Just because you make it to the wcf doesnt mean your flaws are gone or even that you overcame them. We got a favorable road to the wcf. Okc who is a joke of a franchise with a joke of a "leader". Was way too easy to beat them. Denver was inexperienced and went 7 with the spurs. Then we faced a real team. And lost. Were not a contender yet. We just got to a spot that looks like contenders. But we are far from it as long as we have a coach thats so akin to Don Nelson.
and it's posts like this that I have never understood. WE DID NOT LUCK INTO ANYTHING. NOBODY has said that we are a perfect team or don't have any flaws. There isn't a team in the NBA that doesn't have any flaws and that includes Toronto and GS. We also played the entire playoffs without Nurkic and had half a Kanter by the time we played GS. Going into the playoffs OKC was considered one of the favorites to knock off GS for the Western Conference championship. Denver also had an outstanding season and we beat them fair and square. You guys that continually discount the success of the team is ridiculous.
If that was you trying not to be disrespectful then Im worried about what itd look like if you were trying. Nobody's bashing you for trying to enjoy the season in reflection. You may get some light ribbing for things like using the Nurkic injury as an excuse against Golden State when they were without Durant, but that doesnt mean people are criticizing you for trying to enjoy the season. Getting shit for an opinion isnt a big deal. You do it to other people all the time. But when you when others do it to you, you cant handle it, and you conplain as if you dont do the same. That's silly, but it's not even that big of an issue. The issue is that you then you start attacking people personally who haven't personally attacked you, and you'll do so while acting as if you're "standing up for the forum" and "empowering others" against "disrespect". It's so ironic... That's some false self-righteous crap. You'll attack people personally then try to play it off by saying "The post wasnt about that" and "I wasnt trying to be disrespectful". You attacked me personally over a thread that didn't even involve me. I can't remember a time where I've ever attacked you personally, and I don't think you have either. The other day you said "Bones has never crossed the line". Well, why do you cross the line then? Hmmm?
The truth is you personally attacked someone out of the blue for no reason at all and blamed said poster for all that ails the forum. When realistically, it's unwarranted posts like yours that cause friction. It's hypocritical to complain about forum negativity and then proceed to spread it...
I agree with parts of it. I don't think our run established us as the #2 team in the West. If we beat Houston, I'd be much more impressed. OKC was impressive. Denver was impressive just because of altitude/injuries and game 7. But we didn't beat a contender to get to the WCF, so how can we claim we are one? We're a tier below Golden State, Houston, Milwaukee, and Toronto. We're in the same tier as Philadelphia, Boston (of last year), Denver, and possibly Utah. Meanwhile, people are acting as if the only reason we didn't win a championship is because we didn't have Nurkic, or because of Ramadan.. This roster is the same as it would've been if we lost in the 1st or 2nd round. We need to make roster moves to get into that next tier because coaching isn't going to improve. That's my entire mindset, and somehow that's too negative...
The two arent even remotely correlatable, but if your obsession with me makes you feel better as a person, then have at it.
Your truth isn't reality my guy. You have a vendetta and obsession with me, just like you've seemed to have with multiple people over multiple forums over multiple years. You obsessed over my college stats enough to create a new account to ask me about them, then you spent your time Googling me... It's weird as hell. And screw that "Let me say some stupid shit to you and then say "I'll let you have the last word" to try to get you to not respond so I can have the last word" card. I will have the last word, thank you very much. Lets see if you're truly done. I doubt it. You never are because you're obsessed with me.
And here is another truth- You have come into a conversation that didn't involve you and never included you in the first place. No comment was ever made to you or about you. You have told me that i have to apologize then you told me that people on here have the right to speak their opinions (I guess that doesn't include me). Then you said that i need to quit acting like the gestapo. So sit the fuck down and respond to the OP. You are not the referee here. Or go coddle your boy bones and make him feel better. What ever makes you feel good about yourself is fine with me.
The one thing that gives me pause is that I truly believe much of the Blazers problem vs GS was mental. Like its just my opinion but GS is in their heads... I “think” just about everyone else they “could” beat when healthy. Golden State appeared to be kind of waiting to be beat with injuries and they lost twice to the Rockets and Clips. I didnt come away from that series thinking wow GS is just so much better than the Blazers and its not close. I came away thinking man GS owns space in their heads and rents it out during the regular season once in a while. Sure it was coaching to some extent here and there but it was just a lot of mental mistakes. Nurkic may or may not fix some of that, and we can say oh the Blazers still havent figured out the trap, but I think it was deeper than that too... Every single time GS would start to make a run, the Blazers had the look in their eyes of a deer in the headlights. If GS breaks up this summer and comes back down to the pack then Portland might not be as far as it seems. anyways just a random thought.
I agree completely. The Blazers hopefully learned that they are going to have to be even tougher mentally to win at the highest levels.
I think part of what makes me so conflicted on Stotts is he was part of that. Like he didnt seem upset at the team for not performing, he seemed kind of just at a loss for what to do... Its rare when you see an NBA coach look and sound like he’s out of ideas for what to do about it. This isnt a criticism of Stotts I just thought it was weird... Hopefully Nurkic returning and however the roster shapes up this summer will help them over come whatever it is that as a group they need to do.
And If GS doesnt break it up, then the rest of the NBA is in another holding pattern until they do break it up. What happens in GS will decide the timeline for a bunch of teams in the NBA.