Some fans are perfectly happy with having realistic expectations - True. Some fans don't factor in how difficult it is to play in Utah, get home at 1am, and then play a double-overtime game that same day. - True Without a doubt THIS team is making the Playoffs.
It's not the record that is troubling. I'll take 15-10 if the team is playing smart basketball, but it's not even close currently. You are only as good as your most recent stretch, and this is eerily reminiscent of the meltdown last year after the streak ended. Same terrible perimeter D. Same bad shot selection. No easy buckets. Let's not forget it took a lot of effort in the road trip to beat non-playoff teams like the Knicks and Wiz. There's a pattern of bad play that's been going on for several weeks.
Naw, its just that 15-10 through that schedule isn't a time to scream "the sky is falling". I love reading the critiques and I agree with so many.
Why trade for one, when we have Bayless. I'm sure KP will get into his ear soon about giving this kid playing time.
Our team has lost to Boston on their court... who believed we would win that game??? Come on!! We lost to Orlando with a Hedo miracle and the Clipps cause one of our best free throw shooters missed 3 of 4. How is that terrible? Utah....well that place may be as lopsided as Bosten for whistles up the butts. All in all I'm not panicked whatsoever. YES I'm disappointed that Blake brain farted so badly in a game that was OVER but the rest is par for the course.
Because some people had bought into the ridiculous hype that's been built up around Greg since he was a freshman in highschool; that he was going to be the Next Bill Russell right out of the gate, and anything less is a "disappointment." The other reason is far simpler, people are upset because this is the "intar-nets" and it wouldn't be the "intar-nets" if people weren't overreacting.
Better. Because the two headed monster of Pryz/Oden keeps them both fresh. Joel looks so much stronger, healthier, and physically (dare I say) dominant? than I've ever seen him. Keeping his minutes down has to be a huge part of that. And Oden benefits from Joel as well. I thought these guys would get in each others way, and it has been one of the bright spots of the season. A big part of why (most nights) the Blazers win the battle on the boards.
First five games, hardest schedule in NBA history. Check, 2-3 and behind them. 10 out of first 14 games on the road. Check, they came through with an 8-6 record. Most road games in the last 20 years for this point in season. Check, they came through with a 15-10 record. That's all behind them. 15-10 with a ball-busting schedule. On pace to win 49 after, BY FAR, the toughest part of our schedule. For the second youngest team in the league. Our starting SF has played a handful of minutes this season, so we're starting a rook. Nic is going to be a stud, but he needs seasoning. LA has been streaky, true, but it seems to me that he produces when the guys get him the ball in good position. Problem is, after LA starts well, the team just goes away from him. I don't get that, but they will work through it. Rudy has been inconsistent, but that will turn around. He's used to being the guy, and he's not on this team. He just has to find his balance. He'll get better....much better. The posters calling Greg a bust are going to be eating a LOT of crow before the end of the season, if he stays healthy. I believe that they are still trying to let Greg learn to play lockdown D, and not put the responsibility of carrying the offensive load, yet. That will come before the end of the year. Improvement from Nic, Rudy and Greg. Much easier schedule, with a much higher % of home games....equals more wins as we move ahead from here....equals MORE THAN 49 wins. You chicken little types need to chill and try to enjoy watching these kids learn to play together.
How do you propose getting a 20ppg SF without giving up either Roy or LMA, and how does the 20 ppg SF keep getting 20 ppg on this team?
According to some we need better coaching because our offense is predictable and our defense illusory. According to some we need better players because they have reached their ceilings. According to some we need more experience and it will all come together with the current players and coaches. My observation is that we ARE predictable and in this 2nd pass through the schedule our weaknesses will be exposed. If we adjust well, then we can credit the coaching and additional experience. If we don't adjust well then we have to point the finger at certain players and coaches. I think we have been winning on raw talent, energy, and desire. Now that the rest of the teams have warmed up, that isn't enough. Here's where it gets interesting....
My only worry is that our consistently bad perimeter defense and lack of low post or easy bucket offense are indications of Nate's poor Xs and Os skills, or at least his limitations. Obviously, the assistants play a role in that as well. I don't think we have any problems that are not fixable with this roster. But I do wonder if we have the coach who can fix those problems.
X's and O's? Is it Nates fault when guys blow by Blake/Sergio like they are standing still? How is NATE going to get points in the paint? LA is better than average down low . . . he's no Tim Duncan. Oden is too methodical and shows the ball to much to go to conistently in the blocks. We don't have anybody other than Roy who can get to the basket. Dribble penetration leads to defensive break downs, which leads to easy baskets or open looks on the perimeter. X's and O's are only as good as the players who execute them. Do you think anybody would talk about the triangle offense and Phil Jackson if it wasn't for MJ, Pippen, Shaq, Kobe? Our offense and defense gets decidedly better if we had a quality PG. Same coach, same X's and O's.
Yeah, back then it was literally a bulletin board. It was located in the hallway of a Fred Meyer's between the bathrooms and the water fountain.
The last three games Brandon has picked up the slack by averaging 30+ ppg and we still lose. It's simple. It's clear we need to make an upgrade at the three. 10 min. of play for Batum and bone headed play from Travis is just not going to get it done. The backup PF position also kills us.
I was at the game last night - and while it stunk that we lost - the team looked a lot better in person than it looked to me in the last game (Utah). I think they were just dog-tired, especially at the end of the first OT. Individual observations: 1. Greg is looking better and better. They had one ugly strip on him last night - but after that - whenever he got the ball down low he went up fast and scored with no one around him (or ZBo getting a foul and trying to tell the refs that Greg travelled) 2. Brandon was just too tired at the end of the 1st OT - he just could not do it anymore. 3. Bayless is a refreshing breath of air - but I think that we are trying too hard to make him a PG - he can and needs to get into the paint quickly and attack. Hope they give him some more freedom to do that. 4. Rudy was misfiring from the 3 for the 3rd game in a row. I think he needs a bit of a rest. He did try to get into the paint more and shot the off-balance shots all the time - they were not going down - but I was delighted to see him do it - not just camping on the 3. 5. The Blazers need find a layup coach. Obviously the shooting coach has helped Sergio with his 3P ball - but the kid can still get in the lane any time he wants to and still can not put it in. 6. It was astounding to see ZBo in the flesh - as he passed more in this game than I have seen him in person pass to his teammates during his entire Blazers career. It was nice to see that he is still a remarkable scoring machine - he uses his body reallly well to get where he wants near the basket and score - and LMA played real good defense on him. 7. Since Nate gave Bayles a very short leash - we really missed Travis over there - and with Rudy's shot not falling - Brandon had to play long minutes. It came to bite us in the end. The 3 day rest is probably the best thing that happened to this team in a while.
i agree with the need for better PG play. but we could also get better offensive production from running more motion offense, using more cutters in all our sets, and leaking out more for easier transition buckets. we don't do much of that compared to a lot of elit/good teams. and those are all things we could do with this group of players. i'm seeing far too much pick and roll (with the roll not really a threat) and isolation. good NBA coaches will shut that stuff down without more variation to it. that's X and O stuff. as is playing zone against a red-hot-from-the-outside orlando team for long stretches. we are ranked pretty low in opponent field goal %. and i feel like that's, at least in part, coaching. i like nate. i hope he leads us to a title. but i do worry about his feel for games, his ability to adjust strategies on the fly, and the slow pace he seems to prefer.
Nate is a defensive coach yet every PG in the league that has played against the Blazers has gone to the basket with ease, back door passes for easy dunks, poor ability to communicate from player to player on picking up free man and on and on.... It's clear that Nate knows little on offense because when the games on the line it just goes to ROY to win the game. So why isn't the defense better? If Nate can't create a lock down defensive team here I don't know what he brings. I think Nates job on substitutions and offense are sub par. The defense at times is a joke! We have the players and the depth, the whole league knows it. I think the coach is our weakest link! Ya know the Spurs have maybe this year left to get anything done for another ring. I could see getting Parker and POP in the offseason. Then the dynasty begins!!!!!
I have a great solution for this problem: Martell Webster. Lucky for us he is currently on the team. If he doesn't return from the injury by the end of the year, then you think about getting someone else. Otherwise, you don't. Portland does not have a back up power forward. It would be really nice if we could get one. That is the only change I would want Portland to make this year.
