Chemistry and Optimism

[The Professional Fan]

So much negativity surrounding this squad it’s sad

After watching the preseason to this point, I don’t feel negativity or rehashed blazer shit. I don’t see this as “the same roster we finished with last year”

At all

There must be something to be said for a team that has sustained cohesion for this long. I have to believe that there’s a heightened plateau of excellence when players at this level become so familiar with one another.

Not to mention, Nurk. The fever will be alive and thriving. He’s found his spot and so has Stotts. I don’t know...I think some shit gets pieced together this season. I think we come out and look like a veteran team confident and cohesive enough to beat anyone at any time. Teams with this much familiarity can most certainly turn the page

 

[Labinot41]

The Frontcourt behind Nurkic is reason enough to be pessimistic, to be honest.

 

[Labinot41]

but i'm still excited for the new season

 

[Strenuus]

I'm cautiously optimistic, really.

I like the new kids.. but man... Nurk going down for any longer than 2 weeks and we're fucked.

 

[James lamphear]

The guy will be Harkless for a big key for us. He seems happy this year and he might be with this offense they are playing with a lot of cutting that right up his alley.

 

[illmatic99]

The guy will be Harkless for a big key for us. He seems happy this year and he might be with this offense they are playing with a lot of cutting that right up his alley.

My feelings on Harkless:

 

[PtldPlatypus]

The guy will be Harkless for a big key for us. He seems happy this year and he might be with this offense they are playing with a lot of cutting that right up his alley.

He won't be able to do much cutting if his knee and ankle never get right.

6 months since he last played in a game. I'm putting zero trust in him.

 

[Propagandist]

Every time I get too optimistic, I remember the trio behind Nurk and my hope sinks like a stone. That being said, I threw all my trust and optimism into the 2016-17 season. Still replenishing.

 

[jlprk]

Turner, Leonard, Harkless. All we need to do is, wait out that contract. Olshey's.

 

[Chris Craig]

 

[BigGameDamian]

The Frontcourt behind Nurkic is reason enough to be pessimistic, to be honest.

Olshey thinks the Blazers frontcourt is fantastic.

 

[BLAZINGGIANTS]

The Frontcourt behind Nurkic is reason enough to be pessimistic, to be honest.

You took two posts to....

 

[BLAZINGGIANTS]

but i'm still excited for the new season

...express this?

 

[julius]

The negative nancys are lounder than the positive pauls.

 

[Wizard Mentor]

I'm not pessimistic about the team at all, but.... I'm a little more nervous than in previous years.

Watching Biggie play hasn't helped this at all (and I'm a fan of Biggie).

 

[Labinot41]

...express this?

I'm excited to watch Dame, Nurk, CJ and the two Rookies. Maybe Curry and Stauskas too

 

[oldmangrouch]

The Frontcourt behind Nurkic is reason enough to be pessimistic, to be honest.

Not to mention the fact that Nurk is not the savior some people pretend he is.

 

[Gronk Brady]

Every time I get too optimistic... wait, I don’t because I remember that this team couldn’t even win 1 game in the playoffs against a lower seed, and Neil brought back the exact same roster... and after watching the preseason it’s evident CJ will never pass more no matter what he says, and it’s looking like Collins is a lot further away than most expected after last season, if he is not a bust

 

[HailBlazers]

Every time I get too optimistic... wait, I don’t because I remember that this team couldn’t even win 1 game in the playoffs against a lower seed, and Neil brought back the exact same roster... and after watching the preseason it’s evident CJ will never pass more no matter what he says, and it’s looking like Collins is a lot further away than most expected after last season, if he is not a bust

Suprise surprise, great to see you old chap!!

 

[Labinot41]

Not to mention the fact that Nurk is not the savior some people pretend he is.

Mhh i Don't know. Last Season i was very dissapointed from him and i had the same oppionion like you, but watching him play in europe for bosnia and in pre Season, he looks different to me. His Shooting improved (especially free throws), also his 3 point Shoot looks nice. But what most impressed me was his ballhandling and the feel for the Game, he's not taking stupid shots anymore and is making good decisions on the court, and on defense he is a Monster, i had flashbacks from the 16/17 Nurk fever, so i try to be a lot more Patience with him this year

 

[oldmangrouch]

Mhh i Don't know. Last Season i was very dissapointed from him and i had the same oppionion like you, but watching him play in europe for bosnia and in pre Season, he looks different to me. His Shooting improved (especially free throws), also his 3 point Shoot looks nice. But what most impressed me was his ballhandling and the feel for the Game, he's not taking stupid shots anymore and is making good decisions on the court, and on defense he is a Monster, i had flashbacks from the 16/17 Nurk fever, so i try to be a lot more Patience with him this year

I hope you're right. Honestly, I am no longer convinced he is actually an upgrade over Plumlee.

 

[PtldPlatypus]

I hope you're right. Honestly, I am no longer convinced he is actually an upgrade over Plumlee.

That's just crazy, man. His defense alone makes him a significant upgrade over Plumlee.

 

[ripcityboy]

I've been as optimistic with this roster as I can. In fact, I'd say I censor about 40 per cent of what I say, just to give this squad the benefit of the doubt. We have a long season and anything could happen.... I try to keep in that frame of mind. But if you want anything more from me, you're going to have to start giving me mind numbing doses of SSRI's and keep telling me to repeat the lines "What your seeing.... Is not what is happening." Repeating it, over and over again, till George Orwell pops up out of the ground.

 

[mook]

Last year Nurk put up basically the same stats as Marc Gasol when he was 25 (Gasol's second year), which was 2 years older than Nurk was last year, and Nurk did it in 9 fewer mpg, in a league that much less emphasizes big men.

Nurk's numbers work out to 20/12 per 36mpg. He just couldn't stay on the court long enough due to conditioning (and having a solid backup).

I love everything I've seen so far in preseason from him, from hitting threes to even better defense to fewer ugly flip shots to him just looking thinner and more mobile. Portland will definitely be in trouble if Nurk misses any significant time, but eh, there's not much we can do at this point.

Dame is coming off a First Team All NBA season, and doesn't look to be losing anything. CJ talked repeatedly on his podcast about drawing more fouls, and has clearly added a little muscle over the summer and is making more interior moves in preseason. Our role players in the front court are worse without Ed Davis, but better in the back court, and Collins is at least a year older and wiser. It's pretty much a wash, but our top 3 players will probably continue to improve. (Yes, even Dame. People forget he's only 28. A lot of guys still improve a little at that age. Dame's PER has improved every single season he's played. Because he's a 4 year college guy people have been predicting he'll level off for at least 3 seasons now. They sleep.)

If we can get some reliable shooting from Sauce/Curry/Baldwin, I don't see us doing worse than 50 wins and a decent chance of home court in the first round.

 

[jlprk]

Last year Nurk put up basically the same stats as Marc Gasol when he was 25 (Gasol's second year), which was 2 years older than Nurk was last year, and Nurk did it in 9 fewer mpg, in a league that much less emphasizes big men.

Nurk's numbers work out to 20/12 per 36mpg. He just couldn't stay on the court long enough due to conditioning (and having a solid backup).

I love everything I've seen so far in preseason from him, from hitting threes to even better defense to fewer ugly flip shots to him just looking thinner and more mobile. Portland will definitely be in trouble if Nurk misses any significant time, but eh, there's not much we can do at this point.

I agree that Nurkic shares qualities with Marc Gasol and may turn out as well. Stotts wants his centers to play like what we used to call forwards. Nurkic is one of the few 260-pounders who can do that.

 

[Strenuus]

I've been as optimistic with this roster as I can. In fact, I'd say I censor about 40 per cent of what I say, just to give this squad the benefit of the doubt. We have a long season and anything could happen.... I try to keep in that frame of mind. But if you want anything more from me, you're going to have to start giving me mind numbing doses of SSRI's and keep telling me to repeat the lines "What your seeing.... Is not what is happening." Repeating it, over and over again, till George Orwell pops up out of the ground.

Ooooh yeah, talk Neurology to me.

 

[Pinwheel1]

Last year Nurk put up basically the same stats as Marc Gasol when he was 25 (Gasol's second year), which was 2 years older than Nurk was last year, and Nurk did it in 9 fewer mpg, in a league that much less emphasizes big men.

Nurk's numbers work out to 20/12 per 36mpg. He just couldn't stay on the court long enough due to conditioning (and having a solid backup).

I love everything I've seen so far in preseason from him, from hitting threes to even better defense to fewer ugly flip shots to him just looking thinner and more mobile. Portland will definitely be in trouble if Nurk misses any significant time, but eh, there's not much we can do at this point.

Dame is coming off a First Team All NBA season, and doesn't look to be losing anything. CJ talked repeatedly on his podcast about drawing more fouls, and has clearly added a little muscle over the summer and is making more interior moves in preseason. Our role players in the front court are worse without Ed Davis, but better in the back court, and Collins is at least a year older and wiser. It's pretty much a wash, but our top 3 players will probably continue to improve. (Yes, even Dame. People forget he's only 28. A lot of guys still improve a little at that age. Dame's PER has improved every single season he's played. Because he's a 4 year college guy people have been predicting he'll level off for at least 3 seasons now. They sleep.)

If we can get some reliable shooting from Sauce/Curry/Baldwin, I don't see us doing worse than 50 wins and a decent chance of home court in the first round.

I agree Nurk looked pretty good against Utah. Still don't like when he puts the ball on the floor but hey Gobert looked like shit when he tried it as well. Centers just need to limit their dribbling as much as possible. It rarely ends well. Same with Aminu, who looked fine with the three ball but not when he put the ball on the floor. I have never seen anyone shoot so many air balls on drives to the basket as Chief.

It does look like we upgraded our 3 pt shooting and I think Terry will be playing even more small ball this year.....maybe extending it to PF as well. Maybe using Harkless, ET or Jake? Even Utah went small the other night using Crowder often as their PF. ET can cover PF's in that scenario.

 

[THE HCP]

Should be a very interesting season. Pray for Nurk to stay healthy.

 

[BLAZINGGIANTS]

I'm excited to watch Dame, Nurk, CJ and the two Rookies. Maybe Curry and Stauskas too

Just giving you shit, FAMS!

 

[Boob-No-More]

I'm cautiously optimistic, really.

I like the new kids.. but man... Nurk going down for any longer than 2 weeks and we're fucked.

This is true, but Nurk has spent the last two summers working on his body, trimming the fat and adding strength. He's clearly lighter,quicker and stronger than he was in DEN. Last year was his first as a full time starter. He started 79 games and played more minutes last season than the previous two seasons combined. Of course, a freak injury can happen at any time, but I think the strength and conditioning work Nurk has put in the last two summers reduces the chance he will suffer the kind of fatigue related nagging injuries that seemed to plague him in DEN.

At least, let's hope so, because if not, as you say, we're fucked.

BNM