13-28 on the road last year. 13-18 this year.

We're much improved. Plus, we're 25-5 at home. We don't need trades. We just need to sit back and watch the team get better each year. Next year, we'll improve even more, win those tough road games, approach 55-59 wins, and challenge for the championship. This season, we get into the playoffs and win a couple games. Much better than last year when we finished 9 games below the 8th seed. Be happy, Blazer fans. It's a great season.

Go Blazers

 

Some fans are just never happy. What can you do?

About trades, some need to be made in the off-season. But the people that think the team is doomed because a trade wasn't made at the deadline are clueless. This team's goal coming into the season was to make the playoffs and it will. NOBODY expected the Blazers to do anything in the playoffs before the season started, so to expect it now is just crazy.

Check your crazy expectations Blazer fans.

 

We are beating the cellar dwellers on the road with better frequency this season. But when it comes to legit teams, we are playing the same soft defense that Nate trotted out last season.

 

Which is what good, non-elite teams do. Guess what? This team isn't elite and almost no one thought it was going into the season. Jacking your expectations to unrealistic levels was bound to bring you to a crash.

I never considered this team elite, this year...therefore, I'm enjoying their rise towards elite status, which will hopefully arrive next year or the year after.

 

Elite implies contender. Can't see you contending next year....maybe 2 years from now.

 

we really need to split these last 10 home games at least.

 

My expectations were to fix the problems of last season, notably the awful perimeter defense and lack of crisp play execution. I see no improvement on either area of concern.

 

Less than 10 teams will have winning records on the road this year. Hard to explain. There are many factors, but from watching this game vs watching our home games one thing stands out. The Refs. There is no way Denver gets away with holding (and traveling) as much in the RG as they did in Denver. Just like SA didn't get away with it.

Note: I am not blaming the loss on the refs. Just stating a fact why only 8 teams have winning records on the road. Don't think it is not a huge factor.

 

How about simply improving a lot from last year, in total?

 

And making a trade at the deadline would have fixed all of that? You really think that?

The team is over-achieving as it is and you want more. You'll never be happy, so you might as well go root for the Lakers/Red Sox/Patriots.

 

That fine if you play fantasy hoops and only look at box scores.

As a fan of watching good basketball, I want to see the team improve the product on the floor. I'm sick of seeing the same blown defensive assignments from last season.

 

Billups, Mo Williams, Paul Gasol, Garnett and Ray Allen were all nice moves that were big boosts to their respective teams. Trades matter and we had the best trade chip at the deadline.

Let's not forget KP also passed on trading for Harris last year.

 

Winning more is for fantasy basketball? Cool...the Celtics were a great fantasy team last year, and I look forward to that sort of fantasy hoops for Portland.

Honestly...your desire to be angry is leading to pretty silly comments.

 

[video=youtube;PE9ZXh0Fuwk]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PE9ZXh0Fuwk[/video]

 

The Celtics are your example? the Celtic made two HUGE TRADES and refused to stand pat with young talent like Al Jefferson.

They weren't afraid to pull the trigger and take risks on trades for vets. They got a Championship out of it too.

 

I don't know what this has to do with what I said. I pointed out that they've improved a lot from last year, as evidenced by winning a lot more. You responded with some nonsense about "fantasy basketball." Now you've moved on to your standard, tired rant about trading. Which still has nothing to do with my observation that the team has clearly improved a lot over last season.

 

All of those teams were in a better position to make a trade than Portland.

Denver didn't want AI
CLE just missed being in the ECF and needed an upgrade
Lakers had best record in the West and Bynum went down
Celtics were in full blown win now mode

Portland on the other hand hasn't made the playoffs in 6 years and is still seeing what it has in its young team, and also didn't like the big contracts they would have to take back. Why? Because I'm sure KP has a bigger plan in mind.

 

they were gifted those trades...we will never be gifted like that the hand of sern was all over the pau and Kg trades