Is This Becoming A "Special" Team?

I agree with you.

 

So we win one game in a row vs Milwaukee and now were a special team? I am glad that win made you feel so good about the team

 

Well, Milwaukie was a 46 win team last year, so they aren't exactly cream puffs. And it was on their court.

 

Pointing out the bad collective record of the teams we played this early in the year is a little misleading.

4-13 could easily be 8-9 if each team had beat the Blazers. If the Blazers were 0-5 right now, would you take much solace that we lost to a bunch of teams that were basically .500 so far? I wouldn't.

In another week or so I think our wins/losses vs collective records of our opponents will be more indicative of how our team is playing.

 

And on the road they took Boston to overtime last night. The Clips beat up on the Thunder. Part of being a better team is taking care of the games we are supposed to.

 

We are certainly a better team than those teams, but that doesn't make us special

 

Our team is good, no doubt. I was arguing the "special" comment.

 

Agreed. Just to clarify my point, even if LA puts up numbers to make himself an all-star, I do not think we are truly special until we find a consistant low post scoring option.

 

My own opinion on whether this team is special or not is how do you define "special." 57 wins and a loss in the WCF is where I see them. That's basically what our team did in 2000. If you consider that team special, then this one is too.

Also, it depends on if you define "team." If the team is just the collection of talent exactly as it is now, or if you project how the nucleus will be for the next several years plus this year. It's going to be much better a year from now as Batum matures, Armon takes on more responsibility, and Oden (hopefully) plays a full season. At that point it'll be undeniably special by pretty much any definition.

 

I think you're confused. He's asking if it's a special team...which means you have to evaluate it before it's proven. Once it's proven to be a special team (like if it won a championship) the question wouldn't need to be asked.

Had he said "This IS a special team," your comments would make a lot more sense. As it is, they really don't. No one's saying that they've already shown that they are special/elite/etc.

 

Thank you. Took the words out of my mouth. Also meant to say that my OP was more the heart of the matter. People in here should know by now that I often use hyperbole and teases within my thread titles.

 

Everybody here is making great points. We kill Suns, Suns killed Jazz, so on and so on. It's too early to know anything I think. Camby is not Capt. Health by any means. He goes down, we are dead. Lets wait for awhile and see !

 

Dude, I'm the same person who, last season, called for an 18-0. Cut me some slack, Jack!

 

No doubt. I'm just keeping my fingers crossed until Przybilla comes back. Joel isn't as good a passer or scorer, but he's a bigger body and a better man-on-man defender in the post. If he comes in just as Camby goes down, it'll be a downgrade but not a massive one. If Camby goes down before then, well, we're basically fucked.

This team kind of reminds me of that 2000 squad. We had all these really nice big men back then too (Sabonis, Brian Grant, Jermaine) but the only consistently healthy, reliable starter was Rasheed (much like Aldridge is now).

 

Tonights game was what I expect (but always want more) from LA.

No blocks or steals, 4 rebounds (had some tapouts early though), dominate when his outside shot was falling but providing little down the stretch.

I figure there are going to be 7 All-Star spots available for F anc C.

Dirk, Duncan, Camelo, Durant, and Pau seem virtual locks for five of those spots.

I would trade LA for Blake Griffin in a NY second.

That leaves one spot. LA's numbers are closer to Jeff Green's than they are to the top players.

Maybe he gets in as an injury replacement, but that is really not the kind of All-Star we need.

Looking back, I wish we could have traded RLEC and LA for Pau.

 

I appreciate you pointing my Aldridge posts out instead of the one's where I said this team has struggled against good teams and shouldn't be considered special.

 

ABM said becoming and not considered.

Can we atleast agree that the team is making improvements?

I do not see this huge improvement in LA's game that Barrett and all of the other Blazer media was claiming. I do like what Mathews brings off the bench along with Rudy playing without JB. I like Armon. I like Batum's improvement.

Add a low post scoring option and then we can throw around the special term.

 

I appreciate you disregarding my saying this team "becoming" special upon Joel and Greg's return.......IMO, the only missing ingredient.