Stephen A. Smith says we're a piece away from winning it all

I want kyrie, but that's another discussion.....

hoop fam

 

For who? And why?

Lillard is a starting PG on a title contending team.

 

Dunno. He will probably want out soon. Don't know if it's feasible anyway.

I don't think we'll make huge moves this year. Just see how we do in playoffs and go from there.



hoop fam

 

If we do want to contend this year we need a shot blocking backup center and a more experienced PF more than anything else. Freeland and Trob are way too raw. I wouldn't trade them since I don't think are window is quite open yet. ... but they are.

hoop fam

 

Robinson/Leonard/future first(s) is about as good as we could offer.

And I don't think we're going to land a difference maker with wth package.

....unless we find a rebuilding team who are desperate to tank.

El Prez, you just described last years Asik.

 

Yeah but people wanted to trade Aldridge to get him.

We can't match salaries well so we're just going to have to make due with what we have for the time being. Just get more experience, stick to the game plan. The power of incremental change!

hoop fam

 

Correct. Van Exel career: .405 .357 .794; Williams .440 .386 .874 Not even really that close.

 

I listened to the video, and I am indifferent whether they talk about Portland or not. I guess it's cool. I just want them to know what they're talking about, which is why I feel stupid for even listening to Skippy's take.

Smith stated his opinion: the Blazers are 1 piece away from a title, and a legitimate contender out west in the top tier with OKC and SA.

He supports that opinion with: the Blazers are long, strong, big, young, and have the horses to beat any team in the NBA on any given night, with 2 legit go to guys when they need a basket.

OK, maybe a little optimistic since the Blazers are forging new ground here, but point taken.

Skippy plays devil's advocate: he's not so sure.

Skippy's support: Portland lost the last 13 games of the season.

Without any consideration of how or why Portland lost those games, that's his objection. Let's look at those 13 games and identify the correlations to this season, since it's such a great point, and the only reason he provides is in difference to Smith.

1) JJ Hickson started at center avg 26.3 mpg 7.7 rpg 0.33 bpg 10.6 ppg in that 13 game stretch

Robin Lopez plays center now avg 30.1 mpg 8.5 rpg 1.48 bpg 10.8 ppg this season (21 games).

2) Meyers Leonard was playing 24.5 mpg in 7 games off the bench, and 32.5 mpg in the 6 games he started because LA was injured.

Leonard has played 3rd string this season in 4 games with 1 min, 14 min, 5 min, and the 12 min blow out quarter versus Utah.

3) Victor Claver started 8 games during that 13 game stretch averaging 28.4 mpg for an injured Batum who DNP those 8 games

Claver has played 3rd string this season in 3 games for 1 minute or less each time.

4) Will Barton started 6 games in that 13 game stretch averaging 36.8 mpg for an injured Wes Matthews who DNP those 6 games.

Barton has played 3rd string this season in 7 games, 4 games for 1 min, and games of 5, 7, and the 12 min blowout quarter vs Utah.

5) Eric Maynor came of the bench every game that stretch and averaged 21.6 mpg.

This season, Maynor is averaging 10.6 min on a Wash team with a broken Beal.


In case Skippy missed it: LA DNP 6 games, Wes DNP 6 games, and Batum DNP 8 games of the 13. In fact, only 2 of the final 13 games featured the starting line up of Hickson, LA, Wes, Dame, and Batum.

6) Nolan Smith, Luke Babbit, Jarred Jeffries, and Sasha Pavlovic, are no longer on the roster, or even in the NBA as players.

Wright, Williams, Robinson, Watson (CJ and Crabb) are new additions to the bench this season, and all have taken minutes from the remaining bench of Barton, Claver, and Leonard.

Freeland is the one exception, and his play has improved exponentially, improving in every statistical category over last season, to speak nothing of his intangibles that don't show up on the box score.


Mind you, Skippy's objection was not that Portland could get injured, it was only that they lost 13 in a row. So my question, what the fuck does the 13 game losing streak to end last season have anything to do with this season?

Bueller? I mean - Bayless? Bayless?

17-4 best record in the West, and he's talking about a 13 game losing streak from last season. Skippy is a cue card jackass, and an OKC fanboy to boot.

 

Two pages so far on what Screamin A Smith thinks, and not bash of him because it's actually positive?

LOL

The man literally knows nothing about anything

 

I couldn't agree more. Bashing someone for being an incompetent hack and then all of a sudden taking what he says as noteworthy because it is nice is getting old.


He is probably hoping the front office is as stupid as some fans and will make a push for Melo.

 

I didn't listen to Smith when he trashed us for picking Roy, and I'm not listening to him now.

 

Korver would be perfect for us

 

That one piece he is talking about, a borderline all star, would take too much of our assets to attain thus killing the chemistry this team has right now. We would take one big step forward ultimately to take two steps back. I think we keep doing what we are doing and wait till CJ gets healthy and see how he fits with our group. I think CJ will end up stealing MO's minutes as our first off the bench to help with the scoring load when wes, and dame need a break. That kid will be special.

 

We would be the best shooting team in NBA history.

 

I'm sorry but Stephen A. Smith is a joke along with his ESPN comrade, Skip Bayless. You're quarterback has a good game and it's "they look like a playoff bound team,"
then you lose a game and it's, "the worst example of a team I have ever seen." He plays both sides of the fence for all he can get. The missing pieces(s) are there and
I am sure Oshey will find them.

 

Steven A. and Skip undoubtedly have different opinions then what they express for ratings. Their gig is to take provocative stands on some subject of the day and argue. On occasion their stand agrees with my opinion, so what? Their acts are pretty overt... everyone does get it that they're performing right?

STOMP

 

think SPENCER HAWES

if we are in "win now" mode IMO he'd be a great fit

 

So? This is a Blazers forum where we post Blazers news. Just reposting something that was on the Blazers website.

Take from it what you will. I've never really given Stephen A. much credit, but everything he says pretty much echoes what many of us have been saying. He doesn't elaborate at all on what that "piece" might be though.