Game Thread 2022-23 Game #49 - BLAZERS VS RAPTORS - JANUARY 28, 2023 - SATURDAY - 7:00 PM (PDT) ROOT

[Fairly-Hard]

We need to trade Simons for a legit starting forward. That alone would do so much to change this team. We. Dont. Need.two.chuckers.

As long as whoever he is traded for can score the ball. 7 points in a quarter gets pretty old fast.

 

[blazedanugz]

This is the first time in years I’ve started to just not care anymore. It sucks..
Just uninspiring basketball. Where did the team from the beginning of the season go? So much energy….this is just bad. Doesn’t look like anyone wants to be here.

 

[Whyachi]

Eubanks was a special kind of bad this game

Blazers defense was in complete disarray (as usual). Toronto Forwards were powering shots up near the hoop all night. Drew kept getting caught in no man's land, trying to help his undersized teammates defend the basket. Luckily the refs felt bad for Eubanks, and allowed him more then the allocated 3 seconds to play illegal defense.

 

[Whyachi]

This is the first time in years I’ve started to just not care anymore. It sucks..
Just uninspiring basketball. Where did the team from the beginning of the season go? So much energy….this is just bad. Doesn’t look like anyone wants to be here.

It's a stat padding season. The Blazers big 3 play almost the entire game, while filling the box score with a plethora of numbers. The fantasy basketball community goes to great lengths to defend the Coach, defend the GM, defend this style of play. Problem is, we're in the drudges of midseason, and all those extra minutes have caught up to Portland. The Blazers can look tired, beaten and uninspired, unless of course they're running offense and trying to get more stats.

 

[HomerLovesKoolAid]

Blazers defense was in complete disarray (as usual). Toronto Forwards were powering shots up near the hoop all night. Drew kept getting caught in no man's land, trying to help his undersized teammates defend the basket. Luckily the refs felt bad for Eubanks, and allowed him more then the allocated 3 seconds to play illegal defense.

If I see Eubanks tip another ball out toward the arc I'm gonna lose my shit.
If you can get one hand on it grab it! Another bs tactic of the modern NBA, like giving up a lay in to pass to the 3 pt line.
Real rebounders, Buck Williams, Moses, Rodman, Michael Cage got one hand on the ball and it was theirs.
The only tipping was to themselves.
Are we playing volleyball here?

 

[Fairly-Hard]

If I see Eubanks tip another ball out toward the arc I'm gonna lose my shit.
If you can get one hand on it grab it! Another bs tactic of the modern NBA, like giving up a lay in to pass to the 3 pt line.
Real rebounders, Buck Williams, Moses, Rodman, Michael Cage got one hand on the ball and it was theirs.
The only tipping was to themselves.
Are we playing volleyball here?

Marcus Camby made an art form out of it.

 

[HailBlazers]

The worst was when Grant tipped the jump ball to Siakam.

 

[TBpup]

...... Prior to Cronin there was willingness to speculate in tax with the possibility of making a contender. Now it's probably no tax until there is a contender

If they re-sign Grant, it will take some serious tap-dancing to stay under the Lux Tax next season, let alone wait for a contender.

Trade Hart for another ending contract? (But then basically, we have let Hart go for nothing)
Trade Nurk for an ending contract and then try to sign someone to play Center that makes a lot less? Possible, but what option out there does that and makes them better?

They are just paying too much for the players they have for the results they are getting, and it is going to be tough to significantly change that. The one hope is that Sharpe blows up while he is on his rookie contract.

 

[Strenuus]

If they re-sign Grant, it will take some serious tap-dancing to stay under the Lux Tax next season, let alone wait for a contender.

Trade Hart for another ending contract? (But then basically, we have let Hart go for nothing)
Trade Nurk for an ending contract and then try to sign someone to play Center that makes a lot less? Possible, but what option out there does that and makes them better?

They are just paying too much for the players they have for the results they are getting, and it is going to be tough to significantly change that. The one hope is that Sharpe blows up while he is on his rookie contract.

The only right answer is trading Simons.

 

[wizenheimer]

If they re-sign Grant, it will take some serious tap-dancing to stay under the Lux Tax next season, let alone wait for a contender.

Trade Hart for another ending contract? (But then basically, we have let Hart go for nothing)
Trade Nurk for an ending contract and then try to sign someone to play Center that makes a lot less? Possible, but what option out there does that and makes them better?

They are just paying too much for the players they have for the results they are getting, and it is going to be tough to significantly change that. The one hope is that Sharpe blows up while he is on his rookie contract.

yeah, if you assume that any players traded are going to be traded for equal salary, it becomes a chore to stay under the tax line next season, even if it's a 160M tax line. But it's do-able if they save salary in trades

so far, Ant and Nurkic have been disappointments in my view. Ant has lived up to his perceived upside yet and Nurkic is more inconsistent than ever. I have alway maintained they were re-signed for too much, but that's mainly because I'm convinced there was not much market, at all, for either last summer. I suppose something good can be said for 'rewarding' players though. And it isn't a big difference between what they make/will-make and what I think they should. What's important is that neither is untouchable and Cronin is exploring options for their talent and contracts

the luxury tax is failing, and failing big time in my view. It's a 150M tax threshold and look at the 10 most expensive rosters:



on average, for veteran teams to be a contender they have to be 20M over the tax line

Denver has 3 guys making over 30M; Portland has one. Mathematically, if Portland wants to be a contender, they'd need to trade both Ant and Nurkic for guys making considerably more. And LOL at Seattle ever agreeing to that

 

[BBert]

If I see Eubanks tip another ball out toward the arc I'm gonna lose my shit.
If you can get one hand on it grab it! Another bs tactic of the modern NBA, like giving up a lay in to pass to the 3 pt line.
Real rebounders, Buck Williams, Moses, Rodman, Michael Cage got one hand on the ball and it was theirs.
The only tipping was to themselves.
Are we playing volleyball here?

What does Drew Eubanks have to do with those guys? Drew makes the absolute most out of his ability, and he's still not in their ballpark.

 

[BBert]

If the Blazers end up in the lottery I'd be all for trading the pick and players for a PF/Center.

 

[THE HCP]

This is the first time in years I’ve started to just not care anymore. It sucks..
Just uninspiring basketball. Where did the team from the beginning of the season go? So much energy….this is just bad. Doesn’t look like anyone wants to be here.

It’s called advanced scouting son. Usually kicks in after the first 30 days of the season.

 

[Fairly-Hard]

It’s called advanced scouting son. Usually kicks in after the first 30 days of the season.

Funny how that works?

 

[blazedanugz]

It’s called advanced scouting son. Usually kicks in after the first 30 days of the season.

yeah not so sure about that. I was alluding more towards the effort. You’re definitely right it does play a part but this team plays completely different than the beginning of the season