Anybody but Houston. We are one and done for sure without Nic, and frankly the odds don't look great even with him. He will be dinged up. McCollum will be dinged up. I just don't want to lose to Houston. Would rather lose to anyone else.
Every year, I think that this team cant make me feel any worse about being a fan, but somehow they always prove me wrong. Last year was a tease, them beating Houston and then losing to the Spurs in what I thought was a teaching way for the future. And this year, it seemed the pieces were there, the drive was there, things were lining up. And as it has been so many times in the past, it was ripped away from the team and the fans in a cruel way. Bill Walton. Sam Bowie. The Jailblazers. Brandon Roy and Greg Oden. And now Wes Matthews and Nic Batum. Yes, there's Aldridge and Lillard, but they aren't enough with what's left over. And us, the long-suffering, long-waiting Blazer fans, have to go through year after year, swallowing promise after promise, and every year sighing and saying it will be different next year. But will it?
At least our core has shown they can get to the 2nd round. This season just feels lost because of injury and inconsistency. Next year the goal should be WCF assuming everyone comes back and is healthy.
I love this team and will look back at this season as a tease of what we can be if healthy. I'm not stressed about our free agents re-signing. LA is too close to too many Blazer record, RoLo fits the town and Wes is the heart and sould of this team. As for Afflalo, at this point I don't care if he stays or goes. However, I am stressed about how Wes will recover. Will he be the same player or a shell of his former self? I know we still have the playoffs, but given our injuries, I'm just not sure how much I'll invest in watching this hollowed-out roster try to compete against an elite 1st round opponent.
It's not the injuries. It's Lillard who prevents us from going anywhere. If Lillard had played half as well as Westbrook tonight, we would have won. They were missing Durant and Ibaka, you know.
Not too concerned about missing Batum.....the guy is a danger to have a horrible shooting night, and his turnovers are maddening. I know he's a pretty good passer and rebounder, but I think other's can step in for him well enough. Also, there's a decent chance that they'll flip a switch in the playoffs. These last few games have not meant much.
Lillard needs to be more aggressive, that's for sure. He took 9 shots tonight, that's unacceptable when so many people are not playing. Tim frazier took 8 shots, CJ did as well. Freeland and leonard took more shots. He needs to stop playing within the system so much and establish himself. He isn't a pass first guy, the offense is so much smoother when he is looking for his own shot.
I'll bet ya the Spurs are going past round one. At this point watching the Blazers steer a three game losing streak and with a Mavs game left, we really can't feel that the Blazers are preparing themselves for a playoff run.
+> Dame looks frustrated and his play shows that. The team loses too many rebounds and the chemistry is not there. This is not good timing with the first round on the horizon.
+> Back in that era, I witnessed many games and I agree JK was the heart of the 87-92 teams. Also I mention Buck Williams for his hard work and contributuions on the boards.
Lies! according to some of the media.. the Dubs have already won the ring this year. Spurs are too old!
Yeah, because we should have spanked a team that's desperately trying to make the playoffs in a game that means nothing to us, while we're playing without Matthews, Aldridge, Batum, Blake, Afflalo...
"Pathetic" implies lack of effort. We may not have played particularly well overall, but we certainly played hard. And considering we were actually in the game as late as we were, I think "pathetic" is hardly the correct adjective.
