We REALLY need a healthy Damian Lillard to really find out how real it really is. Payton wouldn’t hurt either.
the defense has gone to shit. dame ain't changing that.honestly, this is reminiscent of last year when it looked above average to start but went completely to hell once teams started figuring it out. Just lasted longer this year.
yeah its tough to gauge when we've had so many injuries, but we are probably a .500 team, maybe modestly better if we can gel and stay healthy, nut that's about it IMO
Dame won’t improve the defense, but he sure makes a difference in avoiding the scoring droughts that have killed the Blazers their last few games. Getting Payton healthy should make a significant difference on the defensive end. Also, just getting Hart back, and even Little back, so we don’t have to play the end of the bench guys, will make a big difference. That said, I didn’t buy into the hype when the Blazers were winning, and I’m not buying into the gloom now that they’re losing. I think that it remains to be seen what their ceiling is when healthy, but my bet would be on about a 5-6 seed.
I think the playin is most likely. CB needs to go back to the drawing board. Do what it takes to keep Dame happy but plan for the future! More young talent. Sharpe and Ant are just a start. The others dont move the needle but are good pieces for the bench. Sharpe just needs time.
With a healthy Dame we're much better than this... that's all there is to it. I guess we'll all just wait and see. 7-4 with Dame and 4-7 without him.
Dame does change the defense actually. Our defensive rating is far better with Dame because our offensive efficiency is which gives us a chance to get set defensively. Also when our offense is clicking and our team is deeper it gives our guys more energy to do the things that make Chauncey ball effective.
While older players (even beloved ones) have honed their skills and understand how to win they also tend to miss more and more games as they age. Older fans have come to expect this as they've seen it play out many times. I'm hoping for a roster where the best players are more or less on the same time line so they can grow and eventually contend. If completely heathy, maybe this roster can get past the first round but I don't see them as contenders. STOMP
If Nurk is able to continue making 3's at apace that makes defenders guard him, it opens some things up.
You're probably right, but it seems like his % is the same for both lay ups and 3 pointers... He misses so many around the rim it drives me insane.
fwiw eddie johnson and justin termine said Shaedon's dunk last night was the best of the year. So I got that going for me... they of course think Shar was a brilliant pick
We don't need to have him waiting outside for threes. He is generally the biggest dude in the game. He needs to crash in the paint, get advantage, in front of his defender, get fed, and destroy. When he is inside a lot, I see him letting smaller defenders box him out and he doesn't try to get advantage. It's frustrating.
I see your point and you're not wrong. The problem is that a lot of our offense starts with Nurk at the top of the arc screening and handing off the ball to our guards. If he's going to be up there, he has to keep the defense honest with an occasional three ball. At least, that's the theory.
He needs to set the screen and then move inside. Chauncey should try having Someone else set the screen and have him inside.
Im thinking once we get Dame, Hart, Naz, Keon back and the addition of The Mitt I think this team will Connect once more and play as they did first 15 games. The other thing I think has been a factor is when their offense falls flat after Grant and Ant thats has a significant effect on how they play D. When this team plays O and moves the ball around and push's the ball is when they play tougher D as a group. Just my opinion.
