Good news. Roy isn't dogging it. Bad news ...

[Masbee]

I think you guys are being a bit too gloomy about this. I remember back when Clyde had his knee scoped and the next season it took him until close to the playoffs to regain his confidence and explosiveness. The important point though is that he did regain them. Brandon most likely will too.

I agree. This thread is waaaay too gloomy.

You guys on here don't know shit.

Nobody can predict the future. So any poster on here "keeping it real" is talking out their ass.

Could they be proven right in the future? Sure. Any monkey can pick heads or tails. Doesn't speak to forecast ability.

One thing we can all look to is that as there are the Allan Houston's of the NBA who are never the same we also have players that struggle for a year or two before they find something resembling their old game:

Amare; Zach Randolph; etc.

Look at Chris Paul this year. He was way off his game last season. Now, he looks All-NBA again. Even Richard Jefferson has turned back the clock on his game.

The process - if successful - takes time. Way more time than the patience level of the average fan.

 

[Masbee]

Roy's never been a highlight reel guy in terms of athleticism, but he's always had the ability to explode on his first step and he did have a 40 inch vert. The worrisome part is that he may have had just enough athleticism to do what he liked on the court, if he loses even half a step there's no telling how that will trickle down to the rest of his game.

I agree with you more than julius.

Roy's game did not feature his explosive athletic ability, but that doesn't mean he didn't use it. They keys: first step and jumping ability combined with his excellent ballhandling allowed Roy to get past defenders virtually at will, get into the paint and finish tough layups with his jumping ability.

If he loses half a step, he can't count on getting by every defender, every time. So, he has to start his move sooner, will pass off the ball more, and be harried into more defended long jumpers. None of that is good. Then, if he can't jump as quickly and as high (even a 20% reduction), he won't be able to finish as many tough layups. All will reduce his FG%, as we have seen this season - and other times in the past when he plays hurt.

So, either Roy will heal over time and be able to play his old game again; or

he morphs his game into more of an older Ginobili type game when he learns to play better off ball, receive the pass while moving toward the hoop, and making himself open for jumpers, emphasize his dribbling ability to get to his spots vs first step, improve his fall-away jumper and take more of them vs straight jumper, improve 3 pt shot to the point that Roy almost always takes it when open - go from 3 or 4 attempts, per game to 5 or 6, improve Free Throw shooting percentage, Or

Roy turns into Reggie Miller. Heh.

 

[MickZagger]

I think you could be half right. I think he's doing his best to preserve his body for the games that count, which is sort of coasting, but I think the days of Roy playing like a top ten guy might be in the rearview mirror -- or at least to the right in the passing lane.

He's playing this style of game and still putting up the same numbers he has before. I think he's still a top 10 talent.

 

[Nikolokolus]

He's playing this style of game and still putting up the same numbers he has before. I think he's still a top 10 talent.

He's shooting around 40% from the field, he had a nice game last night, but you can't be that inefficient and still be a top 10 talent unless you either get to the foul line ten times a game or defend like a madman. I'd still call him a top 20 player, but based on this year there's been some slippage.

 

[julius]

He's shooting around 40% from the field, he had a nice game last night, but you can't be that inefficient and still be a top 10 talent unless you either get to the foul line ten times a game or defend like a madman. I'd still call him a top 20 player, but based on this year there's been some slippage.

First 7 games last year Brandon shot 41% and averaged 21 ppg.

The year before:

shot 41.8% and averaged 20.85

Seems that he's pretty much on pace with his usual starts.

 

[MickZagger]

He's shooting around 40% from the field, he had a nice game last night, but you can't be that inefficient and still be a top 10 talent unless you either get to the foul line ten times a game or defend like a madman. I'd still call him a top 20 player, but based on this year there's been some slippage.

I'm willing to wait a little bit before I buy into that being nothing other than small sample size.

 

[Nikolokolus]

Hopefully you guys are right and he's just starting slowly. I'm just saying that my eyes are telling me he's a little more perimeter oriented than I remember. Which bodes well for his health, but not necessarily his shooting percentage

 

[Sug]

So many soccer moms

 

[Fez Hammersticks]

Which makes CP3 all that more appealing.

 

[WillG]

If we can, we should move him while he has value.

I appreciate what Brandon has brought to the franchise, but would not be sad to see the end of 1v3 ISO's, Walking on the court and lackluster defense.

It would be a painful thing for most Blazer fans, but I think in the long run, the team would be improved.

 

[Natebishop3]

people on the radio, and the voices in my head.

What are their names?

 

[ABM]

Brandon is 26, but his knee is probably 65 in dawg years.

Fixed.

 

[Natebishop3]

I'm in the "worried but not freaking out" camp. I'm concerned because it seems like Brandon is having trouble getting by people and elevating the way that he has been over the past four years. Does that mean he's lost a step? No. It could mean that he's out of shape. It could mean that he's being more cautious. There is still a chance, however, that he's lost a step due to injuries. I'm not willing to rule anything out yet. It's still concerning either way.

 

[julius]

What are their names?

Paul and Mike.

 

[Pinwheel1]

If we can, we should move him while he has value.

I appreciate what Brandon has brought to the franchise, but would not be sad to see the end of 1v3 ISO's, Walking on the court and lackluster defense.

It would be a painful thing for most Blazer fans, but I think in the long run, the team would be improved.

Really. So who do you plan on trading him for that would make us better? Let me guess...one of the best players in the world? There are so many options.

 

[Nikolokolus]

Really. So who do you plan on trading him for that would make us better? Let me guess...one of the best players in the world? There are so many options, I can't wait to hear your game plan.

No need, Ammo is still a free agent.

 

[Natebishop3]

No need, Ammo is still a free agent.

True! We should definitely sign him now!

 

[KingSpeed]

Maybe, but there's still the issue of him playing 1-on-3 during the clutch time of playoff games and having the ball repeatedly stripped away while a couple of teammates are wide open for easy 12-14' jumpers. That's not going to change.

What the fuck are you talking about? Roy is not a ball hog. He is always looking to make the right play. A willing passer to tye open man. Pre-Miller, he was averaging almost 6 assists per game. How do you think Blake played so well two seasons ago?

 

[KingSpeed]

The problem is that Roy is help up on a pedestal by you and others. It makes no difference he's now our worst defender among the starters. It makes no difference he can't make it in clutch time anymore- or at least far far less then he used to. It makes no difference he refuses to run when asked to by the head coach. He's up on that pedestal and he's never coming down. I suppose I understand that type of hero worshiping as it's not all that uncommon.

But the facts are a different story. And at some point in time one has to choose to either hero worship and look the other way, or accept the facts and act accordingly. It's a sad fact his nagging injuries are costing him his game, and maybe even sadder to have to be the one to begin to point it out as the hero worshipers are skewering me- but good.

Those "hero worshipers" include Ron Artest (Roy's the best player Ive ever played against), Kobe Bryant (Roy has no weaknesses), and all the head coaches in the NBA who've picked him to be on the All Star team three seasons straight in a competitive Western Conference.

Look, we all saw this. Now its confirmed. He changed his game this season but he's thinking long term and he's thinking championship. Jordan was more athletic in his early years when he was getting knocked out of the playoffs. By the second three peat, he was an entirely different player, mostly scoring on deadly turnarounds from the post. Let Roy figure it out.

 

[KingSpeed]

Hopefully you guys are right and he's just starting slowly. I'm just saying that my eyes are telling me he's a little more perimeter oriented than I remember. Which bodes well for his health, but not necessarily his shooting percentage

Yes, but bodes very well for a great postseason out of him. We got nothing out of him vs the Suns because he had run himself into the ground during the season. He's going to spend this season, measuring his effort and picking his spots so that he can be at his very best when the games matter (Did you watch Boston last year?). In the meantime, he's giving the reins to Miller to lead the team. I love it.

 

[KingSpeed]

By the way, Kobe is completely beat up by injuries and he just won back to back titles.

 

[Idog1976]

By the way, Kobe is completely beat up by injuries and he just won back to back titles.

Kobe is the very model of health compared to Roy.

What we are seeing now is what I was talking about when everyone was absolutely piling on Oden about his injuries. Roy has the worse injury history of the two. I hate to say it, but Cho should at least consider what we could get for Roy in a trade. If this is what we are going to get, it may have to be a sad farewell at some point. I'm praying to god that something else is going on but he has looked absolutely horrid tonight.

I'm starting to think there really isn't much hope of a Blazers Championship until the 2020's when we rebuild. LA, Boston, Miami all would destroy us in a 7 game series. Our only hope is Oden, I know many on here hate Oden when they should hate PA and KP, but that's the reality. No dominant healthy Oden, no second round or later in the playoffs.

I fucking hate Bill Simmons, but its starting to look like his two years ago thing about relying on two guys with bad knees might be dead on. God I hate Simmons, and I hate him more for being right about this.

 

[maxiep]

So many soccer moms

LOL! Now THIS is the post I should have repped you for tonight!

 

[MadeFromDust]

Concerning the thread title, you sure about that??

 

[LittleAlex]

Those "hero worshipers" include Ron Artest (Roy's the best player Ive ever played against), Kobe Bryant (Roy has no weaknesses), and all the head coaches in the NBA who've picked him to be on the All Star team three seasons straight in a competitive Western Conference.

Look, we all saw this. Now its confirmed. He changed his game this season but he's thinking long term and he's thinking championship. Jordan was more athletic in his early years when he was getting knocked out of the playoffs. By the second three peat, he was an entirely different player, mostly scoring on deadly turnarounds from the post. Let Roy figure it out.

By the way, Kobe is completely beat up by injuries and he just won back to back titles.

I love B-Roy but comparing him to the best two shooting guards (and the best player of all time) in the last 20 years is nuts.

He simply isn't that good.

Further, Roy hasn't shown even a glimmer of the post game Jordan had (and Kobe is starting to emmulate).

 

[illmatic99]

I recall Wade a few years ago when he was completely broken down, and everyone was saying he was done dominating.

He went to Tim Grover (who I have been pleading all summer for the Blazers to hire as a consultant) for a summer, and returned back to his old beast self.

BRoy needs a dose of that.

 

[Nikolokolus]

I recall Wade a few years ago when he was completely broken down, and everyone was saying he was done dominating.

He went to Tim Grover (who I have been pleading all summer for the Blazers to hire as a consultant) for a summer, and returned back to his old beast self.

BRoy needs a dose of that.

I don't think Wade and Roy are the same caliber of athlete. Wade at his best makes Brandon look very pedestrian.

 

[hasoos]

I recall Wade a few years ago when he was completely broken down, and everyone was saying he was done dominating.

He went to Tim Grover (who I have been pleading all summer for the Blazers to hire as a consultant) for a summer, and returned back to his old beast self.

BRoy needs a dose of that.

Tim Grover doesn't hire himself out to teams. He is hired out to individual clients who go and work out at his facility. They come to him. Not the other way around.

 

[MickZagger]

I don't think Wade and Roy are the same caliber of athlete. Wade at his best makes Brandon look very pedestrian.

I think Wade and Roy are on par athletically. Just different kind of athletes.