I've enjoyed this season a lot mainly because each game now I can just enjoy the little things. I don't really care if we lose games now because half our team is hurt. Do I want us to win every game? Of course. I get excited when we win. But when we lose I just shrug and go "half our team was hurt--we'll get 'em next year".
Give me a break. No team has EVER had to endure the kind of injury onslaught we have suffered this year. That Portland has continued to play well, despite losing Oden, Pryzbilla, Outlaw, Batum, Fernandez, Roy, et al, is practically a miracle.
29-21 and in playoff position is not the "season from hell". Seeing Greg go down broke all of our hearts, and when Joel went down it just felt so unjust. But they kept winning and it was special. My favorite road trip of ALL TIME was the Olrando, Miami, Dallas, San Antonio. We just kept losing troops and ended up winning in two buildings we NEVER win in. Maybe I'm being optimistic but I'm not giving up on this season. I know the West is tough, but the worst we can be at the break is 4 games over .500 (if we go 0-5, which we won't) Let's say we go 2-3, we go to the break 8 games over .500 and our schedule is much more favorable in the 2nd half. Plus, we're getting guys back. If we are able to make a deal for a big man, I really like our chances to make some noise in the 2nd half. I still think we could make a playoff run THIS season. The season from hell would be enduring all the injuries and being 20-30 after 50 games.
I'm proud of the team and amazed that they have a winning record despite all the injuries. However, I'm disappointed in the season as I expected us to be contenders this year.
We are going to break their 2005 record of most games missed due to injury - it's already been decided (we can safely assume Oden & Pryz won't be back this season) Even if Travis & Roy came back tonight and nobody missed anymore games, the record is ours. Think about that - all time record. And still 29-21.
While I do still consider it a "Bleak Winter" or a "Lost Season", there has been a lot of good to come out of it: there's talent in the late 1st round/early 2nd round, and we know now that KP can mine those veins of gold. This is good to know, because when uninjured, we'll be getting a lot of those late 1st round picks. Nate has learned to better accept players with established methods of working; we are now more likely to integrate well with a free agent or received player from a trade. We have learned who plays well together, in which roles, and why. Extra minutes (including starter's minutes for some otherwise warming the bench) gave the front office and coaching staff insights. Look at how well we use Bayless now in late-game situations. Look at how well Howard has done, not only as a stop-gap player, but as a mentor. Without minutes, his rookies might not have learned so well or quickly. See how Nate no longer pulls players after one mistake or two fouls. He plays the hot hand more. The team is gelling, and in unexpected ways. Dante and Batum in the same lineup? That would never have happened without these injuries; we know now that Dante is a young Ime Udoka, and that he and Bayless are smothering without being foul-prone. They will likely be a great defensive pair without sacrificing offense. There are so many positives to take out of what looked like a desolate proposition. I'm with Shooter: this has been a season that will be remembered, and not only for the injuries.
I've enjoyed watching the team overachieve this season. I think that it sucks that we haven't been able to see what this team could have done without the injury plague, but it's probably helped in the development of the young guys, so we may be better for it in the long run. I'm not counting this a lost season at all. Frankly, with the improving injury situation (likely everybody back but Joel and Greg after the All-Star break) and the relative lack of truly dominating teams this year, I think that if KP can pull off a deal for a decent big man before the deadline there's no reason that the Blazers can't still make the playoffs interesting. The schedule looks pretty favorable in March, so if the Blazers can hang close through this month, getting homecourt advantage isn't out of the question.
So with all that said, how can this be a "lost season"? One of the catch-22's of our roster depth was our said "overvaluing" of bench/role players. Bayless, Rudy, Webster, etc. The catch-22 part was that nobody got to see what they can do, which made them tough to trade. How much has Bayless helped his trade value? Or Webster? I'm not saying you trade these guys, but you certainly could now b/c they've shown flashes of brilliance. It's hard to pull off a consolidation trade when nobody sees the value of the young players we covet. There is flexibility now that wasn't there before. Even if there is no trade by the deadline, this summer could be interesting.
Its a lost season because next season will essentially be what this season was supposed to be. our team at full strength.
For me, I meant "lost season" in regards to championship window. It's still a valuable season for player development.
Going into this season, I don't think many folks really thought that the Blazers were ready to make a serious challenge for the title this year. It was expected that they'd make the playoffs, probably win a first round, and that anything after that would be gravy. Frankly, I don't think we're that far away from being able to do that this year even with the injury situation.
It still is, pushes the window back one year because our team chemistry will change again and this "player development" just may go out the window.
Or the Golden State Warriors of this year. I believe they've had more injuries than we have, and while they're not as high in the standings, they weren't as good BEFORE the injuries, either. I don't love this season. I'm not "proud" of the team. This year has been one of disappointment for me as a fan. I was looking forward to seeing Oden and Batum and Roy and Aldridge and Miller in the starting five. I was looking forward to seeing whether Martell would be able to contribute to the rotation, what Rudy and Bayless would do as they get more experienced, and whether the team would be able to make a consolidation trade. Instead, this team has been injured in a variety of ways from day one. I don't blame the players, but I don't enjoy this season more for being mediocre in spite of the massive number of injuries, and I don't take pride that a bunch of good players are able to win basketball games. And that's what these guys are: good basketball players. For the most part, they're first rounders and even lottery picks who are winning games. It's not like there's a bunch of D League guys filling out the roster and we're in the driver's seat for HCA. Ed O.
Can't judge the heart and desire of a team before it goes through some adversity. This season is the first time this roster has faced major adversity and they responded by fighting back and staying a float in the playoff race. So to me, this has been memorable season as it's the first time we've really been able to get a grip on it's mental make-up and I've been impressed. Sucks to struggle this year, but in years to come they'll be able to draw from this years experience when and if things look bleak. Perhaps a 7th game on the road in an NBA Finals?? One can hope!
That's a bit disingenuous to say, though... you've never really been the type to get "proud" of a sports team anyway.
nah i disagree ed-o... we beat the warriors on January 2nd without LA, rudy, batum, joel, oden, blake and outlaw. thats insane... we beat the spurs without roy in SA. this season has been a nightmare for many reasons but the fact that we are alive is really hard to believe. you take away 1-2 key players from any team in the nba and they tank 99% of the time. what the blazers have gone through with just nate and paul allen is crazy. this season had a dark cloud from day 1. making the playoiffs is expected imo but with everything thats happened we should be 5-6 back for the 8 seed. also hcp just said it best... "could be a lot worse." that couldnt be more true. infact his best post ever!
