Pretender or Contender: ESPN Insider

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http://insider.espn.go.com/nba/stor...s-pretenders-based-early-returns?refresh=true

Portland Trail Blazers

Record: 8-3
Pythagorean record: 8-3
Schedule: 0.3 (13th)

Quietly, the Blazers have the league's fourth-best point differential (plus-8.5 PPG) against an average-ish schedule. Portland's defense has improved to eighth on a per-possession basis, and the Blazers have the league's third-best offensive rating. With Chris Kaman and Steve Blake upgrading the bench, this looks like a better version of last season's 54-win team that won a playoff series.

Verdict: Contender

 

[illmatic99]

Non insider portion: http://espn.go.com/nba/story/_/page/5-on-5-141121/title-contender-pretender

Adande: Contender. They're still successful even though they can't catch teams off guard the way they did early last season. They've tightened their defense. They got their playoff baptism from the San Antonio Spurs, who probably taught the Blazers more by smoking them in the second round than Portland learned by beating Houston in the first round.

Arnovitz: Contender, so long as they stay in relatively good health. This was supposed to be a consolidation season, but some interesting stuff has emerged. The offensive efficiency has always been there, but the defense has been solid this season, which wasn't the case much of 2013-14. The much-maligned bench is also killing opponents, and the Blazers' four primary reserves lead the team in net rating. The West is wide open, and the Blazers are in the thick of it.

Elhassan: Pretender! While the Blazers boast one of the best and most complete starting fives in the league, bench depth is still a very real problem. Beyond Chris Kaman and Steve Blake, the Blazers' bench rotation has been a revolving door of "whoever's got it going," with no player definitively claiming the spot. That indicates that coach Terry Stotts hasn't totally trusted any one of them, and while that strategy has worked so far, it will only take the Blazers so far.

Gutierrez: Pretender. The Blazers started off last season strong as well, but what we learned is they're just not deep enough, and too jump-shot oriented to win consistently at a high level. There's not much different about this year's group.

Strauss: Contender. Hey, if they've really improved that defense, what's stopping them? They've changed their scheme a bit, using more help defense on drives, and it seems to be working. I'm pretty reductive when it comes to contention. If you're top 10 in both offense and defense, I usually think you can pull it off. The Blazers can achieve this.

 

[illmatic99]

Breakdown of Contender votes:

CLE: 1 of 5
WAS: 0 of 5
POR: 3 of 5
HOU: 1 of 5
LAC: 2 of 5

 

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Non insider portion: http://espn.go.com/nba/story/_/page/5-on-5-141121/title-contender-pretender

To: Elhassan... Psst... Our Bench has been much improved. In fact, our bench is a top 10 bench... Nice way of taking shit from last season and using it for the current season. Fucking Lazy reporting!

To Gutierrez: Jump shot oriented? http://stats.nba.com/league/team/#!/shooting/

FGA: Less than 5 ft: 24.3, 5-9 ft: 7.7, 10-14: 5.9, 15-19: 13, 20-24: 25.8, 25-29: 7.3

So our large portion of "jump shots" are coming from the 3 point line, while we almost match that from the paint. Seems like another lazy reporter that took things from last season again.

 

[BlazerDuckSeahawkFan94]

I can't fucking stand Israel Gutierrez

 

[BBert]

The Elhassen comments ignore the fact that Terry is trying to develop our inexperienced bench players in time for the playoffs. There is plenty of time for that and to establish a set bench rotation. For the playoffs. Which is the only time being a 'contender' matters.

 

[Pinwheel1]

I am not sold that we are a contender yet, but I don't think the two who called us pretenders made a very good argument.

lhassan: Pretender! While the Blazers boast one of the best and most complete starting fives in the league, bench depth is still a very real problem. Beyond Chris Kaman and Steve Blake, the Blazers' bench rotation has been a revolving door of "whoever's got it going," with no player definitively claiming the spot. That indicates that coach Terry Stotts hasn't totally trusted any one of them, and while that strategy has worked so far, it will only take the Blazers so far.

(if it has worked so far then IMO the Blazer bench deserves the benefit of the doubt-to say Stotts doesn't trust his bench is a HUGE guess IMO by Ihassan )



Gutierrez: Pretender. The Blazers started off last season strong as well, but what we learned is they're just not deep enough, and too jump-shot oriented to win consistently at a high level. There's not much different about this year's group.

(Really? Kaman alone makes this statement look foolish)

 

[Eastoff]

Wait, do we have the most votes?

 

[illmatic99]

I can't fucking stand Israel Gutierrez

He does have a smug look. I hate his podcast w/ guests. Dude doesn't stop talking

 

[BBert]

I am not sold that we are a contender yet, but I don't think the two who called us pretenders made a very good argument.

lhassan: Pretender! While the Blazers boast one of the best and most complete starting fives in the league, bench depth is still a very real problem. Beyond Chris Kaman and Steve Blake, the Blazers' bench rotation has been a revolving door of "whoever's got it going," with no player definitively claiming the spot. That indicates that coach Terry Stotts hasn't totally trusted any one of them, and while that strategy has worked so far, it will only take the Blazers so far.

(if it has worked so far then IMO the Blazer bench deserves the benefit of the doubt-to say Stotts doesn't trust his bench is a HUGE guess IMO by Ihassan )



Gutierrez: Pretender. The Blazers started off last season strong as well, but what we learned is they're just not deep enough, and too jump-shot oriented to win consistently at a high level. There's not much different about this year's group.

(Really? Kaman alone makes this statement look foolish)

Good points.

 

[magnifier661]

Wait, do we have the most votes?

Yes we do

 

[illmatic99]

Wait, do we have the most votes?

On this list. DAL, TOR, GS, MEM are prolly in a different article and ranked higher.

 

[magnifier661]

Oh and this talk about the bench lack is fucking foolish... Look at the players and their "PIE" Player Impact Estimate

http://stats.nba.com/team/#!/1610612757/players/advanced/

We don't have a negative on any of our players. Each player has provided a positive impact in the game.

Now look at Chicago http://stats.nba.com/team/#!/1610612741/players/advanced/

Looks like their bench is weaker. They must reply so much on 4 players. They have 2 players that don't have a positive or negative impact, while 1 with a big negative impact.

Or how about Golden State? http://stats.nba.com/team/#!/1610612744/players/advanced/

Looking at their starters, they absorb the most of the PIE. They have 3 players that have a negative impact.

 

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Also look at the usage metric and it seems like Stotts is balancing out the attack.

 

[KingSpeed]

Contender bitches!

 

[santeesioux]

To: Elhassan... Psst... Our Bench has been much improved. In fact, our bench is a top 10 bench... Nice way of taking shit from last season and using it for the current season. Fucking Lazy reporting!

It seems like that guy has been hating on them since before the season even started.

 

[rasheedfan2005]

Honestly this is our year. Next year is either blow it up or paul allen opens the bank account to keep it together. We have to win

 

[PDXFonz]

Wow, we are all over ESPN today with the game coming up tonight.

 

[Strenuus]

Wow, we are all over ESPN today with the game coming up tonight.

We are, or their sadness that their rosebud is out? espn, they be fucking idiots.

 

[OneLifeToLive]

Honestly this is our year. Next year is either blow it up or paul allen opens the bank account to keep it together. We have to win

Even if they have less success this year, I don't see them blowing it up. I think they have embraced the Spurs way of doing business. I think they will let Aldridge, Damian, Batum and cast simmer. The way the Spurs have done for all these years.

 

[rasheedfan2005]

Even if they have less success this year, I don't see them blowing it up. I think they have embraced the Spurs way of doing business. I think they will let Aldridge, Damian, Batum and cast simmer. The way the Spurs have done for all these years.

I dont know anything about the contracts and salary cap but seems like to keep our starting 5 will be costly.

 

[Strenuus]

I dont know anything about the contracts and salary cap but seems like to keep our starting 5 will be costly.

but worth it.

 

[BrianFromWA]

Everyone polled was no surprise to me until it got to Strauss. May be a case of the broken clock being right, but I usually take what he says as either immensely dumb or as not-intelligently-trolling-the-pot.

 

[riverman]

I always think the Blazers are contenders but it's only been 11 games. My favorite Stotts quote. "The idea is to be better in May than November"

 

[Boise Blazer]

I always think the Blazers are contenders but it's only been 11 games. My favorite Stotts quote. "The idea is to be better in May than November"

Or even better in June

 

[riverman]

Everyone polled was no surprise to me until it got to Strauss. May be a case of the broken clock being right, but I usually take what he says as either immensely dumb or as not-intelligently-trolling-the-pot.

People sometimes forget that these writers are more often than not, fans of specific teams and not as objective as they seem on the surface. Fact is, our record stands as is and our stats as a team tell the tale. I love that some of these guys keep the Blazers under the radar. It just seems more like home to be overlooked in the west

 

[Boise Blazer]

It just never ceases to amaze me how these people get paid for such lazy reporting