Some Dude Dissing Our Backcourt Contracts...

Discussion in 'Portland Trail Blazers' started by ABM, Aug 2, 2019.

  1. Blazers Roy

    Blazers Roy Well-Known Member

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    Underachieving: WCF
    Ok, i guess: Finals
    Overachieving: CHAMPIONS
     
  2. James lamphear

    James lamphear Well-Known Member

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    I don't think they underachieve do to who they had around them on the offensive side of the ball in Harkless and Aminu. But now with better offensive players around them let see how Dame and CJ used them. Will Dame assist go up will both our guards take less shots or do they continue put up 35 to 40 shots between even though they will have better offensive players around them.
     
  3. CupWizier

    CupWizier Well-Known Member

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    35-40 shots per game for a teams top 2 scorers is very reasonable. GS had 3 players averaging around 18 shots per game.
     
  4. BLAZINGGIANTS

    BLAZINGGIANTS Well-Known Member

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    That’s some A2M quality reporting there...

    It’s douche to talk about your credentials and why you’re qualified for anything, but even douchier when you have no credentials but try to pass them off like you do...
     
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  5. Duckhook

    Duckhook Well-Known Member

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    Someone please put this kid on an FBI watchlist... I’m afraid he’s going to do harm to himself or worse, others.
     
  6. oldfisherman

    oldfisherman Unicorn Wrangler

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    This kid started out to be a political cartoonist. Because they only need to come up with one idea a day.

    But he changed his mind and now wants to be a sportswriter, because they do not have to come up with any.
     
  7. Chris Craig

    Chris Craig (Blazersland) I'm Your Huckleberry Staff Member Global Moderator Moderator

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    Give the kid a break. It's not the worst article I've read. Being a sportswriter can be tough. When I write my articles, I know a lot of people aren't going to agree with everything I say. Yeah, the kid could use an editor. There are multiple grammatical errors, word choice issues, as well as some sentence structure problems. I have been writing awhile and I often find I will miss a misspelled word and such, here and there.

    Let's breakdown what he is saying. Are the backcourt of Lillard and McCollum underachieving? It's hard to agree with. They are one of the best backcourt duos in the NBA. They have been in the league on the Blazers for 6 years together. They just got a 4 and 3 year extention, which will keep them together through 2022. A combined $296 million is a big chunk of change. It doesn't take much thought to come to the conclusion that they are worth it. You have to extend Lillard. McCollum, at the price the Blazers got him, why not? What is the Blazers alternative? They could probably trade CJ and try another shooting guard next to Lillard. That is a suitable argument. But, he didn't offer who the Blazers could trade for shooting guard wise.

    The kid moves on with the argument that the NBA is no longer a league where a team can win a championship with their star players in the backcourt. That a star at the 3 or 4 is needed. Does this hold true? Could the Blazers trade CJ for a Star 3 or 4 and win it all? Probably not. It is not that simple.

    He offers the example of Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson as the only team to win a recent championship with a star powered backcourt. Though the Warriors have had other stars to help. Kevin Durant for one, though they have won without him. Draymond Green has been a key piece, going to his argument. Andre Iguodala. Alone, without those guys, could Curry and Thompson win a championship? Have other backcourt duos won?

    Toronto had Kawhi. Cleveland had Lebron. Miami had Wade/Lebron/Bosh, Lakers had Kobe/Shaq, San Antonio had Duncan and Parker, etc etc. No teams who have relied heavily on a backcourt duo alone, have won it all. It is a good argument.

    He then questions why we just extended McCollum and makes the claim that they aren't championship worthy. I think that is an over tough assessment. Yeah teams have double teamed them in the playoffs and stopped them, but we saw both of them get past that last postseason at times. You have to look at the players that surround them for a better answer. It takes a team to win a championship.

    The Blazers upgraded their bench last season and it paid off. The Blazers made the conference finals without Jusuf Nurkic and a one armed Kanter. That is pretty damned good. So, you pay Lillard and you pay McCollum because there has been progress. Keeping them here and further upgrading the team is the best chance of winning a trophy for Portland.

    This offseason has been insane. The Blazers have completely transformed the team. They are arguably better than last year. He maintains the Blazers backcourt will have to score 45 a game to get anywhere. So what? They are going to score that anyway. But, the Blazers have more than just Lillard and McCollum. Nurkic will return later in the season. They have Whiteside and Gasol, to hold down the center position till then. The Blazers have Bazemore and Hood. They have Simons and Collins. Etc. The Blazers have a chance to match or best last season. Yeah, they will habe to rely on some young players to break out. That can be scary.

    So, are Lillard and McCollum underachievers? They have been here six years together and have made the 2nd round three times, and the conference finals last year. I would say they have achieved what they could and more with what they have had to work with.

    The kid then says that their playing styles are unsustainable. I don't know about that. I think may that is a word choice issue. I would say they aren't compatible because their styles rely on them having the ball. They could work more on playing through each other, rather than next to each other. Sure.

    Then come the scenarios. I don't see the Blazers starting Nassir Little. I could see Neil trading Whiteside/Bazemore for Love, Griffin, or perhaps ugh, Aldridge. I could also see him play the season out. The word investment comes up a lot in the article. Is trading for the long term, beomoth contracts of injury prone players like Love and Griffin a good investment? Maybe.

    Maybe history is against the Blazers and that is ok. It has been a while since Portland has won a championship. 42 long years. The Blazers serious runs for the trophy have been decades in between and they haven't been able to get back their yet. But, hey the Blazers got to the conference finals last year. So, why give up and say maybe this or that will happen, but really it's futile the Blazers won't make it. The west is wide open. Instead of asking why, how about why not?

    I've got to say despite his lack of editing, the kid suceeded. We are talking about his article. That is the job of any writer. Not for everyone to agree with what is said, but for it to create discussion, argument. I'd say it has done just that.
     
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  8. TorturedBlazerFan

    TorturedBlazerFan Well-Known Member

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    This was almost an article. :).
     
  9. James lamphear

    James lamphear Well-Known Member

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    The problem is when Dame and CJ takes 40 or more shots we had losing record. Plus it's how they take those shots there's was one on one shots. Those 3 players from the warriors that majority of them shots was from ball movement not from isolation like Dame and CJ does and that a big difference. I don't mind them taking 35 shots as long it through some ball movement.
     
  10. Chris Craig

    Chris Craig (Blazersland) I'm Your Huckleberry Staff Member Global Moderator Moderator

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    Did they take less shots last season than the season before? How much did a better bench roster change that? They had guys to take pressure off them a bit in Curry and Hood.
     
  11. CupWizier

    CupWizier Well-Known Member

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    Do you have the breakdown? Your original contention was 35-40 shots and now it's 40 shots and more. What was our record with 40 or more shots and what was our record with 35-40 shots?
     
  12. James lamphear

    James lamphear Well-Known Member

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    Here there record when Dame and CJ shot over 40 shots. It was 9-19 not real good that was regular season.
     
  13. CupWizier

    CupWizier Well-Known Member

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    Well it's an interesting stat although, i'm not sure it's as simple as just saying 40 shots or more as often times in losses it was because other players wouldn't or couldn't shoot that game leaving the burden on both McCollum and Lillard. I still stand by their average attempts per game are within reason considering the supporting cast they have had in the past several years.
     
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  14. BlayZa

    BlayZa Misbehaving responsibly

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    you write about stuff you know.

    he just doesnt know much.
     
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  15. Chris Craig

    Chris Craig (Blazersland) I'm Your Huckleberry Staff Member Global Moderator Moderator

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    He's trying Jennifer
     
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  16. Storyteller2

    Storyteller2 Player Salary Geek

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    I'll agree and disagree with you. Yes, we all mis-spell words. We all make errors in grammar. But the issue for me is the frequency - there are 15 paragraphs in his article and I can easily find a dozen errors. Most of the errors are forgivable by themselves, but when you put them all together, they don't paint a favorable picture of the author's ability to use the written English language correctly.

    And yes, it's a big deal. If you're correct that the author's goal was simply to have his article talked about, then he is to be congratulated. He's achieved the same level of success that the National Enquirer has. But if the author's goal is to be persuasive in the sharing of his opinion, then he hasn't succeeded with me or (I'm guessing) with many others. Why? When I read or hear a communication that is trying to be persuasive, credibility is a huge factor. If the author/speaker gets objective facts wrong, it leads me to believe that the author's/speakers' opinions are less credible (in communication theory, this is known as an evaluation of logos). If the author/speaker cannot clearly communicate a point or if I have to guess what that point actually is, then again I'm less likely to believe in the credibility of the opinions of the author speaker (an evaluation of ethos).

    It's not the worst article I've read, either. But it's far from adequate, IMHO. His essential opinion - "backcourts in the modern NBA cannot win you a championship" gets overshadowed by all the errors, at least to me.
     
  17. Chris Craig

    Chris Craig (Blazersland) I'm Your Huckleberry Staff Member Global Moderator Moderator

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    Fair enough
     
  18. ABM

    ABM Happily Married In Music City, USA!

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  19. wizenheimer

    wizenheimer Well-Known Member

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    sure reads like he was basing most of it on Klay being injured. That's a duh factor. Meanwhile, the other guy kept saying that Curry is good at defense. He's average, at best

    IMO, Curry is better than Dame and Klay is better than CJ...when all are healthy. And Curry/Klay have better synergy than Dame/CJ although some of that synergy is because of Green, an advantage Dame/CJ don't have

    now, Dame/CJ may very well be better than Curry/Russell, depending on how the latter pair mesh, but Russell was probably as good, or better, last year as CJ,
     
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  20. tlongII

    tlongII Legendary Poster

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    tl,dr
     

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