AKA the Portland TrailBlazers. Honestly, the team just lacks balance. Outside of Roy and sometimes Bayless and Aldridge, no one is able to score points in the paint. This is how we win games, jumper after jumper after jumper. It's just, at home, we tend to hit more. It's almost completely true that we win games on offense alone. As this team is currently constructed, we will never be able to shut down a good team. Part of it can be blamed on Nate's defensive schemes, but also part of it has to do with the fact that we simply don't have smart defenders. A lockdown defender would be ideal for this team, because not only can he play defense himself, but he can direct the defense on the defensive end. A "captain" of defense, if you will. This is why Oden is so important to the team. A consistent low post threat will get us more open shots as well as a ton more pressure on the defense. He needs to play, he needs to develop. Also, does anyone know how shockingly predictable our offense is? When Roy isn't trying to get into the lane, it's all over. Pick and pops, iso jumpers, bad kick outs. It's just so....crummy.
You're right. I wish Bayless has played tonight. We haven't invited him to do his "thing" where he takes it all the way to the basket in a long time. He just submits to Roy and the rest of his teammates. We need him out there and playing aggressively. Joel gets some easy buckets when we set them up for him. As for Oden, we know who we want him to be. And if he becomes that, he will solve everything. Literally.
You can't win shooting jumper after jumper. This is what has been aggravating me about today and yesterday's games. I never felt we had a chance of winning them, but we could have kept it competitive throughout the whole game if we just relied less on the jumper.
And so what if Greg Oden plays? I've seen him play but the team takes no use of him. Guys like Sergio and Channing often get more shots up than Greg Oden when he's in the game. Sometimes I see Nate make an effort to involve Greg in the offense, then minutes later he forgets about him and Greg ends up with a total of 5 shots in the entire game. Hopefully Nate corrects this soon, if not then I can't wait til they get him and his regime out of Portland start to finally develop our core. Look at our 3 spot, you can get LeBron James tomorrow and Nate will tell him to stand in the corner for a kickout 3.
Would a trade for RJ or Vince have helped in the short term? Probable, but when the system is garbage then you can throw as much talent on a team, it won't flourish. Nate is getting by on KP's acqusition's alone, not coaching. You can add anyone on the team, but if the system is shit, ain't nothing going to change.
I understand how some fans get frustrated after a loss, but it's really amazing how lost we sometimes get. Rebounding isn't offense right? click Diff STOMP
I'd officially like to put the phrase "championship window" to rest. Such a term should not be discussed until this team can demonstrate decent defense and a semblance of an offensive playbook. Nate has these guys picking up bad habits for years. I'm not sure if he can somehow get them to "unlearn" them.
Me too! I'm glad he's more stable than people who freak after two road losses to top 4 teams. We are lucky to have KP!
A freak out after two losses? How about an inability to be any decent teams on the road? How about a pattern of horrific defense?
The Blazers are a young team, and it seems as though when Brandon Roy and LaMarcus Aldridge struggle on the road, the rest of the team tightens up. Therefore, the Spurs' game plan to key on Roy and Aldridge was smart. There have been times other players have stepped up - like Jerryd Bayless' explosion against the Nets - but generally speaking, the Blazers depend on their two stars a lot, especially on the road, and those guys aren't always able to handle that, in the face of good defenses. And I tend to agree that the Blazers need to improve on defense. They're 10th worst in the NBA when it comes to opponents' field goal % (46%), and there aren't any playoff-bound Western teams worse than that. Portland's even worse when it comes to defending the three-point line. The bottom line is that I think the Blazers may be just good enough to squeak into the playoffs at the 7th or 8th spot. The 4th position was never a sustainable spot, though it was fun while it lasted.
KP is either going to have to fire Nate, or shake up the roster to prevent Nate McMoron from keeping Bayless buried on the bench. Jerryd Bayless brings EXACTLY what this team needs!!! And we Blake and Sergio in favor of him? What the fuck have either of those guys proven? They've proven that they are shitty defenders, can't create, penetrate once in a blue moon and are rather inconsistent jump shooters (though Blake is good at home).
Sorry you are one of the people who are freaking out. You have unrealistic expectations in my opinion, but to each their own. Winning ten more games for 3 straight seasons and showing signs of growth and improvement allows me to forgive that this team isn't perfect. Could the improve their defense? Yes. How many young teams in the league are good at defense? Not any I can think of.
Portland is also dead last in the league in defensive FT%... teams are shooting 81% from the line and thats got to end or heads will roll!!!!! http://www.nba.com/statistics/sortable_team_statistics/sortable1.html#top STOMP
Those two issues will certainly undermine their championship hopes. *has note passed to him from off camera* Ladies and gentlemen, I have just been informed that, apparently, Portland didn't have championship hopes this season. Therefore, there are no championship hopes to be undermined. Well! That IS good news!
I've held the same opinion of Nate for the last few seasons, so I'm not "freaking out." My only expectations are that I'll see improvement in defense and this team starting to execute. Neither has happened this season. This team is improving largely off the one-on-one play of Roy and LaMarcus. Nate is a good guy, but a bad teacher for this squad.
yeah, they are just stumbling forward for an extra 10 wins a year yet again despite the club's horrible coach. He's clueless and they're stuck in the mud... better fire him before they win 60 games next year STOMP
Someone else pointed out that this could be the result of Portland switching on so many pick and rolls and the other team having their best player in a mismatch and drawing fouls. So it probably could at least change if we shored up that defensive woe.
