Blazers @ Rockets 1/29/09 GAME THREAD

That's mostly conjecture...

 

Primarily, the guys are missing Roy in the worst way. His going down was the icing on the injury cake.

 

Nice, glad I am the only one who gets called out when others also have commented they did not prefer Blake. Also, I don't consider key turnovers helpful and he wasn't all that hot in the 4th. Oh well, I am done explaining myself here, I would have preferred a guy who can drive, make lay-ups/get fouled or kick it out. We already had nice shooters in Batum/Rudy.

 

Ya I have to give them some credit because they make it look so damn easy, and they do this to us every single time we play, no matter what 6'6-6'9 frontline they throw out there. But it seems like at some point we would adjust, guess that's asking too much.

 

Pretty much. Like I said earlier in the thread, I'm mostly watching the games the past couple of nights because I'm absolutely riveted by Nicolas ... sure I want to see wins, but I'm not really expecting many in the next couple of weeks.

 

You're the one complaining the most. It's easy to solo you out.

 

Pretty plain it's time to start Steve and Rudy together.

I'm tired of watching our starters get outworked and outsmarted.

 

Yup. At this point, the season for me boils down to, in order:

1. Batum and Bayless
2. Aldridge turning things around
3. Fernandez making a jump in the caliber of his game

All of these things are with an eye to next year.

 

Okay, that is fine. I prefer Bayless over Blake and would rather he develop in the fourth anyway since Blake is what he is. It is hard to see what we have in Bayless especially when Roy comes back because then what? Miller/Blake, Roy/Rudy, and Batum/Webster. Of course, the easy solution is to cut Blake out, but we know Nate won't do that.

 

Not me.

1. Roy's return
2. Playoffs

 

This

 

I'm hopeful that Roy will be able to return soon, but even with him back in the fold this team is still a sieve on the inside and teams have kind of solved us in that regard. I'm afraid the playoffs are looking more and more like a longshot I'm afraid ... by all means, keep hoping for it, but don't get too down when it doesn't materialize (or do get down if you prefer )

 

Other than the Utah debacle, all of our recent losses were very winnable. The team was simply missing our top late-game, go-to guy. Not to mention, IMO, Brandon seems to elevate his teammate's energies and respective games.

 

Be a nice story if they made the playoffs but, really, a first-round playoff exit wouldn't be that exciting to me. The Blazers have made the playoffs plenty over the years (even if not a lot recently)...I want to see a real run at a championship, which isn't happening this year.

But if Bayless, Batum, Rudy and Aldridge improve, they may have such a run next year.

 

Great, so fold the tent.

 

That's not what I said, actually. What I focus on is different from what the players, coaches and GM focus on.

 

Personally, I'm focusing on upcoming potential wins. And, even if the Blazers become a one 'n dun team , it's better than not making it at all. You definitely want a ticket to the dance (playoffs) even if you're a wallflower.

 

I'd rather see them make the playoffs than not make the playoffs. It just isn't that big a deal to me, when they have little hope of an extended playoff run. Championship contention would be a big deal to me.

 

Welcome to 1977 and 2011, then.

 

I hope so! But this season, as I said, has a lot of interest to me. But mostly things that will help for next year.