Can Portland do it? Its crazy that Hollinger has us at #2 in the western conference as of 12/26/09. Of course we are passed 1/3 of the season already. http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/hollinger/playoffodds
Hollinger just has a forumula that runs on auto-pilot and updates itself accordingly. We're seeing a spike because of the quality of opponents we've beaten recently, but the formula doesn't know we are down two centers, 3 wings and are counting on Jeff Pendergraph and Juwan Howard to man the middle. This isn't going to hold.
Keep saying it, and eventually you'll look smart. It's like the reason Indian rain dances always worked: they kept dancing until it rained.
realistically, I think we stand a much greater chance of getting 38 wins, than we do 64 (let alone, 50). I hope the team proves me wrong however.
A trade for a Center would help this scenario. We cannot ride (only) Howard into the promise land. With this said, I find one aspect of Howard's game that is keeping things interesting: HE CAN SHOOT/SCORE! This opens up many posibilities for the other 4 players on the court! I've read several posts that state we only need a Big that can rebound and block shots. Is this really true? I can't think of a championship team whereby the Center lacked the ability to shoot a 10-footer!
True in regards to the 10-footer, but each scored in the paint. I suppose my observations (with regards to Howard's recent success) is that he is scoring (amongst other contributions) and his scoring is forcing the other team's big to come out and play him. An unclogged lane, permits Roy (and Bayless) to penetrate more freely....to shoot as well as to dish out to an open player. I found Oden a big clog in the middle on offense - and Roy's game was suffering, do in part to this issue. Any thoughts?
My thoughts are that any jump shooting team that tries to transition to an inside-out game is going to experience growing pains
True. Just an easier transition if your Center can score (either by hitting the 10-footer; hitting a hook shot, etc.; or has excellejnt foot-work and can score in the paint - with his back to the basket). Joel = None of the above Oden = None of the above (yet!) PS: I have viewed the Blazers as being a jump-shooting team with one of the league's premier penetrators in Roy. In the early going this year, Roy's penetrating was being choked by the clog in the middle (Oden). I was, of course, hoping this to be a "transitional" thing - something that with some big-man coaching, Oden would learn his spacing. Unfortunately, this did not have a chance to come to frution....although things were looking brighter and brighter until Oden's injury.
The biggest difference Cool Standings has with that is the probability of winning the division. Cool Standings say Denver is 54.2% to win it, while Hollinger says Denver is 37.2%. The comparison for Portland: expected wins..prob of making playoffs..prob of winning division..source 52.0 95.4 48.9 Hollinger 50.4 94.6 34.0 Cool Standings http://www.coolstandings.com/basket...ings.asp?sn=2009&col=&sort=&run=796&sim=s&v=c
My thoughts are that when Greg comes back, I want him to expand his range a bit. I know he can hit the jumper. We've seen that practice video of him nailing shot after shot. I've seen him do it rarely in games. He just doesn't shoot it in games though. If he does, and he gets comfortable with that, I think it opens up his inside game more, and everyone else that drives the lane as well.
If Oden ever develops a 10 foot baseline shot or ever starts hitting from the elbows, then he's going to open up a whole new world for his teammates (playing a full season or two wouldn't hurt either).
