Walton: Was the Blazers 'greatest' ever player, but had a very short tenure as a Blazer (and as a great player). Dame: Is the Blazers 'greatest' ever player and most loyal. I hope he will be the longest tenured Blazer ever. Need to get this man a ring! Just my opinion, based on my own criteria. Your results may vary.
Can you imagine Drexler playing without the hand checking/mugging they had then? Damn....with that athletic ability, size and skill, he would have been unstoppable!
Preach. If Walton had Dame's durability, we'd have multiple championships. Walton was that impactful.
Good take, although my recollection is that Bill was fully on board. That said, you’re right that no team would do that today.
Hand checking isn't allowed, but zone defenses are now allowed, which has led to more creative defensive schemes. Defense isn't lacking in today's game especially with teams prioritizing and teaching multi-positional defense and switching screens far more often, as popularized by the Spurs and Warriors. The kinds of defense played today would be beyond that vast majority of teams in the 1980s and 1990s. Switching screens would lead to way too many absurd mismatches.
You seriously get this emotional about a player who doesn’t know you or care about you... my opinion bothers you so much you need to insult me? You should really put your energy towards something or someone that actually impacts your life. Dame doesn’t give a shit about you! Lol
Ha! Just kidding around. I don’t take much of anything around here seriously. You’re more than welcome to your opinions.
When he was happy and not injured. That all fell apart when adversity hit. Dame is a better long term leader through ups and downs. Walton would not have survived this year in my opinion.
To be fair, playing on a broken foot under the advice of the franchise is nothing Dame will ever have to face.
The rules have changed so much since Walton's and Drexler's time that it's truly impossible to say. The game is more flashy nowadays, but boring to watch.
A bunch of launched '3's with a lot of Iso. Much prefer the style of the Drexler and Walton editions. Dame is amazing by himself but watching CJ pound the ball into little leather pieces like it stole his binky when he was little is so boring.
Did anyone give the definition of GOAT? Does it mean best career as a Trail Blazer? Or the which player was the best NBA player who played in a Blazer uniform? If it means career, that's Lillard or Drexler. If it means who was the best NBA player who played in a Blazer uniform, that is clearly Bill Walton, to me. The season they won the championship and the following season before being injured, Walton could have been said to be the best player in the NBA. Drexler did not reach that level, and Lillard hasn't yet.
My list: 1. Clyde Drexler -- 8 All-Star appearances -- 1 All-NBA 1st team -- 2 All-NBA 2nd team -- 2 All-NBA 3rd team -- 94 Blazer playoff games w/2 finals appearances -- 1 50 pt game -- Blazer career leader in points -- Blazer career leader in steals -- 21.3 PER & 108.7 WS 2. Bill Walton -- 1 NBA championship -- 1 NBA MVP -- 1 All-NBA 1st team -- 1 All NBA 2nd team -- 2 All-Star appearances -- 21 Blazer playoff games w/1 finals appearance -- 22.1 PER & 26.0 WS 3. Damian Lillard -- 4 All-Star appearances -- 1 All-NBA 1st team -- 2 All-NBA 2nd team -- 1 All-NBA 3rd team -- 51 Blazer playoff games -- Blazer record 61 pts in a game, w/8 50+ pt games -- 21.7 PER & 77.1 WS 4. Lamarcus Aldridge -- 4 All-Star appearances -- 1 All-NBA 2nd team -- 2 All-NBA 3rd team -- 34 Blazer playoff games -- Blazer career leader in rebounds -- 20.3 PER & 69.4 WS If Dame plays out his contract relatively healthy, I think he'll claim that top spot from Drexler.
I sure hope not. Just to be clear, if I could choose prime time, healthy Dame or Walton, I would pick Walton easily.
