in the bank. and it might be the difference between the 5 seed and the 2 seed, in April. Who knows? If the L*kers suffer a key injury—why not Portland on top of the WC? Could happen if everythiing breaks right.
When reached 40 years of following Portland basketball you have, be as passionate of the Trail Blazers you will not!
...
No words. My only consolation is that it appears he injured his knee before I posted this. But I’m sure the basketball gods knew I was going to post it, so they preemptively struck.
"These are dreams that we have." --Rudolfo Fernandez
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