Dave from Blazers edge continues hiss negative blazer views...

[Brock]

maybe hes right.... seems to good to be true http://www.blazersedge.com/2012/1/6...ar-successes-weaknesses-and-what-it-all-means

heres a snippet

The issue, obviously, is that as the season progresses the Blazers will face more good and/or prepared teams. The bigger issue is that in the playoffs they'll face one by default....a team that has nothing to do all day but figure out how to prepare for and exploit the team's flaws for seven games. I still don't see the Blazers coming out of that kind of situation intact. Other teams are going to have more enforceable, reliable ways to win that don't depend on the Blazers messing up as much as the Blazers depend on them messing up and that will probably be the end of the story.

Therefore despite the wins and the hot start, the overall forecast for the team hasn't changed: good enough to make the playoffs, probably losing in the first round, the second if they can claim a high seed in the regular season.

The best chance to change that outcome with the current personnel, short of the entire league developing a permanent blind spot to Portland's style, is for the Blazer guards and small forwards--Felton, Matthews, Crawford, Batum, Wallace--to become so practiced and deadly at the open three that the halfcourt floor gets spread wide on every possession. Theoretically that's possible. If a bunch of these guys start shooting .370 and above from distance the middle opens up for Aldridge's moves and the drives of Felton, Crawford, and Batum. At that point the interior scoring issue lessens and the offense starts looking good no matter what the pace. Then you can concentrate on taking good care of the ball yourself and consider those turnovers and fast break points frosting on the cake instead of the main course upon which you depend for your edge.

 

[Nikolokolus]

I think this team is still pretty desperate for a true backup point guard and they've got to add another big man who isn't pushing 40 ... We're basically one significant LaMarcus injury or a Felton grade 2 sprained ankle away from being a lottery team. So in that respect, I tend to agree with Dave's assessment -- the margin for error is razor thin right now.

 

[BlazerBeav]

The problem is that there are a lot of teams whose success and/or failure is dependent on avoiding an injury to one or two players - so to use that as a weakness against us is silly. You say a significant injury to LMA sinks the Blazers - but a significant injury to Durant does the same to OKC, Nowitzki to Dallas, Kobe to LA, etc.

We've played two of the Western Conference contenders the past two games - and they both seem to be worse off in the depth department than we do.

 

[Mediocre Man]

Pretty fair article. Our 3 pt shooting will need to be better, and we don't have a lot of interior scoring.

 

[PapaG]

I think this team is still pretty desperate for a true backup point guard and they've got to add another big man who isn't pushing 40 ... We're basically one significant LaMarcus injury or a Felton grade 2 sprained ankle away from being a lottery team. So in that respect, I tend to agree with Dave's assessment -- the margin for error is razor thin right now.

LOL

"OKC is basically one significant Durant injury or a Westbrook grade 2 sprained ankle away from being a lottery team."

"Dallas is basically one significant Nowitzki injury or a Kidd grade 2 sprained ankle away from being a lottery team."

"The Clippers are basically one significant Griffin injury or a Paul grade 2 sprained ankle away from being a lottery team."

Great insight!

 

[Nikolokolus]

LOL

You disagree I take it?

 

[blazerboy30]

The "Dave from Blazers Edge" articles aren't coming across as very insightful right now. Essentially, the last couple articles could have been posted about any team int he NBA.

 

[SantaDora]

Pretty fair article. Our 3 pt shooting will need to be better, and we don't have a lot of interior scoring.

We actually have a lot of interior scoring - it is just that most of it is not traditional back to the basket post play. We have it in spurts from LMA and a little bit from Wallace - but this teams is 9th in the league in makes at the rim and 4th in attempts - once they start actually converting them layups...

 

[PapaG]

We actually have a lot of interior scoring - it is just that most of it is not traditional back to the basket post play. We have it in spurts from LMA and a little bit from Wallace - but this teams is 9th in the league in makes at the rim and 4th in attempts - once they start actually converting them layups...

Felton getting his legs will add two more made lay-ups/game on its own.

 

[Mediocre Man]

We actually have a lot of interior scoring - it is just that most of it is not traditional back to the basket post play. We have it in spurts from LMA and a little bit from Wallace - but this teams is 9th in the league in makes at the rim and 4th in attempts - once they start actually converting them layups...

That is because of our running.

 

[SantaDora]

That is because of our running.

So, what's the problem? This team has one of the more skilled post players in the league in Aldridge, Wallace is very good in mismatches - the team takes a lot less jump-shots than it did before. Where is the issue?

 

[magnifier661]

I do like having just 1 solid post player; which I think Aldridge is really growing in this department. Then I think we need the slashers and maybe 1 or 2 clutch outside shooters. I think Wallace, Matthews, Felton, Crawford and Batum are all good slashers. I think Matthews, Batum and Felton are good outside shooters and Crawford is the clutch outside shooter.

 

[PtldPlatypus]

The one semi-interesting notion in this article is the intimation of why we're beating our opponents--not so much because we're the better team, but because they weren't prepared for how we're going to play.

Anyone care to comment on that? Are we just a rookie pitcher who's dominating early because we haven't been scouted out yet? Are we Tebow springing the spread option on a surprised NFL? Are we Brandon Jennings or Tyreke Evans, garnering early success through unfamiliarity?

Or is it more likely that maybe we're actually a good team?

 

[magnifier661]

The one semi-interesting notion in this article is the intimation of why we're beating our opponents--not so much because we're the better team, but because they weren't prepared for how we're going to play.

Anyone care to comment on that? Are we just a rookie pitcher who's dominating early because we haven't been scouted out yet? Are we Tebow springing the spread option on a surprised NFL? Are we Brandon Jennings or Tyreke Evans, garnering early success through unfamiliarity?

Or is it possible that maybe we're actually a good team?

I call BULLSHIT on that notion. First of all, I doubt teams had no idea that Wallace and Aldridge were going to be focal parts in the offense. And even Chad saying that teams haven't scouted us, has more to do with him trying to "downplay" our success so our team stays hungry to keep improving.

If scouts or coaches are not prepared against us, then they are terrible coaches.

 

[SlyPokerDog]

Dave's article only proves my point that we should trade all of our players before they get injured for lottery picks and tank the season.

 

[Mediocre Man]

The one semi-interesting notion in this article is the intimation of why we're beating our opponents--not so much because we're the better team, but because they weren't prepared for how we're going to play.

Anyone care to comment on that? Are we just a rookie pitcher who's dominating early because we haven't been scouted out yet? Are we Tebow springing the spread option on a surprised NFL? Are we Brandon Jennings or Tyreke Evans, garnering early success through unfamiliarity?

Or is it more likely that maybe we're actually a good team?

I said this a week or so ago, so I will continue to go with teams will be better prepared for us later in the year.

 

[BoBoBREWSKI]

The "Dave from Blazers Edge" articles aren't coming across as very insightful right now. Essentially, the last couple articles could have been posted about any team int he NBA.

 

[Ed O]

Listen... I was about as negative as any reasonable poster here, but the reality is that the team is 5-1. They've had a lot of games at home (4) and not many back-to-backs (1 before tonight) but they've beaten some good teams in rather impressive fashion.

Will the team keep up a .833 winning clip? Almost certainly not. Will an injury or four happen? Sure.

But there's nothing that is demonstrating that the team has been particularly lucky so far this year, so I have no expectations that they are suddenly going to transform into a .500 team at the end of the year (which would mean they'd go .467 the rest of the way) nor that there are any teams they wouldn't have a good shot at beating in the first round, at least.

I don't want to overcompensate for my earlier doubt--I still have reservations about the team continuing to run--but I won't be one who fails to admit that the team has gotten off to a much better start than a team with so many new pieces should be expected to.

Ed O.

 

[SlyPokerDog]

Listen... I was about as negative as any reasonable poster here, but the reality is that the team is 5-1. They've had a lot of games at home (4) and not many back-to-backs (1 before tonight) but they've beaten some good teams in rather impressive fashion.

Will the team keep up a .833 winning clip? Almost certainly not. Will an injury or four happen? Sure.

But there's nothing that is demonstrating that the team has been particularly lucky so far this year, so I have no expectations that they are suddenly going to transform into a .500 team at the end of the year (which would mean they'd go .467 the rest of the way) nor that there are any teams they wouldn't have a good shot at beating in the first round, at least.

I don't want to overcompensate for my earlier doubt--I still have reservations about the team continuing to run--but I won't be one who fails to admit that the team has gotten off to a much better start than a team with so many new pieces should be expected to.

Ed O.

I told you guys if we kept horsing around dad would yell and make us to go to bed.

 

[PapaG]

That is because of our running.

Wait? So when the team was plodding, yet among the leaders in inside scoring and dunks, that was bad, but now you don't like the way the team is scoring inside.

Weird. Many inconsistencies in your criticisms are becoming more apparent by the day.

 

[PapaG]

The one semi-interesting notion in this article is the intimation of why we're beating our opponents--not so much because we're the better team, but because they weren't prepared for how we're going to play.

Anyone care to comment on that?

Yeah, it's a load of steaming shit. The Blazers were a playoff team last year who upped pace with Felton and now have an older Batum, a better LMA, a comfortable and integrated Wallace, a healthy Camby, a guy off the bench in Crawford who can get off a shot at any time and can play the point.

I've never much agreed with "Dave from BlazersEdge", though, so I admit my view of anything he writes is negatively biased.

 

[blazerboy30]

Wait? So when the team was plodding, yet among the leaders in inside scoring and dunks, that was bad, but now you don't like the way the team is scoring inside.

Weird. Many inconsistencies in your criticisms are becoming more apparent by the day.

To be fair, I'm not sure MM's post was implying anything negative as much as pointing out a possible reason for the improve stat.

On the other hand, we've become so used to MM's posts being unfounded criticism that we immediately assume he's being negative.

 

[PapaG]

Dave's article only proves my point that we should trade all of our players before they get injured for lottery picks and tank the season.

"Blow it up"

It's going to suck when teams figure out how to stop the Blazers, and solve their defense. Maybe as well rebuild now.

I see Portland going 5-28 in the second half of the season with this group of scrubs and their jerkwater coach.

It will be just like the Ducks, and what happened in the Rose Bowl this year after Wisconsin's Top 8 defense had a month to prepare for Chip Kelly and his gimmicky offense.

 

[PapaG]

To be fair, I'm not sure MM's post was implying anything negative as much as pointing out a possible reason for the improve stat.

On the other hand, we've become so used to MM's posts being unfounded criticism that we immediately assume he's being negative.

True, and I do have one small criticism, and it pertains to Jamal Crawford. Watching him dribble the ball for 7 seconds and then launching a shot (which he missed) with 13 seconds on the shot clock, and 2:10 left in the game, alarmed me. I appreciate chuckers as much as anyone (I was the last defender of Outlaw Island, for example), but at least be smart about it. Nate pulled him right after that shot, too.

 

[SlyPokerDog]

"Blow it up"

It's going to suck when teams figure out how to stop the Blazers, and solve their defense. Maybe as well rebuild now.

I see Portland going 5-28 in the second half of the season with this group of scrubs and their jerkwater coach.

It will be just like the Ducks, and what happened in the Rose Bowl this year after Wisconsin's Top 8 defense had a month to prepare for Chip Kelly and his gimmicky offense.

 

[blazerboy30]

True, and I do have one small criticism, and it pertains to Jamal Crawford. Watching him dribble the ball for 7 seconds and then launching a shot (which he missed) with 13 seconds on the shot clock, and 2:10 left in the game, alarmed me. I appreciate chuckers as much as anyone (I was the last defender of Outlaw Island, for example), but at least be smart about it. Nate pulled him right after that shot, too.

Agreed. That was a little frustrating to watch. With about 2:30 left, we ran the 1-4 offense like we used to do with Roy, but with Jamal handling the ball. We had a terrible possession and I remember thinking we better not keep running that 1-4 offense for the final 2:30.

 

[HailBlazers]

Still of lot of growing yet to do for this team, and that's a good thing. Were only going to get better.

 

[PapaG]

Agreed. That was a little frustrating to watch. With about 2:30 left, we ran the 1-4 offense like we used to do with Roy, but with Jamal handling the ball. We had a terrible possession and I remember thinking we better not keep running that 1-4 offense for the final 2:30.

I have to give Nate credit for yanking him after that shot. I'll also give Crawford credit for not sulking about it, because if you saw after the game, he and LMA embraced for a good 15 seconds or so, and Jamal was all over the court high-fiving during timeouts after he was pulled.