What kind of team do we need to be?

With the advent of the "Super" team in Miami, what kind of team do we need to be to have a reasonable chance of beating them in a series?

We're going to have nowhere near the star-power they will have so we need to develop an identity that is both viable and advertisable (i.e., by the networks/NBA "Leadership").

I submit we need to become a team known especially for its defense. We have players that can score but we are not going to beat a Miami going offense to offense. We also know that star power speaks to refs and they get more than their fair share of calls. The only way I can see to offset that advantage is to focus on being a defensive team and slowing gaining that rep among fans, networks and most importantly, refs. A player/team that has a rep as great defensively will get the advantage of some questionable calls just has great offensive players will.

I see that as the only way we can have a chance to win a championship. Yes, we need Greg to be healthy but we also know he has been foul-prone in the past. Put him against a Bosh/Wade/James combo and he'd be toast. If, however, he gains a rep as a great defensive player, some of those ticky-tacky fouls go away.

Anyway, those are my thoughts early on this Monday morning.

Gramps...

 

We need bonafide stars AND defense ... bribing the refs wouldn't hurt either. Really though, there's no telling what it's going to take, there's going to be an awful lot of marketing and financial incentive to see that team roll to multiple championships, I don't think Portland is going to be allowed to undermine that juggernaut.

 

My top ten ways to beat the Heat

10. Add stars that attack the rim and draw fouls
9. Trade some of our "really good" players for someone that really is good
8. Hire a coach that can outcoach Alvin Gentry
7. Stop drafting rookies, and trade those picks for vets with cjhampionship experience
6. Have Brandon watch videos of great two guards utilizing a PG
5. Stay healthy
4. Hire a marketing firm that can get the message to the east that "we are a good team"
3. Stop overvaluing the players
2. Sneak in to Sterns house to get some comprimizing photos
1. Move the team to a larger media market

 

I think we stay the course and work on improving team defense through practice, drafting, trades and free agent moves. I can't tell you how impressed I was watching the Celtics defense in the playoffs and it will take a defensive effort like that to beat the Heat in a 7 game series.

Of course, I may be a bit old school in thinking that a great "team" will beat a great "superstar(s)", but I'm of the belief that regardless of talent there is only one ball and a limited number of minutes and shots in a game to make all those guys happy. I think you game plan to shut down Bosh, and take your chances guarding the jumper from the other two.

I guess in short, the Blazers better learn to defend the hell out of the ball and continue to limit the offensive possesions of other teams by slowing the ball on offense.

 

1) We need Oden to develop and reach his potential so we can punish them inside.

2) We have to be great defensively.

 

A very, very long team that dominates the boards.

Miami will have a difficult time dealing with those sorts of teams.


Luckily Portland, if healthy, has that kind of team already.

Unfortunately so do the Lakers.

 

I don't sweat the L*kers. We match up well with them.

 

Except at coach.

 

Size wins in the league, and Miami will have problems with size just like any other team. By dominating in the middle you negate a lot of their strength. So that being said, both the post above saying staying healthy and having a long team are both true. Because the only way we field that very sizeable team, is by staying healthy.

The other thing the team needs to be is deep. You will need a bench that can take advantage of Miami's lack of depth. Those guys have to come out of the game at some point. If they don't, they will be beat to hell by year end.

 

I agree with this. Miami will have a tough time matching up with the Lakers and us (if we're healthy).

 

We need to be a healthy team and everything will be fine.

 

Great points Gramps and I agree. This is our best route other then netting CP3 (here's looking at you Rasta). We need Roy and Oden to be stars, but our team needs to be a Detroit Pistons / Boston type defensive juggernaut. That is why I was going ape over trying to net Thibedeau. In retrospect we didn't have a prayer versus Chicago. Things to think about for sure.

 

This is what makes the Mathews signing and the draft so odd to me.

Size with talent wins in this league so Portland goes out and tries to sign a backup shooting guard while drafting a bunch of guards (outside of Babbitt)?

They have to know that all of the Portland big men outside of LA are prone to missing large amounts of time during the season.

One would think they would try and bring in a couple more bigs.
Maybe they will with some sort of trade or something.

But all their public statements have been about getting backup back-court players.

 

I just hope Bayless wont be fucking Roy's mom anytime soon

 

So does that Delonte West rumor have any legs? I've heard it tossed around here but what's the source?

 

Ive heard its true, like Colin cowherd on the radio talking about it and saying its absolutly true, and others

 

At the same time I ask this. When was the last time Roy made it through a season healthy?

One of the stated goals of the team was to add shooting. He adds shooting.

I believe if the Blazers had anybody competent instead of Rudy in the playoffs, they go on to the second round. It's hard to advance when a player you are depending on can't defend, and top it off throws up doughnuts in playoff games. That goes for most (note the most...) of the perimeter shooters on the team. Either one of two things happened. Either they shot well, but were unhealthy enough to play the whole game, or they sucked a bag of dicks from the perimeter. So why are they picking up Mathews? Because even if his shot isn't falling he will defend and hustle. Because he was trusted by Jerry Sloan to guard the opposing teams toughest players most of the time as long as they were a wing player. Because he hits shots at a high clip. Because he plays physical. You can't play in the Utah system without a good basketball IQ. He showed he can do that.

If folks are skeptical because he only played a season in the NBA, I can understand that. But remember this. At no point in Martell Websters or Rudy's career, have they been as efficient from the floor as he was in his first year in the league, and it's not even close. He shoots 48%. That is almost a 10% difference in efficiency. Almost. Not quite. That is the difference between being a good NBA player, and being one of the many borderline NBA players.

 

We need to get a sidekick for Roy.

LaMarcus isn't that and likely will never be more of a third option. When his jumper isn't falling he's completely and utterly useless.

CP3, Melo, etc.