Holy hell...... thanks for this sobering forecast.... We are in trouble if something doesn't change quick. Whether it be better team ball, trade, coaching change, whatever.... im nibbling on your tank line again, like a fish. Not ready to swallow the hook and sink yet though.
The schedule does get easier to be sure after this stretch but they could very easily be around 20-34 after this stretch. That is too much of a hole to dig out of. Even if they do, they get a date with one of the LA teams. Does anyone think the NBA is in any way going to let a large market top seeded team lose to a small market team even if Nurkic miraculously comes back and is his former self and somehow that fixes everything? Just wait for those calls.....ugh.
Don't look now but the Clippers are currently in the 4th seed. They don't really seem to care about anything but being healthy once the playoffs start. Get up into the 7th seed and we could face the Nuggets who we could beat or the Rockets with two notorious playoff chokers. Clippers and Lakers would have to play in the 2nd round in that scenario too. I'm not saying any of this is likely to happen but it's not anywhere close to a guaranteed 1st round exit if we make some savvy moves.
The Clippers are 4th but they, the Nuggets and the Rockets are all 4 games back of the Lakers so it's almost a 3-way tie. And regardless of what has happend in the past, this version of the Blazers would not be beating the Nuggets or the Rockets. I know you said 'could' and of course, 'anything' could happen. But IMO, it would be a waste of a season. Getting a good Draft pick at least gives the team some type of additional resource which they obviously desperately need. Been swept out of the Playoffs enough year after year. Either become a contender or reset. Enough treading of water.
This stretch being rough is one thing. Seeing Dame have to play 42 minutes in a game where we trailed by 10-20 points for 90+% of the game is ridiculous. Why is Stotts doing this? It should be a deluge of the young players getting opportunities instead of running Dame into the ground. Release the Ant colony - It won't be consistant, but Ant should be getting opportunities like he got against the Heat. Sometimes, he will look not so good/lost but other times you will see those flashes and hopefully he gets to where those are more consistant. Lots of Little - why can't he even sniff the floor on most nights when we are getting torched? It just makes no sense. He needs run, opportunities and then to be coached up on what he does. Now I don't hold out a lot of hope for the last item on that list but the first two can't hurt. More GTr. Have him shoot and put him in position to make decisions until you at least have some idea of what you've got. 'Hold him accountable' for getting more than just shots up. Injuries have depleted this squad and the rest are stuck with the inane schemes of the head coach. Fine, but at least take the opportunities there are for future growth.
Howd we gerbswept out last year? Hiwd we tread water? We made the WCF. I dintnsee hiw getting the 13th pick would be miraculous and getting the 16th pick and possibly making a run would be absolute doom.
To me when the dust is settled we more likely we could be in the top 10 in draft. I just don't see us winning a lot this year.
best way to watch the blazers, yeah...hasn't been much enjoyment involved. Most enjoyable Blazer game was the recent NY game because I was watching the Rose Bowl instead, and the afterglow of that rolled into the next day. There may have been some drinking involved then too
Good. I hope we keep losing. It’s going to be so worth it come draft time. This is exciting times to be a Blazer fan. If we can get a nice home run during the trade deadline, hit it out the park with our lottery pick. Next year will be fun and worth what we went thru this year
so do Dan Marjele, Tim Hardaway, Jalen Rose, Karl Malone, Kobe Bryant, Steve Nash, Giannis Antetokountmpo, Devin Booker, Donovan Mitchell, & Bam Adebayo
How did I miss Antetokountmpo? That was the CJ Draft when D69 wouldn't stop singing the Greek Freek's praises. Might be time to refill the Ginko bottle....
