Game Thread 2023-24 Game #18 - BLAZERS @ CAVS - NOVEMBER 30, 2023 - THURSDAY - 4:00 PM PST - ROOT

Bruh…

 

Yeah?

 

The game changed when Scoot came through in the second half.

 

Sharpe IS a good one.

 

I didn’t get to watch the games but it looked like in the highlights I saw sharpe wasn’t wearing that brace on his shooting hand. Was I seeing things?

 

He probably took it off because he told Marang his thumb wasn’t bothering him anymore like a week ago.

 

Stop it!

 

You can't look at the box score to know what Scoot and Matisse (and the other guys) do when they come off the bench.

When Scoot came in with about 5 minutes left in the 3rd quarter, the Blazers were behind by 8 points.

When Brogdon replaced Scoot with 3:44 remaining in the game, the Blazers were ahead by 8 points.

 

Our young players should improve pretty much every game. Chauncey has done a great job getting this entire roster to compete regardless of if they win or lose. So I'm not someone saying we can't compete. What I'm saying is that from my perspective nights like this where we beat playoff teams are going to be few and far between.

We will probably end up with a win percentage lower than what we have right now and that's not because our guys won't improve but because Joe will likely do what he has done every trade deadline that he's been GM and trade win now players for assets that will help us win when we'll be the most competitive, from 4-5 years from now through the following eight or so seasons.

 

I don't think Joe will engineer a late season tank this year as was done the last two. Here's some of the reasons:

1. Blazers aren't as good right now at this point of the season as prior years, their current 13th in the West. They are on pace to get a great pick even trying hard to win.

2. There is more long term upside for Scoot/Sharpe/Ant/Ayton/Camara getting wins right now. Prior years it was a Dame/vet group that wouldn't benefit much long term from some wins and meaningful games. This years group would benefit much more.

3. The draft is much weaker, far less incentive to tank

4. A 3rd season of hard tanking risks developing a long term losing culture. Trying to win the whole year can avoid that

 

This Blazer team is so new that nobody knows what it's capable of.

Simons has played a total of 27 minutes. Who knows how he'll affect the team.

One would probably think, looking at Scoot's stats, and having a decent backup PG in Skylar Mays, that Scoot's absence wouldn't be too much of a problem.

However, the opposite was the case, as the Blazers barely won the first game without him, then lost 8 games in a row.

Conversely, one might also think Scoot's return wouldn't have too much of an effect.

Again, the opposite is the case. The Blazers are 3-1 since Scoot's return. The Scoot Crew turned things around winning-wise the same way they do in games.

Anyone could have predicted that Robert Williams would be out at some point, even for the whole season.

The rest looks very unpredictable to me.

This cake needs to bake some more before deciding a course of action moving forward.

 

Just so we get this straight, is Chauncey a good coach now? Not hearing any props like we usually hear all the complaints.

 

3:20 am…… just landed in SLC. Been on eastern time for almost a week….. I’m sure the guys are tired as fuck. Well all get into our rooms about 4:30am.

 

Hope y'all sleep well. Assumed we were on a B2B from your messages, but now see we actually have a day off. So yeah sleep in tomorrow morning then can have a normal night sleep tomorrow evening for Saturday evenings game.

With a win Blazers will stay ahead of Utah in the standings and might be getting closer to a possible run for a playin spot.

Never thought I could be so excited about the Blazers being 12th in the conference.

 

Sure do like winning better.

 

Every team gives up leads when they go "Ice Cold". That's what coaches mean when they say "We had good looks but they just didn't fall".

 

I'm trying for no Hot takes. My last one made someone put me on Ignore. Funny part is he's the Kingspeed of hot takes.

 

What happened? Bad weather?