Notice This is the worst Blazer team I have seen in my lifetime.

That WCF appearance was such a fluke. Again, if Ant/Skal don't go nuclear in a game Stotts sits everyone and is trying to lose, they probably don't get out of the first round and certainly not passed the 2nd.

 

You do know the Lakers also beat the Nugs 4-1, the Rockets 4-1 and 4-2 vs the Heat.

Ya man, those teams sure did better than us LOL.

Not sure if you are being sarcastic or not with that post though.

 

I'm kind of a pessimist usually, but I'd like to give it a few more games......
I will say though that it's quite discouraging to see how Sacramento has gone in the opposite direction of us (beat Denver AT Denver last night) since we whipped them opening exhibition.

 

Everyone is aware of what happened. However, it is a LOOOOONG string of ending the Playoffs that is sadly, much too similar anytime they play a legit contender. Beating mental midget teams led by Westbrook, Harden, Howard, etc, is not the bar I'm hoping this team can clear.

The Heat may have only won 2 games, but with Butler and a bunch of scrubs, 2nd round picks, and G-leaguers as major role players. That was quite an accomplishment in the Finals. There was also the style of play. Sometimes it's not THAT you lose, but HOW you lose. The Heat did themselves proud. The Blazers often times, look lost.

It's no secret I thought Stotts should have been gone after getting swept by the 'never won anything before, haven't won anything since' Pelicans. Nothing has changed since that time.

 

Our elite offense has always depended on elite plays by a couple of guys. I had hoped they would make some adjustments for our new players. But as I pointed out 10 days ago, I never heard one thing from Stotts or Lillard about how they planned to integrate the new guys into the offense.

 

Evan Turner also said once that the team needed more ball movement; of course from a guy who shot such a low %, that didn't have much cred, but he was definitely right.

 

Appears Lillard (as he often does) came out trying to get others involved. Then in the 2nd quarter, realizing how far they were behind, he tried too hard, throwing up some bad shots. Not worried about Lillard.

 

I'm gonna try to be positive. Nurk will get in better shape. Hopefully Hood will get in better shape and regain some quickness (otherwise he should focus on playmaking). Hopefully after a few more games our defense will come together (although I get the sense there is some resistance; I keep hearing quotes about how happy they are that they will keep playing the old scheme most of the time). Beyond that, I am worried. We can survive with CJ's self-focus. But for this team to have a chance to prosper, Melo must go. And I don't think Olshey or Stotts have the stomach to do what's necessary. Also worried that Stotts does not plan on adapting the offense to the talents of new players.

 

He played for the Celtics so he had something to compare it to. Often the Celtics have a lineup with no one to break down the defense. But they do it anyway with ball movement.

 

What is this 'ball movement' you speak of? Sounds fascinating.

 

LOL

So you're disputing all of the things I mentioned in my post?

I used to cover the team professionally. So if I put this in a thousand word format it would be any different? Anyone with half a brain can see the major flaws with this team. We have lost by 20+ points for four games in a row, but the defense looks exactly like it did last season. Maybe worse because the bench lineup of Melo/Kanter/Hood is a train wreck on both ends of the floor.

 

The problem is they won't even have a chance until Chicago, 7 games in. I fully anticipate a 1 and 7 or 1 and 6 start if they don't play Saturday. There is no guarantee at Chicago either. They could be looking at 1-10 easily. Then what? More and more I am warming up to a complete blow up. Top to bottom, soup to nuts. The young guys have no real potential for growth except Gary, so trade him.

Monday will be just so embarrassing for the team if Lebron and AD play.

 

Watch the replays they try both defense the new one and the drop defense both unsuccessful. The lack getting over picks and few flying on there 3 point shots. Closing out on shooters was bad but individuals defense was not good by anyone even Covington and Jones that we brought in for that reason. Well I put this the defense was just bad by everyone individual and team defense. Plus part of defense side is getting defense rebounds and we gave up 12 of those.

 

I'm sorry but I have a really hard time taking anything seriously from the "blind homer" crew.

These are the same people who were screaming at the top of their lungs that LMA would re-sign right up until the last day when it was blatantly obvious that he was gone.

These are the people who have been defending Stotts for YEARS for the same fucking problems that he has never solved, IE never being able to address teams trapping Dame, our horrible defense, and our iso focused offense.

These are the same people who call anyone a CJ hater because they're sick of his horrible defense and me-first offense. They apparently have no problem watching him take the ball up the court, dribble for 10 seconds and then go 1 on 3 to take an extremely difficult shot. But hey.... he makes some of them!

 

Hood just looks lost. He looks completely unconfident in himself. He fit well in the DJJ role where they just put him in the corner and let him shoot, but our bench is such a steaming pile of disorganized dogshit that it's hurting him even more. Our bench looks like when you put a bunch of end of bench scrubs out at the end of the game and everyone is trying to go 1 on 5. That's how bad our bench is.

 

Hood tore his Achilles a year ago

 

Did I need to spell that out in my post? Because it's pretty obvious that plays a factor in him looking unconfident.