I don't know how many times I have to say this but we are basketball fans, not hockey fans. There are never five player substitutions in the NBA unless it's garbage time at the end of a blowout. We have rotations. It makes no sense to have Nurk coming off of the bench in my opinion and I don't think Stotts would ever let a player lose his starting spot to injury. Again, this idea of a second unit has got to stop, there's no such thing.
As far as the team goes, I give Dame some damn respect because he's winning these games for us. We're the fifth place team in the West and we're as close to being in the play-in as we are to the fourth seed. We have a negative point differential which again points to the fact that without Dame's heroics we'd be in a really bad spot. We are getting back the guys who are supposed to be our second and third best players. So after I see them perform and take us to a much higher level, I'll give this team some damn respect. Right now we don't have a top four record in our conference which means we're trending towards another first round exit. I have no respect for that and want wholesale changes if it happens... hell I want wholesale changes if we can't make it through the second round and have a good showing in the conference finals. (These "wholesale changes" I'm talking about mean building a contender around Dame not trading him)
You've seen CJ play already...he was putting up career numbers and we have the best starting record in years this season....that deserves respect. Enes had his 20th double double of the season last night...that too deserves respect....this thread is about showing that respect...there are plenty of threads for reasons not to respect them...can we have one that supports respecting them now? I don't want to read posts about why we should blow up the team in this thread or why we should fire the coach, etc....there has to be something you can bring here that adds to the respect theme...
We had a worse winning percentage with CJ but he looked great... so of course I respect him. Enes is a rebounding machine who finishes well around the basket... of course I respect him. I'm saying, when the team is trending towards doing something more than what is absolutely mediocre, then I'll give the team some damn respect. If you want to put that on Stotts for coaching or Olshey for not putting the right pieces together even though they are talented, go for it. If you want to put it on a player or collection of guys, go for it. I don't know who is to blame. It's nice that we've stayed in the playoff race despite our injuries but the only thing I will respect from this team, led by a bona fide MVP candidate, is success in the conference finals. Nothing less.
I would hope that the Vulcans have a better clue than I do but I like the idea of Shane Battier as GM. He's been working in the Heat organization's front office for a while under Pat Riley and was always considered one of the smartest players in the game. As far as head coach, I would like Brian Shaw. I know he didn't have the best time in Denver as head coach but he's been an associate head coach a couple times, won championships as a player and assistant, has been doing well by all accounts with the GLeague select team, is big on accountability but as a former player has the understanding to pull that off and has a longstanding relationship with Dame.
If they must change coach, and I'm not sold, Becky Hammon. Paid her dues as assistant under one of the best. I give them respect. I give them love.
Ahh, the old sidestep to win a sports argument. "I make a rule! You can't call for change unless you have done the boss' job and interviewed applicants!"
I would be surprised if we won 10 of those games. I'm just using the present roster, didn't see your qualifier.
While not the same as missing 35 straight games, I believe Lillard has missed 35 games in his career. Portland's record in those games: 17-18
Melo has won this team no less than 4 games this year. We all know Roco has played a huge role in about 4 more. Kanter can take about 3 of those wins as well. I agree Lillard has been huge in 8 or 9 of them. Also CJ helped big in about 6 or 7 games before getting hurt. They have played 35 games. 21 wins i guess you could say Lillard was a huge reason but you have to admit he doesn't come up clutch without the team playing well at times. Seriously those stops against both the Warriors and Kings in the last two games were huge.
Brian Shaw is also from Oakland. Might be a good choice but he would get raked over the coals quickly. Two years in Denver with a decent roster. Pre injury McGee, Faried, Chandler, Foye. He had Andre Miller off the bench and JJ Hickson Ty Lawson, Nate Robinson, Mozgov, He had the players to be better than a 20-30 win team. Overall record 56-85 through 1.5 years with a .397 (and was dropping) win record. at 20-39 .339 percentage the second year they fired him. Hit the reset button. Denver went with Melvin Hunt for the remainder and then hired current Coach Mike Malone. This leads me to where they are now. The Nuggets are sitting with a player many feel is a MVP caliber center. Certainly an All Star. Murray, Porter, Harris, Milsap (when healthy), Barton, Dozier, Compazzo. Couple guys who's names i can't pronounce. Is Malone on the hot seat? Their fan boards hate the guy. This is the same Nuggets team that fired George Karl after winning COY I think Brian Shaw might be as good of a pick as any but be prepared to have to remove him within two years and start over. Then maybe get another coach that wins during the regular season at a .520-.540 pace and then wins a series or two in the playoffs for another few years. You see where I'm going here right?
Personally, I can't believe that we get to watch Dame do his thing every night. It's like getting to watch Kobe. It's really a once in a lifetime event to have a guy like this, so clutch and so fun to watch, on your team. Go Blazers!
