The difference between this year and last year

Last year we started hot, but it felt like we were playing above our heads. Wes was just unconscious in the first half of the season. Our starting unit was insane.

This season I feel like we're just playing really good basketball. It's a completely different feel. This is how a good veteran team plays. You just win. You find ways to win. You play consistent defense and take good shots.

The bench.

The defense.

Our stars playing like stars.

This is what sustainable basketball looks like. Enjoy it Blazer fans.

 

YES YES YES!

Last year we got a bunch of wins through heroic shots, which was great make no mistake, but this year we're winning through execution.

 

Brett Barry and Smitty talking us up on NBA TV right now.

Barry thinks we are legit

 

Yup. Big complements for our bench.

 

Amen. I'm loving it. We've been mostly playing at home but it's been against some good teams (Dallas, Cleveland, NO, OKC with RW). Last fall we built a winning streak by beating crappy East teams in their building. Remember, Mags gave me money to go to the Milwaukee game because we were winning every game I went to? Well, those games are coming up again. At Boston and Philly next week. I'll be there. Lots of time to get ready for Friday's home game against Chicago before that. 11-3 should be the goal. We have a real shot at the #1 seed, don't you think?

 

We're a lot like those Mavs teams back in Dirks prime (with more overall talent). You know? They finally got over the hump that one year they beat the Spurs but ultimately lost to D-Whistle.

 

Those Mavs teams were insanely talented. They just didn't play defense. That team with Dirk/Nash/Finley was extremely fun to watch.

 

I don't necessarily think that digging ourselves holes early and somehow climbing out is "sustainable" basketball. We need to be better and bring that intense defense from the get go more often. On the road this won't fly. This is just my opinion. Don't get me wrong, I love how the team is looking so far; but there is still tons of room for improvement.

 

I was thinking more along the lines of the team with:

Harris
Terry / Stackhouse / Daniels
Howard / Griffin
Dirk / Van Horn
Diop / Dampier

 

It's the old saying in sports, "first you win, then you get good".

 

The ability to come back is huge but we have blown out a lot of teams too so yes, I think this level of play is sustainable.

 

I'm enjoying this year... What little I've been able to see. You bring up the word "sustainable", Nate. I'm hoping that we can continue our winning ways past this season. It seems like we have such good chemistry right now so it's going to be interesting to see how this off season plays out. Neil has his work cut out for him. Unless he already knows howthings are going to fall into place already.

 

I think they are better as well because of the bench. Forget the stats for a moment, everyone on the bench is better than they were last year from experience alone. Then you add Kaman and Blake......who have been huge stabilizing factors. You still have a lot of new combinations that have not played a lot together, so the turnovers are still high. So they can still get better.

The biggest worry for me is still the lack of ball handling from the SG's. Against teams who pressure, jump the passing lanes, and constantly poke their hands in at the ball......they just don't do a good job of handling it. We play best in the 4th because we go small and play with 2 pg's plus Wes.

 

We've only done that the last 3 games out of necessity, with batum out

 

I don't like how we're digging ourselves into holes in a lot of these games. As mentioned above, it will be a lot tougher to flip the switch on the road. We can't count on fourth quarter comebacks every night.

The BK game was better to me than last night because we got a 10-15 pt lead early, and held that the whole night while absorbing punches that they threw at us. That's the mark of a great team and absolutely IS sustainable.

 

I agree nate.
But I want to see how they do with more road games.
One of my biggest pet peeves with the Blazers in the past has been playing up/down to the level of competition they're facing.
On this road trip the Blazers play a lot of eastern teams. I want to see the Blazers come out with defensive intensity, lock teams up, and finish with a defensive rebound.
The Blazers have an improved bench so the Starters should be expending more effort on the Defensive side of the ball because they don't have to do all the scoring this year.
In 11 games the team does look a little different than last year. Last year they shot their way out of bad starts. This year Lillard is playing good point of attack defense, his p&r defense still needs work but his man on man defense is much improved.

 

I believe this team will be even better on the road. They are developing a killer instinct.

 

The end result is that We're winning comfortably more. Last year we had a better record but a worse point differential. This year we've had to deal with injuries already.

Let me add one to your list:
Playing with Blake and Kaman gives the bench guys a comfort level they just didn't have last year.

Finally, I agree that this thread is made when we're still just 1-2 on the road, and it's made after we have a 5-game winning streak. Will our winning ways continue on the road? Stay tuned, that's why watching is so much fun.

edit: just wanted to also mention that with vets coming off the bench we're more likely to be resilient on the road.