We need a change right now. Be it a coaching change or a trade, whatever it is. Just in hopes of waking up the team and bringing in a new perspective. But if history is any indication, our moron coach will make a scapegoat of a young player and destroy his confidence while making an inane lineup change.
I've seen our lack of depth brought up a lot. And how in our 54 win season, we had so much depth. Deepest in the league, yadda yadda. That year our bench was Sergio, Rudy, Outlaw and half time, Joel. With bits of Channing and Bayless. Sergio, Rudy, Outlaw, Joel. Johnson, Rudy, matthews, Cunningham. Soon Joel. How is the lack of depth the issue? Seems a fairly similar bench. I dunno. I think it's a lack of specific talent, poor execution, poor game plan, and ill fitting parts. So it's on the coach, the GM(previous, more so), and the players.
Also, did I read something about killing Batum's trade value? What the fuck. You don't look to trade every fucking player when his value seems high. Sometimes, you actually want to develop and keep your own players.
Well if he's inconsistent he shouldn't be starting. He's looking like yet another Blazer that isn't able to take the next step right now.
lack of depth in the big man department. Aldridge doesn't have a legitimate backup, nor does Camby at this time.
After 25 games last year the team was 14-11 and everyone was saying the same things then they're saying now. It kind of continued until the team got Camby and then they took off. I think you guys just like whining. The team is 8-8 right now without even coming close to playing a full game with 4 losses sprinkled in there that could have easily been wins. Basically the only thing separating OKC and the Blazers right now are the two comeback wins OKC has on Portland. That's it. It's nothing. Soon Joel will be back and the bench will be a little more balanced. It will definitely help. In the meantime try not to jump off a bridge because the team is .500 in November with 5 months left to play.
Most of us do. Putting Nic in the corner for 20 secs of the shot clock while Roy, Dre, or Aldridge go one on one is not the right system for him. I hate how we're wasting his talent. He's been known as a guy who disappears in games, but part of that has to be this garbage offense that Nate has him playing in with no movement, no fastbreaks, and no cutting.
I think Cho sees assets as assets. Batum is wildly inconsistent but full of the classic "upside" that Blazer fans love. If there are good deals out there, nobody is untouchable.
Didn't that team have a healthy Oden and Roy until mid-December? Now with Oden's future seriously in question and a gimpy Roy, things are obviously a lot less rosey. This team is playing .500 ball and hasn't made any significant improvements on either end of the court.
Agreed. Coaching is one of the main reasons of why were average right now. Another is no depth in the size department. I don't have any stats on me, but I'm sure when Batum scores atleast 15 points our record is infinitely better, were lacking scoring options and it was the right move for Nate to bench Batum at the beginning of the 2nd half, he was playing like shit. Another problem with this team is Aldridge, as much as many of you hate to admit. The guy has no cajones and disappears for long stretches of the game. To get 5 boards in almost 40 minutes against the Nets frontcourt is pathetic. Losing big leads in the 2nd half of games comes down to bad coaching. Bad execution. Especially to young team like the Nets, that should never happen. I know I'm preaching to the choir, but I want to see some ball movement, some cutting, something. This offense is pathetic!
Agree. Nate never calls a timeout to stop the opposition's run when there is a big lead. He will always wait until the lead is totally gone or the other team has actually taken the lead. I've seen Popovich call a timeout immediately after a team scores one bucket when the Spurs have a big lead. Pop is an excellent coach and knows that teams relax and lose focus when they get big leads. That's how you keep big leads. You have to keep the team focused. Its not a coincidence that Portland consistently loses big leads.
Yeah, they were 12-8 in games Oden played in. Wow! And Roy has played well the past two games. The team is a .500 team right now and will be getting Przy back. The last two years has told us they're better than a .500 team and there's no reason why the team this year can't be the 50 win team they were the year before. Just because it isn't clicking in Novemeber doesn't mean it never will.
I'm surprised NOBODY mentioned Brandon banged knees HARD with Favors and was noticeably limping after and wincing.
Regardless, losing to the frickin NJ Nets when they're on the second night of a back to back is a horrible sign. We look like a fringe eighth seed right now. And that's being generous. Damnit. When did this happen? I was watching Marv/Czar.
New York blew out Portland last year in NY. Big deal, one game. It's only November. There will be plenty of ups and downs like always. How they look in the 1st month of the season doesn't mean much. Roy banged knees, limped, then seemed to walk it off. Looked fine at the end of the game going for the rebound.
You could be right, but I wouldn't bet a nickel on this team suddenly morphing into a super competitive squad ... there is a real lack of "something" with this group (aside from front-court depth).
And I wouldn't bet on you to bet on it. You've always been more of a pessimistic/glass half empty type.
You seem to have added more to your post that I didn't get to address. I'm not saying the Blazers will be a serious contender(odds are they won't be w/o a trade), but they'll certainly be competitive and earn a playoff spot. The starting 5 is too good not to and once Joel is back the bench will be a little more balanced.
