according to "teh plan" this was supposed to be the first of our 10 consecutive NBA championships with Roy/Oden/LMA dominating the league.
http://www.basketball-reference.com/teams/POR/ 2010-11 Lost Western Conference First Round 2009-10 Lost Western Conference First Round 2008-09 Lost Western Conference First Round 2007-08 No playoffs 2006-07 No playoffs 2005-06 No playoffs 2004-05 No playoffs 2003-04 No playoffs 2002-03 Lost Western Conference First Round 2001-02 Lost Western Conference First Round 2000-01 Lost Western Conference First Round 1999-00 Lost Western Conference Finals 1998-99 Lost Western Conference Finals 1997-98 Lost Western Conference First Round 1996-97 Lost Western Conference First Round 1995-96 Lost Western Conference First Round 1994-95 Lost Western Conference First Round 1993-94 Lost Western Conference First Round 1992-93 Lost Western Conference First Round 1991-92 Lost Finals 1990-91 Lost Western Conference Finals 1989-90 Lost Finals 1988-89 Lost Western Conference First Round 1987-88 Lost Western Conference First Round 1986-87 Lost Western Conference First Round 1985-86 Lost Western Conference First Round 1984-85 Lost Western Conference Semifinals 1983-84 Lost Western Conference First Round 1982-83 Lost Western Conference Semifinals 1981-82 No playoffs 1980-81 Lost Western Conference First Round 1979-80 Lost Western Conference First Round 1978-79 Lost Western Conference First Round 1977-78 Lost Western Conference Semifinals 1976-77 Won Finals 1975-76 No playoffs 1974-75 No playoffs 1973-74 No playoffs 1972-73 No playoffs 1971-72 No playoffs 1970-71 No playoffs How a city with a fervent fan base as Portland continues to excuse and tolerate mediocrity is beyond me.
I don't think we "excuse" anything. Part of the reason the fanbase is so juiced all the time is because we're desperate for any sort of success.
You really have to score a superstar on draft day and then have the luck that he don't get injured. Portland scored twice with Roy and Oden (LMA too), but bad luck on the injury front robbed the two of the chance to be in the discussion for league's best player. Bulls advanced one time past the 1st round in 13 years since Jordan. They had #1 picks and #2 picks that didn't pan out, and a devastating injury to Jay Williams along the way. We finally hit pay dirt with Rose, but even he didn't become an MVP candidate until season 3. I'm still hopeful about Roy. It seems to me a lot of posters expect him to come back too soon from his injuries. He also rushed himself back to play in the playoffs last year, which I think set back his recovery. It's easy to expect the worst for him, but a lot of guys play on bad knees at a high level. You guys saw Pippen do it, and he was a much older guy at the time.
In the 13 years since Jordan, the Blazers, afraid to change, have had 3 coaches--Mike Dunleavy (last 3 of the 4 years he was here), Maurice Cheeks 4, and Nate McMillan 6. Total 13. In that time, the Bulls have tried 6 coaches--Tim Floyd 3 years, Bill Cartwright 2, Jim Boylan 1, Scott Skiles 4, Vinny Del Negro 2, and Tom Thibodeau 1. Would they have gotten to Thibodeau if they had stuck with his predecessors for 8 years, scared of change? (8 years = McMillan has 6 years + 2 more unless Allen hears us screaming.) 3 coaches vs. 6 coaches. The Bulls weren't as patient as you think. Changing coaches got them the best record in the league this year.
Tom Thibodeau has done better in one season than Nate has in his entire Blazer career. To quote a starving vulture: "patience my ass - it's time to kill something!"
Derrick Rose makes any coach look like a genius. I don't think Thibs wins more than 41 with last year's roster and the injuries...
Brandon Roy is no longer a superstar, he's a role player... the lost cartilage in his knees isn't coming back. While he can occasionally get it going offensively, he's always going to be a porous sieve on D. Once they received the ball the eyes got wide of whichever Mav had him covering him as they knew it was feeding time. I'm much more hopeful about Greg STOMP
You're wasting your time trying to convince some people that talent is the main factor. I thinks Thibs is a good coach and I totally agree with your assessment. Give Nate Durant and we've probably already gone to the conference finals.
Now you're just talking out of your ass . . . how in the world could we have gotten Durant? You and your pie in the sky thinking . . .
Haha... you're not the first person to call me crazy! Just think of it as a hypothetical, not something that could have actually happened
Give Nate Durant and he would have him dribbling around playing 1-on-1. His teammates would stand there watching, waiting for him to do everything. On Durant's cold nights, we'd be saying, he sure has gone downhill from last year. Nate just can't make a whole team work. He makes one hero work, but that leader will have his off-nights, and then, Nate is lost.
That's a great story. I could write a long drawn out story about all the reasons we would win an NBA championship this year with Durant. Neither would mean much since we've never seen Nate coach a player as good at Durant and we probably never will.
The results are in! I just finished slaving over my latest spreadsheet! Now for the quiz question. Who is the 23rd-greatest coach in NBA history, according to my list? You'll never guess! That's right, who, once Nate has finished his 8 years with this team, are the longest-lasting coaches with the same team, as of 2 years from now, assuming no one passes Nate? You'll never guess who is 23rd! After someone gets it right, I'll reward him with the award, a kick in the ass, so bend over and smile when you guess! You will also get to see my list posted right here in this thread! Alright, I'm ready to hear all the guesses! Who is the 23rd-greatest coach in NBA history, rated by how long they lasted with one team, once Nate has finished his 8 years with this team, as of 2 years from now, assuming no one passes Nate? I'll return in a day and tell you! Wild guesses are okay! Edit: Maybe I should mention, my list doesn't add 2 years to any current coach except Nate! Sorry to throw you off there if you've already started your calculations! Edit: My list includes the ABA and BAA! If not for that, the mystery coach would rank 20th all-time!
