ESPN2: Avery Johnson says Blazers are legit

Um why not go marvel and say "The Fantastic Four?"

 

Re: wowowow our big 3??

But left Big Shot Bob Horry wide open at the 3-point line with the game on the line, after Larry Brown said OVER and OVER in the huddle to NOT double team the ball and stay on Horry. One of the most boneheaded plays I've ever seen.

BNM

 

Re: wowowow our big 3??

I said it in the Avery Johnson thread and I'll say it again here: We have a TEAM.

I know the NBA REALLY promotes its superstars, but basketball is a team game and I LOVE to see it played that way.

BNM

 

Re: wowowow our big 3??

Nic makes bonehead plays and gets burned on defense, but he gets a few highlight real plays. Wes isn’t as flashy but he makes the smarter play. Wes can physically match the strong wing players. Wes is more reliable and consistent game to game. Remember when Steve Nash was able to effectively guard Nic? Its not that bad now but Nic still can’t take advantage of a weak defender. Wes has always scored a few points per minute more than Nic while being more efficient. Wes is a career 40% 3pt shooter, while Nic is still good but 37%.

They are both playing well so its kind of splitting hairs but I’d rather have Wes’ contributions right now.

 

Re: wowowow our big 3??

I understand what you're saying but you're discounting Nic's enormous advantage over Wes vis a vis assists, rebounds, blocks, and steals. Wes is a shooting guard, a glorified spot up shooter with a ton of heart who's main task it is to knock down thees and body dudes, so he scores a few more points than Batum. Nic, on the other hand, is a multifaceted performer who can have both the offence and defensive run through him dynamically. People don't fully appreciate Nic's skills cuz he doesn't score 20 a game; I say if he was tasked to score, he could easily average 20 a game.

 

Re: wowowow our big 3??

Actually, what I remember is we have no idea if Nash could actually guard Nic, because Nate stubbornly and steadfastly refused to even TRY to exploit that mismatch - well, until opening night six months later when Nic destroyed Nash in the first quarter and forced the Suns to put Grant Hill back on Nic.

Nate was horrible at in game adjustments and devastatingly bad at making mid-series adjustments in the playoffs, but by god, give him 6 months and he'll finally see the obvious.

BNM

 

Re: wowowow our big 3??

Not to shit on Nate (ok I'll shit on Nate), but if Stotts were couch of that team I bet we'd have won one of those series. Nate was great at milking below-average players (hey TRAVIS!) into useful ones, but sucks at taking talented players to the next level.

 

Re: wowowow our big 3??

I agree. Some people are too hung up on the big 3 mantra. We have two tier one players, two tier two players, a solid center, a sixth man candidate, several solid backups, good balance and chemistry and an offense that maximizes our strengths. And that's fine for now. .

 

Sounds an awful lot that scene in Money Ball where Brad Pitt says he needs to get 3 guys to replace what Giambi did for the A's team, huh? lol

 

I am an expert. But even I respond like many fans do toward my fellow experts. However, my enjoyment stems not from agreement or validation from experts, or the failure of experts, but from the inability of many experts to reconcile with their failures as experts, to accurately assess and describe what they are charged to speak about.

To be honest, us "experts" don't point at ourselves. We pretty much just stand in front of a mirror for hours, nodding in silent agreement.

As an expert, I'll lend my "expert" opinion: this Blazers team is exciting to watch, fun to watch grow before our eyes, and awesome to see them achieve success with such a solid meld of chemistry.

I can't relate to hopes and dreams, because as an "expert", I have neither. I have achieve total enlightenment though, and I have the email from the Dali Lama himself that proves it. (Only $14.99 via a pay pal account to receive your own Dali Lama email granting you totally enlightened.)

That said, I could not agree more with the nausea induced by hearing another diatribe about a "big 3", "big 4", "big 5" (although I hear they sold some good sports apparel) from experts, such as myself. The Blazers are a really solid team, and I am a fan of that team, and how well they are playing together.

 

I don't get it. If you're wading and getting acclimated to the temperature, you're already in.

Why do you think that? Though he was always doubted, he was the starting PG of a title winnng team and in fact, hit the title winning shot. As a coach, he led the Mavericks to a 67-15 record. Yes, they lost in the first round but it was a bad matchup and what they did in the regular season (going 67-11 after starting 0-4) deserves praise for the guy in charge. I'm not saying I agree or disagree with Avery. I was just posting that it was said.

Oh so it wasn't just Avery. I consider Wilbon to be very knowledgeable about the NBA. I don't think much of Nik so maybe I should just not respond next time.

Signed,
ClutchSpeed

 

Gunga Galunga.

 

Yeah. Technically speaking though, my whole body isn't in. I can still preserve my torso, neck, head, and arms!

 

Close enough. lol

 

BUUUMP

 

Re: wowowow our big 3??

He probably takes care of his body better than Sheed, I would guess Duncan actually goes into the weight room and probably doesn't smoke as much weed.