Game Thread GAME# 69: BLAZERS @ SPURS - MARCH 17, 2016 - THURSDAY, 5:30 PM (PST), KGW & NBATV

[Natebishop3]

Calm the fuck down. Were you predicting championship this year? Historically awesome home teams, maybe the best home teams of all time just beat us in their buildings. Why are you freaking out? We've won 20 of our last 30 games. You predicted us to only win 32 games this season. They are having a great year. Despite all of our recent losing, we are still 6th in the West. SAME AS LAST YEAR. You cannot ignore their 37 point win over Orlando. Yes, Orlando was missing all of their good players and they're not a playoff team but THAT IS THE POINT. We took care of business when we were supposed to. That's what good teams do. We're a good team..

We won't be facing Orlando in the first round.

 

[KingSpeed]

Rasheed had a better career, won a ring, and he's not in the HOF.

Yep. Two Finals appearances. Two WCFs with Blazers. A billion ECFs with Detroit. Aldridge has won one playoff series.

 

[KingSpeed]

We won't be facing Orlando in the first round.

You don't get it. We're a GOOD team. Good teams destroy bad teams. Only about 10 games are played against those 3 teams. We have 72 other games to play and we've done pretty well. Also, we've beaten OKC and GS. In fact, we beat GS by 32 points. For some reason, for some people, only the losses count and the wins are ignored and meaningless. You thought we'd win 32 games this season. We've been better. What are you pissed about?

 

[KingSpeed]

Totally agree

Get lost. You said we'd lose to SA by 20+ and we didn't. Be gone.

 

[Natebishop3]

You don't get it. We're a GOOD team. Good teams destroy bad teams. Only about 10 games are played against those 3 teams. We have 72 other games to play and we've done pretty well. Also, we've beaten OKC and GS. In fact, we beat GS by 32 points. For some reason, for some people, only the losses count and the wins are ignored and meaningless. You thought we'd win 32 games this season. We've been better. What are you pissed about?

I'm pissed if we get swept in the first round and lose our first round pick for nothing.

 

[KingSpeed]

Take nothing for granted. They have Anthony Davis and the Blazers have absolutely no answer for him.

We had an answer for him on opening night. Davis had 25 points. Our answer, CJ McCollum had 37 points in a blowout. Then on December 14th, Davis scored 28 and our answer, Damian Lillard, had 30 points in a win.

 

[KingSpeed]

I'm pissed if we get swept in the first round and lose our first round pick for nothing.

We already lost our draft pick for nothing. Olshey made a bad trade. He traded away Barton, Robinson, Claver, and our pick for an Afflalo that he couldn't or didn't want to re-sign. It's gone. Losing in the first round won't win it back and winning in the first round won't win it back. The 14th pick in the draft isn't what this teams needs now. They need to play better defense and improve from within. Plus, we have cap room to sign other players that are in Dame's window. A 19 year old rookie doesn't fit. I know it's a tradeable asset, but it's gone. Don't get mad now.

 

[Natebishop3]

We already lost our draft pick for nothing. Olshey made a bad trade. He traded away Barton, Robinson, Claver, and our pick for an Afflalo that he couldn't or didn't want to re-sign. It's gone. Losing in the first round won't win it back and winning in the first round won't win it back. The 14th pick in the draft isn't what this teams needs now. They need to play better defense and improve from within. Plus, we have cap room to sign other players that are in Dame's window. A 19 year old rookie doesn't fit. I know it's a tradeable asset, but it's gone. Don't get mad now.

19 year old rookie? How is that even remotely the kind of player that Olshey drafts? Was Dame a 19 year old rookie? Was CJ?

 

[ripcityboy]

Spurs are way more talented than us. Kawhi is on the same level as Dame offensively while being the best defender in the league. That effectively has them playing the game as if it was 6 on 5. They don't have any bad players in their lineup. We start Noah Vonleh. Say what you will about Aldridge but his defense is great too and he can easily score double digits which none of our front court players can provide. They have simple role players who don't make dumb mistakes. Guys like David West while we have Harkless who is vastly more athletic but low skill and low IQ.

Maybe your point is they have great synergy and great coaching. Yeah they've had the best in the league for decades.

The Spurs have been doing the same thing for 10 years where people say their old and unathletic and declining but they continue to kick the snott out of the league. But this year they have all of the usual Spurs characteristics along with an MVP candidate and a few all-stars. This is their best record ever. Tonight was never a game; it was an 8 point blowout.

I will say DameCJ are a hell of an offensive duo. Ed Davis is a great role player. Outside that I don't know if we have any long term core pieces of a contending team.

My worry about Portland is the fact we are running on a perpetual treadmill. We are in a system where we are just talented enough to beat them on a bad night but never at full strength. I'm praying we attract an All Star type this offseason or we will start the rebuilding process over forever.

 

[KingSpeed]

19 year old rookie? How is that even remotely the kind of player that Olshey drafts? Was Dame a 19 year old rookie? Was CJ?

Good point. All my other points stand though. Relax.

 

[Natebishop3]

Good point. All my other points stand though. Relax.

For a while it was looking like we might be competitive in the first round.... but right now we look like shit against top tier talent. It's not encouraging.

 

[KingSpeed]

For a while it was looking like we might be competitive in the first round.... but right now we look like shit against top tier talent. It's not encouraging.

Calm down. No one will care about games in March when the playoffs roll around. Let's see what happens.

 

[Blazer4ever]

From the box score it seems we were thoroughly outplayed.
Of course we have to start each half with Aminu and Vonleh, they have Duncan and Aldridge we play Aminu and Vonleh, not because we don't have other players, both these players never play for us to finish games but Stotts with his autistic rotations, they have to start both halves, there's no room to manouver, we stick to the plan. The plan was for you to know how to coach a basketball game, Terry, Right now we're definitely not sticking to this plan. Pathetic

 

[VanillaGorilla]

Totally agree

@Natebishop3 How does it feel to have Tunchi completely agree with you?

 

[kjironman1]

The 2011-12 season is on line 5...

So when it fits your rhetoric it's fine to say that the Blazers have not been a winning team. I see.
The Blazers have been in the upper portion of the leagues winning teams in the league over Aldridge's career. He has made the All-Star team 4 times and there is little end in sight the way the guy is playing. Yes he played with great players as he is now but He is also a great player. No amount of animosity on your part (jilted lover/fan) can change that. Now will he make the HOF? I really can't say but it is my OPINION he will make it.

And by the way the 11-12 season was not only a bad season it was also Nate McMillian's last and Caleb's filler year. It was the year of the strike shortened basketball and triple B2B2B's and probably not a good look at LMA's overall production.

 

[kjironman1]

We had an answer for him on opening night. Davis had 25 points. Our answer, CJ McCollum had 37 points in a blowout. Then on December 14th, Davis scored 28 and our answer, Damian Lillard, had 30 points in a win.

Like i said if you are expecting that from CJ and Lillard every night "Take nothing for granted". The Blazers should and hopefully will beat N.O. but there is nothing right now that makes me feel as though it is a walk in the park.

 

[HomerLovesKoolAid]

SlyPokerDog is an idiot.

I totally agree with this, but I thought we weren't supposed to use personal insults?

 

[Strenuus]

I was out with a friend during this game so I missed it.

I will say this, regardless, though...

Not.

Swayed.

 

[Blazers Roy]

That does it!
I fucking hate the NBA!
Everything is fucked up in this league.
Starters are "leaving money on the table" to be bench players on contenders (west).
Starters are bought off by their teams and then goes to play with contenders with no restrictions whatsoever on their new team (martin).
Refs are giving favorable calls TO THE BETTER TEAM.
CAL\TEX(SA)\MIA teams are always on top.
Star players get way too much power over their small market teams.
Fucking noisy arenas with shit music and dumbass announcers for most teams in the league..."that looked to me like a tap on shoulder right there".."MAMA, what A move".

I hope the Whoriors or the Cavs somehow win the championship.

This about sums it all up for me.

 

[kjironman1]

That does it!
I fucking hate the NBA!
Everything is fucked up in this league.
Starters are "leaving money on the table" to be bench players on contenders (west).
Starters are bought off by their teams and then goes to play with contenders with no restrictions whatsoever on their new team (martin).
Refs are giving favorable calls TO THE BETTER TEAM.
CAL\TEX(SA)\MIA teams are always on top.
Star players get way too much power over their small market teams.
Fucking noisy arenas with shit music and dumbass announcers for most teams in the league..."that looked to me like a tap on shoulder right there".."MAMA, what A move".

I hope the Whoriors or the Cavs somehow win the championship.

This about sums it all up for me.
View attachment 8296

I feel your pain.

 

[KingSpeed]

So when it fits your rhetoric it's fine to say that the Blazers have not been a winning team. I see.
The Blazers have been in the upper portion of the leagues winning teams in the league over Aldridge's career. He has made the All-Star team 4 times and there is little end in sight the way the guy is playing. Yes he played with great players as he is now but He is also a great player. No amount of animosity on your part (jilted lover/fan) can change that. Now will he make the HOF? I really can't say but it is my OPINION he will make it.

And by the way the 11-12 season was not only a bad season it was also Nate McMillian's last and Caleb's filler year. It was the year of the strike shortened basketball and triple B2B2B's and probably not a good look at LMA's overall production.

My rhetoric? I wasn't even discussing Aldridge but it's untrue that he's won consistently through his career. And he's only won one playoff series. Just keeping it 100.

 

[Strenuus]

My rhetoric? I wasn't even discussing Aldridge but it's untrue that he's won consistently through his career. And he's only won one playoff series. Just keeping it 100.

I just heard "Just keeping it 100" in your voice and I swooned. So adorbs!

 

[Blazers Roy]

I feel your pain.