Chicken Soup for the Blazer Fanatic

The Blazers are 12-3 on the road, the best road record in the NBA. Only the LAC/Utah/Cha/GS have played as many games on the road. Portland was 3-1 on this 4 game and 5 night road trip, which is a much greater accomplishment than some fans seem to appreciate. They only lost the last game in Minnesota, and only the 1st half of that game. The biggest issue in that terrible half was that the team looked very sluggish (not to be confused with slug-ish). They were quite literally slug slow. So why were they so bad in the 1st half, and how were they able to play so much better in the 2nd half?

Dr. Fanatic is about to drop some medical knowledge on y’all, so take notes – there will be a quiz later.

Let’s examine the facts:
Portland, played the 4th game in 5 nights, came out flat in the 1st half.
Portland played well in the 2nd half.

DOMS (Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness) is the result of strenuous exercise which leads to microscopic tears in the muscle. While DOMS can lead to inflammation and soreness, it should not be not be confused with “acute soreness” which is pain caused during the activity, and can lead to greater injury and muscle damage. Soreness as a result of DOMS is experience most strongly 24 to 72 hours after a given exercise. Yes, even professional athletes are susceptible to DOMS. One of the effects of DOMS is swelling. Ice reduces swelling. Did anyone see Batum and LA with ice on their knees during the 4th quarter of game very first game of this road trip (Philly)? Swelling and related soreness typically subsides after 72 hours, and disappears up to 7 days after the strenuous exercise occurred. Further activity alleviates soreness, even though it may cause more pain initially, it does not exacerbate muscle damage.

Conclusion:
The loss to Minnesota is a result of the schedule more so than any other factor.


Aside: How to improve the NBA

The goal:
1) reduce injuries and fatigue
2) increase the quality of basketball
3) create a more equitable playing field

How to accomplish this:
1) cut the 82 game regular season down to 72 games (36 home 36 away)
2) eliminate divisions - the attempts to create rivalries and reduce travel is antiquated
3) have teams continue to play the opposing conference once at home and once away
4) have every team play the other teams in their conference 3 times a piece, and alternate every year as to the team that will get the 2 home games versus a respective opponent
5) eliminate the 4 games in 5 nights or any variation thereof (5 games in 7 nights, 7 games in 10 nights)
6) reduce, if not eliminate back-to-back games (no team should play 2 or more b2b games more than any another team)
7) schedule as many home/home, or home/@home back-to-backs in place of random back-to-backs as possible, or ensure that both team are playing the 2nd of a back-to-back if it is unavoidable

I said there will be a quiz, so I hope you took notes.

Quiz:
Are you a Blazer fan?





Solutions:
If your answer is yes, settle the fuck down.
If your answer is no, fuck off.

 

Or... Watch moneyball

 

-The playing conditions are equitable because just about every team in the league endures a stretch just like the one we saw over the past 4 games.

-What owner is going to cut their revenue by eliminating 5 games?

-The Blazers don't even have one of the more grueling schedules this year

-Who is upset and needs to settle the fuck down?

 

Repped for the smile!

 

Those are great stats and explains a lot, but there is zero chance the nba will take aeway any games. They make too much money to do that.

As for your other points, the b2b are tough. There is nothing more to say about it. I wish there wasn't as many as teams are getting and I really think one team getting more than the other is total bullshit!

The biggest concern is I want one conference and multiple divisions. The schedule keepers can look at past season to determine the amount of games a team has, only having the current division being the 4 game.

 

I think SAS and LA have some of the most grueling stretches. Don't they play like 12 or 13 road games in a row because their building has something going on?

 

Yup.

 

That is an option as well, adding an additional 4 games, thus bringing the total number of games to 76. Six fewer games would still have an impact on the flexibility to avoid the ridiculously tough back-to-back/day off/back-to-back situations. I believe Portland has 3 such stretches.

 

Reducing the schedule and getting rid of back to backs does not make the league more equitable all it does is reward teams for having the strongest starting unit.

Reducing the schedule takes millions of dollars away from the players and the league so that is never going to happen.

Also telling people to fuck off is trolling and it undermines your entire article.

 

So you answered "no" to the quiz. I gotcha ya.

 

I thought so. Thanks.

 

Wait so you mean to tell me that no other team has 3 of the 4-in-5? Mainly only one throughout the season?

 

That is exactly what he's saying. lol

 

They also don't have any especially long road trips this year and got gifted a a pretty cushy schedule in the first quarter of the season, which has probably played no small part in accelerating their learning to play with each other.

 

That is one of the problems being the only team from the Pacific Northwest.

 

As much as this is hard on the "fatigue factor" for this ball-club, I agree with your point. We are really developing some nice chemistry, having to play a lot of road games and being so close together.

 

I disagree. Simply by being in the West the Blazers schedule is more "grueling" than 15 other teams. Also, by being secluded in the northwest they have to travel more than any other team.

 

You must spread some Reputation around before giving it to PtldPlatypus again. May my uber rep power sustain you for the entirety of this thread.