Can the Blazers win the title without Wes?

[Rhal]

The only way we win a championship without Wes is if LA and Lillad are the two best players on the floor night in and night out.

 

[PtldPlatypus]

The D for the most part I think can be replaced by Afflalo and Gee, we drop off on D if its CJ or someone else. The interesting twist in the equation is Gee I think and how he performs and if he possibly takes a good portion of CJ's minutes. and I see no reason the "small ball" lineup cannot be very effective with Gee replacing Wes, he may be better on D and he's more athletic and a little bigger. Offense is where the likely dropoff is with Wes making so many 3's. Can Gee hit the 3 at an effective rate while taking more shots?

I still think we would be well-served to have Gee start in Wes' place but only play 18-20 mpg, with Afflalo taking most of Wes' minutes, but playing 30+ off the bench.

 

[Strenuus]

I still think we would be well-served to have Gee start in Wes' place but only play 18-20 mpg, with Afflalo taking most of Wes' minutes, but playing 30+ off the bench.

Id be okay with this.

 

[illmatic99]

I still think we would be well-served to have Gee start in Wes' place but only play 18-20 mpg, with Afflalo taking most of Wes' minutes, but playing 30+ off the bench.

Not a bad idea tbh.

But reading what Stotts has said, I don't think this will happen.

Re: Afflalo:

"I think he's more and more comfortable," head coach Terry Stotts said. "It's going to take some adjustment starting with that group of players, but he's been a starter for four or five years. That was probably an easier transition for him than coming off the bench, which he hadn't done for a long time."

It's not as if Afflalo is a stranger to starting -- he has 414 career starts -- it's trying to seamlessly blend what he does best with the starting five while not disrupting the on-court chemistry already established. Fortunately for Afflalo, what he does best is very similar to that of Matthews.

http://www.oregonlive.com/blazers/i...er_mentality_wesl.html#incart_related_stories

 

[illmatic99]

Any idea when Wes will get surgery?

 

[B-Roy]

Any idea when Wes will get surgery?

Wednesday per the Twitters.

 

[magnifier661]

This is how I see it. There are two very important players that can put us into contention. #1 is Batum and #2 is Afflalo. If both those players can play at a high level for the remainder of the season, then we are in the mix. If they are hit and miss throughout the season, I would worry about our chances.

 

[Strenuus]

This is how I see it. There are two very important players that can put us into contention. #1 is Batum and #2 is Afflalo. If both those players can play at a high level for the remainder of the season, then we are in the mix. If they are hit and miss throughout the season, I would worry about our chances.

You suck at being full mags.

 

[BBert]

We're back to where we were before we got Afflalo: There's a chance, but not a great one.