A 52 win Season. Under, Meet, or Exceed expectations?

I've never really cared about W/L record - what I care more about is HOW the team plays. And I haven't seen a good stretch of basketball from them yet. We've played well for individual games, but on the season I'm supremely disappointed with what I've seen. The defense has certainly gotten better - but the way it's played is still quite troubling. And the offense has just been horrible - well, horrible for a Playoff team.

 

Not really looking forward to the playoffs anymore.

This season was so fun too. The Matthews injury just looks too big to overcome. Portland could win a series maybe, but they’re not a title contender without Wes. It sucks. We're just not that good right now.

I'm fact the new concern should be LMA and if he'll resign. You can probably assure he doubts Lillard now since he hasn't been the same for like 2 months now. I just hope to god he resigns. Thats my only concern right now..

 

No you can't.

 

You don't think so? Why wouldn't he?

 

Why would he? That's just a blind assumption.

 

Lillard has been straight garbage in 2015. Literally. Batum needs to be traded, not like he's gonna get any rest this summer playing for France.

Right now at this moment, I say we're an easy first round exit in 5 games. We look horrible.

 

21p 4.7r 6.2a 34% from 3 and 50% from 2.
If thats your definition of straight garbage it must be hard to watch the NBA with only 15 players not being garbage.
As for trading Batum sure but what do you propose because its fun to say trade a guy but for what, a bag of peanuts? Regardless of how you feel about Batum there is no realistic upgrade at the 3 we can get.
Sorry your post seems more like wanting to freak out and vent then actually wanting to say anything worthwhile so let me join in on the fun. OMG we suck LA is going to leave this summer and whoever we get in the playoffs if we make them will destroy us and make us look like the 76ers.

 

What about our 9 game win streak at the beginning of the year? How about our recent stretch of 8 wins in 9 games that featured wins over OKC, SA, Dallas, LAC, and Houston? Do you actually follow the team and watch the games?

 

Those are his season numbers. What are his stats in 2015?

 

I can do since All-Star break easier but as a whole they probably did drop a bit but not much. Really a few good games and he is right back at the same levels for the most part. Saying Lillard has been "garbage" was really not a very accurate statement.
People who actually watch the games can see that teams are now doubling him more. Last night Memphis was holding two guys in front of him out at the 3 point line making sure he didn't shoot from there. Over and over again he made the pass and the resulting open 3 didn't go for whomever shot it. If they would have made a few shots Lillard would have logged 15-20 assists. Then when they did make a few they had to sag off him and he took it to the hole on them. That is how he ended up with 27 points and went 9-9 from the line.
Lillard is fine. Last night against an elite defense he logged 27 pts, 7 ast, 3 rebs but he did have 5 TO's. Memphis was swarming and cruising the lanes.

 

I think you gloss over the glaring issue. In the past four games, Lillard is 6 for 24 beyond the line. That is chucker numbers, a chucker that isn't making many. He is shooting more 3 pointers this year than years past years and not making as many. He shoot more three pointer than anyone else on the team and there are few on this team, that shoot that shot with as low a percentage as he does.
I see this as a problem. You mention getting double teamed. Well that is the way to play a PG chucker that would rather shoot than create team offense, make it hard, he'll shoot anyway.
Getting a chucker to shoot the long ball is a fast break opportunity, so do what you can to get him to chuck it up. Six for 24 is 25%, not so good, but hell, he is only .34 on the year and falling.
Teams learn how to defend, it ain't going to get better, he needs to change. I don't think he can, this year.

 

Couldn't have said it any better. It's a dirty little secret around here but besides one week last month or so, where he got player of the week, Lillard since the new year has been terrible..

 

It's definitely not as automatic as it once was....

 

Doesn't seem like i "Glossed" over anything. Teams are taking that shot from him. The 3's he is getting are highly contested or from 28ft out. Then i went on to say that he is finding other shooters. Those shooters are missing. Lillard is not the problem IMO. Wes made a lot of threes, but he shot a bunch of threes. If he made them at a higher rate Lillard's ast rate would be higher. The same thing holds true for months of Batum missing or in some cases not taking every shot given to him. Afflalo is starting to hit more shots but he isn't quite there yet. I am seeing CJ become one of the better scoring threats this team has right now and it couldn't come at a better time.
The Flex/Flow system is only going to work if all the players are a threat. It seems that when teams look at Portland they say "We have to stop Dame" If they keep Lillard from scoring and make him pass the rest have to score. Right now the Blazers need somebody to step up and score other than Aldridge. It is not just Dame that is not hitting 3's. When another player demands respect Lillard will get his open looks again.

 

Expectations will be evaluated in the playoffs.

 

True, but he's definitely not as open as he once was either. Teams have learned to not give him any breathing room at all. And the rest of the team is not making defenses pay for all the attention on Lillard.

 

Come on! Check the stats, the only guy on the team shooting them , that has a worst percentage is Batum.
Probably a damn good reason why he has made over 200 less attempts!

http://www.nba.com/blazers/stats

Damian has Missed more three point shots that anyone else on the team has taken except Mathews, and he shoots a much better percentage but still has take
less threes that Damian.

No, more All Stars on the team is not going to fix this.

 

Damian as a whole hasn't been as open due to Nic as a whole noty being much of a threat this season. Really allows teams to sag on Nic and play tighter on Dame... But Dame is also trying to hard to get calls from the refs instead of just ballin'.

 

You don't seem to understand the concept. Wes made his threes because Lillard is drawing so much attention. Not to take anything away from Wes and his shooting because he is very good. Lillard will again get better looks when a player, any player, other than Aldridge, starts to make open looks. This is the way the offense is set up. CJ might very well become the guy that hits those shots. Certainly has been the last couple games.

 

Dame just isn't that great anymore