Simmons, Stein and Bucher discuss the West playoff race on ESPN.com. (can't find a way to link). Look for B.S. report I. Stein and Simmons think the Blazers are too young and without experience. Bucher says look how Portland executes out of timeouts and how they got their wins. A lot of Portland discussion--worth a listen.
In the end Bucher wins over Simmons, but still holds to the Thunder four years out. Stein rethinking that Nate may be coach of the year. Simmons: Blazers have all the ingredients: Great home court Good defensively Top five coach A closer (Roy) Bucher calls LMA the most athletic PF in the game ("a nightmare for San Antonio").
Sorry, but I'm going to bump this. I know many people don't have the 45 minutes to listen to it, but it is really interesting and encouraging if you are a Blazer fan. Probably 1/3 of the talk relates to the Blazers and some really nice comments are made.
Bucher called out the Portland fans for the OKC comments. He's hinging their success on the cap room they'll have and the draft picks. He, and Simmons fails to realize this as well with his criticism of Oden, is that size > all. Rebounding and interior defense win titles in years when Michael Jordan is not playing. Period. And unless OKC can get someone really good in the draft sometime in the next two years or sign someone really good and big (is Boozer "good" enough to be the main player on the front line in the West?) they're fucked.
Fuck their cap room. If Portland struggles to recruit top flight free agents how in the hell will OKC? The elephant in the room that they were obviously unwilling to address for some unknown reason is that players want to be in NY, LAL, CHI, BOS, PHI, ORL and MIA. Not OKC, and as we know, not POR!
Free Agent: You want me to sign where? Agent: Oklahoma City. Free Agent: What the hell am I going to do there? Agent: Spend your big paycheck?
