Game Thread GAME# 53: HEAT @ BLAZERS - FEBRUARY 5, 2019 - TUESDAY, 7:30 PM, TNT

That is really telling on the game isn't it?

 

Wow the team plays like they just had one game in the last 10 days and this place goes off the rails.
Game threads are full of some pretty crazy talk.
Blazers were out of sync after a lot of off time. Pretty easy to see.

 

Well I agree they seemed rusty, but Id say there are many examples of their forwards not being good enough. I really think they need to make an upgrade there.

 

Wasn’t able to watch the game last night. As usual I checked the box score this morning. And as usual I go right to Turner’s line and cry.

This fuck stick is robbing us blind. I just can’t get over it.

 

Yes, after the game last night the season tix group was ushered to a conference room on the second floor. About 25 minutes after the game, Trent showed up and started answering questions from the crowd. Most of the questions were not about the game. Most were about how he has handled the change to NBA life. One question was funny - When did you start beating your dad 1-on-1? He said 'When I was about 12.' Wow. He said his dad might have a different answer. He was well spoken, and talked for about 15 minutes.

Aminu showed up next. He was hard to hear. Clearly wasn't comfortable holding a mic. He spoke for about 10 minutes. One question that hit home to him was about his charity contributions. He talked about his involvement in the NBA Africa game.

Leonard, in my opinion, stole the show. He was engaging easily with the crowd. Rattled off honest and easy to understand answers. He answers questions relating to video games (very funny back and forth with the fans), weightlifting and training routine (again, very good balance of modesty and confidence), and of course his on the court performance. He came across as very proud of what he has done recently, and at the same time very honest with himself that he has to put in a lot of work to help contribute to the team. He talked about his mental challenges dealing with haters. Acknowledging that haters are a part of being in his position. After about 15 minutes of answering questions, the MC Todd tried to wrap it up, and Leonard said 'Nope, let's take some more questions from the crowd." and then proceeded to engage the crowd for another 15 minutes. Overall, he spoke for about 30 minutes.

 

So you are with the "Lack of Talent" crowd and not "The Coach Sucks" crowd.

 

I'm in the, they aren't good enough to win a championship crowd. I don't think Stotts is the coach that will take them there, and I think they also need some more talent too. They're a good team, just not a great one. Which depending on your expectations, what you want out of them as a fan, all of that might be ok.

 

So kind of straddling every fence there is available trying to please everyone on the board for "Likes". Yep I see.

 

Yeah thats it, Im very worried about my likes count.

 

Well the way it sits you only need a few more to get it at 100% "Liked".

 

I can only like you once per comment so i'm doing my part.

 

I try to keep myself balanced, it's not because I don't have opinions. I don't like Neil Olshey, just, in general, I don't like him (at least his public persona). It doesn't mean I can't acknowledge he's made "some" good moves. In the same manner I actually like Stotts, it doesn't keep me from being critical of him at times too. Not that I'm perfect at it, but I think for me personally it's best to stay even and not get too high or low. I see the Blazers in that light too, yup there are things I think they need to do to get better and I'm not satisfied with losing in the 1st round and feeling like they have no shot to compete, but that doesn't mean I can't find things to enjoy about them too. I think Stotts should probably be let go if they get mauled in the 1st round again. I thought they should've let him go last year too, not that all the problems are on him.

 

Balance! Yes.... Balance.

 

While I agree with your basic premise that just replacing a couple of those guys with slight upgrades doesn't necessarily put us anywhere closer to a championship, I think there are some advantages. Since the Nurk trade we haven't had the assets (or been willing to part with the few we have) to actually have value in trades. Having guys like Prince or Saric next year who are still on their rookie deals and would be restricted free agents in 2020 actually have some value in trades as opposed to most of the guys we are trying to trade right now who have negative value. It sucks that we're in that position but until we actually have better players on better contracts or even equal level players on better contracts it's going to be tough to change that trajectory.

 

It's hard to change a scenario because whenever we get somebody of high value that person becomes "indespensible." Someday never comes for Portland because we wait too long before making a trade. And Olshey constantly trades with this "hold" mentality. Sometimes you have to risk your stake to better your pot. Even if it's for the long rum.

 

Yes, that is why I put the part in parentheses (or been willing to part with the few we have). Part of it though is that the guys he does want to trade don't have any value.

 

Team still has zero clue how to handle doubling of lillard

 

I don't know if it would make a difference if we did have more talent in the team to make a deal. Olshey's tendencies always seem to be trading for players he "liked in the draft" but have question marks. Harkless was expendable in Orlando because they were loaded at that position and his effort level wains. Nurk was was a center with double-double potential but cantankerous and moody. What we have in Hood is another guy with potential but who had a lot of anxiety and crapped out at his last two spots.

Maynbe the problem isn't so much that we don't have talent.... It's that our GM values talent the same way an antique collector sees "Goodwill Bargains.' And views his players personally higher than they are. Everybody else wants talent that meets a championship standard. Olshey is going through the bin looking for steals. Well. If there is an overscouted league it's the NBA. There just aren't that many players. So there aren't many unpolished gems.

 

What really bothered me about last night's game was the 'rearing it's ugly head once again' lack of ability to make adjustments. This wasn't even to anything new. Teams have done it before and it completely takes the Blazers out of their game for long stretches. There are other ways to attack it but I don't see the slightest adjustment.

It's my biggest Stotts gripe.