Says they need to play better. What a genius. Really, O-Live? I could write a more interesting piece than this. http://www.oregonlive.com/blazers/i...time_to_tell_it_straight_the_trail_blaze.html
He says Lillard, LaMarcus and especially Batum need to step up. I agree. Matthews and Lopez are working their asses off. Throwing everything they can at teams. Are the other 3 showing that same effort? At times but not consistently, every night, every minute of every game.
The way I'm starting to look at it, is that this is a beautiful growth year. If we can do ANY noise in the playoffs, it'll be golden... but I believe the next 2 years is the "contender window" for this team... this is just the prelude.
So easy being a critic. The 5 on 8 the Blazers had to play against tonight was just too much. Onto the next one.
We all believe the players have to play better. It's a non story. Though, of there's a big 3, Matthews is in it. Not Batum.
He's right, depending on the context. The Big Three are playing well enough for us to be competitive and interesting. They'll have to find a way to step it up, though, if we're to make a run in the playoffs. I didn't read thru game thread, but I'm sure it was mentioned more than once the difference between having a superstar (Harden) vs all stars. I think it's in Lillard to make that jump though. He wants it.
He really did say more if the article was read more in-depth. "But I’m not on the team. And not particularly liked. So, let’s be straight here. If the Blazers are going win a playoff series, this is what has to happen. LaMarcus Aldridge has to start making more big shots. Point blank, period. Damian Lillard has to start playing better defense. And start taking better care of the ball. Nicolas Batum has to score more, and do it more often. It should come at the expense of his play-making abilities, which shouldn’t make anyone pause for thought considering his mind-boggling turnovers on passes of late. With apologies to Wesley Matthews and Robin Lopez, who are so important to the team’s success, Aldridge, Lillard and Batum are the Blazers’ big three, the pillars who support the weight of expectations of this team. And those pillars need to become stronger."
BTW - I thought Quick moved away from the Blazers and more towards the Ducks? Why gives? I think that Quick is genuinely frusterated with the Blazers and hoping that the Blazers "Figure things out" so it can make Quick's job easier. Can we please agree on a general premise that the reporters would love to have a winning team than anyone else as it makes their lives easier?
Quick moved to Ducks. They announced a search for his replacement. No one was given the job and they brought Quick back. But Quick has hardly written anything. And when he does it's play better? I could definitely write something more compelling especially with access to the players like he has. NateBishop could too.
I don't know, they seem to thrive on the negative headlines. Whether it's for a team, player, celebrity, etc.
Like hell it is. It is THE story, right now. Let's face facts: Lillard has some real limitations. He turns the ball over too much, is too content to pass off instead of making something happen, and doesn't play very good defense. Aldridge has gone back to Mr. Softie, and isn't shooting very well. His back-your-man down game is not the way this team should be playing. Batum is the same old Batum--great one game and non-existent the next. He needs to bring it every night. I credit Quick for telling it like it is. You certainly won't get the truth from Barrett and Rice on a nightly basis.
No. This: And this: Why do reporters and especially "journalists" insist that they are part of the story? They need to butt the fuck out. It's as annoying, and wrong, as the ego driven NBA refs taking over games.
