Just a handful of elite teams

[Hoopguru]

everyone else is posturing and building for 2-4 years out when GS POSSIBLY on the decline? The cycle of change is just to great in sports!

 

[kjironman1]

Houston has been working on becoming a true contender for quite some time. Things have to come together. The only thing you can do is keep trying and hope things gel. Winning a championship is about working through the tough times and getting lucky. Right now GS is pretty much one Steph Curry rolled ankle away from not winning it all. Houston looks mediocre at best if Chris Paul breaks his hand again.
Right now it looks to me like those two teams will be in the Western Conference Finals. But in the end who knows?

 

[Hoopguru]

Houston has been working on becoming a true contender for quite some time. Things have to come together. The only thing you can do is keep trying and hope things gel. Winning a championship is about working through the tough times and getting lucky. Right now GS is pretty much one Steph Curry rolled ankle away from not winning it all. Houston looks mediocre at best if Chris Paul breaks his hand again.
Right now it looks to me like those two teams will be in the Western Conference Finals. But in the end who knows?

agree...there are a few new teams (Minnie/Boston) that are close to the next rung. You are correct in that the planets must line up and some luck on top of that.

 

[kjironman1]

The biggest thing i have seen over the years is that teams that stay together and grow. Plugging pieces in and making small adjustments begin to get better over time. Those teams are the ones that become contenders. Blowing things up every 4-5 years is not the way to go. This is why i always say trust the process.

 

[Lukee]

Houston can do it this year, they won both games against GS this year, and they have better role players. We'll see.

 

[kjironman1]

Houston can do it this year, they won both games against GS this year, and they have better role players. We'll see.

The Pelicans were also getting things going very well before the Cousins injury. They were working toward the top. Maybe not this year but definitely getting in the mix. Looks like the Twolves are getting things going. You just never know by the end of the season what things will look like.

 

[Minstrel]

Houston can do it this year, they won both games against GS this year, and they have better role players. We'll see.

The Warriors are mailing in the regular season. Also, I disagree that Houston has better role players--especially when Jordan Bell returns from injury, Golden State is the deepest team in the league on top of having the most stars, IMO.

 

[cmeese47]

Houston has built a tremendous starting core, but they are not nearly as deep as Golden State and Paul's injury history has to be concerning.

For the next couple years it is Golden State's world and we are all just living in it. We should blow it up and try and collect a super star we have an all star but Dame and CJ are two very solid players but neither of them will lead us to a title. The draft can generate a star and it doesn't have to come from the top pick see Kobe, Kawhi, The Greek Freak, etc.

But that is just one man's opinion

 

[BonesJones]

The biggest thing i have seen over the years is that teams that stay together and grow. Plugging pieces in and making small adjustments begin to get better over time. Those teams are the ones that become contenders. Blowing things up every 4-5 years is not the way to go. This is why i always say trust the process.

Problem is, we haven't been getting better over time.

 

[ripcityboy]

Baseball and football are the only major sports where you can built a championship team in a small market. The labor is cheap and controllable enough through league rules that you can project for a window of opportunity. The only thing you can do in basketball is have an occasional All Star and sell sportswear.

Sorry, I don't follow hockey.

 

[Natebishop3]

Or the NBA could change the rules on defense and let teams put a hurt on the warriors.

 

[kjironman1]

Problem is, we haven't been getting better over time.

C'mon. Sure they are. If you are trying to go back before Aldridge you are wasting your time. This team is two and a half seasons in the making. they are much improved from last year. No question. And yes they are better than two years ago also.

 

[Nikolokolus]

C'mon. Sure they are. If you are trying to go back before Aldridge you are wasting your time. This team is two and a half seasons in the making. they are much improved from last year. No question. And yes they are better than two years ago also.

https://www.basketball-reference.com/teams/POR/
https://www.basketball-reference.com/teams/POR/stats_per_game_totals.html
Not seeing it.

 

[LayneStaley]

The talent on this team can NOT compete with GS this year, next year, or the year after. We should be taking advantage of the teams like cle who still think they can win a championship this year by selling off our parts for their picks, the next 2 drafts will be very good, get as many elite prospects as possible and hope they are ready as GS starts to decline, with any luck we are the next dynasty.

 

[LayneStaley]

If only we could have gotten PG, my attitude would be a lot different and this team would be a contender, I believe we would be top 3 right now and if he resigned in 2 seasons when Nurk/Collins were more developed our starting 5 might be the best in the league. Man that’s depressing

 

[stampedehero]

Houston has built a tremendous starting core, but they are not nearly as deep as Golden State and Paul's injury history has to be concerning.

For the next couple years it is Golden State's world and we are all just living in it. We should blow it up and try and collect a super star we have an all star but Dame and CJ are two very solid players but neither of them will lead us to a title. The draft can generate a star and it doesn't have to come from the top pick see Kobe, Kawhi, The Greek Freak, etc.

But that is just one man's opinion

Evan Turner needs an epiphany so he can play professional basketball again.

 

[kjironman1]

https://www.basketball-reference.com/teams/POR/
https://www.basketball-reference.com/teams/POR/stats_per_game_totals.html
Not seeing it.

https://www.basketball-reference.com/teams/POR/
https://www.basketball-reference.com/teams/POR/stats_per_game_totals.html
Not seeing it.

Still don't know what you are looking for? Are you trying to add a team that was together on 1990 to this conversation? Building a team doesn't depend on what was done 27 years ago? It depends on what is done last year and the year before. 6 years in this league is an eternity. Look at what the roster was 6 years ago? They had Luke Babbit, Nolan Smith, Patty Mills, Elliott Williams, Marcus Camby, Greg Oden, Raymond Felton, Kurt Thomas, Nic Batum, Rudy Fernadez, Joel Pryzbilla, Jamal Crawford and Brandon Roy.
That team has absolutely nothing to do with the team they have today. Different Coach, different GM, Absolutely different Team altogether.
In the last two years this team has gone from what everyone expected was going to be a 20-25 win season to people expecting the 4th seed. They will most likely win 43-45 games and make the playoffs for the third time since this team has been created. They have a winning percentage of .537 even with a three game losing streak. At this rate it actually has them winning 44 games. But i would venture a guess at 45-46 by season end.
Just not sure what your expectations are in the third year of a total rebuild?

 

[Propagandist]

C'mon. Sure they are. If you are trying to go back before Aldridge you are wasting your time. This team is two and a half seasons in the making. they are much improved from last year. No question. And yes they are better than two years ago also.

Follow this trajectory and Dame is in the grave by the time we turn the corner.

 

[kjironman1]

Follow this trajectory and Dame is in the grave by the time we turn the corner.

Your doom and gloom makes me think you are reading the stock report?
What corner are you looking for? Curry to retire? James?
The team needs to get another quality 3&D type player and they are a 50 win team. 50+ win teams are in the hunt. Right now they are 45. This is 2 1/2 years into a total rebuild. Where did you expect them to be? Maybe it's not the team or the GM but your expectations.

 

[riverman]

Follow this trajectory and Dame is in the grave by the time we turn the corner.

nonsense...Chauncey Billups was just finding his game at Dame's age...Dame is way ahead of the curve

 

[kjironman1]

nonsense...Chauncey Billups was just finding his game at Dame's age

And Dame just passed the 10K point level. Durant just won a championship and had to join a super team to do it and he just passed 20K points. This talk about Dame being too old is just crazy talk? I am over 50. I stay in shape. Believe me when i tell you i didn't feel a real drop until 40. Great players get better as they approach 30. Then they adjust their game after 35.

 

[Nikolokolus]

Still don't know what you are looking for? Are you trying to add a team that was together on 1990 to this conversation? Building a team doesn't depend on what was done 27 years ago? It depends on what is done last year and the year before. 6 years in this league is an eternity. Look at what the roster was 6 years ago? They had Luke Babbit, Nolan Smith, Patty Mills, Elliott Williams, Marcus Camby, Greg Oden, Raymond Felton, Kurt Thomas, Nic Batum, Rudy Fernadez, Joel Pryzbilla, Jamal Crawford and Brandon Roy.
That team has absolutely nothing to do with the team they have today. Different Coach, different GM, Absolutely different Team altogether.
In the last two years this team has gone from what everyone expected was going to be a 20-25 win season to people expecting the 4th seed. They will most likely win 43-45 games and make the playoffs for the third time since this team has been created. They have a winning percentage of .537 even with a three game losing streak. At this rate it actually has them winning 44 games. But i would venture a guess at 45-46 by season end.
Just not sure what your expectations are in the third year of a total rebuild?

I was only looking at the last couple of years. You can read, right?

It was never a total rebuild, it was a half-ass job built from castoffs, rejects and overpaid non-performers like Turner and MyLe.

This team looks pretty much maxed out in terms of room for growth and if this was the big plan it's an unqualified failure -- few moveable assets, not a lot of cap flexibility, and two years away from Lillard's impending free-agency who isn't getting any younger.

 

[cmeese47]

nonsense...Chauncey Billups was just finding his game at Dame's age...Dame is way ahead of the curve

If dame learnd to defend like Chauncey then maybe contention is realistic until then we can maybe reach a second round with a good match up or a bit.of help.

 

[riverman]

If dame learnd to defend like Chauncey then maybe contention is realistic until then we can maybe reach a second round with a good match up or a bit.of help.

Dame's defensive improvement is commendable this year....and as I've said...defense is a team skill ...Chauncey was bounced all around as a role player before he put it all together

 

[kjironman1]

I was only looking at the last couple of years. You can read, right?

It was never a total rebuild, it was a half-ass job built from castoffs, rejects and overpaid non-performers like Turner and MyLe.

This team looks pretty much maxed out in terms of room for growth and if this was the big plan it's an unqualified failure -- few moveable assets, not a lot of cap flexibility, and two years away from Lillard's impending free-agency who isn't getting any younger.

Gonna take your "You can read right" comment and discard that for what it's worth.
Both your links cover 48 years of Blazer basketball. Enough said. You can read right?
Now if you don't consider moving 4 of 5 starters and losing your franchise player a total rebuild then i guess this conversation is over because you lack the vision of what actually happened. The Blazers had not only lost their #1 pick in the draft but their ROY to knee issues and were working with their third option of what was pretty much considered a dynasty in the making. Aldridge was leaving simple as that. That my friend is a total rebuild.

 

[Propagandist]

I just disagree with the assessment that we are one role player away--like really really disagree. I have not seen major growth from this team. If anything, I see a hyper-motivated individual (Dame) trying to lead a bunch of mercurial dudes by example. It's some Sisyphus-like futility.

Hell, I was MUCH more jazzed about them prior to summer 2016. Since? They've disappointed. And listen here: Olshey during ET's introduction video says with Chief at the 4 we project as a 53-54 win team and with him at the 3 mid-40s. That year we won 41. That's our GM, not me.

This whole "process" thing is a joke. When has that ever worked? Good teams all take chances, and are continually active, and most importantly put themselves in position to get lucky. Houston is an interesting example, the personnel on that team is seemingly ever-changing, but there's a plan in place. You can actually see it; what's our plan again? Something about a proverbial cake?

 

[kjironman1]

This whole "process" thing is a joke. When has that ever worked?

Ahhhh. Houston? Boston? Spurs? Toronto? GOLDEN STATE?

 

[Propagandist]

Ahhhh. Houston? Boston? Spurs? Toronto? GOLDEN STATE?

You're freaking me out. Houston traded 20 guys for CP3 this summer (and like 800 transactions during the Neil Olshey era). This summer alone Boston signed Hayward AND(!!!!!!!!!!!!!) traded their savior for Kyrie Irving. Toronto somehow ended up with Ibaka last season. GS signed Kevin-fucking-Durant! Arguably (by others) the best SF in the league. And that's just barely the highlights of the transactions. Barely. They are active. En route they were active too. GS traded Monte CJ Ellis to the boos of the fans...

This surfing the baby waves is getting old. I'd actually be more understanding of a fire sale for picks than what's happening here. At least then you could tell what the plan is.

 

[kjironman1]

You're freaking me out. Houston traded 20 guys for CP3 this summer (and like 800 transactions during the Neil Olshey era). This summer alone Boston signed Hayward AND(!!!!!!!!!!!!!) traded their savior for Kyrie Irving. Toronto somehow ended up with Ibaka last season. GS signed Kevin-fucking-Durant! Arguably (by others) the best SF in the league. And that's just barely the highlights of the transactions. Barely. They are active. En route they were active too. GS traded Monte CJ Ellis to the boos of the fans...

This surfing the baby waves is getting old. I'd actually be more understanding of a fire sale for picks than what's happening here. At least then you could tell what the plan is.

You do realize Golden State made it to the finals 2 times without Durant right. They even won it once.
Then Houston made it to the Conference Finals once without Paul right? It also took them 6 years to get there with Harden. I don't even want to go into the eastern conference because well James.

 

[Propagandist]

You do realize Golden State made it to the finals 2 times without Durant right. They even won it once.
Then Houston made it to the Conference Finals once without Paul right? It also took them 6 years to get there with Harden. I don't even want to go into the eastern conference because well James.

(I don't like this "You do realize..." stuff.)

I hate comparing GS with Portland because they've done such a good job, it's sickening. GS went 23-43 and traded Ellis. Next season? 47-35 and a trip to the Western Conference Semis. It's different, see? They took a chance and put themselves in position to succeed. They made it happen.

Houston has been cycling through players looking for the right combination. That's their process: trying. Hell they let Dwight Howard walk.

And you can't deny Ainge isn't active for fuck's sake.

And Toronto is so boring... if that's our future I'm going to be disappointed.