Memphis is experienced and they lost to GS by 50. The 2000 Blazers was very talented and experienced and they blew Game 7. This shit happens to every team. Detroit is younger than us. Aminu, Dame, CJ, Leonard, Plumlee and Davis all have playoff experience as rotational players. We'll win more than we lose.
The roster isn't inexperienced but just not clicking as a unit the way it will in the future...they need to build chemistry more than anything and from what I've seen, are ahead of the curve...enter Alexander and Henderson and we'll have to give them a chance to gel before we expect a finished product on the court..it's fun to watch
We are younger than Detroit by more than a year (we average 24.0, they average 25.2). We are the third youngest team in the league, and the third youngest Blazers squad ever. Learn the game, then post.
It's not just inexperience in terms of age. It's inexperience in terms of cohesion and chemistry. Most of the team was not on this roster last year. It takes time to build chemistry. When I say "inexperience" I'm not just talking about years in the league. That's part of it. It's also numbers of games played. Most of the guys on our team weren't starters last year. Hell, most of them weren't even in a rotation last year. That plays a HUGE part it knowing how to deal with a run like last night.
But chemistry hasn't been our problem. You've been watching. We share the ball and get lots of easy baskets from our passing. I don't think that was the problem last night. Drummond and Jackson just played out of their mind and it caught us off guard. Hats off to Detroit. They have a chance to win the East.
But they got together in San Diego in September and probably our best attribute this year was how well they play TOGETHER. Cohesion hasn't been the problem. Look at how we destroyed Memphis.
Even with good chemistry, Dame can't always nail a pass to Plumlee or Davis because they haven't worked out each others' tendencies yet. I see Davis set a great pick, then roll on the same side Dame tries to drive on, causing a mess of a play because they just haven't had enough time to feel each other's tendencies out yet. The chemistry is there, but (to put it in relationship terms) even two people with great chemistry can have awkward sex the first few time.
Flashes of chemistry isn't the same thing as knowing your teammates inside and out. Knowing where they'll be. Knowing how they like to pass or shoot. Knowing what to do when your team is in drought. We just don't have that yet.
Well...... it IS important.... just look at how shitty LA looks on a team of a bunch of guys who have played together for a long time.
LMA looks bad because he is a $million body with a $10 head and a $0.10 heart. He is suddenly finding out what it means to not be coddled by the franchise. Pops doesn't tolerate divas.
Big difference. We don't have a fat diva "superstar" showing up in October and trying to gel with a bunch of guys who've won championships together. We have a small core of guys who've grown together the last two years with a leader who has welcomed the new guys and got them all together in September in San Diego. And we have a great coach who has risen to the challenge of sorting through all the new talent and getting them all on the same page.
