Maybe we're okay after all?

[Charcoal Filtered]

Yes, we are.

As Sinobas pointed out, we still have the core that took Dallas to a game six last year.

1. While we will miss the playmaking of Andre, the floor will be spaced better with Felton. He is after a contract too and should have no problem being motivated.

2. The backup point looks much better with Crawford and Nolan Smith.

3. SG should be improved with Rudy and the broken down Roy being supplanted with Crawford. Will assume Wesley and Batum play at a similiar level or better.

4. SF should be improved with Wallace not having to play the 4, plus having multiple players that can provide quality minutes. Luke may never get off the bench and that is not a bad thing.

5. Do not expect more from LA, but having Thomas play against him in practice should help. Really like the Thomas and Smith signings because that should lower LA's minutes, making him play harder the minutes he is in there.

6. Center is probably going to regress. Camby and Thomas are playing on borrowed time. Smith can provide minutes, but there is a reason no one else jumped at signing him. Will still take our other improvements and backsliding by the rest of the conference.

Winning a title is very unlikely, but getting out of the first round is not.

 

[UKRAINEFAN]

3rd string PG now that Crawford is here

If you look at 82games.com 5 man units http://www.82games.com/1011/1011ATL2.HTM it appears that Crawford should NEVER play PG, his win % drops 35 points.

 

[UKRAINEFAN]

I think one of the biggest things that might hold the team back is lack of continuity. We have six guys (Crawford, Thomas, two Smiths, Eliiot Williams and Felton) who have never played with the team before. Then Wallace and Chris Johnson only half a season. Add to that short training camp (and Aldridge and two free agents haven't even participated yet) and then the compacted schedule that leaves little time to train together. I think teams that have been together a long time will have an advantage this year, especially in the first half of the season.

 

[JDC]

If you look at 82games.com 5 man units http://www.82games.com/1011/1011ATL2.HTM it appears that Crawford should NEVER play PG, his win % drops 35 points.

Go look at those same stats for 09-10...

Any plus-minus based stat needs more than 1 year of data to really mean anything.

 

[alex42083]

We'll be fine. This team won't suddenly become the worst in the NBA this season, but I expect another 6-8 seed. Although I'm secretly hoping for an NYK-type shortened-season run to the Finals, or a type of team like Doc Rivers coached in Orlando that one year that didn't have any superstars but surprised a lot of people by winning and playing real well together as a team.

 

[MickZagger]

I'm not understanding all these glass half empty Blazer fans. I think this teams is deep and has a solid starting 5 with two great bench players. I think we'll get in as 4 or 5 seed and make noise in the playoffs. The West isn't what it was a couple years ago.

 

[jlprk]

In the last minutes of the game, most teams have a reserve energy, a 2nd gear they can employ. But Nate's offense just plods along at 100% all game long and has nothing to spare when it's needed.

Having no last-minute clutch shooter was the biggest problem caused by the absences of Roy and Outlaw.

Now we have shooters Felton and Crawford. I think we'll be a lot better than last year.