I've watched all but 2 of the games this season, and the only game I watched that actually had me excited was the Bulls game -- coincidentally the only game where they seemed to play inside-out. Other than that I've been pretty unimpressed with the way they have played; to my eyes they've just gotten away with lackluster ball movement and one-on-one offense because guys were able to hit perimeter shots or their opponent just wasn't very good. The last two games have been much the same as the previous 17, with the exception that they seemed to play with absolutely no effort on the defensive end of the court against the Grizz and the Jazz.
Right, of course. We all know that if you got paid millions for playing a kids' game, had access to groupies lined up at every hotel you stayed at and are surrounded by all of the other evils that a shit load of money brings - all you'd concentrate on is your love of the game because you're being paid millions, right? It ain't right nor is it justified but a whole lot of the people in the world aren't as righteous as you are.
Which ones were "amazing"? Chicago....gotta give you that one...but thats it. And which ones were we lucky to win? The team has been struggling. The players themselves admit that. As for our record...that is all fine and dandy. I'm glad it is what it is. However we have played some awful teams, one of which kicked our asses on our home court and in the process of doing so went on a 31-2 run....something not even Magics Lakers or Birds Celtics were able to pull off against a Blazer team. The Detroit victory was hardly a thing of beauty, and the two losses to Atlanta were both games we should have won. We were lucky to win opening night, played poorly in the rematch with Houston a few days later....and were never really in the game with Denver. Thats just off the top of my head. Being an apologist for the team isn't going to help anyone. I want these guys to win as much as anybody, but the fact is they haven't played that well, and they've been playing against lousy competition. The good teams have beaten us. And if we don't up our game we're not going to be sitting quite so pretty at the end of December, because this month the schedule gets more difficult. MIAMI HOUSTON @ New York @ Indiana @ Cleveland @ Milwaukie SACRAMENTO PHOENIX @ Orlando @ Miami @ Dallas @ San Antonio DENVER PHILADELPHIA LA CLIPPERS
We aren't talking about me. Even though you admit I am right even though it pisses you off you now want to make it about me. It isn't. Its about the athletes we the customers are PAYING to watch. Why you want to be an apologist for them is beyond me. As for me...I am a customer. And I have a right to demand what I want....since I am paying for it. The team knows this too. They have been much nicer to season ticket holders over the last few years. Once the team realized that season ticket revenue wasn't some sort of endowment fund and that people would actually cancel their tickets and suites and sponsorships and the arena could wind up half full on most nights they've changed their tune.
I agree. The Blazers are a very young team, and playing every other day--especially with the depth they have--shouldn't be a problem. This is a bogus excuse.
Hmmm I guess nobody is in shape this year? Most of the players are in their early 20's. Clyde Drexler used to go run after practices and would sometimes go like 12 to 14 miles. Are these guys just sitting in front of the PS3 and eating Doritos or something?
Oh hey, sorry I couldn't get back to you right away. I had to go do this thing called "work", which today I haven't devoted my full effort to because some other guy on the internet opted to also not focus on his work 100% because he's trying to figure out why he perceives his pro basketball team isn't putting forth the effort they're supposed to. I'm not making it about you - nor am I trying to be an apologist for guys that make more money this year than you and I combined will make during our entire working career. I only bring out these points because you seem to want to trivialize the fact that they have played the most games of any team and act as if it's inconsequential. Whether or not their whirlwind schedule thus far has been the cause of their lackluster play of late - we'll probably not be able to know for sure until they get back to a more "normal" schedule in the weeks/months to come. But you can't just disregard the FACT that they've had a busier schedule than the rest of the league (regardless of the quality of teams they've played). So what would your solution be again? Should we just cut any players that the "fans" on a basketball forum perceive to not be putting out full effort? Then sign a bunch of players from the NBDL because those guys are hungry, motivated and will "bust ass" every night? And when that team goes 13-50 the rest of the season, will you be much happier because you get the sense that they're trying a lot harder and putting up a good collective effort? The team is playing .600+ ball and it seems like 1/2 this board is planning their lottery party. Have they played against a bunch of cupcakes so far? Yes. Could they be playing better? Yes. Have some of the wins been ugly? Yes, but I didn't know that you not only had to win your games in the NBA - but you also have to make them pretty wins??? It's November, they're nowhere near peaking and it's hardly time to EJECT. Who knows, if you don't want to give their hectic schedule any credit, maybe they're playing down to their competition and their play COULD get better with more rest, more practice and better quality oppponents? People just need to chillax the F out - if/when they start going under .500 with extended losing streaks mixed in there, I'll light my hair on fire and run around with the rest of you folks.
Actually....you are. And as a matter of fact, I am off today. And in about an hour, I will be leaving to spend the rest of the day HERE, with my family.
Out of curiosity, were you one of the people last year who thought everything was fine right up to the moment we got beaten with HCA in the first round of the playoffs? And why is it that we have plenty of time and room to "peak", but somehow the other teams we'll be playing against don't? You're correct--it's hardly time to eject. But, uh, if there are glaring weaknesses, what is your explanation to the reason why we shouldn't correct them now? Do you surmise that these weaknesses will be mitigated with our inevitable "peak"?
Brian seems to have his index finger an inch or so above the EJECT button, and it's getting closer and closer to paydirt.
If the EJECT button is my thought that we'll make the WCF playing like we are, with the lineups that we are, then yes, I'm close. Your faith in the Coach is much higher than mine, at present. How can anyone have a reasonable conviction that, come playoff time, Nate will lead us to the Promised Land, when he's shown he's incapable of even putting a logical starting lineup on the floor? Or deviating from set substitution patterns? Or making his want (running more?) become a reality?
The annoucers during the Utah massacre mentioned the team is the third youngest in the league. What a fucking joke. Will they bust that out when Portland is the 15th youngest team in the league? Or will it change to Portland is one of the 10 oldest teams in the league? I would have assumed a young team would come out with some energy instead of looking like they needed walkers on the floor.
What a crock, Tired? . . .Really? Are these guys really that much of a bunch of pussies?. They're are all in their early twenties FFS, and being payed MILLIONS (hello motivation). How about, atleast, showing some effort in exchange for P Allens $$'s.
No, but did you remain at your sharpest edge all the time? The issue is not that the Blazers are too fatigued to play...it's that they're fatigued enough to be slightly off their game. I think it's quite plausible. Obviously, you'd like them to "power through it," but it's not always possible. No matter how much they're paid or how well conditioned they are, there is a limit to how much one can do while remaining at peak skill level.
Uh, yes, everything was fine last year as far as where that team measured up to my expectation going into that season. Prior to the season, I didn't think that last year's team as it was built and with the experience level the players had any sort of realistic chance of winning 54 games and tying Denver for the Division title. So yeah, they got bounced in the playoffs - so what? Did you think they were going to win the title last year? The team last year far exceeded my expectations so, yes, everything was fine. As for this year, everyone's expectations are understandably raised but it's still the same shit. This team, like every other team in the NBA, has good nights and bad nights. They even have good stretches and bad ones. They have to figure out how to incorporate new players like every other team. They have to figure out how to play well every night and to win every game possible. It is annoys the shit out of me the way people around here seemingly LOOK for every possible reason to bitch and moan. I'm a fan - my team is going to do well sometimes and not others. I pay for tickets when they come to town and I chip in my couple hundred bucks for the League Pass each year - but I also realize whatever I say, do or hypothesize on an online forum has pretty much no effect on the outcome of their season. I guess to better fit in I'm going to root for more losses so I can panic too!?!?!?
His substitutions have been all over the map. Miller has even closed some games, yet Saturday night he plays 6 minutes. An odd criticism of Nate, and I have to include it when assessing your overall criticism of him.
I was speaking specifically about Oden's "rules" and the odd characteristic of inserting Blake and/or Miller into the lineup at just the times when Rudy or Webster is "hot". Obviously he changes them, since DC and JB didn't sniff the floor in the first 10 games and now are getting 2nd-quarter minutes. Do you think that his substitution patterns have been an overall plus for the team's success? If not, then my criticism seems still to be spot-on. If so, I'd like to hear more about why you think so.
You mentioned "set" substitution patterns. I think Nate has been all over the map trying to find pieces that fit, and has been anything but "set" in doing so. He's even deviated from the Oden rule, hasn't he? I don't see how this difference in opinion makes yours "spot-on", other than some people think it is "spot-on" because it aligns with their own opinion.
I agree with all that, I'm not accusing them of tanking it. I do take issue with the idea that their schedule has been off the charts difficult/insane. Please They're young, relatively deep, and they've been playing a lot of patsies. Weak sauce. STOMP
