Game Thread GAME# 44: BLAZERS @ HORNETS - JANUARY 18, 2017 - WEDNESDAY, 4:00 PM (PST), CSNNW

[Dougnsalem]

"I love Portland, my ex-wife keeps taking me to court here."

I feel your pain....

 

[Cippy91]

I actually think they are trying hard, they just aren't talented enough to compete in the NBA on a nighty basis. This isn't an effort issue, it's a roster issue.

I see this too, this roster is pretty mediocre

 

[Denny Crane]

Kind of brutal when you make Hibbert look like a hall of famer.

 

[Cippy91]

Kind of brutal when you make Hibbert look like a hall of famer.

How do we know he isn't one?

 

[craigehlo]

Low hoops IQ is plaguing this team, tonight was a prime example. It's time for Stotts to go. Fair or not, the coach needs to be held accountable for this dumpster fire.

 

[Cippy91]

I agree with quick on dame not playing great the last month but you can't expect him to average 30 a game in hopes of lighting a fire within this team, I get it, he's the leader but this is an individual thing I see. Even when cj was playing elite for two weeks, there were still losses. Can't count on one player to help the rest. Only so much one can do and I think dame is at that point of frustration where his play reflects how the team is doing. Can't blame him honestly.

 

[chzbrgr]

Dame is a lot like Kevin Love... Can be great offensively and put up good numbers but your team will struggle, both dont play much defense, both need to be 2nd or 3rd banana if you want to make a run at a title.

 

[BigGameDamian]

LoL... Keep developing guys!!

 

[Strenuus]

Why don't you wait and see after a loss? It's a long season.

Because the losses are proof and the wins are scarce? I don't know...

 

[Strenuus]

For about 20 years, we had an awesome frontcourt. Sucks now.

The irony.

 

[Strenuus]

I am one of the biggest Blazers homers there is on this board but this team is wearing me down. This is unacceptable.

Prepare yourself for a blowout by the "worst team" in the league on Friday. At this point can you argue against this happening?

I guarantee this is what will happen if/when we get blown out on Friday:

"Remember we lost to them before starting to win big." You know who the poster will be.

Like these two seasons have any correlation at all.

 

[Strenuus]

Dame isn't a great leader but I can't stand the bullshit interviews at this point. "We tried hard, the effort is there". No, the effort isn't there. It's obvious. Everybody sees it. I find it hard to believe dame believes this. What kind of coddling does stotts do in the locker room. "You guys tried hard, just keep shooting threes, they will go in and we will win.".

What. The. Fuck. Is. Going. On

Dame isn't a great leader?

 

[Rastapopoulos]

everybody wants a change to be made, what change can olshey even make?

organization seems hell bent on keeping dame and CJ together.

No, Olshey is. So get rid of Olshey. I hear Sam Hinkie's available, and his "process" is just bearing fruit in Philly. (Embiid>Dame OR CJ, and who knows how good Simmons is.)

 

[Darkwebs]

These past 3 games has me feeling like...

Spoiler

 

[Rastapopoulos]

CJ is not going to get you Cousins. So just put that out of your mind. CJ is a nice player, but undersized shooting guards who can't defend ain't exactly worth top-tier centers.

 

[rotary111]

Just halfway through the second quarter....... hard to believe we lose as bad as we did. I can't wait to see how this unfolded. I seriously shouldn't catch the final score before watching the game. The nice thing is I get to look forward to all the negative posts./threads/trade Dame convo. (deservedly so.)

 

[WillG]

Trade Lillard, whilst he has the 'Star' moniker still, for the best player you can get. (ADavis or JButler please.)

This shitiness is systemic and needs to be purged. Ergo Stotts needs to go too.

 

[UKRAINEFAN]

I actually thought Plums played as well as could be expected with the suckage around him. He's a total hustler, and he had some good blocks and Defense tonight.

But really...there's only so much that he can do alone. When he's the only one contesting balls in the paint against 3 opposing players, it's kind of a no contest.

Yes, I saw him make a mistake that ended up with him turning the ball over, but he got down and fought for that ball; it was actually in dispute for a couple seconds as it got knocked around and not one other Blazer got in there and went after it.

 

[UKRAINEFAN]

I actually think they are trying hard, they just aren't talented enough to compete in the NBA on a nighty basis. This isn't an effort issue, it's a roster issue.

I think they are talented enough if things go right for a long enough time that their confidence gets them going even more. I think that is what Lillard is trying to say. I think this kind of problem can happen especially with a jumpshooting team. It's true they are not talented enough and diverse enough to withstand difficulties.

 

[THE HCP]

Hey guys, here at the hotel in Philly......what did I miss?

 

[Strenuus]

Hey guys, here at the hotel in Philly......what did I miss?

Didnt miss any defense, or coherency from the players.

 

[oldfisherman]

Hey guys, here at the hotel in Philly......what did I miss?

You did not miss anything. The Blazers have not played any basketball for a week.

 

[BigGameDamian]

Hey guys, here at the hotel in Philly......what did I miss?

How's your NBA2K17 experience?

 

[Cippy91]

Dame isn't a great leader?

Autocorrect. Very much is

 

[Mediocre Man]

Autocorrect. Very much is

Is he? He says all the right things, but he doesn't lead by actions, or he'd step his defense up a lot. IMO, a leader, knowing we need to play better defense, would set that example on that end of the floor.

 

[illmatic99]

Really glad I missed this game.

 

[Rastapopoulos]

Trade Lillard, whilst he has the 'Star' moniker still, for the best player you can get. (ADavis or JButler please.)

What if "the best player you can get" is someone like Ricky Rubio?

 

[blue9]

What if "the best player you can get" is someone like Ricky Rubio?

Better defense and better playmaking! CJ becomes our #1 scoring option, with a defensive-minded, pass-first PG? There are worse things that could happen.

(Because people aren't picking up on my subtle sarcasm, there's no way I'd trade Dame for Rubio. But you have to admit, there's a nugget of truth in that sarcasm.)

 

[Cippy91]

Is he? He says all the right things, but he doesn't lead by actions, or he'd step his defense up a lot. IMO, a leader, knowing we need to play better defense, would set that example on that end of the floor.

Yes he is and I think he has shown it. I know this forum is on a hate dame narrative at the moment because he hasn't been playing well but as you all were on the trade CJ wagon a while back ago to "cj is better than dame", so up and down this place. Logic. Yes Dame isn't good on defense, not a mystery. Doesn't make him any less of a leader. He has lead by a bunch of actions, you are purely basing this off the fact he isn't great at defense. You couldn't name anything else that would make him less of a leader

 

[Strenuus]

Yes he is and I think he has shown it. I know this forum is on a hate dame narrative at the moment because he hasn't been playing well but as you all were on the trade CJ wagon a while back ago to "cj is better than dame", so up and down this place. Logic. Yes Dame isn't good on defense, not a mystery. Doesn't make him any less of a leader. He has lead by a bunch of actions, you are purely basing this off the fact he isn't great at defense. You couldn't name anything else that would make him less of a leader

The trade cj wagon will never get un-hitched.

(You may have fun with that comment)