Oh I will too mainly because It was early in the season. But I was slightly disappointed. You think, You hope, You want to be the main supreme going into the game. And when you lose it like that. It's disappointing.
I'm happy but not content. The team is looking better in two areas that vastly needed improvement last year and that was both Defense and having a bench that doesn't get run over. It looks like we have improved on both but it is early in the season and our offense has looked stagnant at times as well as the Blazers have just failed to get up for games. Both of those things will happen to teams when you play 82 games but the moment you stop looking at ways the team can improve as the 2 days after you win the championship then its right back to figuring out how to take another step forward.
The whole reffing issue is a bit of just a bs excuse. Sure, we can point to some bad/missed calls, but that's par for the course. 1) Blazers are not one of the NBA's favorite teams so there will always be a bit of a disparity of calls. 2) The bad calls happen to all teams, it's a bit of a confirmation bias to only recognize the bad calls one direction. 3) Blazers don't play in a way to draw a ton of fouls, making it less likely the refs will give the Blazers the benefit of the call. 4) any disparity that does exist will continue into the playoffs, so Blazers better play through and better than ref-assisted teams.
Perfectly stated. I feel like the ball doesn't move as swiftly, crisply, or effectively as it did last year. Our "flow" offense seems to lack flow.
That sounds great and all, but then you see this graph... Getting mugged driving in the lane is something you can play through. Having the refs call everything against you defensively is entirely another... Pay attention to the graph and see the trend I'm talking about and get back to me.
How many of you feel that to get something (Improved Defensive Efficiency) you have to give something (Offensive Efficiency)? Or do you think they can have both? If they played it hard on both ends for 48 mins a game, that's a lot of resources and energy spent. Is it reasonable to think they can be great in both areas?
Well, if we were talking about banging in the post, or driving the lane, or constant cutting and motion, I'd say you have a point. But I don't think it takes a ton of energy to space the floor and swing the ball around for an open shot.
My thoughts exactly. We're not a team that expends a great deal of energy on our offense - passing and shooting jumpers are the least energy-consuming activities. At the risk of inspiring another snarky comment, we're spending too many possessions giving LMA the ball and watching him spin/fade/shoot. Need to pass the ball for a better, lesser-defended shot.
This. He pushes off nine times out of ten; not just on the fadeaways, but when he turns toward the middle for a jumper or hook shot, he pushes off and acts like he gets mugged and yells. It works a lot of the time, and I'll take anything I can get when it comes to foul treatment. Roy used to get the benefit of calls just by yelling when he drove through the lane, and at that point, I thought it was about damn time we got some superstar calls if that's the way they're going to do it.
I'm happy. Defense is the one thing that can remain a constant. Offense comes and goes. We need to get better offensively, but we have time for that to happen.
Exactly! I am a big fan of defense. Remember our 1999 team? We were one of the best defenses in the league and weren't that great offensively. I'm talking about the rider team btw
Might sound lame, but I was thinking what it would be like to have grown up in Seattle with the sonics. I have no idea what I would do if the team I loved was taken away like that. I think I'd probably be a "fan" of another team just because I can't not follow the sport...ultimately I'd waiting to get my team back. I'm happy to not be in that position.
I'm not sure I understand the graph. If def FT% means the percent of free throws the other team makes, then I see nothing odd except perhaps a good home court that makes other teams miss their free throws (free throw guy). please tell me how you think that graph proves bad refs?
Yes. 15-4 is nothing to laugh about. No the defense is there but still inconsistent. Yes almost at 25games in and the team looks better than last year.
I agree that our defense is much improved but that the offense seems stagnant at times. I'm not worried about it, I think we're in very good shape, but I think there's one very simple thing we can do to improve in that area and that's to set more screens. I think they already do a better job at it but that it should be a focus for the entire team and especially for the big men. Every time they set a screen it opens up options and setting 2, even 3 screens in a possesion would just make us even harder to defend. So, to conclude, I'm happy but would be even happier when we make this adjustment.
It's much harder to scout defense than offense. This is why I'm happy. And this is why we are winning games with our offense being stale. As the old cliche goes... "Defense wins championship"
