Injury Excuse Propaganda

Well considering we flipped most the roster, this team already had no on court chemistry... then sprinkle in injuries aaaaaaaand we suck. Shit happens.

 

The OP raises a valid question.

When there is a solid system in place, replacing a part of the system/player, should not result in a huge change in production.

The problem is. The system being used by the Blazer's roster is flawed.

I used roster, not team. This roster does not have system in place that results in "team play" on a consistent bases.

Therefore, when players are replaced, for what ever reason, including injuries. The results are not good. Especially when players that can cover up some of the flaws in the system are replaced by players that can not cover up flaws.

Last season, the players had developed a better system to deal with the flaws. Resulting in better "team play". Not so this season.

Hope "team play" improves this season.

 

Thought @Neil O. Shyster raised some valid points and did so in a well written manner. When you have Dame/CJ + Whiteside and then Melo, you should not be losing to nearly as many of the teams they are losing too. That is WAY more talent then some of the opposing rosters have had.

 

Curry?

 

No idea why I typed Curry instead of Melo'. It's been a travel day....but not that much. Thanks for the catch.

 

Oh! No worries I was just confused.

 

I don't blame our injuries. I blame the hubris of Neil Olshyster (not affiliated with Neil O. Shyster) turning over half the roster of a conference finals team and expecting to be a contender. What happened to recognizing the strength of roster continuity?

 

The Blazers' record without Hood included some injuries to other key players.
I'm going to disagree and say that although you can't exclude injuries from the win-loss record you have to consider them as a factor in that record. To do otherwise is insanity meaning that there is no logic in that thinking.

 

Insanity??! No logic??! To expect more than 5 games under .500 when your 2 best players making 80 mil per year are healthy??! So if Montrez Harrell and Mo Harkless are out then you should expect Clippers to be 5 games under .500

 

Logic? How can you expect your team to play at the same level when suffering injuries to key personnel? And by key personnel I'm referring to starters and key bench players. Now, where is the logic in that? How are the warriors doing with their injuries? Should they fire Kerr?

 

You are comparing apples to oranges. Steph and Klay being out for season is equivalent to Dame and CJ being out for season, not Hood and Collins being out but then adding Melo.

 

There’s a difference. The Warriors lost 5 of their top 6 players in KD, Steph, Klay,Iggy and Livingston. The Blazers still have their 2 top players and a respectable substitute in Whiteside for Nurkic.

I don’t believe anyone expects them to play to last year’s level with the roster turnover and injuries, but the talent that remains should be performing better than the current record indicates.

 

Durant left the team at the end of last season. Besides the team did not want him back which by now is probably well known.

So, now you're using the logic of injuries do matter. Welcome to the light.

 

Did you read my post? The Warriors lost their top rotation/contributing players. If you’re going to compare last season’s record to this season’s record, you have to include KD as a player lost. Even if you don’t include KD as a injury/player lost, then they still don’t have Steph or Klay (their top 2 players). Portland still has their top 2 players plus a serviceable substitute for Nurkic in Whiteside.

Not all injuries are equal. It matters WHO gets injured also.

 

ISO ball CJ? How ‘bout Dame? He does ISO as well. Perhaps you are suggesting we should get rid of both?

 

I don’t think ISO ball is bad in moderation. Having a star like Dame pick his spots is ok. I think the problem is having 2 such players who play that way really kills the flow of the offense. I like CJ as an individual player, but pairing him with Dame and watching them take turns while everyone else stands around and watches is not fun to me as a fun and I don’t believe will lead to a championship in Dame’s window. There are better ways to use your resources around Dame than 30-35 mil per year on CJ for the next 4 years.

 

I think C.J. would play a better brand of basketball if he was coached too and was put in a system that encouraged him too.

 

Maybe... but at this point I would rather trade CJ while he is still somewhat young and has trade value than wait another couple years under a new coach and then he will be 31 years old with greatly diminished value. We have seen this pairing for over 5 years now... you would think CJ would be more aware of what’s best for team regardless of who is coach... I don’t see him changing.