An actual new article about the Blazers.....

Discussion in 'Portland Trail Blazers' started by THE HCP, Aug 31, 2011.

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  1. THE HCP

    THE HCP NorthEastPortland'sFinest

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    THE HCP, Aug 31, 2011
    #1
  2. SlyPokerDog

    SlyPokerDog Woof! Staff Member Administrator

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    What a depressing article.
     
    SlyPokerDog, Aug 31, 2011
    #2
  3. Nikolokolus

    Nikolokolus There's always next year

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    Depressing or sobering? I don't know, maybe there's no difference. All-in-all though, it seems like a pretty even handed look at the team from guys like Abbott and Tonrey. They're not a ... bad team ... but are they going to be a good team? I dunno, there's just too many question marks and unfortunately a year long lockout isn't going to wash those questions away.
     
    Nikolokolus, Aug 31, 2011
    #3
  4. jlprk

    jlprk The ESPN mod is insane.

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    I got nothing out of that, except I found that 4 guys outside of Portland know the team exists.
     
    jlprk, Aug 31, 2011
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  5. maxiep

    maxiep RIP Dr. Jack

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    Fuck, that was a depressing read.
     
    maxiep, Sep 1, 2011
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  6. 3RA1N1AC

    3RA1N1AC 00110110 00111001

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    the depressing part is that we were supposed to have roy and oden to build around :(

    but there is still hope for happy times, search your heart, you know it to be true

    [​IMG]
     
    3RA1N1AC, Sep 2, 2011
    #6
  7. BrianFromWA

    BrianFromWA Editor in Chief Staff Member Editor in Chief

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    Lazy writing.

    1994 draftee Jason Kidd, Jet Terry and JJ Barea just won a championship, but Felton/Matthews/Roy isn't close to being able to be an elite team's backcourt?
    Yeah, that tandem of Derek Fisher/Steve Blake at PG is going to blow their socks off. Wish we could get those guys.

    I think LaMonster is an All-Star. I think the guy who played the other 30 games last year in LMA's uniform still takes vacations that weekend. And instead of asking if Batum is going to be an All-Star, why not ask about Wallace? I think he's closer.

    There's a few different levels of oddness in this quote...let's just say that the first part is true...are they really saying that "overachieving" combined with Roy and Oden at even remotely decent health isn't an elite team? I highly disagree.

    I think this is another example of Henry trying too hard to prove to the nation he's not a homer.
     
    BrianFromWA, Sep 2, 2011
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  8. Mediocre Man

    Mediocre Man Mr. SportsTwo

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    An honest article that probably needed to be done sooner.

    So let's see. They call out our offense for what it is. They call out our back court for what they are. They call out Batum for what he is. They call out the probability of Oden and Roy for what they are.

    Posters in here that have done the same get slammed and are called trolls and broken records. Heck, some are even banned.
     
    Mediocre Man, Sep 2, 2011
    #8
  9. BrianFromWA

    BrianFromWA Editor in Chief Staff Member Editor in Chief

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    "Our backcourt for what they are?" What, pray tell, are they? I concur that Felton and Matthews aren't going to make All-Star teams. Do we really need to go back through the last half-decade or so to see how many conference finals (my personal definition of "elite") Deron Williams, Chris Paul, Derrick Rose, Steve Nash, Tony Parker, Russell Westbrook, Devin Harris, Allen Iverson and Chauncey Billups have played in, vice how many that Derek Fisher, Jason Williams, Rajon Rondo's coattail-riding-years, Boobie Gibson, Jason Kidd, Jason Terry have? I'm not saying having a great PG doesn't give you a good chance of being a good team, but having all-stars in the backcourt (vice SF or PF or C) isn't a prerequisite to getting to the WCF. The more great players playing well together that you have, the better your chance for being elite. I highly doubt that on a team with a relatively healthy Oden, a relatively healthy Crash, and LaMonster, that the Felton/Matthews/Roy backcourt will significantly hold them back from being elite.

    You could make the case that in the last 3 years we had 3x All-Star Brandon Roy with Miller and/or Blake, both of whom have been on playoff teams, and we haven't gone anywhere close to "elite". I don't think that's solely because of one's backcourt and its level of All-Star-ness that you become elite or not.
     
    BrianFromWA, Sep 2, 2011
    #9
  10. jlprk

    jlprk The ESPN mod is insane.

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    They kept saying "if they play" and it didn't make me depressed. It made me think that these writers don't know the team. Blazer fans just assume the two stars are gone, but writers won't let go of it. Let it go. Assess the team without mentioning them.

    And I wish that national writers would stop measuring us as to whether we can be championship contenders. Just predict whether we'll be an above-average team.
     
    jlprk, Sep 2, 2011
    #10
  11. e_blazer

    e_blazer Rip City Fan

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    Like it or not, the Blazers' chances of being a title threat any time soon are dependent upon Greg Oden being able to put together a few seasons where he stays healthy for the majority of a year. I don't think he has to be the dominant player that we hoped he'd be when he was drafted. In a league with so few quality centers, he just needs to be healthy and be able to block shots and rebound for the Blazers to step up to contender status. How likely is that to happen? We have a full range of opinions on this board, but only time is going to tell the tale of whether Greg's knees are going to finally cooperate and let him get on the court.

    The rest of the column, IMO, is irrelevant to the Oden question. Felton, Matthews/Roy is more than adequate to contend if the Blazers have a healthy front line of Wallace, Aldridge & Oden. Will Batum be an All-Star? That would be great, but I'm not sure that he can even beat Wallace out for the starting spot on the Blazers. That said, he's a talented player who can give the Blazers a mix of defense and scoring off the bench. How many teams have that luxury?

    Give the Blazers a healthy Oden, or something approaching that, and they're contenders. Otherwise, we're back to hoping for a positive break for a change.
     
    e_blazer, Sep 2, 2011
    #11
  12. Natebishop3

    Natebishop3 Don't tread on me!

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    It all seemed pretty realistic to me.
     
    Natebishop3, Sep 2, 2011
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  13. barfo

    barfo triggered obsessive commie pinko boomer maniac Staff Member Global Moderator

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    It is a little odd that Wallace wasn't mentioned at all.

    barfo
     
    barfo, Sep 2, 2011
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  14. HailBlazers

    HailBlazers RipCity

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    Great Article, loved all the diverse Opinions.
     
    HailBlazers, Sep 2, 2011
    #14
  15. Natebishop3

    Natebishop3 Don't tread on me!

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    How many economists would say the economy is in good shape right now? That's how easy it would be to find a diverse opinion on the future of Oden or Roy.
     
    Natebishop3, Sep 2, 2011
    #15
  16. BlazerCaravan

    BlazerCaravan Hug a Bigot... to Death

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    I kinda hope basketball never comes back.
     
    BlazerCaravan, Sep 2, 2011
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  17. maxiep

    maxiep RIP Dr. Jack

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    Me too.
     
    maxiep, Sep 2, 2011
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  18. Natebishop3

    Natebishop3 Don't tread on me!

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    I think a lot of Blazer fans just haven't hit that rock wall yet where they have to admit to themselves that Roy will never be the same and Oden will probably never come back and be the player that we had thought he would be.

    Case in point
    http://sportstwo.com/threads/194093-Brandon-Roy-Should-Start
     
    Natebishop3, Sep 2, 2011
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  19. e_blazer

    e_blazer Rip City Fan

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    I think that I'd agree with most of the opinions offered. The one area that to me seemed unduly bleak was the discussion of Oden's future. While I understand the pessimism based upon the number of injuries he's had, I don't think that they constitute a medical opinion as to Greg's ability to come back and play at a high level. Unlike Roy, there's nothing structurally wrong with Greg's knees. Assuming his most recent MF surgery turns out as well as his first, he should be able to do most, if not all, of what he could do before he was injured. I'm not going to blow sunshine about him, but I'm also not ready to write him off. He's such a potential game-changer for the Blazers that any conclusions about their future have to be taken with a grain of salt until we see what he can really do.
     
    e_blazer, Sep 2, 2011
    #19
  20. e_blazer

    e_blazer Rip City Fan

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    I think your case in point is really a case in needling.
     
    e_blazer, Sep 2, 2011
    #20
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