Game Thread Game #57 - BLAZERS VS KNICKS - FEBRUARY 12, 2022 - SATURDAY - 2:00 PM (PDT) ROOT SPORTS

But, yeah, Hart was destined to be a fan favorite.

Like someone else said, if you teach young guys to win, that's a lot more important than losing for the sake of a better draft pick in a draft with one or maybe two really star-level players and a lot of really even guys. The odds still are the Blazers won't get through the play-in round (even if they make it into that) and that they wouldn't win the No 1 overall pick either. The only thing bugging me now is that Pelicans being protected in the top four because that team looks flawed.

Heck, pretty much the whole NBA is flawed. On paper, the Lakers, Nets and Celtics are among your most-talented teams and they look like garbage. There's parity across the league. Teach your players how to defend, how to share the ball -- pros should be able to make open shots, so Chauncey's job is to get them open shots and keep the other team from getting them. Add a little more talent, get Dame back.

But building the proper culture is as important as having talented players. Look around the NBA right now and you can see it.

 

Call it what it is: when Dame comes back he’s gotta be a lot better defensively, because that’s the only way the pairing with Ant will work. Ant at least shows a want to and has more physical tools, especially when he’s defending point guards. So again for that pairing to work, Dame needs to be better. Luckily Billups prioritizes that end of the floor. And Dame has it in him, we’ve seen enough flashes of him defensively. And I trust he will buy in. But if he doesn’t...we gotta do what we gotta do. I actually wouldn’t be surprised if he leaned out this summer and came into camp next year in the *cliche* best shape of his life.

 

As long as dame doesn't have a massive load to carry offensively, motivation should not be an issue

 

Like I've been saying all week...
Getting rid of Cj= ball movement,
Getting rid of RoCo and his boneheadness also opens up time for others who aren't so "bone headed" and who are hungry..
Getting rid of Norm who was a "hollow" player. undersized,..lack of impact plays, overrated on defense...Think Winslow, or Hart..or even Little...
ADDITION BY SUBTRACTION!!!!!!!
For the first time all year, it really is a great day to be a Blazer, this team is fun.
But these next few will most likely make the tankers happy.

 

Lillard believing he has a massive load to carry is another thing that needs to change.

 

Can't say how many times I said we gonna like Winslow

 

I have never shaved my head or chewed tin foil. Now, game recap?

 

I’ve been in a ballet and several operas.

 

First score was a Hart 3. Led 12-2. Trailed by 23 in third. Held Knicks to 5 points in last 8 minutes of game. Defense was best in years with Hart and Winslow leading the way. Simons hit shots. We won.

 

poor first half. Down 23 midway through 3rd. Suddenly the guys started hustling, defending, being hungry and not settling. Hart was good, Ant was great and in control, Winslow was wonderful and the team really played as a team. Great win and worth watching if you can find a replay.

 

It's nice having multiple wings that can dribble and pass again.

Opens up your transition game and really helps the flow offensively when you have more than 1-2 guys in the lineup that can attack an advantage and keep the play moving.

I've always been a Winslow fan. You have to build lineups around his skill set a bit and idk if he's a playoff player, but I'd hold on to him.

 

That has always been my desire. Both Winslow and Watford can help with that at PF. (off the bench) At times we can have 4 players on the floor that can push the pace.

 

Sure thing. There were some guys in tights and girls in tutus, or maybe the other way around, I forget, but it went our way in the end.

 

The Knicks TV guys said that Simons made 67 threes in the month of January. For a player 22 or younger, that's the most ever, by a margin of 14 (threes).

 

Great players make great teams

 

Billups is starting to get players that play his way. Nothing against Powell or CJ but they were both me first guys on offense, neither liked passing the ball.

I know it’s one game in for Hart and Winslow but both play Billups/Old school type basketball. Get in your face on defense, unselfish on offense and just smart basketball.

Simmons is gaining so much confidence closing out games, taking and hitting big shots with defenses that are keying on him. This is so valuable and would never have happened with Dame and CJ playing.

While Nurk can be annoying to some his presence creates so much attention for other teams it really opens up the offensive end.

bad Juju, I’m no longer rooting for them to lose I just won’t be as upset when they do

 

Hart had only 1 rebound. He's not even at his peak

 

That’s laying it in a little thick don’t you think?

 

One of the best shows I have ever seen was Hansel & Gretel done as an opera at the Met.
Absolutely fantastic.