ESPN2: Avery Johnson says Blazers are legit

[magnifier661]

Um why not go marvel and say "The Fantastic Four?"

 

[Boob-No-More]

Re: wowowow our big 3??

Rasheed was one of the best defenders in the game who always played about even against Garnett or Duncan.

But left Big Shot Bob Horry wide open at the 3-point line with the game on the line, after Larry Brown said OVER and OVER in the huddle to NOT double team the ball and stay on Horry. One of the most boneheaded plays I've ever seen.

BNM

 

[Boob-No-More]

Re: wowowow our big 3??

I said it in the Avery Johnson thread and I'll say it again here: We have a TEAM.

I know the NBA REALLY promotes its superstars, but basketball is a team game and I LOVE to see it played that way.

BNM

 

[Draco]

Re: wowowow our big 3??

I don't agree. Nic is clearly the superior player. Wes can't be our point guard for stretches like Nic can and his ceiling isn't as high as Nic's offensively. He makes the most of his talent and plays damn hard, though. He deserves his paycheck.

Nic makes bonehead plays and gets burned on defense, but he gets a few highlight real plays. Wes isn’t as flashy but he makes the smarter play. Wes can physically match the strong wing players. Wes is more reliable and consistent game to game. Remember when Steve Nash was able to effectively guard Nic? Its not that bad now but Nic still can’t take advantage of a weak defender. Wes has always scored a few points per minute more than Nic while being more efficient. Wes is a career 40% 3pt shooter, while Nic is still good but 37%.

They are both playing well so its kind of splitting hairs but I’d rather have Wes’ contributions right now.

 

[StumptownHoliday]

Re: wowowow our big 3??

Nic makes bonehead plays and gets burned on defense, but he gets a few highlight real plays. Wes isn’t as flashy but he makes the smarter play. Wes can physically match the strong wing players. Wes is more reliable and consistent game to game. Remember when Steve Nash was able to effectively guard Nic? Its not that bad now but Nic still can’t take advantage of a weak defender. Wes has always scored a few points per minute more than Nic while being more efficient. Wes is a career 40% 3pt shooter, while Nic is still good but 37%.

They are both playing well so its kind of splitting hairs but I’d rather have Wes’ contributions right now.

I understand what you're saying but you're discounting Nic's enormous advantage over Wes vis a vis assists, rebounds, blocks, and steals. Wes is a shooting guard, a glorified spot up shooter with a ton of heart who's main task it is to knock down thees and body dudes, so he scores a few more points than Batum. Nic, on the other hand, is a multifaceted performer who can have both the offence and defensive run through him dynamically. People don't fully appreciate Nic's skills cuz he doesn't score 20 a game; I say if he was tasked to score, he could easily average 20 a game.

 

[Boob-No-More]

Re: wowowow our big 3??

Remember when Steve Nash was able to effectively guard Nic? .

Actually, what I remember is we have no idea if Nash could actually guard Nic, because Nate stubbornly and steadfastly refused to even TRY to exploit that mismatch - well, until opening night six months later when Nic destroyed Nash in the first quarter and forced the Suns to put Grant Hill back on Nic.

Nate was horrible at in game adjustments and devastatingly bad at making mid-series adjustments in the playoffs, but by god, give him 6 months and he'll finally see the obvious.

BNM

 

[StumptownHoliday]

Re: wowowow our big 3??

Nate was horrible at in game adjustments and devastatingly bad at making mid-series adjustments in the playoffs, but by god, give him 6 months and he'll finally see the obvious.

Not to shit on Nate (ok I'll shit on Nate), but if Stotts were couch of that team I bet we'd have won one of those series. Nate was great at milking below-average players (hey TRAVIS!) into useful ones, but sucks at taking talented players to the next level.

 

[BBert]

Re: wowowow our big 3??

We've never had a "Big 3". Still don't.. And that's fine.

I agree. Some people are too hung up on the big 3 mantra. We have two tier one players, two tier two players, a solid center, a sixth man candidate, several solid backups, good balance and chemistry and an offense that maximizes our strengths. And that's fine for now. .

 

[Blazer Fanatic]

Tone was talking about this on the radio pre-game show yesterday. We don't have a legit Big 3, but we have big 2 and then Mo Williams, Nicolas Batum, and Wesley Matthews. At least two of those last three will be hitting in any given night.

Sounds an awful lot that scene in Money Ball where Brad Pitt says he needs to get 3 guys to replace what Giambi did for the A's team, huh? lol

 

[Blazer Fanatic]

Well, let's be honest here, some fans want so badly for this to be real and not an aberration. They're willing to point to any "expert" as validation that this team is actually a contender. I don't blame them because I want this to be real, but at the same time I'm just enjoying the ride. After having my hopes and dreams about the Ducks squashed for the second straight year, I'm trying to just relax and have fun with it. If they win, they win, and if they don't... so be it.

I am an expert. But even I respond like many fans do toward my fellow experts. However, my enjoyment stems not from agreement or validation from experts, or the failure of experts, but from the inability of many experts to reconcile with their failures as experts, to accurately assess and describe what they are charged to speak about.

To be honest, us "experts" don't point at ourselves. We pretty much just stand in front of a mirror for hours, nodding in silent agreement.

As an expert, I'll lend my "expert" opinion: this Blazers team is exciting to watch, fun to watch grow before our eyes, and awesome to see them achieve success with such a solid meld of chemistry.

I can't relate to hopes and dreams, because as an "expert", I have neither. I have achieve total enlightenment though, and I have the email from the Dali Lama himself that proves it. (Only $14.99 via a pay pal account to receive your own Dali Lama email granting you totally enlightened.)

That said, I could not agree more with the nausea induced by hearing another diatribe about a "big 3", "big 4", "big 5" (although I hear they sold some good sports apparel) from experts, such as myself. The Blazers are a really solid team, and I am a fan of that team, and how well they are playing together.

 

[KingSpeed]

These next 9 games tell the tale. If we have a solid record after it, I'll fully jump in... right now I'm just wading, getting acclimated to the temperature.

I don't get it. If you're wading and getting acclimated to the temperature, you're already in.

All I'm saying is that if the stupidest guy in the office comes over to your desk and gives your latest project a ringing endorsement, it might be worth getting a second opinion.

Yes. But I think Avery Johnson is a fucking idiot.

Why do you think that? Though he was always doubted, he was the starting PG of a title winnng team and in fact, hit the title winning shot. As a coach, he led the Mavericks to a 67-15 record. Yes, they lost in the first round but it was a bad matchup and what they did in the regular season (going 67-11 after starting 0-4) deserves praise for the guy in charge. I'm not saying I agree or disagree with Avery. I was just posting that it was said.

last night avery Johnson said that we are for real because we now have a big 3 of LMA, dame and WES. i kind of shrugged it off thinking....well avery probably meant batum or just doesn't watch our games or..or..or i don't know.

i jus happened to be watching PTI and wilbon and kornheiser say we are for real because we now have a big 3 of LMA, Dame and WES!!!

wtf...is this the twilight zone?

is this reality???

Oh so it wasn't just Avery. I consider Wilbon to be very knowledgeable about the NBA. I don't think much of Nik so maybe I should just not respond next time.

Signed,
ClutchSpeed

 

[HomerLovesKoolAid]

I can't relate to hopes and dreams, because as an "expert", I have neither. I have achieve total enlightenment though, and I have the email from the Dali Lama himself that proves it. (Only $14.99 via a pay pal account to receive your own Dali Lama email granting you totally enlightened.)

Gunga Galunga.

 

[Strenuus]

I don't get it. If you're wading and getting acclimated to the temperature, you're already in.

Yeah. Technically speaking though, my whole body isn't in. I can still preserve my torso, neck, head, and arms!

 

[Blazer Fanatic]

Gunga Galunga.

Close enough. lol

 

[HailBlazers]

BUUUMP

 

[BigGameDamian]

Re: wowowow our big 3??

Sheed was in the league three years before Timmy...

But yeah I think the fact Tim has won three championships says something about him but the fact he is still playing a pretty high level is a testament to him.

He probably takes care of his body better than Sheed, I would guess Duncan actually goes into the weight room and probably doesn't smoke as much weed.