Hi, my name is History. Have we met? The 1999 season (there was no 1998 part of it) was the lockout-shortened season where the Blazers benefited from the fact that the young players chose to stick around Portland and work out together informally and were much more prepared than other veteran teams who treated the lockout like a vacation and came back out of shape and rusty. Although the following year the Blazers added Scottie Pippen for a collected PuPu Platter and REALLY became a threat, the 1999 season was pretty much a fluke.
I don't buy that for a minute. That team was leading in many rebounding, defense and knocked out two solid teams before losing to SAS. But if you want to discredit that team, then be my guest. I would love this team to be close to that in talent.
Clearly Whitsitt and Allen didn't think much of the '99 team that was swept by the Spurs, since they blew up that roster by bringing in Pippen.
Just like anything.... If you have an opportunity to bring in smitty, Pippen for scraps; you gotta do it. Still doesn't take away the strength of that team. Also, just think if they didn't blow them up? Their window would have been more than 4 years, like it was with the Pippen and smitty team.
Eh, it wasn't just Pip though. Steve Smith too. We traded six players for Pippen and two players for Smith. We retained most of our core though, and we signed Detlef. We were still one of the deepest teams in the league. Wasn't Bonzi a rookie that year as well?
Fine. They aren't a championship team, so as long as they don't get a high lottery pick, and we kick their ass, it's all good.
1999 wasn't a fluke. We were deepest longest team in the league. Kato, Sheed, Grant, Sabonis, JO. We havent been that big of a team since. Few teams ever are. Two starting level SGs, too. Two great PGs. Great defense from Anthony & Augmon. Great fucking team that could've beaten anyone except San Antonio which had the two best big men in the league.
David Robinson was not nearly as good as Hakeem or Shaq. Not even close. I'm probably forgetting someone. And who was Kato? This guy?
Spelled his name wrong. Kelvin Cato. He was our center for the second unit. Shaq was better than DRob. Don't know about Hakeem. Was he playing at a high level that year? Anyway. Duncan/Robinson was the best big man combo in the league.
Definitely the best combo, but I was just pointing out that they weren't the two best bigs in the league. I think Shaq was probably the best at that point.
I think some people are going to be rather shocked what this team will do now that there is actually a bench. Guys like Batum and Wes won't have to play so many damn minutes.
I was 50/50 on the Blazers making the playoffs before Mo Williams. I'm 70/30 now. There were a lot of roster changes, and while they're ALL upgrades, the team was terrible at the end of last season, and it's hard to get those games out of my head. It'll be up to Terry Stotts - whose not the winningest coach around - to pull this team together.
If a few breaks go the Blazers way I think this team has a realistic shot of getting as high as a #3 seed. There is a lot of parity in the west and I think it might not be too many wins that separate the 3 and 6 seeds. Denver went on a hot run to end last season and boom they got the 3 seed. Even with a #3 seed a first round matchup will be very tough. I don't expect us to finish that well, I do expect we make the playoffs as something around a 6th seed. This team could end up disappointing us and getting an 8th or 9th seed just as easily as they could surprise us and get a 3rd or 4th seed.
Wes and Batum were playing with injuries, and kept playing as long as the team had a shot at the playoffs. After the bad road trip, they called it a season. Perfectly rational and I agree with their actions. LaMarcus was dinged up too, and started sitting for games. Also, Lillard played most minutes in the NBA last season. Do you honestly think he played as hard at the end of the year? If you do, I have got some swampland I want to show you. The bench got more playing time at the end of the season, and you know what happened there: a big-ass faceplant. Nope, I don't think we can take any lessons at all from what happened at the end of last season. (Baring extended injuries to key players) I think we are all but a lock to make the playoffs. Of course, most teams lose at least one important player for much of the season. So, we have to be lucky this season. I think we need Lillard and Aldridge for 70+ games. We need Lopez for 55+ games. Can't lose any of those 3 for the season. With the addition of Mo however, I think the team could lose one of our wings (Mo, Wes, Batum, CJ, Wright), and still have a decent shot at the playoffs.
"... don't think we can take any lessons at all from what happened at the end of last season"...? I would agree that we shouldn't take much from that - but this team still has Damian Lillard, Wes Matthews, Nic Batum, LaMarcus Aldridge, Meyers Leonard, and Coach Stotts, right? Can't turn the page entirely. These players who are pretty much strangers to the playoffs in recent years still have to prove they can step their game up in March and April when the games get tougher and the good teams are fighting for position. Last year, the Blazers could get away with phoning it in. I'm assuming they'll look differently next spring, but not having done it before - whereas the Spurs, Clippers, Grizzlies, Warriors, Lakers, etc. have - I think they've got a better than 2 out of 3 chance, but not "all but a lock." In short: Neil Olshey did his job and I give him an A for the moves he and his front office staff put together to improve literally every position on the team. PG? How about CJ McCollum and Earl Watson? SG? Mo Williams! SF: Dorrell Wright. PF: Lottery pick, Thomas Robinson. And the hardest position in the league to fill? Center? Robin Lopez. The pressure is now on Terry Stotts to show what he can do with a good roster. I think they should be a playoff team. But it's a long season, most of these guys haven't been to the postseason before - or at least not as Blazers - so I'm going to measure my expectations a bit.
