Game Thread GAME# 53: BLAZERS @ MAVERICKS - FEBRUARY 7, 2017 - TUESDAY, 5:30 PM (PST), CSNNW

[HomerLovesKoolAid]

Seriously, I'm tired of these fucking "even-keeled" coaches, never too high or too low.

I want the chair-throwing spawn of Popovich and Bobby Knight, who was adopted by Vincent Lombardi. I want someone that will yell at these fuckers until they play like they can, tell Harkness to grow up, tell Amino to pass the ball, kick Meyers in the nutsack, and know that 2 + 2 = 4 and is one more than 3.

Whew! Got me early in the day while I still care. By 7am I'm apathetic.

 

[Sarni]

The only way you can effectively tank on purpose is to sit your top players for the rest of the season. Which is ridiculous to think it would happen before the all star break for Portland. Another problem with tanking is that there are so many games in April that are at home. Unless Dame and CJ are banged up I doubt they will agree to sit.

I think those who want to tank are better off hoping our opponents all get hot. Brooklyn, Lakers, and Phoenix will all tank IMO after the all star break. Not sure about Dallas. But the rest might try to win though.

Dallas will be trying to win for sure. You won't even need a winning record to make playoffs in the West and they've been on a good run so will want to make it. They won't care if they are swept by Warriors.

I think we won't get bad enough to get ourselves high enough in lottery to get Jackson or Tatum, who would solve our inefficient SF position, but will comfortably get in 11-20 range where there's lots of power forwards projected: TJ Leaf, Adebayo, Harkenstein, Markkanen, Giles and Rabb are all projected exactly there so it's a convenient time for us to be in that range, and we will.

 

[Blazer4ever]

I watched the Blazers against the Thunder for the first time this season and the story of the game was Meyers vs. Plumlee. Plumlee was absolute horse shit, he played so bad a real coach wouldn't have let him leave the bench. On the other hand, when Meyers was on the floor we were winning. It was like science, insert Meyers, we're winning; insert Plumlee, we're losing. Something to think about

 

[Trackjack]

I been fan since the franchise open up and I will still be a fan until they throw dirt on me. But I will praise the ones that give good performance and jump on the ones that gives ass half performance. It don't matter who they are it could be Dame or CJ or the 15th player on this team if they give the effort I will say something good. I will call it as I see it that the bottom line. Does that make not fan no what makes me someone that understand the game and how the game should be played.

 

[Pinwheel1]

Dallas will be trying to win for sure. You won't even need a winning record to make playoffs in the West and they've been on a good run so will want to make it. They won't care if they are swept by Warriors.

I think we won't get bad enough to get ourselves high enough in lottery to get Jackson or Tatum, who would solve our inefficient SF position, but will comfortably get in 11-20 range where there's lots of power forwards projected: TJ Leaf, Adebayo, Harkenstein, Markkanen, Giles and Rabb are all projected exactly there so it's a convenient time for us to be in that range, and we will.

I like Leaf's potential. Not NBA ready yet. not sure he will leave early. Rabb looked bad against the Ducks. Can't see how he would make a difference for the Blazers.

The reason I think Dallas might tank more so than the younger teams, is that they already have sat some vets with injuries. I can see them resting Dirk and trading Deron Williams. They need to get younger, while some of the other lottery bound teams are already deep with young players.

 

[andalusian]

The Blazers need to earn my fandom. This team has not done it.

If this makes me a fair-weather fan, I am OK with it.

In any endeavor, any entity that requires investment from "customers" always needs to work to earn this investment. If it does not do it - be it because of effort, wrong product or what-have you - they have to change. This team needs a change.

 

[Strenuus]

The Blazers need to earn my fandom. This team has not done it.

If this makes me a fair-weather fan, I am OK with it.

In any endeavor, any entity that requires investment from "customers" always needs to work to earn this investment. If it does not do it - be it because of effort, wrong product or what-have you - they have to change. This team needs a change.

Very, very well said.

 

[Minstrel]

You guys sound like fair-weather fans. Like those fair-weather fans who abandoned Chipotle after their E.coli outbreak. Some people are only there for the good times.

 

[blue9]

I think those who want to tank are better off hoping our opponents all get hot. Brooklyn, Lakers, and Phoenix will all tank IMO after the all star break. Not sure about Dallas. But the rest might try to win though.

I hope for both!

 

[Chris Craig]

You can love the Blazer Brand and not care for the roster. I think part of being a hardcore fan is being upset when the roster is shit, when the team is losing, doesn't make me fair - weather.

 

[andalusian]

Some people are only there for the good times.

The NBA is entertainment, there is no higher purpose to it. You do nothing good for the world by suffering through mediocre basket ball team because they wear a specific uniform.

If you think otherwise... Enjoy the suffering

 

[Shaboid]

Dallas will be trying to win for sure. You won't even need a winning record to make playoffs in the West and they've been on a good run so will want to make it. They won't care if they are swept by Warriors.

I think we won't get bad enough to get ourselves high enough in lottery to get Jackson or Tatum, who would solve our inefficient SF position, but will comfortably get in 11-20 range where there's lots of power forwards projected: TJ Leaf, Adebayo, Harkenstein, Markkanen, Giles and Rabb are all projected exactly there so it's a convenient time for us to be in that range, and we will.

I don't watch much college basketball so I don't know his talent level, but having a Harkless and Harkenstein duo sounds awesome to me. I say we draft him.

 

[BonesJones]

We show them support and they reward us with winning.

I haven't been rewarded though...

 

[BonesJones]

I was joking about Gasol.

How are the closer losses different? Coming back from 21 down against Warriors and back from 7 down with 30 seconds left to getting off a wide open three pointer that would've won the game. Or the layup Plumlee nearly missed that would've beaten a hot Philly team. Or coming back from 24 down to tie the Mavericks. This team has been fighting tooth and nail. When we win, no one gives them credit but a couple close losses and we're awful and not worth watching.

So barely losing to bad teams is a good thing if we either trailed by 20 earlier in the game or got missed a layup to win instead of a 3 to win? Lol.

The consensus on the board is based on the pattern of games, not just one game. And this season has been a joke, that's why fans are gonna get pissed when we lose to the Mavericks twice at home in one year. It's because it's on par with our losses to the 76ers, Kings, Suns, Nuggets, Pistons, Magic, Bucks, Knicks, etc. Sure, I guess we could ignore ALL OF THAT and take solace in the fact that we beat the Cavs and almost beat the Warriors when Steph Curry was out, but then we'd have to ignore our dismal 22-30 record as well.

 

[BonesJones]

I watched the Blazers against the Thunder for the first time this season ... It was like science, insert Meyers, we're winning; insert Plumlee, we're losing.

Sorry but Meyers having a better +/- in one game isn't due to him. 3 points, 7 rebounds, 2 assists... He wasn't the reason they were playing well. If you'd seen more games this season then you'd understand how god awful Meyers Leonard has been.

 

[KingSpeed]

I watched the Blazers against the Thunder for the first time this season and the story of the game was Meyers vs. Plumlee. Plumlee was absolute horse shit, he played so bad a real coach wouldn't have let him leave the bench. On the other hand, when Meyers was on the floor we were winning. It was like science, insert Meyers, we're winning; insert Plumlee, we're losing. Something to think about

Actually it was sit Westbrook, we're winning. Play Westbrook, we're losing.

 

[Minstrel]

The NBA is entertainment, there is no higher purpose to it. You do nothing good for the world by suffering through mediocre basket ball team because they wear a specific uniform.

If you think otherwise... Enjoy the suffering

You might have missed tone of my post.

 

[KingSpeed]

The NBA is entertainment, there is no higher purpose to it. You do nothing good for the world by suffering through mediocre basket ball team because they wear a specific uniform.

If you think otherwise... Enjoy the suffering

Being there for the bad times makes the good times sweeter. I like the players and enjoy watching them play. They've struggled but there is more basketball to be played.

 

[Gronk Brady]

Being there for the bad times makes the good times sweeter. I like the players and enjoy watching them play. They've struggled but there is more basketball to be played.

I'll enjoy the good times just as much, if not more... and this season is over

 

[andalusian]

Being there for the bad times makes the good times sweeter. I like the players and enjoy watching them play. They've struggled but there is more basketball to be played.

.. and there is nothing wrong with that. Nor is there anything wrong with not going out of one's way when the team seems to lack identity or focus or that something special.

 

[andalusian]

You might have missed tone of my post.

Easy to do in a forum post. My apologies.

 

[JDC]

Noah Vonleh is so bad....

 

[Cippy91]

Noah Vonleh is so bad....

He's not bad, has a ton of potential, question is will he reach it or Meyers leonard it

 

[Cippy91]

Lillard seems like he definitely took that yogi Ferrell game personally. Looks fired up

 

[ripcityboy]

Noah Vonleh is so bad....

Yeah. He hasn't really progressed at all. Maybe Charlotte knew something.....

 

[ripcityboy]

He's not bad, has a ton of potential, question is will he reach it or Meyers leonard it

Maybe and not a chance in Milton's Hell.

 

[UKRAINEFAN]

I thought Lillard's two three attempts were good selections, squared up and fairly open.

 

[JDC]

Everybody throws the potential card out for Noah Vonleh, but what does reaching that potential look like? The guy might be the worst finisher at that size I have ever seen, not a natural shooter and is a foul prone defender. I don't see it.

 

[Cippy91]

Everybody throws the potential card out for Noah Vonleh, but what does reaching that potential look like? The guy might be the worst finisher at that size I have ever seen, not a natural shooter and is a foul prone defender. I don't see it.

To be honest I never understood why everybody was high on vonleh either, he started a lot of games last season, didn't show me much. He has a nice vertical, can some what post up and has a decent jumper but I don't know it's a question right now with him.

 

[JDC]

Terry relentlessly attacking a matchup advantage? I like it.