Tortured’s State of the Blazers

At the all star break we were 11 games over .500. We were also 6 games over .500 on January 1st and that was with a tougher schedule in the first half of the season and only twice did we lose 3 games in a row.

 

Yawn.

 

Would you have preferred Shaun Livingston over Turner if everything such as salary was equal? and why?

 

How can we actually improve the team? This is what I want to hear from the Stotts crowd.

 

I have never really thought about it... I think Shaun Livingston landed in a spot that is perfect for him. I don't really hate ET I just don't think he fits here. I'd have to think about it.

 

To be fair, I absolutely understand your POV and I respect others opinions on the team. I get the frustration at Stotts / NO, and I also understand that getting to the WCF’s was exciting. Its an interesting season no doubt.

 

I would argue that Olshey's biggest weakness is the fact that he has kept Stotts for so long. Yeah, 2016 free agency was not a good showing. All in all, he's one of the better GMs in the league I'd say. Darryl Morrey also seems to think so. I believe in Neil. I'd like to take more risks but I like him all in all. I just wish he wouldn't rely on Stotts so much. It's successful to an extent but I'd like to take a big swing and expect a championship. Toronto's GM did that. Now, to be fair. Ownership might have a lot to do with getting the green light of making a big trade or splitting up Damian and CJ. All in all, Neil gets a B+. Now that he's sniffed a higher level of success, I expect a big good get this off-season.

Otto Porter would have been a good get. We clearly need new starting forwards. Otto Porter, Blake Griffin, Kevin Love are all places to start.

 

That why olshey need not only players that shoot but also can make plays for other players that will relieve pressure off them double teams. Example they try double Leonard from Toronto but he makes a pass to players that also can make a play and that's killing the warriors. We don't have that on this team especially the 1st unit. Actually our 2nd sometimes looks good due we got more players that can make plays for other players for a shot they might make it all time but there good shots.

 

Totally respect your opinion. You are saying Olshey has built a starting lineup that is 40% faulty. I can't give him credit/fault for 2012 because he had just arrived. The CJ pick was great value. Since then, his drafting given the positions has been no better than average. Free agency has not been overly successful, minus the short term prove-it deals, and I think you'd have to at minimum split the credit of those to the coaching staff as a whole. Currently we have minimal flexibility due to all these changes and most here do not believe this current roster is good enough to win a title.

I'd give him a C, but I'll bump it to a C+ assuming part of his strategy is that continuity of the core is something he believes in and that's why he hasn't made more big moves.

 

So i did a simple GPA on your grades and you gave a team that made the Western Conference Finals a C+ GPA.
What's it take to get a B average around here?
You have been listening to the kid that posts 2-300 times a day bashing the team a bit too much.
That team played it's collective hearts out this season. They gave it everything they had. Some played through injury and took lesser roles to be a team. That team did it for a coach that they respect and has earned that respect. The GM is the one that put that group of players together that achieved everything we witnessed this season. They all did this after losing their biggest and truest fan. The late Paul Allen RIP. Who by the way deserves better than a C+ as does Jody and the way she stepped up. They also did it after one of the most horrific injuries this team and fan base has witnessed. I suggest you go back and read some of your own posts made on March 25th 2019 and then maybe look at your C+ grade.

If all you can come up with is a C+ for that season then you are obviously setting yourself up for failure every time. Go ahead and continue to listen to the coach of the 3 on 3 tournament team. He must know what he is talking about because he has a You Tube Video player/recording and can post them on the internet. Like this is a tough thing to do? Susan Wojcicki is making a mint off that by making it pretty easy.

I'm serious when i say this. The Blazer bashing on this site has gotten way out of hand. People don't come here to be told their favorite team "Sucks" and that they never will ever be successful while such and such is here or in charge. It's gotten to ridiculous proportions and as far as i am concerned we are doing this site a huge disservice by allowing it to continue. It's like if you enjoyed the season and are really looking forward to next year you are put on notice that that kind of behavior isn't allowed around here because 4 or 5 posters don't want people to enjoy the Blazers we have. Craziest part is the oldest and best posters on this site have all pretty much given up the good fight. They just quit coming around because of the hater mentality and the willingness to post without respect and courtesy.

Now as far as your original post? If that is the way you truly feel then i can respect that. But if they happen to get 55 wins next year and another trip to the Conference finals will they again be just better than a C? Seriously? They got to the WCF's in 99 and 2000. Before that they did 3 years 90-91-92 with a couple trips to the finals. The only other time they got this far was 77. So you are saying one of the top 6 years in the teams history only brings a C+. That is out of 49 seasons.

It just boggles the mind that i felt i had to type all that? Of all the recent summers that we really felt we should have been better i just didn't think this was gonna be one.

 

Since talent reigns supreme in the NBA, I think GM is the most crucial position to fill with excellence. I've been lukewarm on Olshey for a lot of the reasons you mention. He doesn't even flatter by condescending us, going straight to direct belittling. And that's a little annoying. But judging strictly on his talent evaluation and acquisition, he's been pretty okay. His major failings are the 2016 free agent signings, Aldridge, and his inability to put together forward thinking, creative moves. I was recently listening to the old Portland radio host, Gavin Dawson, and he blamed the free agent signings on Paul Allen, basically saying Paul insisted on the signings over Olshey's reluctance. I don't know if that's true, but I can buy it and it makes Olshey's star burn a little brighter if so. Losing Aldridge for nothing was inexcusable and it's hard to overlook how much better we could be if it had turned out differently. He has managed to re-sign Dame, CJ, and Nurk since then, so maybe he's learned from it. His moves are largely single step maneuvers. Sign a cheap guy here, draft a player they like where we're slotted. Those can add up, but we're basically crawling toward our destination and using up Dame/CJs prime years doing it. He has yet to make a really risky move, unless you want to count calling Aldridge's bluff. I think he's proven he can make a team competitive and even good, and that's great if that's all we're really chasing. Tough to say what the current ownership truly wants. We can and have had worse, so there's that ringing endorsement.

 

can I just cut and paste this in every thread?

 

bs...you win and lose as a team...staff and roster ..top to bottom...Kanter won us games, Hood won us games, CJ won us games...Dame is the captain but you win with soldiers.....the lack of respect for that baffles me...if I had that view I'd find a team I could cheer for honestly...I can cheer for this team..mediocre teams DON'T get to the WCF, win a 4OT game....win a series against the 2nd seed on their court.....it's insulting to grade that so low

 

weird Stren...you'd like us to lose early so you'd be right about judging the team? Just eat the crow dude.....

 

Get a hold of yourself. If you cant handle people who dont think everything is rainbows and sunshine, then IGNORE them. FFS. Normally Id let this go but... you're sitting here ranting at Tortured? Are you fucking kidding me? And your ranting about me when I'm not even involved and making it personal? How many people live in your head? Get a grip.

You know what grade I give this season? An A-. And I think this roster is better than you do! But I have the "hater mentality"? All I do is bash the team? I'm too negative for you? The only things you have an issue with is that I voice my displeasure with the coach (which you cant handle), and that I think we had some fortune in getting to the WCF. Outside of a couple opinions on certain players (*cough* Evan Turner *cough*), those are the only negative things I have to say.

But if you think I post too much negativity, or you cant handle any of it at all, you have multiple options to relieve your emotional distress. You could be a big boy and ignore me. You could be find another forum to post on. You could throw your phone or computer in the garbage... I dont care. Obviously you need to do something though...

You ironically call me a kid while throwing a temper tantrum crying about people, attacking them, making things personal... and its all over another persons fucking grade? And then you want to complain about the forum not having "respect and courtesy"? Thats the most hypocritical thing I've ever read... All youve shown me is disrespect because you dont like my opinion. I cant remember a time where I attacked you personally. I give you shit for your opinion, just like you do mine. But Im not delusional and I know thats something that will happen on an INTERNET FORUM. I'm fine with that. Yet youve crossed the line and made things personal many times (just like you did here, completely unprovoked), and you want to complain about a lack or respect....

You sit here and whine about the very thing you engage in. You fan the flames in a major way, then cry when you cause a wildfire. Its comical.

Change something. What you're doing aint working for you.

 

With the making it to the WCF high coming down it is time to analyze on what we need to do to advance further. Rose colored glasses are a beautiful thing but let us put them down a minute and be realistic because in life not everyone gets a trophy and there is no Santa Claus. I am not bashing the Blazers because what they did in the post season with what they had was nothing short of amazing and pissed a lot of people off in the process I like that.
Next season we will not have Nurk for most of it and he will probably not be back in form until the next year or maybe the playoffs if we are lucky. Our starting 3/4 guys are not starting 3/4 guys. I do not want Griffen or Love no way and no how I would rather let Zach sink or swim then bring in Griffen to teach him how to flop. Maybe for less money I would a lot less. I would rather target Butler even if it means a CJ trade I think that it would make the Blazers a better team. The points we lose with CJ we would make up with Simons. I would also like to keep Hood and Kantor. It is a tall order but I think that will be a better team going forward.

 

Just want to say, I wasnt grading on a curve. GS is the only team this year I think had the real chance to get an A overall, but Milwaukee, Toronto and GS are all somewhere in the B, to B+ range. As a reminder Milwaukee had the best regular season record with 60 wins. Which if you look back is good, but not great.

I legitimately dont feel like I bashed the Blazers very hard here.

I enjoyed this season a lot, and they for the most part were who I thought they were. Making it to the WCF’s isnt the goal though as fun as it was to be playing that late into the season, they were 8 wins away. I think averaging it with the categories I gave is somewhat of a mistake, the team can be broken down in many ways I didnt go into. Overall, Id have them as a B, to a B-.

What I’d like to discuss though is if you feel my criticism wasnt fair, then point it out and we can talk about it. Besides our forwards I tried to give some praise to every single group.

 

I think you’re kind of missing this, there were really no great teams in the NBA this year. Milwaukee had the best season at 60 wins. Look at prior years and a lot of the time there are multiple 60+ win teams. There were a lot of pretty good team. Which is actually good news for the NBA they’re heading towards parity.
Yes they win and lose as a team. Maybe too harsh, but I don’t feel like I disrespected the Blazers as much as a few you seem to believe. Which could be my fault for poor communication.

Edit: Just look at the last time the Blazers made it this far. They had 59 wins, thats a significant gap from 53.