Ya, and the next year before injuries decimated the team they were kicking butt and I believe would have got back to back titles.
I was there and if that team was here today we'd be wanting to trade half of them every other game. It was a different era and fondly remembered because we swept the Lakers to get to the finals and then surprised the experts to win the title. Outside of Lucas I bet this board would have had the whole team on the trading block. I'm sure that Walton with his stutter and flaky ways would have had many detractors here.
Absolutely, I don't disagree. I just think it diminishes what Porter meant to the franchise by including Gross in on the retiring of #30.
You don't retire every number of every player on a championship team. And you don't do it cuz that's how the game was played in that era. Come on. That's ridiculous. I think you honor the whole team and remind everyone what they did and what they meant, but retire every players' number from the championship team? That'd be garbage. Considering what it takes for other teams to retire numbers, it makes seem like Portland is a bunch of sentimental fans who've seen nothing else in 30+ years that live in the past.
I'm not so sure. Everybody seems to think that Webster is going to make a difference, but I still see him as a very erratic shooter. I wouldn't be surprised if he shares the back-up minutes with guys like Frye and Outlaw.
Remember how well Rudy and Web played with each other in the first preseason game? I'm really hoping to see more of that when Martell returns.
I agree. The Blazers are a little "banner happy," in my opinion. I think only three Blazers have deserved to have their numbers retired. Walton, Drexler, and Mo Lucas.
Unfortunately, it's still too early for that. Dallas and SA may go on runs and all it will take is a three game hiccup and we're out of the top 8.
Wow, it took me a while to figure out where everyone went (from that other board), but man, with quotes like this I sure as hell love this board SOOOO much better.
This was the turning point last season. We were 22-13 and went to Boston and I flew out there to see them. That was the beginning of my road trips but the end for us. We fell out of the division, then the top 8, and that was it.
I think Washington will recover. They have two All Stars and one waiting in the wings. I think they'll get it together and get to .500.
The point is not that the team has clinched, that their magic number is 0. The point is how they've compiled this record. They've looked like a top team, strong in all phases of the game (since Oden returned from injury...before that, their defense was poor). So while they are obviously only a few games ahead of the eighth-best team right now, they look like one of the best teams in the West, IMO. Not a team that will be fighting for a low playoff seed at the end of the season.
Absolutely. I'm staying away from my TV as well. I'm going to be flying into NYC during the game. I'm tivoing the Boston and Toronto games while I'm in NYC and will watch both when I get in on Sunday night. I can't wait to watch back to back basketball games! Will be so fun. But I'll miss you guys as I have to stay away from you until I catch up.
We looked pretty good when we won 17 of 18 games last season. But it didn't work out. And we should be terrified of Utah this season. They nearly have the same record as us and they've lost over 60 games to injuries. Also- Denver is playing fantastic ball. It's going to be tough for anyone to make the playoffs this season. Including the Lakers. There are no locks.
I don't agree. I thought the team looked pretty lucky and playing over their heads. This team doesn't. They're probably not quite this good, but they don't have to be. They don't have to be a .700 team all year to be a top four or five team in the West.
