Blazer Make the Playoffs!!!!!

[Boob-No-More]

Yea all the reason to praise WB even more

If you're an OKC fan, a Lillard hater, or both.

BNM

 

[HomerLovesKoolAid]

 

[Strenuus]

Tell me about it. Lillard had to do the same thing last year when LMA bailed on us but when WB does it he's looked at as less worthy.

.... Dame has CJ.

I mean, if you're going to argue a point...

Your argument is that Dame did it, but then you say "all the more to praise WB" ... so what was your argument? lol.

 

[THE HCP]

This dude JinxSpeed just posted we are better THIS year than last and the Ws are worse than last!!?? I can't believe these type of comments go unchecked or unnoticed. Just straight bananas!

 

[roroyo]

I would like to thank to Jokic and Chandler as well for what they did in last min of the game. Shot out to Mike Malone! Wes wouldn't do it without them.

 

[Blazers Roy]

I'm not really happy they made the playoffs, but i'm happy for you guys.

 

[Mediocre Man]

If Nurk plays the entire medical staff should be fired

 

[Mediocre Man]

So with the addition of Nurk...are you saying you think the direction of the team is worse than it was last year....... just because we will win end up winning less games in the playoffs?

I never said that. I love Nurk. I said earlier in the year that we needed to trade for one of the Denver bigs. However, we have 3 picks that will likely get us role players at best or a trade that will cost us roster balance because our GM has put us in cap hell. Nurk seems a bit injury prone to this point, and while they should upgrade the back up center spot, there's no guarantee they can because of our cap situation. Dame and CJ STILL don't play defense. Stotts still doesn't coach the pick and roll correctly, IMO.

There are absolutely things to be happy about. Nurk, having 3 firsts, Vonleh playing better with Nurk.

There are absolutely things to be cautious about also. Nurk injuries, cap situation and improving the team, defense on the perimeter.

Teams will scout over the summer and play us differently. Blowing by our guards and driving into Nurk will take him out of the game.

IF they cane get lucky and either use those picks on sleepers in the draft, or trading some or all of them for an awesome forward that won't cost us too much depth somehow, and we stay healthy next year, then we could be pretty good. Maybe not quite contender good, but home court good

 

[Mediocre Man]

Because playing the Warriors is the same as playing a Clippers team missing Chris Paul and Blake. Totally.

Also I don't give a fuck about our win total, because it would look a lot different had we had Nurkic the whole season

Now, fuck off.

I'm here for the long haul, sunshine. Now go have an overpriced coffee, or whatever else you millennials do.

 

[Pinwheel1]

New hope springs eternal every year, but if they have Nurkic back healthy and productive and they still get blown out of the water in the playoffs this year, then that's still the benchmark team in the West to measure yourself against right?

So who knows how it's going to go since we don't know if Nurkic is actually even going to be able to play, but I think you can still learn something about the rest of the guys and how they are going to perform against what looks like a juggernaut on paper.

Yeah I agree we can learn a lot from the other guys even if we get killed. And although I think the Warriors are a good benchmark in terms of winning a championship, I don't think they really help with measuring the progress of our young team. Not when you look at the scores of the Warrior games before Durant got hurt. They killed people and if they beat everyone easily in the playoffs....... all it tells us is they are a lot better than everyone else.

 

[BlazerWookee]

To all you lottery rooters:

 

[Boob-No-More]

Yeah I agree we can learn a lot from the other guys even if we get killed. And although I think the Warriors are a good benchmark in terms of winning a championship, I don't think they really help with measuring the progress of our young team. Not when you look at the scores of the Warrior games before Durant got hurt. They killed people and if they beat everyone easily in the playoffs....... all it tells us is they are a lot better than everyone else.

The Warriors will get older and we will get better. Adding Nurk as our third piece made us even younger and extended our window. Playing the Warriors now even if we lose, will make it sweeter when we eventually dethrone them. I want our guys to learn to hate the Warriors and to get extra motivated whenever we play them.

Most people around here aren't old enough to remember the early part of Michael Jordan's career. Back then, the Celtics and Pistons ruled the Eastern Conference. First, the Pistons had to learn how to beat the Celtics and then the Bulls needed to learn how to beat the Pistons. It was the natural order of things. Talk about some bitter rivalries, but damn that was fun to watch.

The Jordan Bulls never once tanked so they could get a lottery pick. Jordan would have had none of that. In fact, his second season, he broke his foot after just three games. He could have easily sat out the remainder of the season and the Bulls would have missed the playoffs and gotten a lottery pick. They were 21-43 without him. Instead, Micheal came back with less than a month to go in the regular season and carried his team into the playoffs and a first round match up withe the powerhouse Celtics.

In that series, Michael averaged a record (that still stands) 43.7 ppg - and his team still got swept. Talk about motivation. Jordan eventually figured out what it takes to beat the Celtics and the Pistons and win a championship. To be the best, you need to learn how to beat the best.

The Bulls did add some key pieces through the draft. Scottie Pippen was a draft day trade (for Olden Polynice, who was obtained with a draft pick acquired via another trade). Horace Grant was acquired using their own non-lottery draft pick. They surrounded Jordan with players obtained using their own non-lottery picks and draft picks and cast offs obtained from other teams. With the youngest team in the league, three PER > 20 players under the age of 27 and three 1st round picks, the Blazer already have a young Big 3 and opportunities to add an additional key piece, or two.

The Warriors will get older and they will get a lot more expensive. Steph Curry has been severely underpaid and will be a free agent this summer. His salary will more than double. Technically, they only have two of their rotation players (Thompson and Green) locked up beyond this season. Durant has a $27 million player option. So, he'll either get a raise this summer or next. All of Pachulia, Iguodala, Livingston, West, McGee, Ian Clark and Matt Barnes will be free agents this summer. Keeping the band together is going to be REALLY expensive.

Going forward, it's not the perennial lottery teams, like MIN that I fear. They will always find a way to fuck things up. They have the last two No. 1 overall picks and ROY winners on their roster, and they are still a lottery team for the 14th straight year. The team I fear is the Celtics. They aren't tanking, they are using other peoples lottery picks and cast offs to build a contender. After the Cavs won last year and seemed to get every ring chaser imaginable, it looked like they were a lock to come out of the East. Well, BOS is giving them a run for their money and as CLE ages, BOS will continue to get better. It's the same old learn to be the best by beating the best scenario. It doesn't always work out, but it has a better chance of succeeding than playing the lottery year after year hoping you get lucky and draft a once a generation talent, and then you have to hope you can build a winner around him before he gets fed up and leaves for greener pastures.

So yeah, I'm glad the Blazers made the playoffs. I get to watch more games. Dame, C.J., Nurk and company get to experience the playoffs. Nurk wanted this badly and even if he's just in a suit behind the bench, it will build unity with his teammates and provide motivation going forward - and a motivated Nurk is a good thing.

BNM

 

[Sarni]

I wanted us to be in the lottery when it seemed like we could end up with no. 6 or no. 7 seed. There's no point tanking for lottery when the best you will get there is no. 13 or no. 14 (no, you don't actually have a realistic chance of making top 3 when your seed is outside top 10). We will have no. 15 - no. 17 and that's good enough for what we need - a big man or a small forward we could develop. There's not that much difference between no. 11 and no. 16, you need good scouting but some of the best NBA players have been drafted well outside top 10: see Butler, Giannis, Jokic, Kawhi, Thomas, Green. You need to hit the right player. And tanking this year, even if it got us into no. 6 but Josh Jackson and Issac/Tatum were selected earlier, we'd have nothing to do with that pick because we don't need a backcourt player, and nearlly all the big men will almost 100% still be available where we are drafting.

We will get a few nice games against Warriors, maybe a miracle, maybe not. Most likely we will get knocked out but will experience some great excitement like we did last year. Nurkic will be a big help if he plays against Warriors. I am not willing to write us off just yet. Looking forward to both playoffs and the draft. Future looks bright and I for one don't think we will lose all games by 20 points or only draft players who will play 10 mpg forever. In a few years this could be considered a groundbreaking year if we somehow make a miracle against Warriors, Nurk, Dame and CJ make a step up with this playoffs experience and we draft three nice players - this is what I am looking forward to, not a 4-0 defeat and drafting three shit players. The optimist in me has spoken.

 

[Boob-No-More]

We will have no. 15 - no. 17 and that's good enough for what we need - a big man or a small forward we could develop. There's not that much difference between no. 11 and no. 16, you need good scouting but some of the best NBA players have been drafted well outside top 10: see Butler, Giannis, Jokic, Kawhi, Thomas, Green. You need to hit the right player.

And, with three picks in the 15 - 26 range we have 3x the odds of finding a winner. Plus, it also gives us the option to package picks to move up if there is a guy we REALLY want in the 10 - 15 range. Lot's of options. Let's hope our scouts are doing their jobs and doing them well - especially overseas. We need to find that hidden gem that ends up way better than his draft position.

BNM

 

[Natebishop3]

To all you lottery rooters:

So are you gonna be this happy when we get swept?

 

[BlazerWookee]

So are you gonna be this happy when we get swept?

If we get swept? I'll still be happier than I would be if we missed the playoffs. Especially if we had tanked to miss the playoffs.

 

[tlongII]

If Nurk doesn't play then I would rather have not made the playoffs. There is no point.

 

[Wizard Mentor]

So are you gonna be this happy when we get swept?

 

[Natebishop3]

If we get swept? I'll still be happier than I would be if we missed the playoffs. Especially if we had tanked to miss the playoffs.

Were you not happy when we won the lottery? Outside of Dame hitting that series winner, winning the lottery was probably the happiest moment I've had with this team in the last 15 years. Getting smashed by the Warriors in the first round is not my idea of a good time.

 

[Pinwheel1]

So are you gonna be this happy when we get swept?

If we get swept or if we win 1 or 2, I will feel about the same as I do now........ready for the draft. There is no suspense to this series. The Warriors are a really good fucking team. Arguably they should be playing for a 3-peat right now if it wasn't for the Green incident. They have an exceptional 7 man rotation of guards and forwards (Steph, Klay, Durant, Green Iguodala, West, and Livingston. (Plus 2 adequate role players at center)

I said when Nurk went down that it would not break my heart if they missed the playoffs. But they did and I will watch but I can't see how the outcome will change my enthusiasm towards next season. Although realistically I know we are still a starter away from contending. (Plus the right bench) But I think we have a solid core to which to build from.

 

[KeepOnRollin]

We win 1 game, 1 single game and I think it is best that we made the playoffs. I don't want to be swept (obviously) so if I knew that was absolutely happening then I would have preferred lotto but there is always a chance and I think we have a win in us. Should had minimum 2 (if not 3) wins last year so certainly possible.

 

[AquaXI]

I'm truly happy. Man the roller coaster and as another thread pointed out I thought without Nurk we would wither away quickly the last 10. While I don't think we would go far in round 1 against the Warriors due to an injured Nurk ( if he plays ) I'd say when we all almost agreed to look forward to even maybe a lottery before the trade, the second half was a thing of beauty. Cherry has already been set on top. If we lose early it'll be like watching a bad movie but boy did that sundae taste good!

 

[rasheedfan2005]

Great individual season? He willed his team to a nice record when his star sidekick bailed on him

Sounds familiar to what Lillard had to do last year, but for some reason when Lillard did it last year he was praised around here when WB does it it's looked at as a selfish individual season

Weird

Never seen lillard jack easy rebounds from his center to pad his stats

 

[Boob-No-More]

Were you not happy when we won the lottery?

Yeah, how'd that work out?

Seriously, I remember exactly where I was when we won the lottery. I was in my garage, sitting in my truck, listening to the radio. I'd listened to the lottery on my way home from work and I wan't about to risk missing it in the time it would take me to run in the house and turn on ESPN on the TV. Yeah, that was an exciting moment, but I'd take a Lillard buzzer beater over winning the lottery any day. There are no guarantees in the lottery, even when you win, which we wouldn't have won this year anyway.

BNM

 

[Boob-No-More]

Great individual season? He willed his team to a nice record when his star sidekick bailed on him

Sounds familiar to what Lillard had to do last year, but for some reason when Lillard did it last year he was praised around here when WB does it it's looked at as a selfish individual season

Weird

You know what sounds weird to me? The way you constantly bash Lillard for his "poor" shot selection and "inefficient" shooting percentages when he absolutely blows Westbrook out of the water in these areas. Jeezus, I can't imagine how much you'd be hating on Lillard if he shot as much, or as poorly as Westbrook.

This inconsistency is why everyone in this forum considers you a blatant troll. Last year it was Dame is too feast or famine, while constantly praising Lowry, who, for the second year in a row completely disappeared in the playoffs and couldn't hit the broad side of a barn. Now this year, it's all about Dame's poor shot selection while constantly slurping Westbrook's nuts.

Need I remind you...

Damian Lillard:
2FG% = .491
3FG% = .370
FT% = .895

Russell Westbrook:
2FG% = .460
3FG% = .344
FT% = .845

Westbroook shoots worse across the board and he jacks up more than 20% more FGA per game than Lillard. Until Westbrook starts shooting a lot better, or Dame a lot worse, you have no leg to stand on when it comes to criticizing Lillard's shot selection.

BNM

 

[theprunetang]

You know what sounds weird to me? The way you constantly bash Lillard for his "poor" shout selection and "inefficient" shooting percentages when he absolutely blows Westbrook out of the water in these areas. Jeezus, I can't imagine how much you'd be hating on Lillard if he shot as much, or as poorly as Westbrook.

This inconsistency is why everyone in this forum considered you a blatant troll. Last year it was Dame is too feast or famine, while constantly praising Lowry, who, for the second year in a row completely disappeared in the playoffs and couldn't hit the broad side of a barn. Now this year, it's all about Dame's poor shot selection while constantly slurping Westbrook's nuts.

Need I remind you...

Damian Lillard:
2FG% = .491
3FG% = .370
FT% = .895

Russell Westbrook:
2FG% = .460
3FG% = .344
FT% = .845

Westbroook shoots worse across the board and he jacks up more than 20% more FGA per game than Lillard. Until Westbrook starts shooting a lot better, or Dame a lot worse, you have no leg to stand on when it comes to criticizing Lillard's shot selection.

BNM

Knocked it out of the park!

 

[BlazerWookee]

Were you not happy when we won the lottery? Outside of Dame hitting that series winner, winning the lottery was probably the happiest moment I've had with this team in the last 15 years. Getting smashed by the Warriors in the first round is not my idea of a good time.

I was ecstatic when we won the lottery. But that's irrelevant to my point, the lottery happens after the season is over. I refuse to root to lose.

 

[BBert]

The Blazers were never bad enough to be serious lottery contenders. Once we got Nurkic, better to get some playoff experience. If we want a higher draft pick, trade for one.

 

[BBert]

Here's how I look at picking in the back end of the lottery vs. picking a few spots out: Nurkic is essentially our lottery pick, and he's better for us than any lottery pick we were going to get.

It was between not trading for Nurkic, and taking our slim chances in the lottery, or trading for Nurkic, fighting our way into the playoffs, and missing the lottery.

This is way better. Like 1000 times better. We got our third star, AND the playoffs. And all we gave up was drafting another inexperienced rookie.

It's a great day to be a Blazer!

 

[Boob-No-More]

Here's how I look at picking in the back end of the lottery vs. picking a few spots out: Nurkic is essentially our lottery pick, and he's better for us than any lottery pick we were going to get.

It was between not trading for Nurkic, and taking our slim chances in the lottery, or trading for Nurkic, fighting our way into the playoffs, and missing the lottery.

This is way better. Like 1000 times better. We got our third star, AND the playoffs. And all we have up was drafting another inexperienced rookie.

It's a great day to be a Blazer!

In some ways, getting Nurkic is better than having the first pick in this draft. He's clearly a high lottery level talent. He's proven that his game translates well to the NBA level. He has two+ years of NBA experience, which means he was ready to be a major contributor the day we got him (no need to wait two or three years for him to have a big impact). And, he came with another 1st round pick attached.

Seriously, how could anyone prefer getting a pick in the 10 - 12 range over adding Nurk and the 20th pick (plus we still have our own pick in the 15 range)?

BNM