I know we will miss Nic, but the Nuggets, Suns and Mavs are also missing important players. http://sports.espn.go.com/dallas/nba/news/story?id=4596690 http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/2119221/jr_smith_and_jason_richardson_suspended.html?cat=14
Injuries suck. I really prefer to see all teams competing at full strength. J.R. Smith, however, deserved that suspension - and if you ask me, got off easy. Sheed got 7 games for threatening Tim Donaghy. Smith actually killed someone. You could claim it was a tragic accident, but given Smith's history of reckless driving offenses, it was just a matter of time until he killed or seriously injured someone. The state put him in prison for 30 days over the summer, I think the NBA should have matched that and suspended him for the first 30 days of the regular season. BNM
The Blazers will be fine. We've got lots of depth at small forward. Can't wait for the season to start!!
Hey Boob, remember when Sheed got the 7 game suspension and the whole board was in an uproar, defending Sheed? Even his biggest critics had expected 2 games. The loudest voice, leading the rebellion, was BobWhitsittBestGM. Apparently no relation to the later BobWhitsittsGhost. I wonder who that was?
What's the status on Bynum and Manu? McGrady is out for the Rockets until around the start of December. Rashard Lewis is suspended for the first 10 games. Garcia is out for the Kings.
Fuck it. Injuries are a part of the game. You play with what you have. After all, we're bitching about losing Batum and we're playing the Rockets--arguably the most snakebit team in the league.
Like was pointed out, i believe, in a different thread, we were all concerned alst season at the loss of Webster, and it ended up being a blessing in disguise, because we were able to discover Nicolas Batum, who might otherwise have spent all year in Idaho. Maybe this current injury pushes Martell to improve more. Maybe, it leaves a few minutes a night for Bayless to play and perform well, and he wins himself the backup PG spot. Maybe neither of those happen, but it's issues like this that we built up depth for. We'll be just fine, IMO.
It shows how much Batum has risen in the team's plans. Last year an injury to him would have resulted in "Nicolas Who? Is he on the team?" Oh yes. Glen Davis, out because he broke his thumb in a fight with a former college teammate. At least the Blazers injuries are on court.
Yep, and even though I thought Sheed was an immature tool back then (he was), I thought the suspension was excessive. After setting (38), and then breaking (41), the the NBA record for technical fouls, the length of the suspension was no doubt a "lifetime achievement award" handed out by Stern based on Sheed's body of work. Of course, any disciple of Whitsitt is going to defend Wallace (and Bonzi and Ruben and Zach and Damon and...). Still, it seems that J.R. Smith got off easy by comparison. Threaten a crooked ref - 7 games Kill somebody - 7 games Doesn't add up in my mind. BNM
Stern wanted to ban Sheed for life, but the Gambino's convinced him it would attract too much attention.
Exactamundo. I can't remember a time where the Blazers were not without some of their best players, for at least some part of the season.
Bynum will probably start tonight. He had a strained rotator cuff. Pau (in my opinion) will be out for the first few games. He aggravated a strained hamstring last week.
