Can't quite place my finger on it. I mean, here we were talking HCA in the playoffs and all that, then, BAM.........wondering if we'll even get 8th seed. What happened?
"What happened?" Are you being serious? Our lone all-star has missed a month, and he's still at about 60%, our two starting centers crumpled in a heap on the court, and what happened is that what's left is either too young or too borderline defensively to win night and night out.
Injuries and chemistry problems from too many players that are about as good as each other and play similar positions. That being said, does anyone else REALLY want Aaron Brooks? I wonder if we could find a way to make a major trade this summer for Battier/Brooks... Brooks would be excellent off Roy. Dead eye shooter, good playmaker and can rack up assists when he needs to. A Bayless/Miller/Rudy/Przybilla/1st/cash for Brooks/Battier and a contract would be nice. Doubt Houston wants to trade Brooks at all though, considering he is going to be a star and is already a stud.
Injuries. Injuries. Injuries. The team has played stretches without Oden/Przybilla/Roy/Outlaw/Rudy/Batum this season. Ridiculous. Fully healthy the team is easily a top 4 seed, maybe higher. We'd be saying, "OKC who?".
Totally serious. At one time, the team was even winning without Roy in the lineup. Perhaps, they just got burnt out.
I'll answer it for you. I noticed it the day Rudy came back and even more the day Nicolas came back. Yes, Roy hasn't helped. But I think Nate is still struggling with chemistry and finding playing time for everyone.
I'd like to point out the Blazers are only 3 W's off last years pace. Through 57 games last year the Blazers were 35-22. They're currently 32-25. If they had 3 more wins sprinkled in there they would have had the same exact record through 57 games this year they had last year. They can still catch fire like they did last year. They went 18-6 over the last two months last year and that's what pushed them to a top 4 seed. Hell right now they're only 2GB of the 5th seed. To match last years run they'd have to start right now with only 25 games left, but still, there's still time left to put something together and improve their positioning, because they will make the playoffs. No doubt in my mind about that.
The final straw was Roy getting hurt, which I had talked about coming because he was carrying too much of the load on the team. It was easy to see it coming. Right after he got hurt, the team ran on adrenaline for about 5 games or so and then you could see it dissappear. Since then I don't think any of the guards have had more than one good game in a row, and the effort has been spotty at best.
We don't quite have the same soft second half of the season like we did last year, and honestly I think the team overperformed -- which isn't to say lightning can't strike twice, but I certainly wouldn't bank on it.
abm... you seem like a good guy but these last 2 questions about camby starting and why we went south.... im beginning to wonder about you.
The rest of the schedule this year isn't necessarily tough either, imo. They are really no tough stretches and there will be a lot of time to rest in there. Starting tonight Brewer is gone and Okur is questionable. That brings Millsap off the bench and gives them no depth. Then they could easily win 4 or 5 of their next 6. After that they play in Denver(L), then they play SAC/@GS/@SAC/TOR. Over that 5 game stretch they could go at least 3-2, 4-1 if they can beat GS. After the TOR game they have 4 days off then play WAS at home. Not a hard stretch at all imo.
blazers vs thunder debate westbrook>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> miller(not close) roy>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>seflosha (whatever his name is) durant>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>doesnt matter la>>>>>>>>green oden/camby>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>doesnt matter bench harden>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>rudy (its not close) bayless/maynor is a wash pryz/camby>>>>>>>>>collison ebaka>>>cunningham batum.....doesnt matter since durant never sits they have the best bench player
okur is 100% out tonight brewer tore his hammy and is out a mpnth for grizz. happened in his first game with grizz. grizz btw are done.
Lots of road games, and we haven't exactly been dominant at home this year either. Anything can happen, but call it a hunch that this year's squad doesn't quite have the same hunger and mental 'freshness' that they had last year at the same point in the season -- this team just looks like they are fighting up-hill every night or are mentally drained.
Well, then, that seals it for the next decade. We're not winning a title in the "James Harden era." Time to tear down and rebuild. On another note, I think you're vastly overrating Westbrook. Exciting young talent though.
Everybody knew that if Roy got hurt the Blazers were screwed. A couple of year back I would have hoped Lamarcus Aldridge would step up and become a #1 scorer if Roy went out. Unfortunately I have since learned that he is #2 draft pick that is merely a good role player. Then if you consider the fact that nobody else steps up on the team scoring wise for more than a game at a time, and often that person is Andre Miller who typically, has his worst games when he is trying to take too many outside shots, it doesn't work out that well. What really needs to happen for the Blazers to get through this is for one of the young guards that so many folks make noise about like they are the second coming of Jesus Shuttlesworth, to actually step up and play consistently.
I'm confused about what your conclusion is. and does more 'greater than' symbols mean anything in particular (I've never seen that particular equation before).
