Absolutely not. Well played, sir. I just wanted to make sure everyone on earth knew I got the pop culture reference.
Definitely more reminiscent of the team that started 31-9. Ball movement, shot selection, even improved overall defense, it's all there AND some. This is a playoff team closing in on 50 wins and a middle seed. I think this is what we all hoped for before the season started, and we're getting it. Bring on the Thunder/Clippers/Rockets.
My expectations at the start of the season were for the team to make the playoffs, with a 6-8 seed, with the knowledge they'd likely get bounced in the first round. Then, after that incredible start - knowing that the team would come back to earth - I was hoping for that 4th seed, to get homecourt in the first round, and maybe win a series for once. After those losses at Charlotte and Orlando, I was worried we were seeing the wheels come off and the team might miss the playoffs completely or stumble in, and get swept. I wanted to see Aldridge back, but didn't want the Blazers to rush him back to help their playoff position, only to have him re-injure himself, and screw up both the team's current situation and threaten Aldridge's long-term health. I'm pleased to see Aldridge is back, appears to be 100%, and the team is playing really well. Chicago and Memphis are good (not great) teams. I'm now expecting the Blazers will finish with the 5th seed. Better than I expected at the beginning of the year, and more than I envisioned at any point, other than in the really heady days of the 31-9 record. Unfortunately, in the playoffs, it's all about matchups and if the Rockets are at #4, I don't really like Portland's chances. Would love to be proven wrong, of course...
I'm happy with the way they've been playing but let's be honest they aren't exactly playing dynamic teams. The Bulls and Grizzlies are nice wins but they are both defensive minded teams with limited offensive firepower. I do like all the ball movement (outside of the end of games where it seems like we just give it to LA and he doesn't even look to pass)and the play of Robinson/Barton though.
While Aldridge was gone, our bench shouldered responsibility. Now that the Big Decoy is back, opponents guard him instead, freeing our bench to win our games.
The Grizzlies and Bulls are two of the best defensive teams in the league, but have two of the best records in the league since January 1st. Both teams started the year with losing records, but until we beat them the Grizzlies were 30-12 since the first if the year, third only to the Spurs and Clippers, and the Bulls were 28-13, tied with the Thunder, and trailing the Rockets, for 5th best record since January 1st. So, we beat 2 of the top 5 teams in the league over the last 3 months. Those were two very impressive wins. BNM
One thing I noticed on the post-game show last night was how Antonio was ripping on fans for getting upset about the losses. If you listened to his tone during the games, it was obvious he was upset with the teams play and losses. But if you listened to what he was saying during the post game show, he acted like he was never upset or down. The smugness of his voice sometimes gets old. Fans were upset at how the team was playing, and if they had not gotten their shit back together, what they were saying would be true. They WERE playing like a team that didn't deserve to make the playoffs. They WERE playing shitty defense, and inept offense. If they continued to play like that (and it wasn't just a 1 or 2 game stretch), they WOULD HAVE been swept in the playoffs. Denying that doesn't change the fact.
LA's impact has surprisingly (to me) been huge for our offense. I knew we'd get his 20pts back, but I didn't understand how much others' games would open up with his presence. But, what's really encouraging is our D has gotten better too. It's baffling that just 6 days ago, we looked like the worst defensive team in the league. WTF happened? It's as if they finally realized the sense of urgency
How he still has his job is baffling to me. It's not like he provides any insight or anything because of his experience in the league.
Speaking of LaMarcus' back...did you see the fall he took last night at the end of the game? Anybody have a status report on his back?
There was an article where LA said he's okay. It flared up the contusion a bit but he said he was okay.
WTF was up with those refs anyway? When LMA took that fall he was certainly fouled, it was pretty blatant compared to some of the calls they made. It's baffling, the non-call when Mo got hit on the elbow and lost the dribble happened right in front of the ref could be seen in real time on a TV. Yet, the ref standing 10 feet away directly in line with Conley reaching around and whacking Mo's elbow just goes blank. Some of these guys must be bad at their jobs.
They absolutely swallowed their whistles the last 5 minutes - some of the fouls that went uncalled during that stretch were worse than the ones that had been called earlier.
The Blazers losses have been frustrating. They have pised me off. But when you reflect on them with a little logic, they aren't as bad. Home and Away. That has always been a huge factor. I remember some very good teams of the past that won 55 games every year and lost half their games on the road. I remember a Laker team that won the championship and got blown out of almost every road game in the playoffs. The fact that the Blazers were playing two 5 game road trips in the span of 3 weeks is a huge factor. Especially at the end of a season. Fans (myself included) don't always put things in perspective. If they finish strong and end up winning 8 of their last 10 games are they back? Or was it all to be expected over 82 game season? Having said all that, the Orlando game still pisses me off.
