Playoff Perspective: The Final Bow
by Dave on Apr 29, 2011 6:00 AM PDT
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The Portland Trail Blazers have been eliminated from the first round of the playoffs for the third year straight now, each time 4-2, each time by a more experienced, driven, and capable (if not more talented) team.
Consider:
- Two years ago the Houston Rockets taught the Blazers that the playoffs are about physicality, will, and being willing to do anything necessary to get the win.
- Last year the Phoenix Suns taught the Blazers that the playoffs are about adjustments, playing smart, and exploiting what you've got to your best ability every game of the series.
- This year the Dallas Mavericks taught the Blazers that they have not yet learned Lesson #1 or #2
Click through for more analysis, a semi-statistical look at what went right and wrong, and an assessment of where the team needs to go from here.
The Blazers are also finding out that they cannot win to the level desired when they're not healthy, period. For all the excitement surrounding Portland's supporting cast in the last five years the truth is revealing itself. These guys aren't capable of carrying the team anywhere near the highest success levels in the absence (or half-absence) of the players drafted to be stars: Brandon Roy, LaMarcus Aldridge, and Greg Oden. While there's hope for the future in Wesley Matthews and Nicolas Batum (both young) plus Gerald Wallace (new to the team and not yet fully integrated) for the most part judgment has been passed: Portland's "depth" was overstated and overrated. The supporting cast players who have left have not prospered. The supporting cast players who remain are not playing at a consistent enough level, let alone becoming new stars. It's amazing that the team won 48 games a year when once again they were ravaged by injuries. But absent the return of the A-level players, that 48-52 win zone and modest (if any) playoff success appears to be Portland's destiny. Portland's great hope remains vested in a healthy Roy and Oden playing alongside the emergent Aldridge and Wallace. Only a revolutionary trade (unlikely) will change that in the near future. Then again, analyzing this series in terms of health is an exercise in futility. It could have been done before Game 1 tipped. The asterisk may matter someday when the team is fully recovered, but today's reality must suffice for now.
The reality of this series was that Portland always occupied the back seat while Dallas drove. The Blazers came in as a 6th seed with 48 wins. They played like a 6th seed with 48 wins. If there's a critique to be offered it's that, aside from 13 magical minutes in one of the most improbable finishes in league history, they couldn't rise above themselves. Portland lost on the road against good teams during the regular season. They did in the playoffs too. Portland went through offensive dry spells in the regular season. Ditto here. Portland had trouble handling the pick and roll during the regular season, also in the playoffs. If anything, Portland appeared to play much of the last two weeks as if the games were a series of regular season matchups. Dallas, on the other hand, brought intensity, fire, timing, and extra guts to go along with their skill. The result? Portland's normal advantages barely applied whereas Dallas excelled at theirs.
- Portland relies on a turnover-based defense. During the regular season they forced 15.5 per game from opponents. Dallas committed 13.8 per game in the regular season. The Blazers forced only 12.0 per game from the Mavs during this series. Dallas actually forced more than Portland at 12.4 per game.
- Portland feasted on offensive rebounds during the year, Dallas did not. Averaging 12.1 per game during the year Portland managed only 8.0 during this series. Dallas averaged 9.6 during the year but got 11.3 per game against Portland in these playoffs.
- Portland looked to clean up in the paint against the Mavericks. The Blazers scored 40.8 in the paint during the year while Dallas allowed 41.7. Dallas scored only 36.7 themselves. Portland only exceeded 40 points in the paint in 3 of the 6 games and only took Dallas by more than 6 twice.
- Dallas, meanwhile, looked to dominate in three-point shooting. Dallas shot 36.4% from beyond the arc for the year while the Blazers allowed 36.6%. Dallas shot 38% for the series. The Blazers shot 34.3% for the year and Dallas allowed exactly that 34.3% as well. Portland shot 31.6% for the series.
- Free throws were an oft-debated topic during the course of the series. Portland attempted 22.3 per game for the year while Dallas allowed 22.4. The Blazers attempted only 20.6 free throws per game in the playoffs. Dallas attempted 22.4 per game during the regular season and Portland allowed 22.9. Dallas attempted 24.2 during the series.
- Field goal percentage was another Dallas bastion during the year. They hit 47.4% of their shots while Portland allowed 46.6%. Dallas shot only 45.5% for the series. Portland shot 44.9% on the year while Dallas allowed 45.1%. Portland shot 45.6%.
- The Nowitzki/Aldridge matchup was considered a huge key. Nowitzki averaged 23.0 ppg during the year. He averaged 27.3 in this series, exceeding his season average in 5 out of 6 games. Aldridge averaged 21.8 ppg during the year. He averaged 20.2 during this series, exceeding his season average in 3 out of 6 games. Number of times Aldridge outscored Nowitzki in the series? Zero.
Summing up:
The Blazers live by turnovers and offensive rebounds. They also wanted to dominate in points in the paint against this team. They utterly failed--got reversed even--in the first two and won a marginal victory in points in the paint.
Dallas wanted three point shooting and field goal percentage. They got the first and tied in the second. But Portland's gains from keeping Dallas' overall percentage low were cut short by extra points Dallas scored from the arc and at the line plus Portland's own lack of extra shot attempts by failing in the turnover and offensive rebound departments.
Plus Dallas' star outperformed Portland's star in every game.
Under these conditions the only vague hope the Blazers had of coming away with the series would have been some kind of voodoo among the supporting casts. When Jason Terry and Jason Kidd performed well Dallas shut the last possible escape hatch. Portland was trapped with no way out.
The curious part is not that the series transpired this way, but that the Blazers seemed rather, well, blasé about the whole thing. We saw blazing intensity from Gerald Wallace in Game 6, up to and including him frustrated, throwing the ball off of the basket support when it became apparent Portland was going down. We saw the terrific eruption from Brandon Roy in Game 4. We saw some hard-headed, big-hearted moments from Andre Miller and a brief standoff between LaMarcus Aldridge and Tyson Chandler. But that was it. Portland's players had spectacular moments, productive games, but you never got the burning desire. You never had the sense that the Blazers were assuming control over even a single match, let alone the series...or even wanted or knew how to get that control. Terry, Kidd, and Nowitzki had an answer for everything. The Blazers didn't even understand the question. That is the epitaph on their 2010-11 tombstone.
The burning question: Where does the team go from here? How does this get better?
- Health. There's no substitute for it.
- Portland's stars have got to decide they want to be stars, then have the guts and drive and confidence to be stars and show it. The Blazers can't live with 20 points from Brandon Roy every seventh game and public wondering about playing time in the interim. Either he can cut on those knees or he can't. To the extent that his inconsistency is mental he's got to resolve it. The Blazers can't live with LaMarcus Aldridge playing shrinking violet at the foul line in crunch time and either running away or madly rushing forward when the game's on him and more than an open jumper is required. The Blazers can't live with Greg Oden just blithely taking the game as it comes either, which has tended to be his approach. Being pinned as a star doesn't make you one. It comes from your play in situations just like this. Dirk Nowitzki? Star. Jason Terry? Star. Anyone in a Portland uniform right now? Not so much.
- Experience will help, as several of Portland's players are still young, but you have to learn from that experience. What did Dallas do this year? They prepared from Game 1 of the regular season to earn homecourt advantage. When they got it they didn't let anything get in their way of winning that first round series. They got physical before the Blazers. They made big shots before the Blazers. They counter-punched after every Portland jab. They treated it like the PLAYOFFS. You play above yourself, not the same or (God forbid) below. Whatever was needed to win, Dallas did. They learned that by getting kicked in the face in past years. How many times will the Blazers get kicked before they get tired of it and start to do something about it? Is three enough? The closest thing we saw to the right walk this year was Wallace in Game 6 but the do-or-die game is too late and one player is too few by eleven or so. This loss better burn in them all summer. They better decide they don't like it. They have to come ready next season to do whatever they need to make somebody else feel that way.
- Portland's bench players have got to mature and perform or the Blazers need some people with less name value/versatility and more experience and dependable production to come off the pines.
- Portland's deep shooters have got to hit or this team won't go anywhere even with a healthy Roy and Oden because the middle will be so clogged nobody will score.
- Portland needs a different way of dealing with screens: better scheme maybe, more commitment, effort, and communication certainly.
What are the chances of all of this happening?
Blazer fans pray for #1, obviously. At some point you hope the franchise can field the team it actually intended to. That's not in anybody's control, though.
Numbers 2 and 3 are up to the players. They have to get their heads straight and work together, or at least not be so easy to split apart on the court. Off-court chemistry means nothing if you're not committed to, selling out for, and succeeding at the same cause. It's like the friendliest chorus in the world that keeps going off key. You hope that Gerald Wallace's attitude will filter through to some of his teammates and some of the prime players. That's the best hope at this point.
Numbers 4-6 are up to management and the coaching staff. It's doubtful they can make big moves to transform this team without blowing it apart and starting over. With the salaries in question they probably couldn't blow it apart even if they wanted to. So they're looking at rearranging what they have and adding around the margins. Where's next year's Juwan Howard? How many of these issues is Patty Mills an answer to? How long will Andre Miller be with this team? These are the kinds of things management will be dealing with. But if the star power and commitment to not losing don't come through among the current players it's not going to matter much.
Still, everybody has a part to work on. With some effort and a little help from the injury gods, the Blazers could see a brighter tomorrow. The West is still wide open and will only become more so in the next couple of years. Portland is still hoping to get on the train. This playoff loss doesn't change that. Realistically it saved them from a more dramatic one in the next series. The train would have derailed this year no matter what. Their true success always was in the future.
Where do Portland's fans go from here? There are plenty of reasons to support and be optimistic about this team. This past year has been one of the best ever in terms of fan energy-to-victory ratio and there's no reason for that to subside. Portland's future is still worth getting excited about. The problems are better defined now than they were three years ago when everything was guesswork and optimism. Being better defined makes those problems more scary but they're also more resolvable. At least the franchise can see the hurdles they need to jump. Some of those may prove too high, but it'll be an honest attempt and worth watching. In the end that's all you can ask for.
Here at Blazersedge we'll continue right on. We'll have our 2010-11 season wrap including everything interesting, indicative, or just unusual about the year...and there was plenty! Over the next couple weeks we'll run down individual performances and look how the future of Portland's players might develop (or not). We'll soldier on through the summer as well with draft, Summer League, and whatnot.
Let's be honest here. There's going to be a lockout soon. The season may start late. In a nightmare world it could be quite late. But the next season will start at some point. In the meantime I'm still going to be a Blazer fan and so are you. Let's be honest about something else. This blog was born out of--and grew to be huge in--the era of the Jailblazers and 20-win seasons. You are riding with the king of digging deep and never running out of things to talk about no matter what the external stimulus. Some folks have a nose for finding and compiling useful information like our good friend and co-editor Ben. Some folks have a knack for getting inside folks to talk and coming up with stuff you never dreamed of like another good friend Henry Abbott of TrueHoop. Some folks do stats like Hollinger and Pelton, others do shock and awe like Deadspin. My gift is to keep things interesting and keep the conversation going no matter what else is happening, the middle of August the same as the middle of the playoffs (just with slightly fewer posts per day). This is what I do. This is what I teach other people to do around our network. And that makes Blazersedge as lockout-proof of a place as you're going to find. So don't despair. No matter what you can always get your Blazers fix here.
Are you a Blazers fan? Wear your colors proudly tomorrow and come and see us. The faith is alive and the conversation is just beginning. A new year is upon us and all things are possible!
--Dave (blazersub@yahoo.com)
P.S. Got an end-of-season Mailbag Question? Now would be a great time to send it to blazersub@yahoo.com. Put "Mailbag" in the subject line.
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Thanks for the perspective.
This all sounds right to me. It was clear on many occasions that Dallas was the better team on the court, and I wish them well in the next round. I’m excited to have a full season with Wallace (and maybe Oden?) next year, but remain a little concerned about the lack of intensity we saw from LA in some of these games. Changes ahead at some level, I imagine.
i agree......
…. If the L@kers sweep us by 50 a game, I would never say "they"beat us.. Ever.
But, as far as this series goes, the “Mavericks” beat us.
Congratulations to them. Now, kill the L@kers, Dallas.
I think most of us feel that way.
I do
but for me as long as OKC isn’t in the finals I’ll be good
"If I had a dime for every basket I made today, you'd still suck!" - from the book 'John Dies @ the End'
this is the part that leaves me with little hope:
the Blazers seemed rather, well, blasé about the whole thing.
Honestly, watching them lose is one thing. Watching them get eliminated at home, while NO ONE seems to even care for most of quarters 2 and 3 is just another thing entirely. These guys just don’t have the inner fire.
"Well, you can always sell your team."
Unfortunate
and what I saw too. I’m not sure we can work with that going forward and that would be the saddest thing of all.
This has been a problem for a long time.
We loved Przybilla for his toughness, and his willingness to go toe to toe with anybody. If a hard foul was needed, you could rely on him. Same with Juwan Howard last season. Who is the guy now? Maybe Wallace. I actually like Chris Johnsons clothesline shot on Dirk. It wasn’t mean-spirited, it wasn’t intended to injure. It may even have been accidental. But it did say he wasn’t afraid of Dirk.
Personally, I think the blame for this lies on Nate McMillan and Brandon Roy (and LMA, to a lesser degree). A team takes on the personality of its coach and leaders. Nate talks about his three “C’s”: calm, cool, collected. But then he wants them to play scrappy. Nowhere does he ever preach passion, emotion, fire. Roy is the same way: unflappable, dispassionate.
I don’t deny the talent of these guys, but players and teams that are less talented need extra passion to succeed, they need extra determination. They need to be truly P O’d when they lose and vindicated and triumphant when they win. Nate always followed really bad losses with “we need to burn the tape and move on.” I disagree: study those tapes, get after the players that are just going through the motions.
LMA dramatically improved his game this year because of his determination to avoid a loss like last season’s first round exit against Phoenix. The entire franchise should learn from him.
by hercher on Apr 29, 2011 9:54 AM PDT up reply actions 2 recs
This is an important point
Nate talks about his three "C’s": calm, cool, collected. But then he wants them to play scrappy. Nowhere does he ever preach passion, emotion, fire. Roy is the same way: unflappable, dispassionate.
It would be one thing if we had guys that were losing their cool and flipping out, like if we still had cats like Rasheed, Rider, Patterson, even Randolph at times, but we don’t. The last thing guys like Batum, Aldridge and Roy need to hear is to calm down.
In a certain way, it’s one of those things you either have or you don’t, and you sometimes can’t recognize that until it’s too late. I sometimes watch my daughter loaf through track practice, knowing I did the same when I was her age. It’s not until you no longer get to be on a team competing for something that you realize anything less than 100% is a waste of time and opportunity.
I think the C's Nate preaches are about poise
and I don’t think that is contradictory to passion…but obviously the passion was lacking this series
"If I had a dime for every basket I made today, you'd still suck!" - from the book 'John Dies @ the End'
by sammymohawk on Apr 29, 2011 10:38 AM PDT up reply actions
I kind of disagree
I wouldn’t say that poise and passion are opposites, but worrying about one certainly has an effect on the other.
Veteran teams play with poise and passion
Dirk did it, Kobe does it. You need both, not sure how much of either we brought to the table in this series.
"If I had a dime for every basket I made today, you'd still suck!" - from the book 'John Dies @ the End'
by sammymohawk on Apr 29, 2011 11:04 AM PDT up reply actions
I thought about this too..the whole calm thing...yes..do NOT get rattled when calls go against you.
In a “depressed” way that is.
But get fired up.
I have read, teams take on the personality of their coach/coaches.
Is there an NBA coach comparable in personality style to Patriots head coach Bill Belichick?
I admit to knowing next to nothing about football. A friend of mine does know quite a bit and brought up this guy’s name.
Apparently lost many star players to injury, yet WON the Super Bowl I believe.
Also I really think this Ociepka guy has something to do with the BLASE attitude. The Bulls had this attitude under him as well.
Monty is the one who created fire….
Calm, Cool, and Collected
is the way to go 95% of the time. If you get too over-pumped you’ll either lose or you’ll win one and lose the next. But sometimes you have to have that 5% that takes you over the top…the key play, the dramatic shove, the hard foul, the unstoppable drive, the undeniable force of nature I’m going to take this from you moment. The Blazers’ didn’t have quite enough of those moments when they needed them.
—Dave
Precisely
I think of a few moments in the past where the team’s cool boiled over, and it lead to good things.
Last season, Andre Miller and Nate McMillan got into it with each other during practice, and suddenly the Blazers starting playing better and winning more.
The year before, there was a very volatile practice. Steve Blake threw a chair a couple times, I think Joel and somebody else got into a shoving match, and the Blazers went on to a long winning streak.
You don’t want to let the refs get under your skin, but once in a while after a particularly bad call, it can be a good thing for a coach to get after them, maybe even get tossed from the game. It can fire a team up, and shows the coach has their back.
by hercher on Apr 29, 2011 11:37 AM PDT up reply actions 1 recs
I'm starting to wonder if the rebuilding with
Nice boys – post-jail blazer era – has backfired. Maybe our team is TOO nice? We need a thug or two to add some fire?
by Sheedwasright on Apr 29, 2011 3:39 PM PDT via mobile up reply actions
I think our team was too injured
"If I had a dime for every basket I made today, you'd still suck!" - from the book 'John Dies @ the End'
rec for you
i too am concerned this lack of aggression/energy/desire/heart/whatever might be coming from the leadership
"Well, you can always sell your team."
Joel lacks talent.
He has to be tough.
Brandon is clutch. He doesn’t have to run around like a jack-ass every time he makes a shot. I’m sick of fans dogging LMA, B Roy, and Nate for being professional. We just need an enforcer. Maybe that’s Greg.
wha??
by Hipster Olympic Team! on Apr 29, 2011 4:01 PM PDT via mobile up reply actions 1 recs
No Cussing please:-) thanks
by Blazingatrail24 on Apr 29, 2011 7:33 PM PDT via mobile up reply actions
Shot of Rudy head-in-hands on bench was telling.
The guy completely disappeared in playoffs for second year in a row. (Remember last year he started and Jason Richardson totally went off while Rudy passed up open 3s)
A lot of players didn't bring it in this series
Rudy is one of them, but I don’t think he deserves a disproportionate amount of blame.
by IntergalacticP on Apr 29, 2011 8:58 AM PDT up reply actions
I agree with you. His D wasn't terrible.
He just kept passing up shot after shot last night, it was so frustrating. Shoot the damn ball!!! He is also really sloppy on offense too. I am ready to see him leave the team.
"That was NAAAAAASTY"
Actually, he DOES deserve a disproportionate amount of blame
Seriously, he’s the ONE guy on the team that didn’t do something big in at least one game during the playoffs. Batum is right behind him, but Rudy is at the head of the line for not bringing it.
What’s the one most telling stat of the series? Our outside shooting. Why is Rudy on the team? Outside shooting.
His D was pretty important in our game 4 comeback
but he had a poor series (and finish to the season). But I don’t think our 7th or 8th guys lost this series moreso than the upper part of the rotation.
"If I had a dime for every basket I made today, you'd still suck!" - from the book 'John Dies @ the End'
by sammymohawk on Apr 29, 2011 10:39 AM PDT up reply actions
Bravo Dave............
If the team had half your passion we would be going to LA. Sadly they do not and proved it again last night. Rich Cho …………..you have work to do !
We must endeavor to persevere.
I can't tell if
the team doesn’t have the right players to play team defense or if Nate doesn’t know how to coach it. Our team defense was horrible.
I'm typing this here because I became jealous of everyone else with signatures in their posts.
The latter
We switch on screens too much and give the opposition a clear mismatch way, way too often! Nate got out-coached……………..again.
Bob Ociepka is the defense coach I believe. I hope VERY MUCH that he is gone next year.
His hire was one of pure nepotism..good buds with Nate’s former college roommate…DelNegro.
The Blazers D has been stylistically the same under Nate regardless of who the assistants have been.
long live the jd.
by jksnake99 on Apr 29, 2011 12:59 PM PDT up reply actions 1 recs
Our Pick N Roll D and switching
issue, has been relatively the same for several years. I don’t see it changing at this point, unless the leadership changes.
#7...
by DaNoose on Apr 29, 2011 6:08 PM PDT up reply actions 1 recs
What to do...what to do...
Some morning I pour a bowl of my favorite cereal—Honey Bunches of Oats, perhaps—and then get out the gallon of milk. Before pouring I take a quick sniff of the milk (because, like most men, cleaning the fridge is a foreign activity). Hmmmm…is it good? Or did I catch a wiff of something, ummm, less than desirable? Do I use pour? Or do I go into the kitchen and cook some eggs, instead? The milk isn’t putrid. I mean, I could use it. On the other hand, it’s not quite right and it might be better to pour it down the drain.
Our Blazers feel the same to me right now. I’m just not sure what to think…they weren’t terrible. But something’s not quite right. Dave pointed out many of these “not quite right” things. What to do…what to do…
Thanks for your hard work this year Blazers. We’ll see what Cho and Company do with you and we’ll be back here next fall to see what happens. In either case, we’ll be here with you and for you. Go Blazers!!!
by JavaBlazer on Apr 29, 2011 6:37 AM PDT reply actions 1 recs
This post sums up my feelings as well
I might add that its one of those mornings that I REALLY want cereal, so don’t want to pour the milk out unless I have to.
Aut disce, aut discede; manet sors tertia, caedi
by Occam's Blazer on Apr 29, 2011 3:13 PM PDT up reply actions
Good luck with your breakfast
Something is missing. Where’s the fire? Where’s the competitiveness? Do they care if they do not win?
They seem to want it given to them, but are unwilling to take it away. In sports, the one’s who take what they want, win!
HAVE WE ASKED FOR THIS BY WANTING PLAYERS WE CAN SUPPORT BOTH ON AND OFF THE COURT? Should we be blaming ourselves?
There is one guy on the team that you can always tell cares.
Dre! He is the only one where I can visibly see how pissed off he is when the team loses. I’m seeing that a lot in Gerald Wallace too which is good. Competitiveness HAS to be big next season. A “2nd place is the 1st loser” mentality needs to happen!
"That was NAAAAAASTY"
Other than the stretch in Feb/March where LMA played like an Allstar, this season wasn't very good
I gave the team a fair shot, like I do at the beginning of every season. But it became obvious from the get-go this was a group of dispassionate jump-shooters and that Nate wasn’t going to change a thing. When the jump-shots were going in, the Blazers won. When the jump-shots weren’t in, they lost. They rarely worked to get better shots, and rarely did they work to prevent easy baskets for the other team. That’s not exciting, nor effective, basketball.
I think the worst part about all the injuries over the last couple of seasons is that they’ve masked some serious problems with this group of players. Starting with the ‘cornerstones’ Let’s be plain: LMA only plays when he wants to and Brandon is a shell of the player that the league was starting to figure out anyway. Batum is another one, my mystification with him has been well-documented.
Maybe Oden will change the dynamic next year, but I doubt it. Maybe Cho will have the stones to face facts that this group as constructed doesn’t have it, but I doubt it.
Unfortunately the problem with ‘Rise With Us’ is that the TEAM has to rise too. Missing the playoffs altogether followed by three consecutive first-round bomb-outs isn’t rising…
Then again this city has a lot of fans with far lower expectations than I have so I imagine the Blazers will still sell plenty of tickets no matter what happens with the roster. And I guess that’s ok too. If I want to watch a winner I’ve always got the Ducks ;)
The Leeroy Rule: being insistent >>>> being correct
by leeroyjenkins on Apr 29, 2011 7:10 AM PDT reply actions 1 recs
I don't know how I've missed it before, but I just made the connection between your screen name and the YouTube video. Duh!!
Aut disce, aut discede; manet sors tertia, caedi
by Occam's Blazer on Apr 29, 2011 3:15 PM PDT up reply actions
Among the many things that the team lacks
In it’s current form is just a winning mentality. I think they would have advanced in one of the last three post-seasons had they been a more assertive group. I hate that body language of defeat this group so quickly goes into. One game this series, I turned on the TV to see the Blazers all standing around sulking. I am thinking they must be down big, only to look and see they were only down 2! 2 frigging points in the middle of a game and they looked beaten. God I hate that…,
by GoodNoCall on Apr 29, 2011 7:13 AM PDT via mobile reply actions
It's like we never had played in the playoffs before and we didn't know the intensity level we needed to bring
To me that is the legacy of this team. They don’t know how to turn it up a notch when a season is on the line. They don’t know how to play hard for 48 minutes (heck even 40 minutes). I find that inexcusable and a trend that will continue with the current cast of characters (except maybe Wallace, who even then was mostly absent for 4 and 1/2 of the 6 games).
How do you change that? I don’t know if you can.
#52
We Got Robbed!
Of Oden. Of a healthy Roy. Of Pendergast. Of a confident Rudy.
It’s all so frustrating. We have a good team. At times, it’s a team to root for and to live your dreams through. Who can forget the San Antonio game? Roy carrying the 4th qtr?
I love my Blazers. It’s all good. Till we meet again Blazer fans…. “it’s a great day to be a Blazer fan!!!!”
by JayBlazerFan on Apr 29, 2011 7:16 AM PDT via mobile reply actions
An Outsider's Perspective
Good article, Dave. I can’t say I’d seen Portland play too often during the season, but I felt like this series was a good study of the team. To me, I think the things look good for the Trailblazers. Dallas’ own LA is a stud. He didn’t fade away in this series, the Mavericks made other people beat them. They had double teams, traps and fake traps coming at him constantly. After seeing them in person, no other Trailblazer stepped up to help him out. That said, it looks like there are a number of good pieces. The biggest open wound seems to be Brandon Roy, who seems completely enigmatic to me. As a basketball fan, I hope he recovers some of his past brilliance, but I wouldn’t feel comfortable betting that he will. Ditto that for Oden. Again, I think there’s a lot to grow with in Aldridge, Wallace, Matthews and Batum.
by Mavs_Fan on Apr 29, 2011 7:23 AM PDT reply actions 2 recs
Thanks for the outside perspective
Aut disce, aut discede; manet sors tertia, caedi
by Occam's Blazer on Apr 29, 2011 3:16 PM PDT up reply actions
P.S. We should be happy for LaMarcus
After months of whining about how tired he is, he can finally go rest while the players with heart and passion keep playing basketball.
The Leeroy Rule: being insistent >>>> being correct
unrec?
I unrec leeroy’s post. how you can blame this on LaMarcus is beyond me…he’s the only reason we made the playoffs and prob. only reason we have Wallace since the front office wouldn’t spend money if it looked like we were headed for the lottery rather than the 6-8 seed.
I wouldn't blame Smooth, but . . .
I would say he could have hit the O Boards harder. Did you notice
how many times the ball was swung to the perimeter and all four Blazers
started backpedaling before the shot even was released ? Several times
it was GW taking the 3 pointer, so therefore nobody was crashing the boards
or even looking for a long rebound. Are they just afraid of a long rebound and a
runout ? It happened a few times anyway !
COINCAST SUCKS !!
YEAR # 4 of the BLACKOUT is in the BOOKS ! YEAR # 5 coming up !!
It's GO time !
I would say that complaining about LA not rebounding is kind of nitpicky
He played 43+ minutes a game (Dirk played around 36-38), the offense was ran through him while he was the only person to consistently show up. He also, unlike Dirk, had to guard the other teams’ #1 option whereas Dirk could hide out on defense. And, although you didn’t mention it, it can also explain the missed end of game free-throws. There were times when the camera showed a close-up of him and he just looked gassed. It is extremely difficult to shoot at the end of games even for guards, let alone 7’ers. You can see the difference in shots trajectory from being fresh at the beginning of a game to exhausted at the end (extreme side-note: does anyone think that it’s weird guys come out 2+ hours before game-time to workout and get up shots, and then run out of gas by the end of the game- not specifically talking about the blazers even, just a stream of consciousness thought)
Aut disce, aut discede; manet sors tertia, caedi
by Occam's Blazer on Apr 29, 2011 3:23 PM PDT up reply actions
Not really complaining . . .
just commenting that about many times a shot went up from the
wing and nobody hit the O boards or even looked for a long rebound.
I’ve never been one of the “LaMarcus is SOFT” crew, as I have always
felt he is a finesse PF. I was very happy that he worked hard last summer
to add strength and worked the post more. My comment revolves around
accentuating the Blazer’s strength; Offensive rebounding. They should have
increased their advantage and tired or not, this is the playoffs !
It's GO time !
huh
The guy’s Mom is battling for her life…He and Dre are the reason we were in the playoffs to begin with….give the guy a break will ya…
I don’t see them winning the title immediately. Nicolas Batum
there are so many question marks on this roster
(1) What’s Roy’s role? He’s still not a great fit with Miller, and the two of them get obliterated on defense because they’re too slow right now. But it seems like Roy’s not going to play backup point forever. So I guess Matthews is your starting SG, Roy’s the backup SG (for now) and you’re still looking for a younger player to play backup point and hopefully succeed Andre.
(2) Shooting? What’s that? Blazers can’t rely on Rudy as a shooter going into next year, and Batum had a tough year with his shooting. Will that continue? If the Blazers are going to start Andre and Gerald next year, all the other rotation perimeter players need to be 38% or so from deep. That means Rudy an Nic are both out if they don’t get it turned around.
(3) The big man rotation is a disaster. Camby’s finally declining, which means LaMarcus is the only proven commodity at the four or five. Greg can’t be counted on for anything—15 mpg and 68 games would be a highly optimistic projection. That means at least one big, and possibly two, is an absolute must.
(4) The defense still sucks no matter how good the personnel is. It would be cool to fire nate, but that’s not gonna happen.
i keep dancing on my own
shooting
A lot of it just comes down to shooting. Dallas has 3 players who have been shooting the lightsout- Dirk, Terry, and Marion. Even when Blazers play good D these guys still make shots. I didn’t know much about Marion before but he has an impressive ability to make shots while he is in motion- the floater as well as the one where he is going through the air sideways relative to the basket.
Blazers actually played pretty good defense in this series in my opinion. But you have got to make your shots. They didn’t get in the paint often enough and they missed a whole bunch of wide open jump shots.
They were horrible.
The Pick and Roll D was not existing.All these switches,leaving Dirk Nowitzki with Wes Mathews or Nic.Going under the screen,not fighting through the screen.Easy penetration.Zone was a complete disaster.The slow pace masks the defensive woes of the team.
by defense_first on Apr 29, 2011 7:43 AM PDT up reply actions
Good analysis..
Shooting (or lackthereof) killed the blazers. I’ve read a lot about the team not being able to defend the pick and roll, but nobody can defend the pick and roll when it’s executed the way dallas does. They have two Hall of Fame players running it very well. It’s not easy to defend and that’s why dallas runs it. The play is designed to force the defense to switch and it worked. The play creates mis-matches and that is why teams run it. In fact for dallas, it works a lot. They did win 57 games this year including 43 of their first 52 games running the pick and roll. The blazers did a fairly admirable job on D, I thought. Like you said, lsjogren, the blazers couldn’t make shots. Poor outside shooting was the biggest culprit. The Dallas D sagged off of Dre, Camby and Wallace which made it tough to drive and tough for LA to have space to operate on the block. We badly needed Rudy and Nic to hit shots. Also, I didn’t think Brandon shot the ball enough. He was forced into back up PG duties and he distributed more than he looked for his shot. When he did look for his shot, he was good. He shot 50% for the series. The only blazer to do so, I believe.
But the offensive end is the bigger issue.
If this team can’t even score 90 points,something is really wrong.Good D leads normally to easy transition points,thus scoring more than 80+ points.The offense is predicatble,LMA was predictable and a big part of it has to do with the lack of true shooters.
naw, the offense was fine
being the second worst defense in the playoffs (112.5 pts/100 possessions) was what killed.
i keep dancing on my own
i think they were both bad
our team defense is atrocious for sure. but our offense is far too predictable and fails to generate many easy baskets.
"Well, you can always sell your team."
we didn't score enough points to win that series
"If I had a dime for every basket I made today, you'd still suck!" - from the book 'John Dies @ the End'
by sammymohawk on Apr 29, 2011 8:22 AM PDT via mobile up reply actions
As it pertains to points allowed per 100 possessions, Portland's playoff defense was statistically ...
similar to Toronto’s regular season defense. No matter how anyone tries to slice it, that’s inexcusible. Too bad the only way to fix that is by hiring a head coach who’ll instruct his guys to play principled man-to-man defense, as well as defend against the pick-and-roll by having perimeter players fight through screens and frontline players staying at home on their man.
Hell, that’s what the Atlanta Hawks did by firing Mike Woodson — who, like McMillan, runs a switch-heavy defensive scheme — and replacing him with Larry Drew this season. Lo and behold, Drew managed to do what Woodson couldn’t by beating the Orlando Magic in a playoff series.
"They say it has no memory. That’s where I want to live the rest of my life. A warm place with no memory."
Here Dallas, please accept this layup as a token of our support
Why thank you! May we have another?
Oh yes, here! Take as many as you like!
You’re too kind.
Rich Cho, get to work
This team needs a shakeup.
We can’t afford to pay Roy, he’s going to have to rework his contract, or something.
Batum is going to want a big raise.
Rudy will get his wish and he’s gone.
We need an heir apparent at the 1.
We need depth at 4-5.
Wes you need to work on your handles.
Gerald, uh, you’re good.
LaMarcus, what you did last summer, do it again.
Marcus, we need some more from you, hang out with Greg this summer please.
Chris Johnson, hang with Barry Bonds please.
Nate, would you consider bringing Rick Adelman on as an assistant. I don’t think Buck did a whole lot this year.
by doomsdaymachine on Apr 29, 2011 8:04 AM PDT reply actions
Even better
Nate should hire Rick Adelman, then resign, so the Blazers can promote Adelman to head coach!
do you think Adelman would be willing to be an assistant coach? Really?
Maybe if he is in semi-retirement mode. And wants to be closer to his family.
No, I don't
and I’m not sure he would come to Portland under any circumstance. He is going to want to go to a team that is closer to winning than Portland is right now.
Timmay
had a suggestion about Roy last night.
+1 Agree shake it up.
No No please No Barry Bonds!
Adleman won’t happen and I’m afraid were in for a few more years of Nate whether you like it or not.
The fact is you can't expect to
Go for 5-7 minutes at a time without making a basketball and coming up with a win.
You can’t expect to go under picks and not have teams shot over you.
You can’t expect to win ball games when only three players show up per game (unless you are Miami)
if nate hadn't got an extension this past month
he would not be given one after his playoff performance.
PHILLY!
by CleBlazer on Apr 29, 2011 8:12 AM PDT reply actions 2 recs
If we new Adleman would be available...
…I’m just say’n…
Some of us were campaigning for Adelman up to 2 years ago.
The Blazers had to have the same hints that he would be available, and they chose Nate.
Oops.
by Free Bayless on Apr 29, 2011 9:41 AM PDT up reply actions
Not oops
Many people have pointed out that the history between Adelman and PA would probably prevent a return from ever happening. You can say oops about Monty, but his team met the exact same fate as ours.
"If I had a dime for every basket I made today, you'd still suck!" - from the book 'John Dies @ the End'
by sammymohawk on Apr 29, 2011 10:07 AM PDT up reply actions
Meant more like re-signing Nate was an oops regardless od Adelman's availability.
Doubt the FA sees it that way though.
by Free Bayless on Apr 29, 2011 10:19 AM PDT up reply actions
Gotcha
sorry, I misinterpreted
"If I had a dime for every basket I made today, you'd still suck!" - from the book 'John Dies @ the End'
by sammymohawk on Apr 29, 2011 10:40 AM PDT up reply actions
Monty was missing David West
and they drew the Lakers which was a horrible matchup down low for them. Okafor, Landry and Gray vs. Bynum, Gasol and Odom is a huge mismatch.
Their best player is better than our best player though
"If I had a dime for every basket I made today, you'd still suck!" - from the book 'John Dies @ the End'
by sammymohawk on Apr 29, 2011 10:57 AM PDT up reply actions
except his team fought all the way to the end
ours looked disinterested in being there.
"Well, you can always sell your team."
Was I the only one wishing Martel Webster and jerryd bayless were still coming off the bench for us.
Trading Martel for Luke Babbitt is looking like a terrible move on Kevin Pritchards part.
KP's parting shot
that’s what PA gets (and frankly, deserves) for firing KP right before the draft.
PHILLY!
KP didn't sabotage the draft
he just made a bad move. if you look back at his history, he made many of them in the draft. Outside or Roy, LA, and Batum, his picks were either wasted, mediocre, or downright poor.
"Well, you can always sell your team."
martell would have been a great guy to bring off the bench.
he could have come in and missed some 3-pointers and played mediocre defense so that our other wings could rest up and then come back in and miss 3-pointers and play mediocre defense…
by SaveOden on Apr 29, 2011 10:29 AM PDT up reply actions 1 recs
Bayless and Webster presented all the same problems as Rudy, Roy, and Patty.
Totally erratic and unreliable.
If Bayless wasn't traded then we wouldn't have Wallace though
The draft picks haven’t panned out so far but all moves made post draft have been good IMO.
1. Signing Wes
2. Trading Bayless for NO pick which we later packaged with
3. Pryz, Dante and Marks for Gerald Wallace.
TYPO?
The Blazers can’t live with Greg Oden just blithely taking the game as it comes either, which has tended to be his approach. Being pinned as a star doesn’t make you one.
Did you mean Batum?
Sure seems like's being treated with kid gloves
He doesn’t seem to generate his own motivation well, I sure hope Portland has a much better plan than the vague lack of details/commitments we’ve heard from Greg so far.
I think the Prince comparison is still plenty applicable
Pippen was always wishful thinking
"If I had a dime for every basket I made today, you'd still suck!" - from the book 'John Dies @ the End'
Shoot, I'll never understand the lunacy behind those absurd Scottie Pippen comparisons.
Batum never possessed the handles, court vision, or the physical strength of Pippen. Not only that, Batum also lacked the assertiveness — which is an innate trait — that drove Pippen to compete at a high level year after year on the court.
But yeah, Tayshaun Prince is still Nicolas Batum’s ceiling. Knowing that, though, Batum is far from untouchable. As I see it, Batum should surely be moved in a trade that nets a superior wing player (e.g., Andre Iguodala) — especially since Brandon Roy may be sent packing if there’s an amnesty clause — or, perhaps, for a more proven youngster who’s a long-term solution at another position (e.g., Steph Curry).
"They say it has no memory. That’s where I want to live the rest of my life. A warm place with no memory."
the problem with the prince comparison.
is he’s still falling well short of that. tayshaun prince was a game changing defender at his peak and was a crafty scorer and superb shooter.
prince was pretty much at his peak level by year 3 and maintained it for about 5 seasons.
i think we would all agree that if this is batum’s peak level after his 3rd year, then he’s never going to be as good as prince and the pippen comparison is just a joke.
i think batum has to make a huge leap in the next couple of years to get to the level that a lot of blazer fans expect. personally, i don’t think batum has the drive for that.
in the FUTURE!!!
I don’t remember his ever being called a current Pippen or Prince.
I think Oden was deemed a star at the beginning…right?
True, Greg Oden was considered an immediate impact player from the get-go.
Nicolas Batum, on the other hand, was thought more of as a potential-laden prospect.
"They say it has no memory. That’s where I want to live the rest of my life. A warm place with no memory."
you're right.
but pippen was once a young player and he was much much better.
batum’s 3rd year: 12.4 ppg, 4.5 rpg, 1.5 apg, 0.8 spg, 0.6 bpg, 45.5%fg
pippen’s 3rd year: 16.5 ppg, 6.7 rpg, 5.4 apg, 2.6 spg, 1.2 bpg, 48.9%fg
Not sure what's going on with this offense....
Either they are tired or Nate’s offense is just putrid. Sick of watching 1 vs. 1 crap that results from a contested fade away. On the other end, mavs pick and roll gets them a layin or wife open 3 ptr. If Nate is gonna start athletic/defensive minded players that can’t shoot, then these guys should be taking it to the rim everytime. Frustrating.
Things you don't want to hear.
Thanks for the good article focusing on general subjects that were the Blazers downfall. I agree with the assessment but feel that a few people did not show up for the playoffs this year and in years past.
1) Nate McMillan: Nate is obviously a wonderful b-ball coach and has done magic with a depleted roster during the regular season. BUT his teams have been awful during the playoffs. Winning in the playoffs is about fire, motivation, and adjustments (in and between games). Nate has not instilled fire or motivation and adjustments have been lacking during 3 straight playoff runs. Nate needs to make some serious adjustments in his approach to preparing the guys for the playoffs during the summer.
2) Andre Miller: great team leader on the court but not championship caliber. Andre holds the offense back with his slow demeanor. He turned down obvious fast break opportunities hundreds of times this year and 10 times or more each playoff game. Our offense struggles in the half court and he is a half court PG. I know Andre carried the offense and never gets shaken but he needs to go. The only reason Game 6 was close was because he got benched the entire 4th and we pushed the ball on offense.
3) Rudy Fernandez: just leave already. He has been a liability on offense and defense during every playoff game and way too many regular season games. He could have easily been the difference in a few games during the Dallas series but was the opposite. Might be time for the Euro-league.
- I must commend LA for his gritty play this year. He did not back down in the playoffs this year even though he underachieved. I believe he learned from previous playoff experiences and will learn from this one.
Agree with you on Nate and Rudy
I think Andre, and the team as a whole, has this low-turnover mentality that takes fewer risks. I too would rather they run more and push the pace, then pull the ball back out if the defense is in position.
That's the whole core issue with this team:
Most of the guys (Aldridge, Wallace, Batum, Rudy, Matthews) want to run, but Nate, Miller and Roy don’t, and therefore the team’s potential explosiveness is stifled.
Yeah, Miller and Rudy can go at this point, especially Rudy. He just can’t play in the NBA. Miller’s only got a couple years anyway, so it’s no big loss.
where do you get Miller doesn't want to run ?
Let’s see what he does without Nate/Roy.
Jordan's not a bad guy.. he gave us Gerald Wallace.
fail
2010-11 Lost Western Conference First Round
2009-10 Lost Western Conference First Round
2008-09 Lost Western Conference First Round
2007-08 No playoffs
2006-07 No playoffs
2005-06 No playoffs
2004-05 No playoffs
2003-04 No playoffs
2002-03 Lost Western Conference First Round
2001-02 Lost Western Conference First Round
2000-01 Lost Western Conference First Round
1999-00 Lost Western Conference Finals
1998-99 Lost Western Conference Finals
1997-98 Lost Western Conference First Round
1996-97 Lost Western Conference First Round
1995-96 Lost Western Conference First Round
1994-95 Lost Western Conference First Round
1993-94 Lost Western Conference First Round
1992-93 Lost Western Conference First Round
1991-92 Lost Finals
1990-91 Lost Western Conference Finals
1989-90 Lost Finals
1988-89 Lost Western Conference First Round
1987-88 Lost Western Conference First Round
1986-87 Lost Western Conference First Round
1985-86 Lost Western Conference First Round
1984-85 Lost Western Conference Semifinals
1983-84 Lost Western Conference First Round
1982-83 Lost Western Conference Semifinals
1981-82 No playoffs
1980-81 Lost Western Conference First Round
1979-80 Lost Western Conference First Round
1978-79 Lost Western Conference First Round
1977-78 Lost Western Conference Semifinals
1976-77 Won Finals
1976-77 Won Finals
1975-76 No playoffs
1974-75 No playoffs
1973-74 No playoffs
1972-73 No playoffs
1971-72 No playoffs
1970-71 No playoffs
http://www.basketball-reference.com/teams/POR/
PHILLY!
by CleBlazer on Apr 29, 2011 8:31 AM PDT reply actions 2 recs
I'm not sure I'd call that a "fail"
Considering we’re definitely a small market team, and the only teams with more playoff appearances are legendary dynasties like the Lakers, Celtics and SA.
by superfly05 on Apr 29, 2011 10:28 AM PDT up reply actions 3 recs
That's A LOT of playoff games.
Some franchises go decades without winning a single playoff game.
wha??
by Hipster Olympic Team! on Apr 29, 2011 11:19 AM PDT up reply actions 2 recs
on the other hand, if Memphis closes out SA, ever other Western Conference team will have been to round 2 more recently than Portland.
long live the jd.
by jksnake99 on Apr 29, 2011 11:21 AM PDT up reply actions 1 recs
ouch
"If I had a dime for every basket I made today, you'd still suck!" - from the book 'John Dies @ the End'
by sammymohawk on Apr 29, 2011 11:28 AM PDT up reply actions
I said game--not series.
wha??
by Hipster Olympic Team! on Apr 29, 2011 4:03 PM PDT via mobile up reply actions
If we go by cities, Charlotte even had playoff series wins in 2001 and 2002 with the Hornets.
"They say it has no memory. That’s where I want to live the rest of my life. A warm place with no memory."
It is certainly not a 'fail' for the fans continuing support.....
but, wow, pretty striking record of frustration.
I remember back when the Blazers were almost understood to be ‘also rans’ … ‘longest playoff string’… cannon fodder.
Not an encouraging picture.
We keep hoping for ‘next year’.
Still possible ! Things can change fast, look at some other teams !
If they can do it, so can we !
Jordan's not a bad guy.. he gave us Gerald Wallace.
It's unbelievable to think that those Drexler, Porter, Kersey teams only got out of the first round 3 times.
2 finals and a western conference appearance are nice, but how did they suck so bad in the first round all those other years?
Poor coaching by Nate
"If I had a dime for every basket I made today, you'd still suck!" - from the book 'John Dies @ the End'
haha!!
Aut disce, aut discede; manet sors tertia, caedi
by Occam's Blazer on Apr 29, 2011 3:31 PM PDT up reply actions
Dave & Ben & Blazersedge team:
thank’s for all you did to make it a great season.
by Sashland on Apr 29, 2011 8:34 AM PDT reply actions 3 recs
Yup
Aut disce, aut discede; manet sors tertia, caedi
by Occam's Blazer on Apr 29, 2011 3:31 PM PDT up reply actions
Question for Blazer Fans - If there is an amnesty clause in the next CBA, would you have any problems if the team used it on Brandon Roy
Despite his game 4 performance I would do it
I wouldn't want to be the guy to sign off on that.
That’s all I can say.
"Part of me wants him to beast up the Blazers, but part of me thinks he should move to Hawaii and become a dentist." - Llamaiguana
Nope.
I’d let him test the market, then give him more than anyone else would. Because I don’t think there’s a team out there that would give him anything close to what he has now.
Yes, I’d hate to be the guy to sign off on it, but let’s face it. This isn’t the B-Roy we signed to that deal, and he never will be again.
CKTK: A music blog. We write about what we want to write about.
UO: #1 in the polls, #1 in our hearts. Finally, the stars align.
I, too, would do it, specifically if his cap hit would be removed in the process.
Paul Allen has bought out guys before, including Shawn Kemp and Derek Anderson.
"They say it has no memory. That’s where I want to live the rest of my life. A warm place with no memory."
We don't have a KILLER
The problem with the Blazers right now is that we don’t have a killer. It’s almost like good character gone bad. We’ve brought in so many nice guys over the years, that we lack someone who just won’t bend over and take it when the other team starts hitting us in the mouth. We don’t have a single guy on our team who has that mentality that they’re going to IMPOSE THEIR WILL on a game.
Look at the Lakers. You may not like their players, and they’re not necessarily bad people. However, they’re NASTY. They’re not thugs like the nuggets used to be, but they’re nasty. You push them, they won’t push you back, they’ll hit you back. They smell blood in the water, and they don’t lighten up because they sense they can take a couple plays off, they devour you.
We used to have Brandon, who was a silent killer. He’s not able to be that guy anymore. Now we’re left with a bunch of guys that are dangerous but aren’t going to murder the other team. Aldridge doesn’t understand that in the playoffs, you shouldn’t be drawing fouls, you should be FORCING them. Hit the guy defending you, get the bucket, and let the referees decide who fouled, chances are you’ll get the benefit of the doubt. Batum needs an infusion of Gerald Wallace. Oden might be the answer, he has kind of a mean streak.
We need guys that aren’t afraid to kick people when they’re down.
Whether the Blazers make the 2nd round should not be the yardstick.
Memphis is probably going to make the 2nd round because they tanked their last 2 games (including with us) to get a more favorable match-up with the aging & beat-up Spurs.
If that’s how we judge success, it just feels wrong.
I have so much respect for Sam Presti right now. While KP may have been a great evaluator of talent, I’m not sure he could have got the pieces to fit together as well as Presti has.
Patty Mills - PG of the future. Book it.
While I agree with this to some extent...
regardless of reason we have lost in three post seasons. I think it’s time to review and there’s valid reason for a change to take place when we’re actually ready to make a championship push (if that is ever going to happen).
"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
Blazers did exactly what I expected of them
1.) I feel that the blazers don’t fit and have become hodgepodge
2.) I feel that our offense/shooting is off.
3.) I feel that this was the year Nate proves he can play in the play-offs or can’t. He didn’t win and I’m not sure he has what it takes in the play-offs.
4.) I feel it’s time to make some major moves.
5.) I hope, but I don’t feel that Greg will ever come back.
6.) I finally concede on durant and regret we didn’t draft durant and find a way to pick up noah. (a proposal I had made and was told was a dumb move by some at the time, which means to me it might have been possible as noah was not a sure thing according to people that draft year and there were even people doubting durant).
Mental or whatever Roy hasn’t been Roy. I don’t believe it’s mental. I believe Roy and Nate are in denial.
I now believe blazer management knew the risk of Roy and the risk of Oden (more than we did) and based on this I can see valid reason for KP to be fired. Maybe there was a reason a certain other player wasn’t drafted because there was a mandate for no more injury prone players (San Antonio picked him up, i forget his name). Knowing the risks of Oden and Roy, I’m less likely to turn down a Durant pick. If both those players had a high likely hood to be healthy then I’d pick Oden and re-sign Roy.
I believe Roy and Miller don’t play well together.
I believe that outside Aldridge, every player is on the table.
I believe that Crash is great, but not the offensive weapon we need. (defensively and other little things I love him, but I question his fit and feel something needs to change for him to find a real home here).
I was thrilled by our fourth quarter fourth game comeback, but my response was also “if we needed a miracle to win, we’re not winning.”
What I’d like to see moving forward.
1.) Clear distance between starters and bench in at least three positions if not four.
2.) Clear starters and bench players
3.) Healthy players
4.) A nice balance between post players and true shooters as well as at least two starters who can create their own shots.
5.) A desire by players to play defense and build a rep for defensive plays
6.) Creativity on offense
7.) An edge to the team so that they don’t complain about a hard pick, but simply say “naw, that’s cool” and then hard pick back the next game. Also… you know… a team that calls out when that’s about to happen to their team mate.
8.) Clear Brandon Roy’s contract from the books if possible.
9.) Move Miller, Camby, Crash, Roy, Rudy in an attempt to pick up pieces in the draft.
10.) Be on the look out for a good coaching candidate. I suspect we’re going to be stuck in teh regular season for a while, but when we have the pieces and we’re ready to make a push, Nate needs to be replaced. I admit he hasn’t had all the tools working, but I don’t care anymore. Change for change’s sake may be what we need when it’s time to push.
I think it’ll take a few years before we can really push because right now I feel we need to break the team to make it stronger.
"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
Nice sum-up.
I wouldn’t trade Wallace, though. Otherwise, I think it’s reasonable to look at moving everyone else.
Trading wallace
is reasonable depending on what you get for him.
Obviously it’s not a blank check to trade, but he’s the most valuable piece we have and we have to give up some good stuff to get something back. I like Wallace a LOT. He’s on my top three list of people I don’t want to move, but in order to make moves, I suspect he’s also on the list of people you have to include.
"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
oh, and switch "in the draft" to "during the draft" for picking up pieces.
"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
I'd say having Wallace makes Batum tradeable moreso than the other way around
I don’t think we’re gonna trade Gerald after getting him a few months ago
"If I had a dime for every basket I made today, you'd still suck!" - from the book 'John Dies @ the End'
by sammymohawk on Apr 29, 2011 10:52 AM PDT up reply actions
I like Wallace too, but he is a tweener.
He is a 3/4 that is probably better suited as an undersized 4, yet he doesnt like playing that position full time. My longtime fear with Wallace as a 3 on this team has been his outside shooting. He shot 3 of 17 this series. Like it or not, Wallace is an awful fit at small forward in Nate’s system. Playing him at the 4 pushes Aldridge to the 5 and that lineup has issues as well.
Wallace would be best coming off the bench as a 6th man type, but he is probably too talented for that role. If Cho can move him for an upgrade at pg, I’d strongly consider it.
\oo///
Wallace is a SF
Wallace is also a starter. He’s earned it and plays well as a starter.
The Blazers need others who can shoot from distance.
Wallace is a defense juggernaut and drives to the basket. He doesn’t need to do EVERYTHING well.
The Blazers need a shooting guard &/or a pg who can shoot from distance. Miller has been working on his 3 pt shot…and it showed in the playoffs. Who knows…maybe with continued work on this he will actaully become GOOD at the 3 pt shot!
wallace vs. batum.
wallace is the keeper.
he’s much better right now and you know he will always leave it all on the court.
batum might be as good as wallace someday, maybe even better, but who knows? his ceiling drops after every year of underwhelming improvement.
More importantly
his value around the league drops every year he doesn’t follow that steep trajectory
"If I had a dime for every basket I made today, you'd still suck!" - from the book 'John Dies @ the End'
I love Nic
but I think what ails him most is between the ears. If he played with unadulterated tenacity he’d already be much more of an impact player.
"If I had a dime for every basket I made today, you'd still suck!" - from the book 'John Dies @ the End'
ya, they do need to shake things up a bit.
Its another offseason, which means the perrenial search for our next pg should be well under way….
\\oo///
My Blazers story
I moved to Portland in October, only about a week before the Blazers home opener. Coming from New Jersey, the NBA had always seemed like a bit of a waste of my time – the Knicks, Nets, and Sixers are terrible, and the attendance/interest/ratings for the latter two are pathetically low. But I knew that coming to Portland meant nothing less than stepping into Blazer Mania. Sure, the 2000’s were rough here, and if I could apologize for moving here AFTER all of the hurt, I would. But that’s neither here nor there.
The fact of the matter is, as a dedicated hockey (Canadiens) and soccer (Aston Villa) fan, the NBA was so far off my radar I hardly remembered that it existed. But when my girlfriend (we’ll call her Casey) and I settled on moving to PDX (long story short: this has always been her favorite city, she went to college here and wanted nothing more than to move back after finishing grad school), I immediately wanted to get tickets to the Blazers home opener. I remember the first time I visited Portland – it was last April, it was Renn Fayre. Ugh. On Saturday morning, I needed two things: soccer and greasy food. So we went to Casey’s favorite pub, the Horse Brass. And much to my surprise, this bastion of all things England was COVERED in Blazer paraphernalia. I didn’t even realize that it was the playoffs.
Flash forward to October. I’m hardly unpacked, still bleary-eyed and a bit in shock. But we have tickets to the Blazers home opener, and I’m excited. Exited about NBA basketball for the first time in my 27 years. The Rose Garden was packed and loud. I still watch the video I took of the opening montage and player introductions every once in a while, and it gives me chills every time. Who here remembers what song they played? Eminem’s “Not Afraid”. How *@$! appropriate! Prophetic , to use a long word.
I’m not afraid to take a stand
Everybody come take my hand
We’ll walk this road together, through the storm
Whatever weather, cold or warm
Just let you know that, you’re not alone
Holla if you feel that you’ve been down the same road
Do those words describe this season, or what?! By opening day, I knew that Phoenix knocked us out of the playoffs (the ones I didn’t know were going on back in April), and I wanted revenge. The Blazers demolished the Suns that night, and I was hooked. As we left the Rose Garden, all I could think about was the next time we could go back. We went to 11 regular season games this year, and I watched all but three (was out of town, and had I been here, I would have watched them all). I even stayed up to watch a game while in Costa Rica – the game was on TNT, and our hotel had satellite TV.
I was at the game last night, SURE we were going to win. But we didn’t. After the initial disappointment, and I could bring myself to send a text to Casey, who was stuck in Chicago at a conference, and managed to catch the 4th quarter on TV at a bar her company dragged her to, I sent the following message:
“Good season, baby. One we can be really proud of, and it’s something to build on. Very proud”.
She replied: “Was the game worth going to, even though it was a loss?”
Me: “Totally. Great atmosphere, good people. We made it close and could have won. Proud I was here. First and last games of the year”.
Casey: “You hooked on our city?”
Me: “So hooked. When I live, I live in the Portland!” (Yeah, I’m Timbers Army, too).
We have a lot to be proud of, and we definitely have a core to build on. 48 wins, given the circumstances the Blazers went through this year, is a borderline miracle. Extreme amounts of credit are due across the board. And next year (in whatever form it comes), with GW for the whole year, a wiser, more battle-tested young core, this team has A LOT to build on, and could be a top-4 seed.
For now, let’s catch our breath. Let’s be proud of this group, this incredible group of unselfish players who came together as a Family in the face of adversity. Let’s credit the goofballs, the bench, bit, and role players who saw precious little playing time but had such a big impact on the team atmosphere. They created a phenomenon, and whether you think the 3-goggles are awesome or stupid, they coaxed the goofball side out of otherwise serious, all-business players like Wes Matthews and Marcus Camby. Did you not fall out of your char when Camby flashed the 3-goggles!?
Portland, hear me. There is NO OTHER TEAM IN THE NBA LIKE THIS ONE. Be proud of how special this is. It’s sure as hell made a Portlander out of me!
I want to see every one of you supporting the Timbers this summer. It’s not a question of one or the other! Their seasons hardly overlap at all. We are a city with two teams whose passionate fan bases are the envy of their leagues.
Great year. Let’s keep it up.
by RipCityVillan on Apr 29, 2011 9:06 AM PDT reply actions 11 recs
yeah, we are lucky to have a the team that we have
they’re so easy to root for.
by DefenderOfPants on Apr 29, 2011 4:56 PM PDT up reply actions
Just wanted to highlight this part
Portland, hear me. There is NO OTHER TEAM IN THE NBA LIKE THIS ONE. Be proud of how special this is. It’s sure as hell made a Portlander out of me!
I got hooked on the Blazers back in the mid eighties. Since I didn’t watch much BB when I was young I wasn’t interested right away. I moved to Portland the year after the 77 championship and wondered why people were so mesmerized. I remember the game I got hooked on. I was at Washington Square Mall waiting for my wife…bored. I watched the game through a window. It was the Blazers playing LA and Jim Paxson was the starting SG and Drexler was a rookie back up. They beat the Lakers.
Thank you Blazers
Another great year on the blog for blazersedge, keep it up guys for the sake of us fans. I’m happy with the team this season as they exceeded my expectations. Seeing LA blossom into an all-star was amazing, the chemistry and character that this tgroup has developed has made them one of my favorite blazer teams of all time. Here’s to a great season and coming back next year even better with the Odenator locking sh** down!
P.S Please resign Andre, greatest Blazer pg of all time.
Yet again, the Blazers played some of the worst D in the playoffs, despite some excellent defensive personnel. This is a coaching issue. Not game coaching, but our basic defensive system doesn’t permit us to be much above average no matter how many good defenders we have.
Not very excited about two more years of Nate.
long live the jd.
by jksnake99 on Apr 29, 2011 9:14 AM PDT reply actions 4 recs
I would argue that the Mavs played defense just as poorly.
The Mavericks made their wide open shots. The Blazers just missed theirs.
by HeathBlizzard on Apr 29, 2011 10:21 AM PDT up reply actions
This really is the nut. When the Mavs put up a shot, you thought "count it", when the Blazers put one up, you prayed.
by raoulduke on Apr 29, 2011 10:31 AM PDT up reply actions 1 recs
well said lol
and completely true. You could even hear our crowd react when Dallas shot from 3pt…before the shot went.
I can't say I'm shocked.
When all the talk was about Dallas being soft and their playoff woes in the past few years, I knew they would come out more motivated than ever to get the monkey off their back. Unfortunately, I think Portland is the new Dallas and/or Denver.
Life is hilarious.
The bench just needs an overhaul.
I really think that Aldridge, Wallace, Matthews and (maybe) Oden will feel much more comfortable if they can count on the bench, which they couldn’t do this year.
Roy: Is one great game in every five worth it? I don’t think so. If it was 20, then 10, then 12, then 11, then 8, then 25, that’s one thing, but right now it’s 20-2-4-5-4-6-18. Not good enough. Breaks my heart to say it, but I’d even consider a buy-out or releasing him. He’ll be set for life, and maybe find a home on the bench somewhere else.
Batum: Still young. Shooting consistency a problem, but worth keeping for defensive purposes.
Camby: Getting old. Just going to get older. Inconsistent. Maybe worth keeping, but marginal. An offensive non-entity, though.
Rudy: I was a vociferous defender of him last year, but I have seen enough. It is time for him to go. Not capable of overcoming his own insecurities for long enough to produce in the NBA. Sad, because he can play, but doesn’t seem aware he can play most of the time.
Patty: Some nice moments, but not enough to merit keeping him. Time to go.
Chris Johnson: Great! Keep him. The only bench player that showed any intensity at all, and a great reserve (sort-of-) big man. Shows some offensive flair, too. Looks hungry, the most important thing of all.
Luke Babbitt: Who? Not worth keeping for a bunch of maybes. Has shown not even a glimmer of NBA-caliber potential outside the D-League. Adios.
Armon Johnson: Who? Nate, do you want him or don’t you? Decide so the team can move forward.
Elliot Williams: Well, give him a chance to play, I guess.
These last three are especially telling—the team gave up Webster and Bayless for them, essentially, and they were all total non-factors.
In general, I say keep Batum, Chris Johnson and maybe Camby. Let Williams play, and see, as long as Babbitt goes, because we don’t have time for two projects. Everyone else on the bench (including Roy) needs to go, and the starters will improve across the board.
Laker fan here
I’m relieved were not playing you guys and are instead playing Dallas (who we match up really well against)
One critique of the Blazers is I don’t like their offensive philosophy. I think based on their wing players they should be a high possession running team, not a slow plodding half court team that relies on 3 point shooting.
I think that starts with moving Andre Miller for a high tempo PG
by Archon on Apr 29, 2011 9:36 AM PDT reply actions 1 recs
You're exactly right.
Our wings don’t fit MacMillan’s offensive philosophy—they’re dying to run, and get stifled.
I can't believe I just recced a Laker fan.
Disagree about Miller though. His alley opp passes did more to speed up the offense and show their potential than anything else. I think the problem lies in how the wings are coached.
Specifically, having a wing camped out in a corner for an entire play is inefficient. That player could be diving to the hoop for easy buckets, setting picks, and boxing out. Instead, they sit there and wait for a bailout pass. I think this is what has led to their poor distance shooting. Standing around for several seconds, then being called on for a high-pressure shot is a recipe for disaster.
I would much rather the wings be active in the offense, run to the corners when they open up, and if they don’t get a touch out there, reenter the action immediately. Batum gets a fair amount of criticism for his disappearing acts, but I think that’s actually counter to his nature. Once, he openly mocked Nate’s offense, referring to standing in the corner as doing the Portland.
PS: Careful—Dallas was the match-up we wanted too. Thanks for coming by, and I’m sorry that I hate your so much that I’m rooting for any and every team you face, now and forever.
Stealth > Wealth
Naw, I don't think it's Andre's fault. It's MacMillan's. And Roy's.
Sarge is a fanatic about limiting turnovers, and being “calm, cool, and collected.”
YAwn.
And Roy is just a slow half-court kinda player.
Discharge the Sarge.
by Sheedwasright on Apr 29, 2011 11:00 PM PDT up reply actions
MEDIOCRITY always seems to prevail with the Franchise.
All in all It was an entertaining year! Moving forward-
Greg: re-sign him. his potential’s still worth taking the chance. he’s good for one one major injury before we can call him cursed.
Brandon: if CBA allows, buy him out. Then he should go abroad, play in the Euro leagues where their schedules are less games less often. Retire by age 30 and move back to Seattle to live out the rest of a very nice life.
Rudy: He’s good eye candy during the regular season. NBA Playoff basketball is to physical for him. Bye my Spanish friend.
Gerald: Keep. He’ll end up being the best Blazer in 30-40 games next season.
Andre: Keep for the option year. As Roy earned the 85/5 for past performances, doesn’t Andre deserve this modest show of gratitude?
Wes: Keep. He had a great sophomore year.
Nic: Keep unless he’s needed to complete deal to acquire legit superstar. Still so young – a 25 yr old Nic could be an assassin.
LMA: Stays. Character on and off the court is unmatched.
The rest of the roster is just obvious trade/release material.
Treat people well because Karma can hit you at any second.
I agree with our assessment
but keeping is all relative to what’s on the table too. I mean, who would you trade for Lebron James? Even LMA is looking at a trade with a name like that (I hate Lebron, but look at talent which is my point. I’m just using an extreme example.)
Wallace or Batuum are the ones I feel the organization will have to throw into various deals to make things happen. I can see arguments for keeping Wallace, but I lean towards batuum due to more upside, outside shot, fantastic defense. Wallace is a good choice to keep if you’re looking to make moves now. I personally think we now need to look a few years down the road again because now isn’t feasible.
On the other hand, Paul Allen wants to win now and may gamble to due it. In that case I think we see Nic moving and Wallace staying. I have a hard time envisioning a championship out of moves available in keeping wallace though.
"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
Agree 99% but...
I would add Chris Johnson to the list of keepers. I’d love to see what he can do with more minutes off the bench.
by 77 Conception on Apr 29, 2011 2:20 PM PDT via mobile up reply actions
Excellent Dave...
Your bullet points, 1,2,and 3 defining the last 3 playoff appearances I think are excellent. Probably the most disturbing comment to come out of the playoffs I thought was Aldridges declaration that he did not find game 6 to be a defining moment for himself. I know people shouldn’t get too hung up about 1 comment, in one moment, but as great a season as Aldridge did have, as hard as he did work, I’m disturbed that Aldridge doesn’t seem to have that superstar Ego. Maybe he never will. That doesn’t mean he can’t be an excellent player…and maybe even an All-Star someday, but I think if we are waiting for that “I’ll lead you to the promised land” attitude from Aldridge, I’m afraid it may never come.
Before the season started, I think I stated, as well as others, that I thought this was going to be a season of discovery. Primarily discovering how far this team could go with the Brandon Roy, Aldridge, and Oden nuculeus. Well? What we learned was that the future of Roy, Aldridge and Oden is NOT going to be what we thought. But we also learned that Aldridge, Matthews, Batum, Wallace….and this teams peserveres…..
It’s a little early for me to begin the speculation as to what I think this team needs to do, and unfortunately I think the entire N.B.A. is going to be thrown into CBA-lock-out hell. But I think we flat out need more talent…and better roster balance. But for now? I’m taking a deep breath and stepping back….
"Mother Nature started this fight, I think it's about time we ended it!"
I think the lock out
would really change the scenery of the NBA. Some of the teams are getting old. LA, Boston, Spurs etc. New teams are rising Chicago , Oky, etc. Where will the Blazers fall? Rebuild or retool?
How are we soft?
We did not kill the mismatches we had and make Dallas adjust
No hard fouls. We did not muscle Dirk and Chandler. We had touch fouls all through the series
Dirk and Chandler elbowed and slapped our team out of the lane and away from them
When things got tough we looked for long jumpers instead of putting real pressure on the defense. When we missed a weak jumper they drove it down our throat – even barea.
Nobody got “chippy” on the blazer’s. Never pushed Dallas out of their comfort zone mentally.
When Dirk and Dallas are tougher than you – you are soft.
by LicketyBrindleDowntheMiddle on Apr 29, 2011 10:00 AM PDT reply actions
You be the GM!
1) Replace Nate w/ Adelman.
2) Allan Houston-Rule Roy.
3) See what you can get for Rudy. If nothing, so be it, so long. Let Patty walk.
4) Offer Nick Young the MLE over 3 or 4 years to actually make 3s, see if Washington matches.
5) Sign Roger Mason for the minimum to actually make 3s.
I'd target UFAs Jamal Crawford, Eddie House, Earl Watson, and Rony Turiaf.
This team needs depth at big and real shooting. No more of this weak 25% from 3 crap.
wha??
by Hipster Olympic Team! on Apr 29, 2011 10:08 AM PDT up reply actions 1 recs
Agreed on House / Turiaf.
Crawford will need more than we can offer, and Earl Watson is a bit old. Although if considering him, could look at James Jones again.
by Free Bayless on Apr 29, 2011 10:09 AM PDT up reply actions
I like the idea of having a ball handler who can actually make outside shots.
That slots so nicely alongside B Roy and Matthews. I liked what I saw in limited minutes from Watson. He’s got a slight nasty streak too. This team could use a bit more edge.
wha??
by Hipster Olympic Team! on Apr 29, 2011 10:11 AM PDT up reply actions
Of course many fans will tout Patty's potential but...
Let’s get realistic, people.
wha??
by Hipster Olympic Team! on Apr 29, 2011 10:12 AM PDT up reply actions 1 recs
See #3 above.
No more potential. Results please.
by Free Bayless on Apr 29, 2011 10:12 AM PDT up reply actions
Oh, you've GOT to drop Patty and Rudy,
and be willing to deal Wesley and Nic to make this team better. If not, you may as well look for offers for Andre (after picking up his option), Gerald, and Camby. No reason to do this all over again next season.
I was hoping the team would get into the lottery but I’m glad they chose to go after Wallace and give the RG faithful 3 more exciting home games instead.
wha??
by Hipster Olympic Team! on Apr 29, 2011 10:17 AM PDT up reply actions
I'm sincerely asking
why do you HAVE to drop Rudy?
"If I had a dime for every basket I made today, you'd still suck!" - from the book 'John Dies @ the End'
by sammymohawk on Apr 29, 2011 10:45 AM PDT up reply actions
Obviously a lot is up in the air
but as an 8th-9th guy in a rotation? I have no problem with that. Depends on what we can do with Roy more than anything I suppose, I just don’t feel the need to jettison him
"If I had a dime for every basket I made today, you'd still suck!" - from the book 'John Dies @ the End'
by sammymohawk on Apr 29, 2011 10:53 AM PDT up reply actions
no, I'm fine with it.
He just didn’t play very well this year, and I hope he doesn’t play a lot next year because he wasn’t very good this year.
i keep dancing on my own
We can agree on that
or at least agree that if he is going to play a lot next year, he better be playing a lot better than he did this year. I like his peskyness on D, but when he’s not hitting the 3 his value is so much less.
"If I had a dime for every basket I made today, you'd still suck!" - from the book 'John Dies @ the End'
by sammymohawk on Apr 29, 2011 10:58 AM PDT up reply actions
dropping Rudy
have you watched any games this year?
I disagree about getting rid of Rudy at all costs
I know people are unhappy with him, but I don’t think we need to go out of our way to get rid of him. See what you can get, but if you can’t get anything, he’s really not a terrible bench guy.
"If I had a dime for every basket I made today, you'd still suck!" - from the book 'John Dies @ the End'
by sammymohawk on Apr 29, 2011 10:42 AM PDT up reply actions
Yeah, he doesn't need to be Sergio-ed
I’d like him gone, but I think he still has value to a team like Phoenix or Golden State. No need to dump him for the sake of dumping him. Cho will get something back.
Stealth > Wealth
Big key is the new CBA and Health
That will tell us how to change things and who to get rid of . I hope Roy uses this summer to reinvent himself as a Ray Allen shooter, we need an outside assassin who can drive the lane. Or if we can waive a contract under the new CBA, we’ll probably waive him for the cap room. As it stands he’s going to be here for a while, and he needs to change his role to an off-ball marksman that spreads the floor but can create off the dribble.
In Roy's defense,
NOBODY but Ray Allen is a Ray Allen shooter. He’s the best ever.
wha??
by Hipster Olympic Team! on Apr 29, 2011 10:09 AM PDT up reply actions
And Ray Allen
Was ALWAYS a Ray allen shooter, but now he’s mostly long distance where before he mixed it a little.
"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
Soooo...
Jamal Crawford and the return of Przybilla then? Make us proud this summer Cho
"If I had a dime for every basket I made today, you'd still suck!" - from the book 'John Dies @ the End'
Oh!
That would be sweet.
wha??
by Hipster Olympic Team! on Apr 29, 2011 10:12 AM PDT up reply actions
It seems Jamal Crawford is due a, "like, out-of-this-world" contract though.
Is there wiggle room to sign someone that expensive? I can’t wait for the countless BEdge threads this summer re: the cap. Zzzzzzzzzz. Hehe.
wha??
by Hipster Olympic Team! on Apr 29, 2011 10:14 AM PDT up reply actions
ah..
i suppose “toxic” isn’t the right term. more like “really, really lucrative sign-on bonus” for crawford.
PHILLY!
Crawford is going to be getting wined and dined though.
I can’t remember the last high profile UFA that came here.
wha??
by Hipster Olympic Team! on Apr 29, 2011 10:23 AM PDT up reply actions
Brian Grant?
Wow. Was it THAT long ago?
wha??
by Hipster Olympic Team! on Apr 29, 2011 10:29 AM PDT up reply actions
Of course.
Dreams are what the off-season is made of.:)
wha??
by Hipster Olympic Team! on Apr 29, 2011 11:00 AM PDT up reply actions
Show me the money.
Who’s got the scrilla to pay the man? Furthermore, where does he see himself fitting? Miami showed that these players aren’t always out for the biggest check—some of them want to big at any cost.
Crawford might see Portland as a place that can pay him (thanks, PA), where he’ll have some room to stretch out (no big stars), and has the opportunity to make a huge impact (this bench needs a savior). The whole best fans in the NBA thing couldn’t hurt either.
Stealth > Wealth
Where do you get the $10M-12M/year it will take to sign Crawford?
by Free Bayless on Apr 29, 2011 10:14 AM PDT up reply actions
I'm just throwing out names I think would help
It’s not my job to figure out the details.
"If I had a dime for every basket I made today, you'd still suck!" - from the book 'John Dies @ the End'
by sammymohawk on Apr 29, 2011 10:44 AM PDT up reply actions
If he's done then we look elsewhere, but we need another big
"If I had a dime for every basket I made today, you'd still suck!" - from the book 'John Dies @ the End'
by sammymohawk on Apr 29, 2011 10:45 AM PDT up reply actions
we've targeted him in the past
"If I had a dime for every basket I made today, you'd still suck!" - from the book 'John Dies @ the End'
Jamal Crawford hogs the ball and sucks on defense.
"They say it has no memory. That’s where I want to live the rest of my life. A warm place with no memory."
The Blazers need shot makers.
Nic Batum and Rudy Fernandez were unreliable to knock down wide open threes all year long, and it cost us a lot of games in the regular season, and in my opinion, it cost us this series.
Nate couldn't trust his depth.
Even Chris Johnson went mental last night and lost his cool. That cost us, what, 4 points?
Nate doesn’t trust Armon and Patty, even riding Rudy’s ball handling to avoid going to those guys.
Better 09’/10’ drafts would have set this team up better IMO.
wha??
by Hipster Olympic Team! on Apr 29, 2011 10:22 AM PDT up reply actions
I think we have a championship-calibre roster.
I really do…
…but personnel and execution doesn’t matter if guys can’t make wide open shots.
I think that Nate and the front office do a great job.
by HeathBlizzard on Apr 29, 2011 10:24 AM PDT up reply actions
They don't make wide open shots
because they’re not that good at making shots.
At some point you have to remove the scarlet colored glasses and see Rudy and Patty for the weak shooters that they are. Nic will get better. His stroke is great. Wesley will likely be streaky for the rest of his career.
I’d trade them all for Steph Curry.
wha??
by Hipster Olympic Team! on Apr 29, 2011 10:26 AM PDT up reply actions
What confuses me re: Rudy
is what on earth happened to him after his rookie year? He was lethal from distance! Now, he’s lethal from distance, except lethal for our team. I’ll always wonder that.
I really do think he needs confidence.
Even B Roy needs confidence.
But Nate has always shuffled several guards through the lineup at PG, 2, and wing. Rudy actually played backup 2 his rookie season and had fairly predictable minutes, if I’m not mistaken.
Because this team has a non-explosive, awful distance shooting vet at PG, and no backup, Nate plays guys out of position. Rudy isn’t a wing. Rudy isn’t a PG.
That said, Rudy bricked some shots this year. Quite a few. That’s perplexing…
wha??
by Hipster Olympic Team! on Apr 29, 2011 10:32 AM PDT up reply actions
I don't think I've ever seen a pro basketball player with Rudy's level of confidence issues.
It’s really ridiculous, and, yes, perplexing, but I’m not going to put anymore time into wondering about it. Adios, Rudy.
Agreed.
He’s a momma’s boy.
wha??
by Hipster Olympic Team! on Apr 29, 2011 10:35 AM PDT up reply actions
Luke Babbitt says hi.
I don’t think I’ve ever seen a pro basketball player with Rudy’s level of confidence issues
\oo///
Oden?
Oh right.. you have to see him (I couldn’t help myself. had to say it)
"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
Babbitt was a horrid pick.
I hope he’s gone after this year.
That could be a great meme for KP's last couple drafts:
_____________ was a horrid pick.
I hope he’s gone after this year.
wha??
by Hipster Olympic Team! on Apr 29, 2011 10:38 AM PDT up reply actions
That wasn't a flagrant
it was foul…that’s all
Me: "I heard the BCS just bought March Madness.......the vote should be out tomorrow and we will see Duke and Kansas in the championship game"
by 92wastheyear on Apr 29, 2011 12:09 PM PDT up reply actions
The announcers
I was listening to were saying Dirk deserved an Oscar for that dramatic act on the floor.
You cannot grab/hold the face/head
He looked pissed that Haywood pushed him so far on the rebound and slapped wildly at Dirk’s head. Once you realize you got a had on someones head you have to let go, he didn’t, the flagrant was the right call.
People get smacked in the face all the time
and it is only a foul.
Me: "I heard the BCS just bought March Madness.......the vote should be out tomorrow and we will see Duke and Kansas in the championship game"
by 92wastheyear on Apr 29, 2011 2:44 PM PDT up reply actions
Yeah but Johnson gave Dirk a what I would call a gas mask
Johnson reached out and cupped his palm and fingers around Dirk’s mouth and nose and pulled causing his entire head to twist.
Like you might if you were trying to quickly get a small child out of a building that was on fire and you wanted to keep them from inhaling smoke….
It was definitely a flagrant – though if they ejected him that would’ve been excessive since Dirk def. gave it the extra emphasis and fell to the ground in a heap w/o cause
Peja completely floored Roy in game 4
and I was assured that that wasn’t a flagrant
Me: "I heard the BCS just bought March Madness.......the vote should be out tomorrow and we will see Duke and Kansas in the championship game"
by 92wastheyear on Apr 29, 2011 3:24 PM PDT up reply actions
Peja Stojakovic went for the ball in that play, while Brandon Roy's awkward fall ...
was due mostly to his poor balance — as his dwindling athleticism has hurt his ability to get good lift — when going up for the shot. Now, with that said, I agree Chris Johnson’s foul on Dirk Nowitzki should’ve been just a regular two-shot foul, but that’s only ’cause I hate the concept flagrant fouls in general.
So yeah, I do agree in principle that it shouldn’t’ve been a flagrant foul against Johnson.
I’m a fan of ‘90s basketball, though, so I’m biased. I, of course, readily admit that, since I take ownership of my personal preferences and know full well that they can cloud my judgement when trying to analyze something. I wish more folks would do the same, but alas. Heck, that’s a different topic for a whole other day.
Anyhow, removing my bias against flagrant fouls, I objectively concede that a defender who grabs someone’s face — which is what Johnson did to Dirk Nowitzki — is likely to get themselves tagged with a flagrant foul call. There are, however, some cases where a player isn’t whistled for a flagrant after hooking a dude’s face, with what Rajon Rondo did to Brad Miller in Game 5 of the Eastern Conference Quarterfinals matchup between Boston and Chicago being an example of that.
"They say it has no memory. That’s where I want to live the rest of my life. A warm place with no memory."
It's not the smack that got the flagrant
It was the extended grabbing.
Ohhhh...that brings back memories...
Betty Jo Gribowski, sophomore year, under the bleachers. I wonder what happened to Betty Jo?
—Dave
...And Blazer fans' lack of loyalty to Brandon Roy is excruciating.
Stand by your man.
Than stand by a player with an albatross contract who gave us great years but can't consistently produce now?
Absolutely.
by Free Bayless on Apr 29, 2011 10:42 AM PDT up reply actions
He earned his albatross contract.
All of us want to win. Don’t blame Roy for his contract.
by HeathBlizzard on Apr 29, 2011 10:44 AM PDT up reply actions
Roy's contract is a huge, huge problem for this team
I guess I don’t “blame” him for wanting to make as much money as possible, but it’s plain as day that it’s hurting this team.
i keep dancing on my own
It has nothing to do with how much money he wants to make.
And last I checked, Paul Allen is willing to enter luxury tax territory.
I’m talking about basketball. I don’t work for the Blazers, so their business affairs don’t mean anything to me.
by HeathBlizzard on Apr 29, 2011 10:49 AM PDT up reply actions
i don't know what this is supposed to mean
but without Roy on the books, legitimately rebuilding would be an option. Matthews is easily dealable for younger, cheaper talent and picks. Miller doesn’t have to be renewed, and Camby and Wallace only have one year left. That means we could blow it up and put young pieces around Aldridge, and take some shots in FA. Because of Roy’s contract, that’s not really possible. That’s not a business issue, that’s a basketball problem.
i keep dancing on my own
So you want to *legitimately* rebuild?
We’ve won 50-ish games the past 3 seasons. We have a young nucleus and all-star caliber players at several positions. Remember last time the team went through a rebuilding process? It took years, and there was a LOT of losing.
You paying attention to the contract status of players is not a basketball issue. You’re discussing your opinions of the team’s business matters.
Be a fan. Don’t be an armchair GM.
Trust me, it’s more fun.
by HeathBlizzard on Apr 29, 2011 10:58 AM PDT up reply actions
We don’t have a young nucleus anymore. LA is in his prime, but our next two best players are Andre and Wallace. Andre is old and Wallace probably won’t age well. Camby also plays lots of minutes and is in pretty clear decline. So that means three of your seven players in the rotation are not young. Without a major deal, this team takes a serious step back just by losing Andre and Camby’s productivity in a year or two.
i keep dancing on my own
I'd call our core for moving forward as
Aldridge-Wallace-Batum-Wes at this point
"If I had a dime for every basket I made today, you'd still suck!" - from the book 'John Dies @ the End'
by sammymohawk on Apr 29, 2011 11:06 AM PDT up reply actions
that's not a championship core
we need serious retooling
"Well, you can always sell your team."
Not a championsip core
no doubt
"If I had a dime for every basket I made today, you'd still suck!" - from the book 'John Dies @ the End'
by sammymohawk on Apr 29, 2011 11:28 AM PDT up reply actions
50ish games
with severe holes in those games.
The blazers won with scrap and heart a lot of times. The issue is, that’s how you win play-off games. So we have a lovely season record and then graduate to the play-offs… where teams we beat are NOW playing with scrap and heart.
It’s no wonder we get knocked out.
"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
What are you aiming for?
It’s clear that the team has not achieved the success that we dreamt of a few years ago. Whoop dee damn do!
That doesn’t mean that the team is a complete failure.
It would be great if the team had played better during the season, and during the playoffs. That goes without saying.
It’s not like we’re the Milwaukee Bucks, where we scooped up Corey Maggette, John Salmons, and Drew Gooden for long multi-year contracts the price of 3 excellent starters and regressed 10 games and missed the playoffs.
I’m a proud Blazers fan, and I’m proud of the team.
by HeathBlizzard on Apr 29, 2011 11:11 AM PDT up reply actions
How much younger than Matthews do you want to get?
Matthews is easily dealable for younger, cheaper talent and picks.
"If I had a dime for every basket I made today, you'd still suck!" - from the book 'John Dies @ the End'
by sammymohawk on Apr 29, 2011 10:59 AM PDT up reply actions
2nd year in the NBA though
I don’t feel a lot of pressure to get younger than 24
"If I had a dime for every basket I made today, you'd still suck!" - from the book 'John Dies @ the End'
by sammymohawk on Apr 29, 2011 11:20 AM PDT up reply actions
naw, I agree
I just think he’s not a great value. Wouldn’t kill me to let him go, but keeping him is ok too.
i keep dancing on my own
Yeah if you have a chance to take him off the Payroll you do it in a heartbeat
You don’t hurt your franchises future for the sake of being loyal to a player whose future production is question mark at best
I don't blame him, or hate him, or anything like that.
I just want the Blazers to move on when given the opportunity.
And he didn’t earn the albatross. He was paid when he was performing.
by Free Bayless on Apr 29, 2011 10:46 AM PDT up reply actions
He was paid under terms of his rookie contract in his first four years.
He’s now paid per the contract he justifiably earned under league standards.
by HeathBlizzard on Apr 29, 2011 10:51 AM PDT up reply actions
Can we talk turkey with this "he earned it" myth?
Brandon Roy made $26.1M including this year, for a 5 year period. He will be paid an additional $68.3M over the next 4 years, for a total of $94.4M over 9 years.
He was ok for year 1, fantastic for years 2-4, and ok (at best) this year. If he were to be paid for his performace, one could arbitrarily say he performed roughly like a MLE player in years 1 and 5, and a max player in years 2-4. At best he will be a MLE value player going forward.
MLE = roughly $6M. Max contract = roughly $16M. 6 years @ MLE = $36M, 3 years @ max = $48M. Total value = $84M.
Very conservatively, Roy will get paid $10M more than he has “earned.” That only holds if he can play at a MLE level for the next 4 years. It also doesn’t take into account that all the players in the NBA deal with the rookie scale, and it has been established to provide compensation fair to both the player and the team.
by Free Bayless on Apr 29, 2011 11:14 AM PDT up reply actions
And before anyone gets all worked up:
None of that is Roy’s fault, and I don’t hold him responsible at all. It was a bad business decision by the front office…Roy got paid what he could, just like any of us would at our job.
by Free Bayless on Apr 29, 2011 11:16 AM PDT up reply actions
It's funny that people . . .
will agree to that point with athletes, but then complain
that CEO’s or business people “got a big bonus” , when it’s
just part of their employment contract. It’s amazing to think
of the degree of collectivism that has infiltrated our society.
I’m for free enterprise, ie BRoy’s contract was negotiated between
two parties negotiating. Of course, that doesn’t mean he will
perform (knees) in relation to the breadth of the pay in the future.
It's GO time !
This wasn't a Tim Thomas max contract situation, though.
Based on the way that NBA contracts are delivered, Brandon Roy ‘earned’ his contract as much as anyone in the entire league earns their salary. His salary is not calculated with any consideration to his ability produce at any level. His value was legitimate both legally under the terms of the NBA collective bargaining agreement and otherwise under the general methods used by the NBA to employ their players. If a player is considered to be one of the best players not only on his team, but in the entire league, he is worth a maximum contract extension. See how LMA did not get the max, and how Joe Johnson did.
And I disagree strongly with this: “At best he will be a MLE value player going forward.” What is a MLE value player? Mike Miller? James Posey? It makes no sense to even try to evaluate a player’s value, because there will always be such strong arguments against what argument you will be making.
What you’re basically criticizing is the entire system under which the NBA teams and players currently conduct business, which is obviously something that is very appropriate to criticize, and something that is up for a vigorous debate over the next several months.
by HeathBlizzard on Apr 29, 2011 12:39 PM PDT up reply actions
Absolutely.
Long term guaranteed contracts are a major, major issue, and that’s the biggest sticking point in the new CBA.
Just because it is common to compensate someone in a certain fashion doesn’t mean they’ve “earned” it.
by Free Bayless on Apr 29, 2011 12:44 PM PDT up reply actions
sure it does
in the context of this conversation anyway
"If I had a dime for every basket I made today, you'd still suck!" - from the book 'John Dies @ the End'
by sammymohawk on Apr 29, 2011 12:54 PM PDT up reply actions
Not a huge Roy fan by any means.
But recognize what he did in his rookie contract. Roy made this franchise PLENTY of money. WAY more than he earned as a rookie.
I won’t take this away from him.
I did. See financial breakdown above.
At best, I see it as a $10M overpay, and that’s if he can perform like a MLE player the rest of the deal.
by Free Bayless on Apr 29, 2011 2:44 PM PDT up reply actions
Saying he's overpaid is different than saying he didn't earn the contract
he did just as much as Rudy Gay or Joe Johnson (more actually) to get that max deal. Therefore he earned it. Now whether he’s worth it, that’s a whole different conversation. Clearly he is not, but that doesn’t mean he didn’t earn it to begin with.
"If I had a dime for every basket I made today, you'd still suck!" - from the book 'John Dies @ the End'
Not blaming
In a way I’m glad he got it because I’m not sure how much basketball he has left.
That said, as an arm chair GM I’m looking for a move to dump that contract.
we’re all fans in our own way.
"The game was delayed for over 15 minutes with 5:07 left in the second quarter after France's Nicolas Batum, who plays for the Portland Trail Blazers, dunked and twisted the rim. Volunteers and officials scrambled to put a new rim on the basket and reattach a net."
http://sports.espn.go.com/oly/olybb/news/story?id=5509394
Yes
I’d rather win than lose. I’d cut Roy more slack if we’d won a championship, but we never got out of the first round.
I love Roy. If Roy could BE Roy night in and out I’d be so amazingly over joyed. I want to weep that Roy CANT (as shown so far). That said, it’s time to move on and a anchor to the team that is in denial, gets the team no where.
Nate wants Roy back, all Blazer fans want Roy back. And it #$%#$%# sucks, but he’s not and likely won’t ever be back.
It’s a cold business decision that a number of fans are willing to make. It sucks. I get a brain injury at work… guess what… i’m out of a job. Someone in construction looses a leg, they’re likely out of a job because they no longer have what it takes. Roy is paid to be the big ticket guy. He lost his legs and can’t be. Painful as it is, he needs to be let go.
"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
All that said
if we could move him into a coaching position or something else that he can excel at due to great BBIQ, I’m all for that too,
We need the superstar. He can’t be that anymore
"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
This is what Timmay said last night
I hadn’t heard of this before:
If there is an Allan Houston exception, it’s possible Roy’s played his last game as a Blazer.
Not a fun topic, but true nonetheless.
Would his contract
be bought out is that how it would work?
It depends
Last time, the Blazers had to pay the entire contract, and it counted against the cap, but it did not count against the luxury tax. We dumped Derek Anderson last time.
If it happens again (and there is hope, since it worked well last time, and gave a few extra players a roster spot while other players got paid), there is some feeling that it might come off the cap too. Hard to say if that’s accurate at all yet.
I think we should put him on the grill...
where we can make use of his exceptional BBQIQ.
Stealth > Wealth
yep.
Maybe not win with Jail Blazers, but win. This team is a multi-million dollar investment and business. Roy can either play up to his contract or he’ll be a drag on this team and it’s ability to win. End of story. I wish him all the best, but what has he done in over a year… a few games here and there, that is it.
Ruudster
I love Brandon as a backup 2.
I think he and Wesley are pretty solid at that position. Now the team needs depth to ensure those guys always play their natural positions.
wha??
by Hipster Olympic Team! on Apr 29, 2011 10:34 AM PDT up reply actions
He and Wesley are indeed two excellent backup 2s
now we need a starting 2 so they can both play their natural position.
i keep dancing on my own
Hahahaha. That's not what I meant!
You have to trade Wesley to nab a starter. Too much salary at that position to do otherwise. I’d do it too—how much better can sweet Wesley get? I love him but…
wha??
by Hipster Olympic Team! on Apr 29, 2011 10:37 AM PDT up reply actions
IMO, his shooting doesn't make up for his...
…inadequate abilities to finish at the rim. It was great that he got to the line in the 4th of Game 6, because you knew that none of those drives were going to end with a solid finish.
by HeathBlizzard on Apr 29, 2011 10:39 AM PDT up reply actions
yeah
wesley’s problem is that he doesn’t really contribute if he’s not scoring. That makes him a bench player, because he doesn’t score well enough to be a superstar. Unfortunately, he’s paid like a starter.
i keep dancing on my own
His defense is solid, though.
I’m not saying he’s perfect, he’s not. I cringed whenever he drove the lane. But he produced this year, you can’t deny that.
I like Wes.
The concept of Wes as starter and Roy as backup is not a recipe for success, IMO.
by HeathBlizzard on Apr 29, 2011 10:42 AM PDT up reply actions
Roy will never start again in this league.
It’s a tough truth we’ve all got to face.
he actually finished quite a bit towards the end of the series
don’t forget it’s only his 2nd season…that’s an area that’s not too hard to improve
"If I had a dime for every basket I made today, you'd still suck!" - from the book 'John Dies @ the End'
by sammymohawk on Apr 29, 2011 10:48 AM PDT up reply actions
He's too streaky.
Too many off nights. He shoots a solid looking % but gives you NOTHING on far too many nights.
wha??
by Hipster Olympic Team! on Apr 29, 2011 10:40 AM PDT up reply actions
Dallas brings Jason Terry off the bench.
Can we please trade for Jason Terry?
(hehe)
wha??
by Hipster Olympic Team! on Apr 29, 2011 10:43 AM PDT up reply actions
Yeah. It was a joke.
Our guards aren’t fit to hold his jock strap though. Not when it comes to shooting the basketball.
wha??
by Hipster Olympic Team! on Apr 29, 2011 10:44 AM PDT up reply actions
Hahahaha.
Such a question to ask on BEdge!
wha??
by Hipster Olympic Team! on Apr 29, 2011 10:47 AM PDT up reply actions 1 recs
probly not
I’d say everyone on Orlando will be available, though that’s a big pile of dung. Not really sure who all will be out there. Try to reanimate Vince Carter’s corpse on a cheap contract? SJax?
i keep dancing on my own
Richardson would be fantastic.
But he will cost more than the Blazers have room to pay.
by Free Bayless on Apr 29, 2011 10:48 AM PDT up reply actions
Well, what about Roy for Richardson?
We’re getting about as many years of productivity.
Well...
They ARE pretty dumb.
wha??
by Hipster Olympic Team! on Apr 29, 2011 11:28 AM PDT up reply actions
I'd take JRich in a heartbeat
but I’m not trading Wes to get him
"If I had a dime for every basket I made today, you'd still suck!" - from the book 'John Dies @ the End'
by sammymohawk on Apr 29, 2011 10:48 AM PDT up reply actions
Which is probably the only way to get him.
Wes is young, and not worth giving up for an old guy.
Jason Richardson is an unrestricted free agent and will likely ...
sign with a contender in an attempt to get himself a ring. Yet, suffice it to say, Portland isn’t a true title contender.
Besides, Richardson is a poor defender and a poor passer for even a shooting guard. I’m not a fan of wings who don’t facilitate well for others on the court.
"They say it has no memory. That’s where I want to live the rest of my life. A warm place with no memory."
And a big old "heck no" to Carter.
On a team that struggles with intensity, we don’t need someone who’ll put us to sleep.
Wesley is 24 years old. 24
I cant think of a blazer in recent memory that gets robbed of their potential more than wesley does. The common theme is that Wes has more or less hit his ceiling in only his 2nd year as a pro. He is 24 years old and a relentless worker, to think he wont improve some of the weaker aspects of his game is crazypants…
\oo///
the problem being
his weaknesses are the most difficult things to improve historically. Being too short is one, along with handles and passing. It’s very rare for players to improve their dribbling and court vision once they get to the NBA, especially at 24.
i keep dancing on my own
How is he too short?
He is a 6’5" 2 guard
Me: "I heard the BCS just bought March Madness.......the vote should be out tomorrow and we will see Duke and Kansas in the championship game"
by 92wastheyear on Apr 29, 2011 12:15 PM PDT up reply actions
He doesn’t pass or handle well enough to play 2. ~10 assist rate and 1:1 Assist:Turnover means he’d be better suited as a 3 if he weren’t too small.
i keep dancing on my own
But he does play the 2
sooo…..the problem isn’t that he is too short…it is that he doesn’t have good enough handles
Me: "I heard the BCS just bought March Madness.......the vote should be out tomorrow and we will see Duke and Kansas in the championship game"
by 92wastheyear on Apr 29, 2011 2:43 PM PDT up reply actions
I consider him a 2
he’ll continue to improve…I like Wes, I’m not married to him but I think he’s a nice piece at a good value
"If I had a dime for every basket I made today, you'd still suck!" - from the book 'John Dies @ the End'
Portland's only consistent 3 point shooter
I also like that he is at least willing to attack the basket in the half court. I def agree that he needs to work on his handles.
He comes up short in measurables such as length and lateral quickness.
Atomic is correct that Wesley Matthews’ skill set makes him suited to play small forward on offense, but the problem there is that he’d get torched on defense by bigger, stronger, more mobile guys like LeBron James and Carmelo Anthony.
So, even though he’s undoubtedly shown a lot of grit and determination to reach this point, there’s a limit to how far hard work and dedication can take someone.
For Matthews, I feel he’s reached that peak in his development curve.
"They say it has no memory. That’s where I want to live the rest of my life. A warm place with no memory."
Our wing rotation is a total debacle. I don’t see Wesley getting traded because he’s expensive, but that leaves little room for Batum to get sustained playing time.
i keep dancing on my own
Why wouldn't a team like Golden State want Wesley?
They want some D. He can shoot a good % over a season.
I bet there’s a solid market for Wesley out there.
wha??
by Hipster Olympic Team! on Apr 29, 2011 10:41 AM PDT up reply actions
Batum would get extensive playing time...
…if he could produce consistently. It’s not that confusing.
by HeathBlizzard on Apr 29, 2011 10:41 AM PDT up reply actions
Noooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo
JK!
Ok. For Steph Curry? Fine then.
wha??
by Hipster Olympic Team! on Apr 29, 2011 10:46 AM PDT up reply actions
We could stand to trade some depth for some serious star power
"If I had a dime for every basket I made today, you'd still suck!" - from the book 'John Dies @ the End'
by sammymohawk on Apr 29, 2011 10:49 AM PDT up reply actions
Didn't we do that already this season?
On an already thin team, I think that’s going to lead to even greater problems than we have now.
we did
and it made us better. We need reliability. I’d gladly trade inconsistent guys for star power…you can always go get more inconsistent guys. I’d rather be thin and have Aldridge-Curry-Wallace to build around than have 2 very good players and bunch of mediocre to good players. You need great players in this league.
"If I had a dime for every basket I made today, you'd still suck!" - from the book 'John Dies @ the End'
by sammymohawk on Apr 29, 2011 10:56 AM PDT up reply actions
I wouldn't be very excited about that team.
They’d be worse than we were this year, because we’d most likely be without Wes, Roy, and Batum at the very, very least.
disagree
I’d think Batum, Rudy, Picks to start and then go from there…I wouldn’t trade Wes and Batum in the deal I don’t think, and I don’t know why they’d want any part of Roy. I’m just saying that you need great players to win in this league, and we’re either gonna get them by giving up a lot of our good players, through some draft miracle, or through some miraculous development leap by a guy like Nic or Wes (don’t see it). The Heat literally have 3 guys and then they just filled in the blanks. I’ve been as stoked about our depth as anyone, but now I think it’s a bit overrated. Nate has to tinker and tinker with the 5 on the floor to find a combo that works on any given night…I’d rather our top guys just work all the time no matter what.
"If I had a dime for every basket I made today, you'd still suck!" - from the book 'John Dies @ the End'
by sammymohawk on Apr 29, 2011 11:03 AM PDT up reply actions
Batum, Rudy and picks are not getting you Steph Curry, man.
No way, no how.
Agreed. A bunch of 2nd rounders
do not a lottery talent make.
wha??
by Hipster Olympic Team! on Apr 29, 2011 11:15 AM PDT up reply actions
Although Nic is a lottery talent
at this point in his career.:P
wha??
by Hipster Olympic Team! on Apr 29, 2011 11:17 AM PDT up reply actions
I'm not on the phone with GS
but I am not opposed to exploring these kind of trades. We have to find a way to get great players on this team. That means either Aldridge takes another big leap, Oden comes back healthy, Roy makes a miraculous recovery, we hit the jackpot in the draft, or we make a trade.
"If I had a dime for every basket I made today, you'd still suck!" - from the book 'John Dies @ the End'
by sammymohawk on Apr 29, 2011 11:22 AM PDT up reply actions
it seems the Blazers will do better in the draft
this year than they did last year.
The bar is underground.
I am hopeful of this as well
I feel good about Cho
"If I had a dime for every basket I made today, you'd still suck!" - from the book 'John Dies @ the End'
I still think the best scenario for both teams are Dre's nonguaranteed + Batum + picks for Curry + Biedrin's contract.
If GS is really intending on moving Curry, this makes the best sense for them.
The cake was a lie.
Is GS really intending to move Curry?
by Sheedwasright on Apr 29, 2011 12:33 PM PDT up reply actions
Not necessarily
but they have hinted that they could part with either Curry or Ellis, and it sounded at the time like they preferred Ellis going forward. I think Nic is a very attractive piece for them potentially, but I don’t know how big of a package it would take to get Steph…a big one no doubt.
"If I had a dime for every basket I made today, you'd still suck!" - from the book 'John Dies @ the End'
by sammymohawk on Apr 29, 2011 12:58 PM PDT up reply actions
Now we're talking
thanks xedubx
"If I had a dime for every basket I made today, you'd still suck!" - from the book 'John Dies @ the End'
by sammymohawk on Apr 29, 2011 12:55 PM PDT up reply actions
Bubble.
Bursted.
On this, the first day of the off-season.
Thanks a lot!
(:D)
wha??
by Hipster Olympic Team! on Apr 29, 2011 10:52 AM PDT up reply actions
At the trade deadline!
Win one title. Just for fun. Then watch him walk.
wha??
by Hipster Olympic Team! on Apr 29, 2011 10:58 AM PDT up reply actions
Nate could switch to all-center lineups
with LMA running the point.
BOOOOOM!
wha??
by Hipster Olympic Team! on Apr 29, 2011 11:01 AM PDT up reply actions
And a completely empty bench,
seeing as we’ll have to trade everyone else.
I'm picturing Marcus Camby...
…throwing behind the back and between the legs passes every time down the court.
Beautiful!
by HeathBlizzard on Apr 29, 2011 11:03 AM PDT up reply actions
Just gamely throw the basketball toward the paint
and watch our Jaws, Orca, other large fish of prey gobble up the ball and spit it through the basket.
Can’t Touch This.
That can be our motto. It’s even catchier than Uprise!
wha??
by Hipster Olympic Team! on Apr 29, 2011 11:04 AM PDT up reply actions
If we can't get an all star PG
we may as well get a really cool gimmick!
wha??
by Hipster Olympic Team! on Apr 29, 2011 11:09 AM PDT up reply actions
If Dwight thought his team shooting 25% from 3 was a bummer
wait ’till he gets a load of OUR guys.;)
wha??
by Hipster Olympic Team! on Apr 29, 2011 11:03 AM PDT up reply actions
That's brilliant!!!
LMA
Chris paul
Wallace
Howard
We’re set.
"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
No need for a fifth player.
We’ll save that guy for the 2nd quarter.
wha??
by Hipster Olympic Team! on Apr 29, 2011 11:15 AM PDT up reply actions
noooo...he is very good but has knee problem history!
I can just picture the Blazers fitness/training staff salivating @ the opportunity to get their mitts on CP3!
Dallas starts DS. OKC has a defensive starter.
Whether or not Wesley plays good defense is up for debate, I guess. I think he does well against physical 2s, terrible against quick guys.
wha??
by Hipster Olympic Team! on Apr 29, 2011 10:39 AM PDT up reply actions
You still don't know what you are going to get from Brandon from game to game....I would rather have someone more dependable
Where we find that player is another question
my motto is more of "Stand by your team"
players come and go, Blazers are forever.
"Well, you can always sell your team."
by douglast on Apr 29, 2011 11:27 AM PDT up reply actions 4 recs
As a Seattle Seahawks and Seattle M's fan first and foremost, I root for the city those teams represent.
The players who sport the uniform come and go time after time, but it’s the team itself that stays rooted in the community. Heck, that’s what makes it so painful when a long-standing franchise relocates elsewhere like the Seattle SuperSonics did a few years ago.
"They say it has no memory. That’s where I want to live the rest of my life. A warm place with no memory."
What I learned from this series
This is my final school report my next report is What I did on my summer vacation (sic).
The first thing I already knew. During my hay day of Blazer fandom I watched Clyde and company play with the same boring roster and the same boring rotation producing the same boring results like a 63 game winning record one year (bring it). That same year people were criticizing Rick Adleman for being dumb and the Blazers for being a stupid team. You can criticize me for saying that but that’s what I remember. I even remember one game in the finals against Chicago where Jerome Kersey was putting his fingers to his head indicating he just did something stupid. Phil Jackson was the genius that year and of course MJ was well MJ. By comparison now that team seems like they at least graduated high school while the current team is still struggling in seventh grade. I loved the Blazers during that era and kind of skipped the Sheed Sabonis show although I saw that crushing final game meltdown. I did become a borderline conspiracy theorist after that as well. So I’m kind of missing the JailBlazer era ala my name XBlazerfan (born again).
The Blazers in the current era are no where near LA, Boston or Chicago on the IQ level. Those three teams know how to use efficient and diverse offenses to break down defenses in the half court. Those three team know how to play in your face defense. The Blazers are languishing in this regard.
The Blazers have been through so many roster and line up changes the last three years they have no identity what so ever. To me the first order of business is to put together that boring roster and boring rotation so that they get their reps and play as a cohesive unit! the reason they make you do the same math problem thirty times is to get it in your brain so you’ll remember when it comes up on the test. Solidify the roster to solidify the result. Then maybe they can actually learn a few plays.
When the Blazers had ball and player movement during the regular season they would succeed more often than not. If they can just learn to play team ball and get everyone involved they don’t have to use every play in the book or a 3D triangle offense. I doubt McMillan will ever coach a team with high sophistication. But if they learn some basics and practice it over and over again they will be good enough. Dallas was pretty much a one trick pony ala Dirk but they did marvelous pick plays huh? second order of business play team ball.
The last thing I learned is that their best guy beat our best guy. The reason for this was simple skill and experience. Nowitski can take the ball from anywhere on the court and score from anywhere on the court. All the top notch players in the NBA have been able to do this. We had a player do this once last against Dallas and score 52 points to lead the league that year for most points in a game. The only other guy who can do this even better was rookie of the year and three time allstar. The other thing Nowiski does well is take it straight to the basket with his head and shoulders squared up straight to the basket. Whether he is dribble driving or porting and spinning (from both directions I might add) (and initiating play quickly I might also add.) he wil almost always end up facing straight to the basket. Aldridge has been thought in the past to be soft. He worked last summer to shred that image. He succeeded. His problem now is that he needs to diversify his game. From the post he needs to learn how to go right and finish with his left hand. Usually baseline. Or maybe he could try posting from the other side and going baseline left. Whatever he needs to be more ambidextrous if it is possible. He needs to learn how to switch hit. Second he needs to learn that he is strong and really fast and can initiate play faster get around his guy and square up to the basket. If he was built like Duckworth well he could just use his derriere to back his guy down and off the court and even out of the arena if he wanted to. He does not possess such a low center of gravity and wastes too much time with his back to the basket. No Aldridge doesn’t need to be tougher he just needs to expand his skill. Of all the things possible I think this area has the most upside and he could truly be a schmarvelous player.
I’m looking forward to the summer and what changes might occur and I’m looking forward to next years championship.
Go Blazers!
good observations
"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
My take
Portland got exposed as a team without identity. Are they a jump shooting team? If so, where are the shooters? Are they a running team? If so, why is Miller walking the ball up?
Portland really could use a go-to guy, someone you know you can go to. It used to be Roy, but I’m not sure he’s physically capable of that role. It should be Aldridge, but I don’t know if he has that mentality. You can hate on Nowitzki all you want, but he demands the ball and does things to put his team in a position to win. Is he kind of a crybaby? Yep, but it gets him to the line a lot.
If Aldridge is THE Man, he needs to get to the line more than four times in Game 6.
Some of the trades made for young dudes didn’t pan out and Portland is thin at many positions.
What the heck happened to Fernandez? He had a great rookie year, but hasn’t found his shot since. When Ray Allen shoots, you’re pretty sure it’s going in. When Rudy shoots, you’re pretty sure he’ll draw iron, but miss. It’s frustrating since you can’t have a designated shooter who can’t shoot.
I think Wallace will settle down and brings some much needed toughness. Portland got killed by Chandler in Game 5 and had no real response. Portland desperately needs a healthy and hungry Oden to enforce the middle. We don’t need dirty players, but someone with Noah’s fire. I watched quite a bit of the Chi-Indy series and he was running through the crowd, slappin’ 5’s and thumping his chest. Where was that emotion from Portland?
I think it gets back to a point many have already made – Nate’s cool demeanor leads to a lackadaisical team. Portland looked listless at times and was just going through the motions often. I saw a Blazer fight through a screen just a couple of times so you’d have Dirk on Miller or whatever.
I know a lot of BEdgers like Batum, but I just don’t see it. Sure, he’s still young, but what skills does he bring to the table? It seems like he regressed a little bit this year. Maybe he’s not sure of his role.
Another point made above – Nate’s rotations make no sense. A dude gets hot and he’ll take him out. A dude gets abused and he’ll leave him in.
Portland had a good season despite all their injuries, but it was still disappointing to me because I didn’t see much effort. If you’re out-classed, so be it, but at least try.
Well,about LMA
It’s easy to doubt him as a franchise player,he is at a low at the moment.But remember:Dirk Nowitzki hadn’t ’’it’’ for about 8 years.He had to go trhough an evolution as well.In his first 8 years he endured a lot tougher playoff disappointments than Aldridge.People doubted his will,his toughness,clutchness,he is a 33 year old vet,LMA a 25 year old-rising star.Don’t let Derrick Rose fool you:players need some years to get to the domination level of Dirk,Kobe or Duncan.
by defense_first on Apr 29, 2011 10:54 AM PDT up reply actions
Good points.
I just wish I saw Aldridge go to the hoop more rather than settling for the 18 foot fadeaways.
It's a lot easier to look good when the player a star passes to actually makes his shot.
Our shooting in general was absolutely abysmal
Getting to the line requires referees that willing to call a foul
Which we were severely lacking for this series
Me: "I heard the BCS just bought March Madness.......the vote should be out tomorrow and we will see Duke and Kansas in the championship game"
by 92wastheyear on Apr 29, 2011 12:18 PM PDT up reply actions
I believe it also requires some aggressiveness.
The refs aren’t likely to call passive fouls so drive to the hoop and force the issue. Portland’s biggest problem is it too often settles…settles for mismatches on switches, settles for long jumpers early in the shot clock, settles for Chandler beastin’ inside, etc.
LMA did work the post
but typically when tried going inside he got whacked but no call. Sooo……he had the decision of trying to keep bashing his head into that brick wall…or try to get off a clean shot….either a fade away or face up 20 footer
Me: "I heard the BCS just bought March Madness.......the vote should be out tomorrow and we will see Duke and Kansas in the championship game"
by 92wastheyear on Apr 29, 2011 1:22 PM PDT up reply actions
He started chosing the latter
Me: "I heard the BCS just bought March Madness.......the vote should be out tomorrow and we will see Duke and Kansas in the championship game"
by 92wastheyear on Apr 29, 2011 1:23 PM PDT up reply actions
and I do not blame him in the least.
Especially given minutes played this season and having to guard Dirkie
They are who I thought they were.
Nothing changed from the regualr season to the playoffs.
They don’t have reliable stars that can perform at high levels and have the ability to put the team on their back and close out games.
They don’t have quality 3 point shooting. They give up a lot of 3’s.
They give up offensive rebounds.
They don’t have depth.
They can’t win on the road against good teams.
This is who they were in the regular season and this is who they were in the postseason. All of these elements played a role in how they lossed to the Mavericks. Not only that, but many of these things play into the Mavs hands. Despite what every one thought, this was a poor matchup for Portland. Without Roy, this thing might have been a sweep.
You can’t win a series on alley-oops and turnovers, you need a lot more if you want to advance in the postseason.
Rudy is, who we THOUGHT he was
now let’s let him off the hook!
wha??
by Hipster Olympic Team! on Apr 29, 2011 11:08 AM PDT up reply actions
If you love somebody
set them free.
wha??
by Hipster Olympic Team! on Apr 29, 2011 11:11 AM PDT up reply actions
A bird in Spain
is less of a pain?
wha??
by Hipster Olympic Team! on Apr 29, 2011 11:23 AM PDT up reply actions
A bird in Spain
has much more to gain.
wha??
by Hipster Olympic Team! on Apr 29, 2011 11:23 AM PDT up reply actions
A bird in España
is closer to it’s momma.
wha??
by Hipster Olympic Team! on Apr 29, 2011 11:24 AM PDT up reply actions
Not
if it’s got a hip hop beat.
wha??
by Hipster Olympic Team! on Apr 29, 2011 11:27 AM PDT up reply actions
Of he course he was!
We used to make fun of everyone and everything together while sipping ironically cheap beer. That really passes the time.
wha??
by Hipster Olympic Team! on Apr 29, 2011 11:33 AM PDT up reply actions
A bird in it's homeland
chucks less bricks from it’s hand.
wha??
by Hipster Olympic Team! on Apr 29, 2011 11:25 AM PDT up reply actions
A bird that can't stand the heat
makes a naughty Tweet
wha??
by Hipster Olympic Team! on Apr 29, 2011 11:29 AM PDT up reply actions
A bird from Mallorca
should make a three pointa
—Dave
by Dave on Apr 29, 2011 11:32 AM PDT up reply actions 2 recs
Rudy needs to work on his handles, and on his core stability to be able to go up straight on a shot without flailing
Then he could still have a bright NBA future
oh God...no kidding. Will the Blazers EVER hire fitness/training staff who can do this?
Rudy needs to work on his core stability to be able to go up straight on a shot without flailing
They beat some good teams on the road, though...
Magic, Heat, others?
But, then again, they lost to some bad teams on the road. Charlotte, etc.
by Sheedwasright on Apr 29, 2011 12:25 PM PDT up reply actions
That was a recurring problem all season.
They seemed to fight against the superior teams, but then wilted against teams that should have been no-brainer wins. I hope that changes next year because there’s so many games that they gave up this past season that were really unacceptable losses.
"That was NAAAAAASTY"
Poor Rose Garden rims.
They took a beating this series.
wha??
by Hipster Olympic Team! on Apr 29, 2011 11:31 AM PDT up reply actions
The reality is maybe the Blazers will never be as good as the Chicago Bulls
without a star like Derrick Rose. But there’s hope with Lamarcus Aldridge and Wesley Mathews.
by LoveForTheGame on Apr 29, 2011 12:02 PM PDT reply actions
I have no hopes of Wes becoming a star level player
"If I had a dime for every basket I made today, you'd still suck!" - from the book 'John Dies @ the End'
by sammymohawk on Apr 29, 2011 12:19 PM PDT up reply actions
the main difference between these two teams is their coach.
The Bulls sucked pretty much the past 2 years…WITH Derrick Rose. It was not until he had a coach who could bring out the best in him AND his surrounding cast that the Bulls have become contenders.
The season had some great moments and I was privileged to be in the RG for several of them.
The playoffs were disappointing only in that I didn’t see that consistent desire and effort. But I also know that seeing isn’t everything. We all see, to some extent, what we want to see – desire, intensity, officiating – all the most subjective elements of the game.
In the end, their players were better than our players. That’s ok. I’ll be back next year and hope that Cho can make some improvements.
My last thought though, is that LMA, played way too many minutes in the regular season. That’s a huge problem. You get that deep down fatigue and a couple of good nights sleep doesn’t fix it. Somehow he needs to be fresher for the payoff run.
the blazers would do this trade in a heartbeat
but the Bulls would not even consider it
"If I had a dime for every basket I made today, you'd still suck!" - from the book 'John Dies @ the End'
by sammymohawk on Apr 29, 2011 12:58 PM PDT up reply actions
boils down to
1- play better D – Dallas/Phoenix got the shots that they wanted
2- rebound – takes positioning and work (for the most part)
3- get a 3 point shooter or stop shooting so many. Teams are letting them take open 3s and they still hit below average.
If Oden comes back, we have the talent to do 1 and 2. Players, Coaches, GET ON THE SAME PAGE and figure it out.
Still a nice roster, even with the Roy contract and the Oden ???’s.
Ruudster
The thing I disliked the most about this series
Is that we DESTROYED Jason Kidd’s confidence in shooting after game 4 and couldn’t take advantage of it. He didn’t even wanna shoot the ball after that.
This is so inappropriate, but Kidd looks like the head of a certain male body part.
That’s all I can think of when I see him. Don’t worry though, I’m a girl, not a dude ;)
"That was NAAAAAASTY"
I hope there is more of a plan for the future in place than banking on "just" a healthy Oden. Or the next playoffs will look a lot like the last 3.
by Norsktroll on Apr 29, 2011 12:37 PM PDT reply actions 5 recs
Gotta ask - who is Bill Murray in this scenario?
Nate? Paul Allen? Cho? Blazer fans?
by Free Bayless on Apr 29, 2011 12:40 PM PDT up reply actions
Did he see his shadow?
"If I had a dime for every basket I made today, you'd still suck!" - from the book 'John Dies @ the End'
by sammymohawk on Apr 29, 2011 12:59 PM PDT up reply actions
I would dispute this:
The supporting cast players who have left have not prospered.
Bayless and Cunningham both came alive, earning starting roles on lesser teams, near the end of the season. I wouldn’t take them back in return for Wallace, but they are prospering. I feel happy for them.
I like Dante a lot, but he was essential to the Wallace deal
I think he’ll have a solid career…Bayless I have more questions about. Can he ever be consistent?
"If I had a dime for every basket I made today, you'd still suck!" - from the book 'John Dies @ the End'
For all I care, Jerryd Bayless can enjoy gunning to the hoop on offense and playing on a ballclub ...
with the league’s worst defense up there in the Great White North. I’m just glad he’s gone.
"They say it has no memory. That’s where I want to live the rest of my life. A warm place with no memory."
Thanks
I moved to Connecticut for year to attend school and was shocked at the “east coast” bias we all hear about. There’s just so much stuff going on here its crazy. I’m about to head back to Ptown and am was hoping to catch a second round series. In my absence from Portland i haven’t missed a thing on the Blazers. I’ve been attending this blog for the past few years and always walk away feeling like i’ve learned something, taught something, and shared something. Specifically Dave, your recaps, comments, and point of few are very comfortable for me. I agree with you on many points and often find myself quietly thanking you for saying the right thing int he right situation. Sometimes i don’t like it but it needs to be done. After reading this last post i had that feeling again. Even with a lockout we have a place to speak our mind about our team, ourselves, and our passion. Preach on brotha Dave! And as always, Go Blazers
Portland has to get lucky in the draft.
That is only way out of mediocrity for this team.
The good news. Rich Cho helped nab Westbrook and Ibaka. I wont give them credit for Durant, b/c they were going to take whoever was left between Oden and Durant. And folks, I hate to say this because that team deserves nothing but bad karma after ripping off Seattle, but the OKC Thunder will be the WC Champs this year. But on the bright side, our current GM is partially responsible for building that team, so maybe he can do the same for us.
not just luck..skill.
I think Cho was also there when they got Harden.
I have quite a bit of faith in Cho.
He will seal my faith in him with additional hires/replacement of current fitness/training team and replacing assistant coaching staff (Ociepka).
and it will hurt
but the OKC Thunder will be the WC Champs this year
"If I had a dime for every basket I made today, you'd still suck!" - from the book 'John Dies @ the End'
Thinking about it calmly:
Every team needs three guys the other team fears enough to gameplan for. In this series the Mavs did need to plan to shut down LaMarcus. Everyone else, they just sat back and said “We DARE you to be the guy.”
I don’t know if anyone else on this team can be part of a big 3. Matthews and Batum have shown flashes but haven’t made the leap. Oden and Roy have looked good but, health. Miller, Camby and Wallace are what they are: Excellent blue-collar guys at their positions. Rudy is a shell of what he was, Babbit, Patty, Johnson and Johnson are value rookies running around and soaking up minutes.
The question is this: Do we think either Matthews or Batum can make the leap? If so, which one? Do we think either Roy or Oden can be what they were? If so, which one? And then, can we acquire another piece somehow?
I think Roy is more likely than Oden, and Batum is more likely than Matthews. So I’d consider trading Matthews, Oden, Wallace, and other pieces and trying to secure a worker big man and a PG with Big 3 credential/Potential. But that probably won’t happen unless someone decides to force a trade.
I put Wallace a step up from Camby/Dre
I think he can be part of our big 3. I say do him, Aldridge, look to trade for a third, hold on to as much as you can, and keep crossing your fingers for GO.
"If I had a dime for every basket I made today, you'd still suck!" - from the book 'John Dies @ the End'
Your plan has the benefit
of being possible. Which is a plus as far as plans go. Mine makes a lot more sense in, say, NBA2k11.
We're so much better in the video game world
where Roy is uninhibited and Oden is on the court
"If I had a dime for every basket I made today, you'd still suck!" - from the book 'John Dies @ the End'
Good luck to you
and congratulations on a well-deserved win. Hopefully next year things won’t be so easy for you (at least if you play us again).
Roy exit interview on O-live.
http://www.oregonlive.com/blazers/index.ssf/2011/04/trail_blazers_exit_interviews_1.html
Soooo many "I"s and "me"s. I also find it a little disturbing that he values a personal triumph of returning to the court for a regular season game more than single handedly propelling his team to a huge, come from behind playoff win for the team.
Come on man, hasn’t anyone coached you on how to do an interview yet?
Yeah....it was an interview about him and his plans
So I would expect "I"s and “Me”
Soooo many "I"s and "me"s. I also find it a little disturbing that he values a personal triumph of returning to the court for a regular season game more than single handedly propelling his team to a huge, come from behind playoff win for the team.
Also that regular season game that he is talking about was the 1st game back after he thought he might not ever be able to play again.
There was nothing wrong with that interview
Me: "I heard the BCS just bought March Madness.......the vote should be out tomorrow and we will see Duke and Kansas in the championship game"
by 92wastheyear on Apr 29, 2011 3:16 PM PDT up reply actions
Just once, it would be great to hear an unexpected team-related quote...
Personal goals are really not important to me, we’re all here to win a championship as a team. I plan to do whatever Coach thinks will accomplish that – stats, minutes, roles are secondary to winning.
It isn’t hard to say it, even if you don’t buy it.
by Free Bayless on Apr 29, 2011 3:19 PM PDT up reply actions
“I think I definitely want to help this team get in position to win and get out of the first round.”
Me: "I heard the BCS just bought March Madness.......the vote should be out tomorrow and we will see Duke and Kansas in the championship game"
by 92wastheyear on Apr 29, 2011 3:28 PM PDT up reply actions 1 recs
You are correct.
Maybe I’m asking too much.
by Free Bayless on Apr 29, 2011 3:37 PM PDT up reply actions
does this surprise you?
Roy has pretty much always been an “I” and “me” type talker.
"Well, you can always sell your team."
There's nothing wrong with being selfish, as all of us are that way to some degree.
"They say it has no memory. That’s where I want to live the rest of my life. A warm place with no memory."
did i say anytihng about him being selfish?
"Well, you can always sell your team."
Not directly, but I found it to be implied.
At any rate, though, it’s no big deal. Heck, I’m all for being selfish.
"They say it has no memory. That’s where I want to live the rest of my life. A warm place with no memory."
There's a difference between being self-centered and selfish.
We all want to get ours, but it would be great if he had some more team-oriented quotes.
All i know is..
The blazers need to sign Pendegraph to backup LA, Get a backup center, and find a strong up and coming pointguard that can shoot and slash; then we’ll be set. Along with getting rid of rudy, patty, and babbit.
Pendy is a great guy but
has Joel’s offensive skills. Let’s hope for a better big than that.
wha??
by Hipster Olympic Team! on Apr 29, 2011 4:17 PM PDT via mobile up reply actions
this
it’s the right idea, but I hope there’s better out there than Pendy, who is a very very marginal rotation guy
"If I had a dime for every basket I made today, you'd still suck!" - from the book 'John Dies @ the End'
fire nate,,,
Go Timbers they have fire!
silent observer....
Need to move defense up the chart
I’m barging in late to the party here. several comments -
I thought Portland was a slightly better team than the Mavericks this series. Portland’s strategy of dropping LMA and Camby into the lane when their guys are setting picks on the perimeter allowed the Dallas ballhandlers to dominate the perimeter and run their offense with impunity. As a result, Dallas remain composed throughout the series because they knew they could get shots when they needed them on offense. Talent wise and from a matchup perspective, I thought Portland had enough advantages offensively to wear down the Mavs.
For next year, health is the biggest concern. Team defense is number two. From the philosophy/strategy to the level of intensity/energy, Portland needs to make adjustments to play a style more similar to the Spurs/Celtics/Lakers on defense. Pressure the perimeter by hedging/double teaming off pick and rolls, and then use the Blazers’ athletic ability and mobility to rotate defensively to protect the lane.
by VegasNed on Apr 29, 2011 10:08 PM PDT reply actions 1 recs
Zach Randolph won a playoff series
before Roy, before Aldridge, before the Blazers. Gee, that feels great.
About as good as Rasheed Wallace winning a title did.
The key is coaching
Portland’s defensive scheme makes no sense to me. I know I’m no expert, but, when you watch, you see Portland nearly always ends up with an unfavorable matchup due to switching.
The team talent levels in the NBA aren’t that far apart so it’s the schema that make the difference.
Nate’s system of constant switching doesn’t seem to work from what I’ve seen.
But players make plays.
Wesley and Andre just need to learn how to guard guys 6+ inches taller than they are:P
wha??
by Hipster Olympic Team! on Apr 30, 2011 8:36 PM PDT via mobile up reply actions
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