It wasn't that long ago there were posts about how the Blazers had 3x 20PPG scorers. Now you've got just one (LMA) at 20+ (barely at 20.5), Lillard down to 18.3, and Batum at 16.7. It took the starters playing a lot over their heads to help the team to a better than expected record. I don't see it's an issue of caring enough. It's an issue of unrealistic expectations and a very weak bench.
So the Blazers care deeply about winning, but they can't summon up enough interest to play defense against the Wizards?? Is that the official line here?
No, the official line here is that the Blazers don't have a whole lot of players on the roster who have a clue about how to play defense. Matthews is solid. Nic can be good, but often isn't. Aldridge is OK. Lillard is learning, but has a long way to go. Hickson is not aware that there is a term called defense that applies to the NBA game. Our bench is NBDL level.
And yet we somehow held the Heat to 45.5% shooting (3.5% lower than their season average) and 90 points (13 points lower than their season average) . . . That doesn't sound like a team that's "clueless" about defense.
I can do that to, watch......... Joel Freeland once scored 64 points in an Under -21 league game in London!
Oh, you need another example? By all means. When we beat the Knicks--in Madison Square Garden no less--we held them under their season average in both shooting percentage and points scored. That's another victory against a very good team when the Blazers were actually putting some effort into their game. I find it fascinating that the Blazers are so "horrible" at defense that they can hold the world champions and one of the hottest teams in the league under their season averages in two crucial offensive areas--and yet some people on this board think they are incapable of playing good D.
Yes, two games against elite teams, and we held them under their season averages. Sorry if that doesn't mean anything to you, but I'm sure it means something to people who know a little about NBA basketball.
So let me get this straight. We play really well a few times this season and that makes us a better team? How many games did you honestly think we'd win when we made our predictions back in October? With 5 quality NBA players on our roster? And do you have the balls to question my knowledge of the game?
I have seen you type as well as hearing it many times. Cannot get too high and cannot get too low. It is a long season and will average itself out.
That's a really bad analogy. Individual offense is much more variable than team defense. An individual player can get really hot on a particular night, and then be "off" the next night, but team defense should be consistent night in and night out if you are committed to it.
I sure do, especially given the fact that you think Michael Jordan failing to score 50 points every night is a good example of why a team can't play good defense every night. That's a stupid analogy, but you apparently thought it was brilliant.
