Game Thread 2024-25 GAME #44 - BLAZERS @ MAGIC - JAN 23, 2025 - THUR - 4:00 PM - CHARGE - KUNP - BLAZERVISION

[blazerfan11]

Right. If i didn't know already that he was the first pick in the draft and is in his third year, I sure never would have guessed it. (Is that the worst sentence syntax ever?)

Banchero's worst game of the season scoring by far (excepting free throws). Only 1 field goal made.

 

[HailBlazers]

I’m enjoying these wins thoroughly. This is the best defense we’ve seen in years.

Same. As great as Dame was, no lead was ever safe.

 

[Pinwheel1]

The front line played really well. Walker, Camara, Deni, Williams, Grant, and Murray, all played aggressive D.
I know we want them to lose but you still want them to play that way.

 

[crandc]

Right. We caught a weak Chicago team on a four game losing streak, a Miami team in total disarray and then Orlando that just doesn't have an offense and haven't had all their players healthy.

But the Blazers were losing to teams like that.

 

[BlazerBeav]

We have a better record than Philly. Would they be interested in a trade for Ant, Ayton, and/or Grant?

God, that statement is insane. We have a better record than a Philly team with Embiid, George, and Maxie. Sucks to suck.

 

[handiman]

Random "when will they learn?" thoughts...

Chauncey must be the only coach who sees no issue with leaving a player in with 3 fouls in the first half. Not surprisingly, Scoot picked up his 4th before halftime and couldn't get enough run in the second half to do much. How are we supposed to give up a late lead without him?

Coaches should have figured out by now to ignore their Euro players when they beg for a challenge. Wagner's foul on Grant was all wrist. If he can't tell that he got literally none of the ball, how can he be trusted? Likewise, Deni looks like someone kicked his puppy whenever a call goes against him, and any time he insists Chauncey challenge, it was clearly a good call. Fortunately, we've got guys like Grant and Shaedon who take that responsibility seriously.

Blazer Broadcasting, and Lamar Hurd specifically, are soooooo bad at showing replays over live action. I think they did it two plays in a row at one point tonight. How hard can it be to have a finger on the button to immediately cut away from the replay when play resumes?

 

[SharpesTriumph]

Can't stand the Ayton Ant Grant core we have ...... Even when the most annoying of the 3 is sitting out somehow this franchise figures out a way to bench their prized 20 year old #3 pick who finally was having his only solid stretch of starting games. He was actually above solid, he was playing very well shooting, passing, and defending while leading the Blazers to wins.

To all those posters that have been fine with Cronin holding onto the Ant Grant Ayton trio these last two years - do you still feel the same?

I'm happy to have this franchise win games - but when your rebuilding it should be wins from a future core. Not mediocre overpaid role players that have zero future here long term.

Such a frustrating franchise to be a fan of. We somehow found a way to develop a strategy worse than the two timelines. New franchise strategy is bench your future when they play great.

 

[Phatguysrule]

There are a lot of fools on this board who think Portland is somehow going to get Cooper Flagg if they just lose enough games.

There are probably 5 other players who could be better than anybody on our team now.

 

[Phatguysrule]

But the Blazers were losing to teams like that.

As they should

 

[SharpesTriumph]

There are probably 5 other players who could be better than anybody on our team now.

Currently the Blazers are slotted with an equal chance of the #8 and #9 pick. So don't worry we most likely won't get any of those 6 players.

So we can continue with this roster more or less as is next season. Such a great rebuilding strategy.

Funny that last year in one of the epically awful drafts of decades we had the 3rd highest odds. Now in a loaded draft we're instead in the back half of the lottery.

It's almost as if someone is playing a joke on Jody or us fans or something and trying to pick the worst strategic choice for this franchise at every opportunity.

 

[BonesJones]

This is just idiotic. Why do we still have Simons and Grant in front of Scoot/Sharpe? Trade them already

This organization is fucking directionless.

 

[Cugel]

This organization is fucking directionless.

That's the problem. Nobody in the FO wants/knows how to win and play good basketball. I can see this organization being content with perpetual mediocrity: fighting for a playin spot, and, every now and then, being swept in the first round. Ant + Grant iso for the foreseeable future.

 

[Pinwheel1]

The question I have is how the hell can a team like Orlando who is desperately trying to win games, only score 79 points against that starting lineup.....at home? Is Camara that good that he was a +26?

 

[MickZagger]

Currently the Blazers are slotted with an equal chance of the #8 and #9 pick. So don't worry we most likely won't get any of those 6 players.

So we can continue with this roster more or less as is next season. Such a great rebuilding strategy.

Funny that last year in one of the epically awful drafts of decades we had the 3rd highest odds. Now in a loaded draft we're instead in the back half of the lottery.

It's almost as if someone is playing a joke on Jody or us fans or something and trying to pick the worst strategic choice for this franchise at every opportunity.

Exactly. My gripe as well. It’s making me pissed at management. We have the ability to get a high pick in a draft where there is star power 1 thru 5 and we’re fucking it up epically. Why you ask? Well it’s so we can play Simons , Grant and Ayton over the young guys. Three guys who will be an after thought with this franchise by the time the team finally makes the playoffs.

This is a down right disastrous situation by management and the very reason that teams stay in purgatory for years.

All because we decided to stick with this silly two timeline approach to team building with vets who may get us a couple more wins in the meantime while damaging the future of the franchise.

Honestly Cronin can fuck the hell right off. He seems like a nice guy that is just really dumb. I fully expect him to sit on his hands during the deadline. At the most trade Williams. We’ll end up with a pick in the 8-12 range and draft a role player that could possibly be out of the league in 5 years.

 

[Strenuus]

This organization is fucking directionless.

There's literally no point in watching the team when they have no idea how to run it. Why waste time? A win means nothing, and the more we win this year, the more the losses now mean nothing. There's nothing to root for because they have given us nothing to cheer for.

 

[Pinwheel1]

God, that statement is insane. We have a better record than a Philly team with Embiid, George, and Maxie. Sucks to suck.

I have family in Philly. "Trust the process" is not 3 words that they are amused with.

 

[tlongII]

The question I have is how the hell can a team like Orlando who is desperately trying to win games, only score 79 points against that starting lineup.....at home? Is Camara that good that he was a +26?

Have you seen Orlando's last 10 games? They have been horrible!

 

[Pinwheel1]

Have you seen Orlando's last 10 games? They have been horrible!

Sure but they got back Franz for the Blazer game and he played pretty well. The Blazers held them to their lowest-scoring output of the season.
Regardless my question still stands, why are they so bad despite being in first place in their division? I thought KCP was supposed to be a better option than Simons. Banchero has been back now for 7 games and 5 of those he played very well. Is Anthony Black that horrible of a replacement for Suggs?

 

[jlprk]

I have family in Philly. "Trust the process" is not 3 words that they are amused with.

 

[MickZagger]

Sure but they got back Franz for the Blazer game and he played pretty well. The Blazers held them to their lowest-scoring output of the season.
Regardless my question still stands, why are they so bad despite being in first place in their division? I thought KCP was supposed to be a better option than Simons. Banchero has been back now for 7 games and 5 of those he played very well. Is Anthony Black that horrible of a replacement for Suggs?

Suggs was really the straw that stir the drink. Specifically defensively. Lock down defender and their go to scorer before Banchero came back.

 

[handiman]

The question I have is how the hell can a team like Orlando who is desperately trying to win games, only score 79 points against that starting lineup.....at home? Is Camara that good that he was a +26?

To me, it's more a question of why is this Blazers team periodically so bad? They've shown on several occasions, they could easily be a .500 team if they consistently suited up and/or played the right guys in key stretches. But, stifling defense often gives way to no defense in the 4th quarter. My best guess is, indecision regarding trying to win is prevalent throughout the organization, and the players' effort reflects that.

And yes, Camara is that good. He's quickly becoming one of my all-time favorite Blazers. Someone needs to do up a meme of his maniacal smile, captioned, "smile, you're on Camara." Well, that's sort of backward, unless maybe he just drew a charge and the opponent fell on top of him...

 

[blazerfan11]

 

[B-Roy]

Apparently Clingan is probable again tonight. This dude is nuts. Please rest till you're healthy.

 

[1 Eye Jack]

If Scoot and Sharpe are your franchise players then they should be starting. I can’t remember last time I heard a franchise say these are the guys we are building around and then leave them on bench for 2-3 years. That said, I can understand benching Sharpe for game maybe two to get his attention but his ass needs to be starting again.

no way in hell Scoot should have been taken out of starting lineup after the last 5 games. Talk about slap in the face

 

[Pinwheel1]

To me, it's more a question of why is this Blazers team periodically so bad? They've shown on several occasions, they could easily be a .500 team if they consistently suited up and/or played the right guys in key stretches. But, stifling defense often gives way to no defense in the 4th quarter. My best guess is, indecision regarding trying to win is prevalent throughout the organization, and the players' effort reflects that.

And yes, Camara is that good. He's quickly becoming one of my all-time favorite Blazers. Someone needs to do up a meme of his maniacal smile, captioned, "smile, you're on Camara." Well, that's sort of backward, unless maybe he just drew a charge and the opponent fell on top of him...

I agree. They are on pace for 31 wins and it could have easily been 41 based on the talent/depth of this team if they wanted to......
I feel for the players because they know they need to tank even if it feels dirty. Fans claim they would be ok with winning if the younger players were getting all the minutes but that is bullshit, we would still want them to tank as well.

Agree on Camara. He is attacking the basket much better so he doesn't have to be just a 3 and D guy. He and Deni are a good combo at forwards. We still need Flagg, but was always a long shot even if we had the worst record. Harper or Jakucionis would not be a bad consultation prize. I am sure others will rise as well.

 

[wizenheimer]

I agree. They are on pace for 31 wins and it could have easily been 41 based on the talent/depth of this team if they wanted to...... .

"easily been 41 wins"

based upon what? A 3 game win streak against 3 mediocre Eastern Conference teams who have been struggling thru a combined 9-21 record over their last 10 games?

Portland's expected wins to this point, based upon net ratings is 12. They have overachieved by 4 wins. Their projected Pythagorean record is 22.4 wins according to bbref; and you think that team could have easily won 41 games? Ironically, Ant-Ayton-Grant have combined for 4 winshares

split the difference between 31 and 41...so then 36 wins, a .439 winning percentage. It's 13th seed in the play-in race in the West. And it's 10th seed in the lottery. What good is that? Looks like a treadmill in purgatory

 

[blazedanugz]

We were A LOT better with Dame.

Were we?
What was our record at this point in his last season and season before that?
I’m genuinely asking cause I’m too lazy to look it up.
Don’t think it was much different than our record now

 

[handiman]

"easily been 41 wins"

based upon what? A 3 game win streak against 3 mediocre Eastern Conference teams who have been struggling thru a combined 9-21 record over their last 10 games?

Portland's expected wins to this point, based upon net ratings is 12. They have overachieved by 4 wins. Their projected Pythagorean record is 22.4 wins according to bbref; and you think that team could have easily won 41 games? Ironically, Ant-Ayton-Grant have combined for 4 winshares

split the difference between 31 and 41...so then 36 wins, a .439 winning percentage. It's 13th seed in the play-in race in the West. And it's 10th seed in the lottery. What good is that? Looks like a treadmill in purgatory

You're focused on the data, not the underlying concept of what was said. It's not about what they have done, rather what they could have done with the personnel that potentially would have lead to a .500 record. Using the players to maximum effect would have changed the data and thus the projections.

 

[Tince]

Were we?
What was our record at this point in his last season and season before that?
I’m genuinely asking cause I’m too lazy to look it up.
Don’t think it was much different than our record now

We were 22-25 wins on January 24th of Dame's last season, which included 12 games he missed. Of course, we had a winning record at this point in the season many times with Dame.

Undoubtedly we were better with Dame than we've been without him. Maybe I shouldn't be, but I'm shocked peoples memories of that era have faded so much they could think what we've been going through the last two years has been comparable in any way.

 

[Pinwheel1]

"

Split the difference between 31 and 41...so then 36 wins, a .439 winning percentage. It's 13th seed in the play-in race in the West. And it's 10th seed in the lottery. What good is that? Looks like a treadmill in purgatory

Did I say that it was a good thing? I just said they could of won that many if they went all in. But it is not a good thing which is why they are not going all in.

I said before the start of the season that the team had enough talent to win 35 games if they made no trades and stayed healthy. I did not want that to happen but I took into account that there would be more teams tanking after the all-star break than before. So yeah 41 games would have been achievable. Injuries to other teams and tanking are both factors in my calculations.