Yes, LMA's numbers are down, Outlaw missed a big shot, and Oden has been underwhelming for a couple games. But we beat the Bulls by FORTY TWO POINTS and went into Sacramento and beat them there by 21. Sacramento tried to get it back from us tonight but we still won. Our point guard combo grabbed 7 steals tonight. Frye has been making some big shots. Joel has been playing well. Batum plays beyond his years. Rudy is struggling but he'll come around. And Roy? He's playing the best basketball of his career and will be very hard to ignore for a second All Star berth. But here's the deal- We are FOUR GAMES better than last year. And our schedule has been much tougher than last year. Much tougher. Be happy. Be proud. Go Blazers
I'm happy. I'm proud. I predicted 12-6 after 18, so I'll hopefully be close. But if I can't expect improvement out of my team that a 8-year old could see we need, that's not being a fan. I don't agree that it's not right to criticize the product I see on the floor. Let me put it this way...which is better for our team's future (immediate and long-term)? Winning a close one by 1 where we play like poopy for most of the game, or one where we blow out the other team and get our end-of-the-bench guys into game situations for some 4th-quarter minutes? Which is better for our team...to show the world that we can't guard big men shooting 3's and will let people drive on us with impunity, or to lay someone out and send a message? If you want to be the fan who thinks everything is sunshine since we're beating crappy teams at home by one, so be it and more power to you. Just please don't tell me I'm not a true fan, or must not watch 48 minutes of every game b/c I don't like that my All-Star can't get his teammate to pass him the ball on the final play up one, or that two of our "Big Three" are playing pretty poorly right now.
But we beat the Bulls by 42 at home! The Jazz lost to the Bulls. Other teams have struggled against the Bulls. We beat the Kings by 21 in their building. So tonight's game was close. So what? We won. We can't beat EVERY team by 42 points. Don't get me wrong. I don't have a problem with criticizing the team. But please keep it in perspective.
I was pretty disgusted after last night - but there is a lot to say for this team. 1. Roy has gone up another level. He went from border-line all-star to a "can't see him not getting in the all-star game" level. He is clutch, he takes the game over at will and he will get his no matter what you do against him. Me like. 2. Joel is playing insane basketball - and this is usually the age when centers are entering their prime - so we have 2 or 3 more years of that. Wonderful. 3. Aldridge might be in a shooting slump - but he plays better defense this year and does a better job, it seems, on the boards. Sooner or later he will get out of the slump and then all these hard wins will become easy wins. 4. Travis is still inconsistent offensively - but he rebounds much better this year and his defense seems to have advanced - he is not a stopper - but he is into many more defensive plays than he was last year. 5. Greg might be struggling with his place on offense - but he already looks a lot quicker than he did at the start of the year and a lot more fluid. You know that sooner or later he will get it and the team will understand when to look for him and when to use him just for rebounding. Yes, he is a little underwhelming at times - but most of it is ot really his fault - they get him the ball at the wrong time and he is a rookie with a lot of rust. 6. Sergio is better this year. Still a borderline PG imho - but at least he is not atrocious. 7. Nate is going to start trustung Batum for longer minutes sooner or later - and this is a good thing - because this kid is going to be special. 8. We played without Webster - and while I have never seen Webster as the star some think of him 0 I think he has a very good chance of being better than Frye. 9. Rudy. He is not utilized properly now and his shots are not going in - but he will get it back. 10. The schedule was brutal and we are ahead of the curve. In about a month we are going into a cake-walk schedule and will make a big run. Yes, this was a bad game last night - but there is still a lot to be optimistic about this team.
There was a thread asking for predictions at end of November (http://www.sportstwo.com/forums/showthread.php?t=127219&highlight=prediction) I guess I misremembered...I had us going 13-5. Oops.
