Isaac Ropp @iropp
For years, the Blazers have been trying to sell you it’s actually possible that togetherness can trump talent. It cannot. Ever. It’s about players and it’s good Lillard is admitting this publicly.
However, it seems we’re now being sold this roster is the best we can do in Portland because we’re little ol’ Portland. Simply not true. This is also preying upon classic PDX inferiority loathing.
This franchise has built three different iterations of championship caliber teams here. While there is no doubt it’s harder in PDX, this feels like an excuse for a GM who has failed.
Olshey hasn’t put enough talent around his star. Good players want to play with other good players and the Blazers have one of the best PG’s in the league. So how is this roster the best they can do? He’s had draft picks. He’s had chances.
Olshey is a glorified scout whose best attribute is finding cheap diamonds in the rough, none of whom have meant much to playoff success in the Lillard era. The Nurkic trade was good but it’s a one-off. This is not to mention the many FA targets he thankfully DIDN’T sign.
This Blazers team is no different than any other Lillard-led team since Aldridge left. Same thing, different year. A dangerous 8-seed disguised as a 3 or 4-seed because of all that chemistry that allows them to gobble up wins vs. bad or dysfunctional teams in the regular season.
Here are the #’s vs. teams over .500 last 4 seasons since Aldridge left (including playoffs)...
2018-19: 14-14 (??)
2017-18: 24-30 (Rd1 sweep)
2016-17: 17-30 (Rd1 sweep)
2015-16: 23-34 (Rd 2 lost 4-1)
Against “talent” they are a combined 78-108.
Short of good fortune and your first round opponent losing their top two players to injury mid-series (Paul/Griffin going down sort of proves the point), togetherness doesn’t trump talent. Ever. And this year is no different. The same fate awaits. So what to do?
Whoever is now calling the shots needs to honor a passionate owner who wanted to win more than anything by hiring a big swinger GM with balls who isn’t just biding his time for a better gig. A GM who will take risks to capitalize on a star in his prime.
It’s not easy to acquire enough impact talent to be in the conference finals convo. Yet we sit back and watch as franchises in varying market sizes continue to at least try by taking big swings: Boston, Houston, Minny, Lakers, Indy, Philly, Toronto, OKC, Denver, etc.
No guarantee it works out because more talent brings more potential problems. But wouldn’t you rather be OKC trying to make it work with all that talent vs. this cute little chemistry game that ends the same way every year?
This isn’t the best Portland can do and I feel like fans may be starting to buy this BS that it is. Hold your franchise accountable. You are the ones paying to watch. This isn’t good enough and everyone knows it including Damian Lillard.
Don’t you trust your franchise player and leader to make it work with better players? Isn’t he why they have such good chemistry now with lesser talent? He deserves a shot and despite what he says now, don’t think he won’t leave to eventually get it.
This is a talent-driven league. Blazer fans must be so bored of this “growing together” line. It’s getting them nowhere. What’s worse? It seems they may be trying to sell you this is the best they can do. It is not. You deserve better and should demand it.
