Game Thread GAME# 1: JAZZ @ BLAZERS - DECEMBER 23, 2020 - WEDNESDAY, 7:00 PM, NBCSNW

Seems unlikely that Cleveland would want to give up their cap space and a young player to take on a guy making all-star money who is a liability 50% of the time.

 

Fair enough, I was kind of thinking the same thing but wasn't sure and thought that scenario would be pretty good for us. I also thought maybe that the Cavs would want to pair another developed player with Love but what you said does make sense.

 

I hope you are right... I would love to get CJ off the books and upgrade in talent. Would easily be worth a 1st round pick!

 

With Westbrook and likely Harden moving East and Klay out with injury, CJ may very well be an All Star this year. In fact, if we are Top 3 when voting happens, it’s almost certain.

 

If Harden is gone I think it's exciting that Dame may get the start but that'll probably go to Steph. The thing about CJ is that Steph will be back and Booker will likely take that other spot before CJ (remember last season he made it as an alternate) and that would cover it if the rest of last season's all-stars make it. Klay being out doesn't really free up a new spot because he was out last year as well.

There are also young guys like Ja and Jamal Murray and who knows what John Wall will look like... if he looks good he'd make it ahead of any guy going for his first all star game just because the politics of being a "perennial all star". I do hope CJ plays at a level that puts him in the conversation more than he has been before.

 

Steph
Dame
CP3
Booker
Luka
Mitchell
Morant
Murry

He was 17th in voting among backcourt players last year.

 

Don't let facts and common sense get in the way of Jinx's hopes and dreams!

 

uh. Nurk estimates he's 70% there to regular game shape. I get the abbreviated training camp and abrupt start to the season, but I wonder how Dame feels about that considering the expectations this season. Nurk himself stated earlier this offseason that this is a "kill or die" season. You'd think he wouldn't stray too far from the game.

Maybe i'm being too harsh given the circumstances.

 

Even Nurk has a better chance than CJ.

 

Watch Utah shoots 3s from everywhere, even Gobert lol

 

feels about what? Guy was in Bosnia dealing with real life and got a late start to training camp. Im sure dame isn’t as melodramatic as some on this board. He’s 70% while everyone else is 80%.

 

Yeah, you're being way too harsh... I don't think him being honest and saying he's not in game shape is a pretty good sign that he intends to get there quickly. The circumstances are pretty extreme. His grandmother died of COVID... I know that people lose loved ones and grandparents often come first on that list but losing someone in the pandemic seems like it would be very tough. Every day he turns on the TV or any kind of news and hears about it and is reminded. So I think it would be logical that while he was home with his grieving family that he probably wasn't thinking about the game.

I bet he's thinking about the game a lot right now and he still has his sights set on being named an all star. If Dame is going to get this team to win a lot of games he's going to need Nurk to be the second best on the team all around, he's going to need CJ to be an offensive assassin, he's going to need big time 3 and D from RoCo, he's going to need lockdown D, slashing and set threes falling from DJJ and he's going to need the bench to be dogs.

One thing that people aren't talking a lot about is that this team outside of Dame and CJ is going to be playing for their futures. RoCo and Nurk can secure extensions, DJJ can get himself a bigger contract and everyone else is playing for their livelihood next season Gary, Hoodie (team option), Melo, Zach and Enes are all playing to prove they are in Hoodie's case worth keeping, in Melo's case that he still belongs and in everyone else's case worth getting that next big payday.

 

Booo!

 

CJ could beat out CP, Booker, Morant, and Murray if Blazers have better record than all those guys. Usually, top teams get two All Stars. We'll see what happens.

 

i wouldnt worry about nurk as this is the season he can secure himself a big extension, cause it would be stupid to let nurk enter free agency

sure, he might stay if he enters free agency, but he could also leave, you never know what will happen

what i do know, he aint signing another team friendly contract, blazers will have to pay that man and im talking about big payday, something like at least €25 mil a year

 

nurk was working with his conditioning coach and dames shooting coach, he posted it on his social media, so its not like he wasnt working at all

off season was cut short, preseason was cut short, so it affects players, theyre being rushed into it, so it will take time for players to get to the point where they need to be

its same for everybody, not just nurk or the blazers

 

the possibility of losing Gary next summer really killed my excitement. This season could the decide the future of our Team. No matter what I WILL ALWAYS SUPPORT MY BLAZERS!!! THIS IS OUR YEAR LET'S FUCKING GOOOOOOOO

 

Yeah that's about a week difference. Maybe only 3-4 days. He'll get there.

 

I don't think CJ will ever make the all star. Just to many popular guards out there ahead of him. Remember the all stars is about popularity and how many points per game. Plus don't matter how good defense you play it's all about offense. To many guards out there just average more points then CJ.

 

I just wonder how much his lateral is gone due to that broken leg. It's just seems it's not there. Even at times in the bubble just seems his lateral quickness just seem not there majority of the time.