Mine: 1. Roy and Aldridge are our future for years to come. 2. This team is great, winning 54, we should be proud. 3. We can only get better from here on out. 4. A great learning experience. We'll be ready for the playoffs next year. 5. Guys like Oden still need a few years to figure it out. 6. Outlaw/Sergio/Frye etc...Decisions need to be made on them. 7. Still looking for a SF/PG. 8. Our expectations were a bit too high. We should be happy though. No shame in losing in the first round like that. Great season, looking forward to the next one.
Overall, we're looking for a slight upgrade at PG and possibly SF if Webster cannot make it back. We learned Oden is a somewhat project player that will take another couple of years to really get it. We learned that playoff defense is completely different than regular season defense. We learned that before you get the calls from refs you have to prove yourself in this league or have great marketability such that the refs are precluded from getting you into playoff foul trouble. We learned that Roy needs to either not play PG at all or learn to push the ball and also we have to have more solid 2nd & 3rd options at the end of the game. It was a fun season and we'll be better next year.
I agree with all of yours. It was a great season. Great learning experience. Glad we responded after Game 1. Glad we didn't get swept. Without making a single trade or signing, we will be a better team next season. LMA and Roy haven't reached their ceiling. Rudy will improve. Batum will improve. Bayless too. Martell will be a welcome addition. Greg better be better next season. Much better. Since his surgery was the excuse for not winning Rookie of the Year this season, then I expect him to win Most Improved Player next year, no excuses. I'm very disappointed in Travis Outlaw. I thought he would flourish in the playoffs and make a name for himself. Not sure what his role will be next year. Martell is back. Batum has a bright future. And we need a Noah/Millsap/Bass type guy to back up LMA. Travis is not that guy. We'll see what happens. Very very proud of all our guys. Except Raef LaFrentz. Where's he been all year??
*raises hand* I know the answer to this one, the answer is backing up John Salmons in Chicago after KP trades him for Luol Deng.
I feel really sorry for Nate. There is only one reason for a team to quit like this...they are trying to get the coach fired. So much for this being a team of "great character" guys. Nate didn't deserve this!
1. We had a better year that I ever expected 2. Roy & LMA are solid cornerstones for a franchise 3. Joel & Greg are a good combo, but at some point it has to be Greg in the middle 4. Greg Oden is a raw talent with good instincts. He will be a high level defensive player, and a average post player 5. Oden & Joel can be a great one two punch at center for many seasons 6. The following role players are not essential for the future: Sergio, Outlaw & Frye 7. The following role players are essential for future success (in this order): Batum, Rudy, Bayless, Webster, Blake 8. Since we have Batum & Webster at SF I would not focus on that as our main need. 9. We need a starting PG that can lead this team while being the second or third fiddle. Blake is close, he is just not the guy.
OK, maybe not Deng (he's been pretty dinged up the last couple of years) but is there any question he'd be more reliable than Outlaw?
- 54 wins is solid, but also somewhat inflated since the West was very inconsistent this year outside of the Lakers - Travis Outlaw, Sergio and Frye need to hit the bricks. - The Blazers need to get Greg involved early and often. It all starts this summer with a great big man coach - We can't start Joel and Batum. There's simply not enough firepower in that lineup. - Nate didn't have this team ready to play in the post season.
What on Earth are you talking about? This Western conference was one of the toughest ever. Inconsistent other than the Lakers? You mean, any team that isn't elite across the board is "inconsistent?" Several teams could have reached the 60 win mark except that there were a bunch of tough teams that held everyone good except LA in the 50s. There was 6 teams that won 50 or more games. This is really a desperate attempt to try and devalue what the team accomplished. Not even remotely convincing. You should give a better effort than that.
I did. I just am intellectually honest. You should try it sometime. Also, I didn't say "toughest ever." But again, as I said, intellectual honesty isn't your strong suit. You try for twisting facts, but aren't good at it.
We HAVE to be able to contain the drive one on one WAY more frequently. Until we take it seriously, give a better effort, and take some pride in not getting beat individually we will ALWAYS give up wide open shots. We will never consistently beat elite teams with our defensive system. More importantly....on the other end of the floor we just throw way too many possessions away. Our standards of what a good shot is are so low! I can't believe the crap we threw at the hoop tonight in big moments. We allowed them to go on a 24-6 run in the first half because our offensive attack was undefined and undisciplined. It was a pathetic display of offensive basketball. We never attacked the hoop...we never had deep position on the post during that stretch. Inside/Out wins games...the Rockets killed us with just that. Did you notice how quickly they moved the ball to the open guy. They had a purpose and found wide open shooters...we fished around for 22 seconds and launched over a hand in our face. No way you win on the road doing that. Great offensive possessions and limited scoring droughts (never go 3 poss without points)...lead to scoreboard pressure...if you are up or tied on the scoreboard your opponents have pressure and miss shots. That's winning. We don't understand that concept and have no offensive standards...thus our lousy road record. Pretty simple. The ball goes through the LA in the post or Roy on the perimeter...period. Especially after they score or when we are in a drought and especially on the road.
Then why torture yourself rooting for them? I hear the Lakers are always looking for a few more people on their bandwagon, and judging the attendance of teams like Memphis, Charlotte and New Orleans I'm sure they could use some fan support too.
