The difference between this year and last year

[BlazerCaravan]

We are blowing out teams

And not because Jamal Crawford is hitting 20 shots randomly. I'm still gunshy about blowouts because of him and that cursed year, but this seems so much more solid and sustainable.

 

[magnifier661]

And not because Jamal Crawford is hitting 20 shots randomly. I'm still gunshy about blowouts because of him and that cursed year, but this seems so much more solid and sustainable.

It's because our defense has been solid. Add a good bench and there you go

 

[BlazerCaravan]

It's because our defense has been solid. Add a good bench and there you go

As long as you never play Dorell again.

 

[magnifier661]

As long as you never play Dorell again.

Hahahaha yes

 

[blue9]

Last year we started hot, but it felt like we were playing above our heads. Wes was just unconscious in the first half of the season. Our starting unit was insane.

This season I feel like we're just playing really good basketball. It's a completely different feel. This is how a good veteran team plays. You just win. You find ways to win. You play consistent defense and take good shots.

The bench.

The defense.

Our stars playing like stars.

This is what sustainable basketball looks like. Enjoy it Blazer fans.

Last season I was definitely critical of our W/L record. I saw lots of wins but was concerned about the quality of the wins and knew that a collapse was on the horizon.
Oddly enough, I don't feel that way this season. I say "oddly enough" because the situations are eerily similar: beating teams with injured starters, blowing out bad teams, etc. We haven't played many good teams, and the few times we have we've lost - our only good win being against DAL. But I'm just not concerned about playing above our heads this year, and the resulting crash that always comes.

 

[Wizard Mentor]

Last year our +/- was 4.0. We won a lot of games, but not comfortably. That took a toll.
Not.This.Year.

 

[BlazerCaravan]

Yep! Our SRS, which is basically margin of victory weighted by strength of schedule, is 11.68, good for second best in the NBA behind Golden State at 11.77

Let's keep it up!

 

[blazerboy30]

If you go back and look at some threads from early last season you'll find quite a few posters very excited about our record and talking about the number one seed, etc.

However there were a few of us saying to be cautious because Wes and company were not going to continue shooting like they started. We were right and things started to fall of later. Plus we had no defense to bail us out.

Now I'm more excited because I don't feel the same this year. I feel that the way we're playing seems much more sustainable and not so dependent on extremely hot shooting. And our defense can actually get us through shooting slumps.

 

[Boise Blazer]

Our defense whether it be ppg or eff is great. Check out these stats:

http://www.teamrankings.com/nba/team-stat/scoring-defense

And look at the last 3 games, under 89 ppg. Fantastic.

 

[Strenuus]

If you go back and look at some threads from early last season you'll find quite a few posters very excited about our record and talking about the number one seed, etc.

However there were a few of us saying to be cautious because Wes and company were not going to continue shooting like they started. We were right and things started to fall of later. Plus we had no defense to bail us out.

Now I'm more excited because I don't feel the same this year. I feel that the way we're playing seems much more sustainable and not so dependent on extremely hot shooting. And our defense can actually get us through shooting slumps.

pretty sure that was kingspeed with the number one seed talk.. also possible that there was a full mags sighting..

 

[magnifier661]

The points in the paint focus has really helped our offense as well. It seems like more of a balanced attack then the jump shooting team we used to be.

Stotts and company have done a marvelous job with designing plays for cuts to the basket, also it seems Aldridge, Kaman, Wes and Rolo are all taking the ball in the paint more.

 

[magnifier661]

I posted this on another thread, but it works here too. I think they went up with last night's awesome performance.

Blazers, their ranks

Team Opponent Points Per Game: 6th (95.9)
Team Opponent Average Scoring Margin: 4th (-8.5)
Team Defensive Efficiency: 8th (0.996)
Team Opponent Floor %: 11th (48.4%)
Team Opponent 1st QTR PPG: 28th (27.9)
Team Opponent 2nd QTR PPG: 6th (23.4)
Team Opponent 3rd QTR PPG: 5th (22.7)
Team Opponent 4th QTR PPG: 3rd (21.9)
Opponent Points in the Paint: 18th (41.6)
Opponent Fast Break Points: 16th (12.1)
Opponent % from 3: 1st (16.2%)
Opponent % for the game: 3rd (42%)
Blocks per game: 7th (5.5)

 

[MarAzul]

I notice all those early evening games scheduled over the next three weeks. I think that will show what kind of team we have through the next 15 games. If the Blazers are leading their division at the end of that run, watch out! They will be known as legit.

 

[BlazerCaravan]

That opponent 3P% is brutally good.

My only caveat is we have had a lot of home games. Need to see this intensity on the road too!

 

[Strenuus]

That opponent 3P% is brutally good.

My only caveat is we have had a lot of home games. Need to see this intensity on the road too!

We will. not worried about that.

 

[BlazerDuckSeahawkFan94]

That opponent 3P% is brutally good.

My only caveat is we have had a lot of home games. Need to see this intensity on the road too!

We've only had one bad outing on the road and that was in Sacramento on Halloween. Other than that we dominated the Nuggets and got fucked over in the Staples center.

 

[Natebishop3]

If you go back and look at some threads from early last season you'll find quite a few posters very excited about our record and talking about the number one seed, etc.

However there were a few of us saying to be cautious because Wes and company were not going to continue shooting like they started. We were right and things started to fall of later. Plus we had no defense to bail us out.

Now I'm more excited because I don't feel the same this year. I feel that the way we're playing seems much more sustainable and not so dependent on extremely hot shooting. And our defense can actually get us through shooting slumps.

Yup. That's exactly what I'm thinking.