This Team Versus Clydes Blazers

I have to agree that the simulations for the 1990-91 team were a little stinky simply because I couldn't tweak the rotations to match reality. But, I have a little different view of the matchup than you. I think we're pretty close to being equally matched.

1 - Roy is a smarter player than Clyde, and can (as has been shown in his duels against Artest, Melo, and Kobe) basically goad a shooter into taking bad shots. I'm thinking 4th quarter against the Lakers in April 09. He got into a shooter's duel with Kobe, and Kobe started missing first. Clyde had this tendency to match his opponent shot for shot if his opponent was hot, often to the team's detriment. I think Roy could gain an advantage here.

2 - LMA cannot be stopped by Duncan; Buck (at 6-8) is not going to shut him down completely. LMA's game isn't just back-to-the-basket or slashing; he's got midrange, high post moves, and can pass out of a double-team. Buck may shave 5 points off LMA's average, but that still leaves 13-15 points a game.

3 - Rudy and Ainge would be a battle for the ages, but also of the ages; Rudy, being younger, faster, and more athletic, would force Ainge to foul before Rudy could get away for an alley-oop pass or open three pointer.

4 - Robinson and Outlaw would be interesting to see, since I like both players quite a bit. Cliffy gets the advantage here, because Outlaw couldn't guard 17-year-vet Cliffy, let alone 2nd-year greyhound Cliffy. But, at this point, Outlaw has a 3pt shot and Cliff doesn't.

5 - Bayless/Sergio (if we're going 08/09) versus Young is a pure win for Young; he'd pick their pockets so often, they'd start carrying their wallets on a chain for their own protection. Since neither showed much interest in defending the 3, he'd also pound them there.

On the whole, I think if the game stays close, the 1989-93's lineups tended to fold a little under pressure, whereas the 2006-2009 teams have blossomed under that same pressure. If Clyde's teams are to win, it'd have to be by a blowout.

 

Any Western conference center who posts those sorts of #'s on a winner next year stands a good chance of being an AS... the West doesn't have many good 5's and will of course be missing their best (Ming). Duckworth was an okay player with some skills, but he was always a weakness on the Defensive end. If Greg is averaging 18 points, I'm guessing (hoping?) that this is largely the result of increased mobility being another year removed from MF. If so, his defensive ability should benefit at least as much, which would be a lot better then what Big Kev brought.

Too bad dude couldn't ever shed the weight. I remember one season after a bitter loss him promising to be doing nothing but eating salads and working out all off season "Just you wait and see" he promised. I'm sure he meant it when he said it, but when training camp came around he was as big as ever. Ifs and buts... but how good would that Clyde era team have been if Duck would have been in shape?

STOMP

 

I always wonder how much better we would have been if we had Sabonis on that team.

 

1989 Sabonis with 1989 Blazers? 82-0. Seriously, that would have been their ceiling. Sabonis back then could run down Avery Johnson over a full court. He could move, pass, dunk, shoot the 3... my god. It would have been amazing.

 

This concept that Clyde's blazers could play to the crowd better is ridiculous. The 1999-2001 team was pretty damn good at "playing to the crowd" as well. I was in the Garden when we were playing the Lakers in the WCF, let me tell you, the fans were going nuts. I've been in the Garden when it was so loud you couldn't hear yourself think. This team can just as easily accomplish that as any other Blazer team.

 

I try to never think about this, since it makes my soul hurt.

 

#1: I don't think Roy's BB-IQ would trump Clyde's abilities unfortunately. Clyde would simply be too much for Roy to handle.

#2: Buck shutting down LMA assumes they play using 1990 rules. At that time interior defense was a function of punishing the other player. I honestly don't know if LMA could take it. I also think the reason Duncan can't shut down LMA is simply because he can't put more then a single forearm in LMA's back. In 1990, you could put both hands on the other players back. It makes a huge difference.

 

The current team has the POTENTIAL to be even better than the Drexler Blazers, but last season it wasn't close - the Drexler Blazers were better.

LMA wouldn't get a rebound against Buck. Of course, it's hard to get a rebound when Buck is pushing you under the basket on every play. It was so fun to hear the other team's whine about that, but I don't know if the modern ref would let him get away with it any more.

We're going to have to see a lot of G.O.-improvement to change the matchup. Personally, I'm rooting for it to happen (and SOON), but it hasn't happened yet. As with all facets of the team, Oden is the biggest determiner of future blazer success.

btw, The Drexler Blazers would have the fans support as well. It there was any doubt, they'd have an improptu dunk contest during the warmups (they did this a couple of times back then) to win over the crowd.