Stephen A. Smith says we're a piece away from winning it all

http://forwardcenter.net/video-step...blazers-are-a-piece-away-from-winning-it-all/

“I’m not saying that the Portland Trail Blazers are going to win a world title this year,” says Smith. “But I’m telling you, with the team they have assembled, they can pose a threat to anybody. They can beat anybody on any given night. I could easily see them in the semifinals or the conference finals. I think they’re better than Houston, as far as I’m concerned. And oh, by the way, they are just a piece away from winning it all. A piece away. They’ve got those kind of troops.”

 

He likes us, he really likes us!

 

I'm interested in what "piece" would put us over the top, at least in his opinion.

 

I agree. It's a major piece and we'd have to trade multiple pieces outside of Lillard and Aldridge. I've been saying that since the summer... This team reminds me of that team right before the 2000s that had a window open

hoop fam

 

No, I don't know what it is either. I thought igoudala could have been it

hoop fam

 

A legit scorer off the bench.

Mo is too inconsistent for that IMO.

Before Davis went down I thought Ryan Anderson could be that guy.

Though, any difference maker will cost a lot. To get value you have to give up value. As thin as this bench is I don't know if we can afford that type of move this year.

 

No we would have to upgrade Wes or Batum

hoop fam

 

If we were able to sign Hibbert.....we would be legit contenders with a window open

hoop fam

 

I disagree. I think Fez is right. I think we need a Manu. We need a guy who can come in off the bench and fill it up while the starters are resting. A Nick Van Exel. And I don't think Mo is that guy. He's too streaky.

CJ could be that guy... but it's impossible to say for sure right now. I guess we can just sit on our hands and wait to see how it plays out.

I actually think Nic and Wes are fine. Our starting five is playing great right now. We just need that one threat off the bench that can go off for 30 on any given night. I don't think Mo can do that.

 

CJ's got all the makings. Can't wait to find out, but don't want him to rush back.

 

Definitely don't want him to come back until he's ready. Don't want a repeat of what happened to Martell.

 

A rookie that is more productive Michael Carter-Williams and Victor Oladipo?

 

I agree, I just think it's going to take some time for him to shake the rust off. He missed a lot of time the past year and a half.

CJ certainly has the skillset to be that guy

 

So you're saying we should trade for Anthony Bennett?

 

well done

 

And Nick van excel wasn't streaky? He's just like mo williams. Sorry to be the bearer of bad news since you are obsessed with bashing him every chance you get. Nick and him were extremely similar. He shot so many of his teams out of games as he had gone off on.

We are talking about opening a championship window not improving the team incrementally. My guess is we'll do well but have a glaring problem in the playoffs that Neil fixes over the summer with a consolidation trade. Veteran talent. Perhaps an all star level player that is unhappy.

hoop fam

 

El Prez is totally hinting Melo.

 

No way is Mo Williams similar to Nick Van Exel. It's not even close.

Maybe you don't remember, but it was Van Exel that made the difference in that playoff series against the Blazers in 2002-2003. Dirk got his, but Nick hit huge shot after huge shot for the Mavs. Dude was unstoppable. Mo might be able to create his own shot, but Nick was one of the best scorers in the league for a while. They're not even close to the same player.

 

Yeah but he's also shot his teams out of games and series as well. I watched him all through his laker years. You only remember the Big games. He was in Dallas like one year. Nick was streaky as hell and made really bad choices and forced shots out of the offense at end of games.

Mo has shot better over his career from the field and from behind the arc. They are close in ppg.... They are very similar you are just clouded by your hate and it reflects on every post you make

hoop fam

 

And you would have been calling for NVE's head 10 games into the season too.

hoop fam