tHe oFFiciAL bLAzeRs aT mAgiC gAmE tHReaD- fEB 10tH 3pM pT

Orlando had lost 12 in a row. Earlier, we broke Washington's 15 (I think) game losing streak. We lost twice to the Bullets this season. That covers the worst 2 in the league. Maybe they moved up a notch because of us. Anyone else? Detroit, Cleveland? Sacramento, Toronto, Phoenix?

All because we disrespect Hickson.

 

Hickson is hardly the only reason the defense is below average this year.

Shit, Reddick was destroying Wes tonight.

Hickson is a great player to have, and his best role is coming off the bench for 25 minutes a night.

 

Definitely. And if the Blazers could keep him at 4 million a year for 3 years they'd probably be getting a bargain, unfortunately some team with capspace this summer is probably going to be able (and willing) to trump that offer.

Hickson staying a Blazer looks like a longshot ... or maybe it won't be? We'll see.

 

No team even sniffed Hickson last year in free agency, and that was after a really good showing with the Blazers to end the season.

I just don't buy Hickson will get some great offer.

My max on him would be 3/18. I think Hickson might actually prefer a 3yr deal as he'd be like 28 next time his contract came up and would give him a chance at one more big deal.

 

We've been losing lately because Olshey demands that his picks get so much time. Leonard has been getting Hickson's minutes. Lillard shot 1-16. I guarantee that if Hickson had taken those 15 shots, he would have made more than Lillard did.

 

I asked this early in the season and I will ask it again, who is our Defensive coach and how much of this might be on him?

 

NBA wing players get beat. Good defensive teams have good help defenders, specifically bigs that recognize how to help and rotate, which Hickson is not.

Hickson has never shown that he is accepting of a bench role and has been a locker room problem at times because of it. I don't think he is that great of a player to have for that reason, and because he is so clueless defensively.

The Blazers, I hope, will not pay him to be a backup 4 and some other team will get stuck paying the market value.

 

And there you are, blaming it all on Hickson. That's just dumb.

And why not give Aldridge any shit? He's the big man that plays the most.

It's. Not. All. Hickson's. Fault.

 

Actually, I don't think I said I was blaming it all on Hickson. It's pretty obvious LMA is pretty poor at reacting on D also. And certainly Leonard.

It just makes no sense to think the Blazers will pay Hickson as a long-term 5 or to back up the 4, when they need to address the lack of interior D. Sorry if you think that is dumb.

 

Sure. The bench is really sub-par (lol understatement) and Aldridge isn't a great post defender. When you have a guy like LA, though, the best thing to do is get a good help defender or ball deflector to go along with him. Camby and Joel did that and it really helped. Hickson does neither; he doesn't help on defense, choosing instead to focus on boxing out for rebounds, and he is too short to block shots or intimidate drivers. The worst of both worlds, right there. It's not Hickson's fault he's a player on the wrong team in the wrong position. He's doing his best out there. But he's not right for us, and that is showing itself as bad defense.

 

Why not trade Aldridge for Reggie Evans? On ESPN right now he's shooting FTs. Brooklyn leads the Spurs 61-58.

 

That's crazy man.

 

Homer you are rational guy but I just can't go along with this thinking. You are saying only Hickson on a 1 year contract every year would work for any team? Do you have professional training in the area of psychiatry?

 

Link?

 

Christ the agendas are getting thick around here.

 

On the bright side, Freeland looked competent.

 

he did! pleasantly surprised

 

I used to hang out at O-Live, does that count?

No really, it is just a feeling based on JJ's track record. He has a reputation as not being interested in playing defense and I believe what hustle play we get comes from the fact that he is playing for a contract.

 

Coach Stotts is the coach. It's on him.

 

www.google.com

To be honest, I didn't find that much other than the real GM articles about being unhappy with a bench role in Cleveland and Coach Scott basically calling him lazy and unwilling to learn the offense.

It's not that easy to find these kind of grumblings in official statements and while I would love to be your search tool, I think you can find everything you need in the Cavs and Kings forums. They have strong feelings about his skill level and effort. Try search terms: lackluster, no effort, pout