With the signing of Williams, the Blazers will challenge for the #1 overall seed in the Tattoo League.
That silly comment isn't even close to being true: http://espn.go.com/nba/statistics/player/_/stat/minutes/sort/avgMinutes Nobody averaged over 38.7 MPG last season and Lillard was 3rd in the league... Edit: I would argue that reducing Lillard to 33-35 MPG would increase his effectiveness.
For the record, if you notice while Dame did not average the most minutes per game, he played the most total minutes of any nba player during last season because he played in every game. And I remember Terry saying many times that playing guys up to 40 min was not a big deal. IM sure dame will average about 38 this season, still glad we now have mo as a solid veteran back up.
I for one hope to see Lillard's minutes reduced to the 34-35 minute mark so he can put more energy into defense. Right now I see a rotation of Lillard, Wes, Batum, Aldridge, Lopez with Mo, Robinson, Wright, and CJ off the bench. Leonard might see some minutes here and there, but I think it's more likely that we'll see a rotation of Aldridge/Lopez/Robinson in the front court with Mo coming off the bench first to play with Lillard and then Wright and CJ logging a few minutes here and there. I think it will be a 9 man rotation most nights, with a 10 man rotation on back-to-backs and four-in-fives.
I think that lineup will be sick. I think t rob has handles to perform like j smooth did when he played sf in Atlanta.
Numbers should almost never get retired though. It should only be legends like Magic, Bird, MJ, Drexler, Akeem. Not fucking Jamal Wilkes! (I was there that night).I mean what the fuck? Only Blazer who should have number retired is Clyde.
You must have never seen Walton play. He was the greatest player this franchise has ever had, and one of the best centers in NBA history when he was healthy. Walton=1 NBA title in Portland. Drexler=No NBA titles in Portland. That should tell you everything you need to know.
That's an exceptionally silly and random thing to say. Better tell the last 11 MVPs that they aren't true superstars, because not one of them has played 40 MPG. Tim Duncan in 2001-02 was the last MVP to play 40 MPG - the only time Duncan has averaged more than 40 MPG in his entire 16-year NBA career. So, does that mean the greatest power forward to ever play the game isn't a "true superstar"? LeBron has won 4 MVPs in the last 5 seasons, but hasn't played 40 MPG 2007-08. Is the 4-time MVP no longer a "true superstar"? And what about your guy, Derrick Rose? He's never averaged more than 37.4 MPG. Guess by your definition, he's not, and never will be, a "true superstar". And BTW, guys fighting to earn minutes is a good thing. Last year, our starters HAD to play big minutes because we had the worst bench in NBA history. Nobody on that bench DESERVED to get any PT. This year, we will actually have guys like C.J McCollum and Mo Williams battling for minutes. Worrying about how minutes are going to be divided up among the bench players is a luxury Terry Stotts didn't have last season. Last season he knew that any minutes the bench got were going to kill our chance at winning. This season he'll actually have options - GOOD options. BNM
I never said "averaged 40+." Nor did I say "they averaged 40+ for every season in their entire careers." Nor did I say "ALL" superstars play 40+. The point was that you don't have to limit a superstar's minutes to save his legs or prevent risk from injury. Last season, Lillard played 40+ minutes 28 times. That's a lot of games for Mo to play something under 8 and be happy. Joe Johnson averaged 39.5+ from age 22 to 27 (six seasons), 40+ in four of those. Anecdotes are awesome! He's not the only one KG averaged 39+ seven times. Quibble about the huge difference between 39 and 40 if you like. In the 39+ minute season he played the fewest minutes per game, he played 40+ 50 times. Kareem averaged over 40+ 9 times.
Correct, just "true superstars". Another exceptionally silly thing to say. Both Damian Lillard and Mo Williams can play off the ball. Eric Maynor, who is strictly a PG, averaged 21.2 MPG with the Blazers last season "backing up" Damian Lillard. Do you really think Mo Williams, with his ability to to play SG, is going to get fewer minutes than Eric Maynor? LOL, yeah that's relevant to how many minutes Damian Lillard and Mo Williams are going to play this season. You forgot to mention that Wilt averaged over 48 MPG over 50 years ago. Different players, different positions, different eras. The last time Kareem averaged over 40 MPG was six years before Mo Williams was born. And this proves what, exactly???? BNM
So wait. I say, mo will be made happy by playing off the ball at SG or 3 guard lineups, and you want to argue its a silly thing to say? Knock yourself out.
None of this matters until training camp starts, line-ups are configured, and things start to take shape. I'm still not convinced that Neil is done. We have a glut of guards and I find it hard to believe we will be going into training camp with so many on the roster. Dame/Mo/Watson Matthews/CJ/Barton/Crabbe Is Harris still on the roster?
