Last year we were young and healthy (discounting Webster) and lost in the first round. That's not Great.
i wouldn't exactly call oden that year healthy. and miller and camby weren't on that team. and the blazers were the 3rd best team in the west then anyway. losing to the 2nd best team in the first round doesn't change that.
Again. When has this team proved they were great, or even really good when healthy? It's a pipe dream at this point.
Here is what I am going to throw out there. When the shit hit the fan in the playoffs, what adjustments did Mike Brown make to try and help the team win? Then ask yourself these questions: 1. When Jamison was brought on board, why was he basically reduced to the role of an outside shooter? 2. Why didn't Brown make any adjustments on who was covering KG in the paint? 3. Why didn't Brown try to go up against the aging Celtics by speeding up the tempo a bit? The best way to attack old players is to make them run the court a little bit. At least when Phoenix made their adjustments, Nate tried to counter them. He just ran out of personnel to fill holes in the team. For Brown, I can't say that. I can't say I saw him adjust one thing to try and win that series.
How many games during the regular season do the Blazers need to win for you to consider them great? If it is about the playoffs, having your best player and only all star hurt during the playoffs isn't a good indication of how good this team is
I guess the same ammount of games during the playoffs that they are on vacation for you to to consider them good, but not great.
"The Blazers would be a great team IF...." In other words, they are NOT a great team now. Every team in the league has a long list of "ifs" and "buts" to hide behind.
There will always be an excuse. I get that. Next year, when we are making threads about who to root for when the Blazers are ousted in the first round, there will be another one I am sure.
I agree there is an excuse or reason each year. But why are you so sure it will be a first round exit next year. When Blazers didn't make the playoffs, one could say that every year they won'tmake the playoffs and there will be an excuse. Now it is that Blazers will make the playoffs but not win a series and there will be an excuse. Just a matter of time before it is the Blazers will lose in the second round and there will be an excuse. You're excuse this year seems to be Nate is coaching in the playoffs. My excuse is that Roy was hurt in the playoffs. Don't know which excuse is more accurate to explain the first round lose, but you are right, there are always excuses.
