Game Thread 2022-23 Game #35 - BLAZERS @ WARRIORS - DECEMBER 30, 2022 - FRIDAY - 7:00 PM (PDT) ROOT

[crandc]

My heart is broken. Again.

 

[Tince]

Maybe I didn't convey it well, but, with No. 4, yes, visually I like the way we play defense now. In Stotts system, there essentially was no defensive system, not a deep one, at least. The defense was playing great offense.

I think you can throw "the results not being significantly better" argument out the window for two reasons. First, it's a small sample size. Second, our players still are getting used to playing with each other and, by extension, the system we're playing.



Why is it so important if people got hyped and did?

This is what I think is a weird discussion: The need to prove people who saw signs we were making progress, turning a corner, and even being good were wrong and during a bad stretch a few weeks later going to the opposite extreme and rubbing it in the faces of fans, who, you know, wanted to be fans.

The only reason I can come off with for fans of one team to try to bring down fans of the same team and actually revel in that team struggling is because it makes them feel personally better about themselves like they found some affirmation in the team's poor play. Meanwhile, they don't realize the self-own of doing the exact same type of thing about a mistaken judgment of the team based on a small stretch of games and risk having to go away on business if the Blazers go on a win streak because they'll look silly and hypocritical.

To each their own. Personally, my life is unaffected by whether Poster A missed the mark in thinking the team was going to be great or Person B thought the team was going to be bad and finds biases to confirm their feelings. I just wouldn't feel good if I was continually trying to go out of my way to try to make other posters feel stupid over getting excited with the blind spot of doing the exact same thing they're being called out over.

100%. Differing opinions do not impact my life in a negative or positive way either, but I do enjoy hearing different points of view.

How long complicated is Billups defensive system? The roster is going to be different every year, so if it takes 3-4 seasons to get used to, that's a bit concerning to me. I think guys like Dame, Nurk, Grant, Hart, etc. have a high enough basketball IQ that one training camp plus a month or two should be plenty. Certainly 2 training camps and 50+ games should be enough. How many games/training camps do you think we need and why has the defensive numbers regressed since the first month as they're getting more experience in the system?

 

[Tince]

Sorry, but it's true. Billups is already a better coach. It's easy to see.

So we ARE in great shape. I'm glad I could help you come to this fact.

The "it's easy to see" argument is is a hollow one because people see what they want to see. If I said "it's easy to see Mo Cheeks is a better coach than Phil Jackson." it wouldn't make it true. The data would actually say Phil Jackson was a more successful coach.

I'm going to wait for the results to match what you're saying until I'm comfortable coming to the conclusion the Billups is a significant upgrade. You saying we are in great shape isn't any more comforting. Give me something tangible I can look forward to the Blazers accomplishing this season that is significantly better than what happened with the previous staff.

 

[Shaboid]

Comparing Terry to Chauncey is silly. They have had different teams, philosophies, and GMs.

I mean, I guess you can compare them, there's a forum for that. Oh wait...

 

[Tince]

Comparing Terry to Chauncey is silly. They have had different teams, philosophies, and GMs.

I mean, I guess you can compare them, there's a forum for that. Oh wait...

I mostly agree. By far the best opportunity to compare the two was last year before the injuries/trades where both had similar rosters. A lot has changed in two years, outside of where we rank among the Western Conference team; that's virtually unchanged.

 

[Cugel]

I too am still puzzled how Portland turns it all around. What will change and how? Specifics would be useful. I see things getting a bit worse, actually. I don't think Dame is healthy; he has not been playing all that well. When his 3pt shot is as bad as it was last night it usually means he is injured. Do you think Dame will turn it around and start getting MVP chants and mentions? I don't see it. He is not anywhere close to KD, Jokic, Donic, Giannis, Curry, Embiid, Ja, Tatum, Sabonis, Lebron, SGA, and Zion.

 

[Shaboid]

I too am still puzzled how Portland turns it all around. What will change and how? Specifics would be useful. I see things getting a bit worse, actually. I don't think Dame is healthy; he has not been playing all that well. When his 3pt shot is as bad as it was last night it usually means he is injured. Do you think Dame will turn it around and start getting MVP chants and mentions? I don't see it. He is not anywhere close to KD, Jokic, Donic, Giannis, Curry, Embiid, Ja, Tatum, Sabonis, Lebron, SGA, and Zion.

Dude is the best shooter. He'll shoot us out of it.

 

[AldoTrapani]

Embarrassing

 

[blazerfan11]

Is it better to lose like the Blazers did in Golden State, or be down by 20 points like Zion's team is in Memphis?

Being down by 20 points saves the Pelicans from even having to worry about some kind of late game collapse.

 

[UKRAINEFAN]

Imagine what it’s like to do that to somebody who picked a low win prediction? To claim this team has a weak bench and be shamed as somebody who doesn’t know anything about basketball….. HA! I love this place.

That was perfect!

 

[wizenheimer]

Is it better to lose like the Blazers did in Golden State, or be down by 20 points like Zion's team is in Memphis?

Being down by 20 points saves the Pelicans from even having to worry about some kind of late game collapse.

I don't believe there are any moral victories in the NBA. And, a loss is just a loss; some are just more irritating, like last night was for the Blazers

New Orleans has been fattening up with a very home-heavy schedule. 17 of their last 24 games have been at home (71%), and the longest road trip they've had has been 3 games. Portland has had road trips of 4, 5, and 6 games. The Pels are 2nd in the West and lead Portland by 4 games. Yet they've had 6 more games at home while the Blazers have had 5 more on the road. There isn't really as big a gap as it seems, all things considered

 

[HailBlazers]

Embarrassing

Our offense

 

[SlyPokerDog]

I predicted the Blazers would go 80-2 this season.

Fight me!