Game Thread 2024-25 GAME #44 - BLAZERS @ MAGIC - JAN 23, 2025 - THUR - 4:00 PM - CHARGE - KUNP - BLAZERVISION

To me, it's more a question of why is this Blazers team periodically so bad? They've shown on several occasions, they could easily be a .500 team if they consistently suited up and/or played the right guys in key stretches. But, stifling defense often gives way to no defense in the 4th quarter. My best guess is, indecision regarding trying to win is prevalent throughout the organization, and the players' effort reflects that.

And yes, Camara is that good. He's quickly becoming one of my all-time favorite Blazers. Someone needs to do up a meme of his maniacal smile, captioned, "smile, you're on Camara." Well, that's sort of backward, unless maybe he just drew a charge and the opponent fell on top of him...

 

Apparently Clingan is probable again tonight. This dude is nuts. Please rest till you're healthy.

 

If Scoot and Sharpe are your franchise players then they should be starting. I can’t remember last time I heard a franchise say these are the guys we are building around and then leave them on bench for 2-3 years. That said, I can understand benching Sharpe for game maybe two to get his attention but his ass needs to be starting again.

no way in hell Scoot should have been taken out of starting lineup after the last 5 games. Talk about slap in the face

 

I agree. They are on pace for 31 wins and it could have easily been 41 based on the talent/depth of this team if they wanted to......
I feel for the players because they know they need to tank even if it feels dirty. Fans claim they would be ok with winning if the younger players were getting all the minutes but that is bullshit, we would still want them to tank as well.

Agree on Camara. He is attacking the basket much better so he doesn't have to be just a 3 and D guy. He and Deni are a good combo at forwards. We still need Flagg, but was always a long shot even if we had the worst record. Harper or Jakucionis would not be a bad consultation prize. I am sure others will rise as well.

 

"easily been 41 wins"

based upon what? A 3 game win streak against 3 mediocre Eastern Conference teams who have been struggling thru a combined 9-21 record over their last 10 games?

Portland's expected wins to this point, based upon net ratings is 12. They have overachieved by 4 wins. Their projected Pythagorean record is 22.4 wins according to bbref; and you think that team could have easily won 41 games? Ironically, Ant-Ayton-Grant have combined for 4 winshares

split the difference between 31 and 41...so then 36 wins, a .439 winning percentage. It's 13th seed in the play-in race in the West. And it's 10th seed in the lottery. What good is that? Looks like a treadmill in purgatory

 

Were we?
What was our record at this point in his last season and season before that?
I’m genuinely asking cause I’m too lazy to look it up.
Don’t think it was much different than our record now

 

You're focused on the data, not the underlying concept of what was said. It's not about what they have done, rather what they could have done with the personnel that potentially would have lead to a .500 record. Using the players to maximum effect would have changed the data and thus the projections.

 

We were 22-25 wins on January 24th of Dame's last season, which included 12 games he missed. Of course, we had a winning record at this point in the season many times with Dame.

Undoubtedly we were better with Dame than we've been without him. Maybe I shouldn't be, but I'm shocked peoples memories of that era have faded so much they could think what we've been going through the last two years has been comparable in any way.

 

Did I say that it was a good thing? I just said they could of won that many if they went all in. But it is not a good thing which is why they are not going all in.

I said before the start of the season that the team had enough talent to win 35 games if they made no trades and stayed healthy. I did not want that to happen but I took into account that there would be more teams tanking after the all-star break than before. So yeah 41 games would have been achievable. Injuries to other teams and tanking are both factors in my calculations.

 

Timelord is out with Right Hand Soreness? That's a new one lol.

 

Last night Wagner was back though so the Magic should’ve improved.

 

Not sure where the game thread is but Charlotte is tanking harder than us. Bridges and Ball both out. Along with Miller

FML.

What a smart franchise.

 

I agree it’s frustrating. But it wasn’t Scoot’s only solid stretch of games. He had a great stretch of games when Ant and Ayton were out earlier this season. He was good at the end of last season. He played well when Billups missed games. Not starting him pisses me off. He should play ahead of Grant even Deni if they’re not gonna make up an injury for Ant. And tell me Scoot fouled out. Your role is different off the bench and he never had a chance to get his footing.

 

A smart franchise? The Hornets/Pelicans/Bobcats have been around for decades and have never reached a conference final. Not once. Every other team in the league has been to at least one.

 

They’ve finally figured it out!

 

And the Blazers haven't won a WCF game in 25 years and its looking like it'll be much longer than that.

 

has to be new ownership to transform the organization to winners

 

probably true

in the 7 seasons after PA died, the Blazers are:

35-39
42-30
27-55
33-49
21-61
17-28

175-262 (.400 = avg record of 33-49)

and essentially, since PA's last roster was dismantled, they've been 98-193 (.337 = avg record of 28-54)