This is professionally negligent

[PDXFonz]

Would I like a higher draft pick? Yes
Would I like to watch us play in the playoffs? Yes
Do I think we have upset potential as an 8 seed? Yes, if we get some guys back
Do I believe in tanking? No
Do I think Dame/Anyone Else on the team would be fine missing the playoffs for a better draft pick? No
Will I bump this thread if we make the 8 seed and get out of the first round? Yes
Will I eat crow if we make the 8 seed and lose? Yes
Will I complain if we miss the playoffs and get a good player in the draft? No
Will I complain if we miss the playoffs and don’t get a good player in the draft? Probably not, but no promises.

 

[TorturedBlazerFan]

Sorry. Not a NBA-fixes-everything conspiracy theorist.

Man I recently watched the 2000 WCF’s again, it really got me wondering...

 

[oldmangrouch]

Making the play-offs is the primary goal. Primary - not only!

 

[kjironman1]

You thought Dame played one game in Feb with heavy minutes? If we can't even agree on the FACT that Dame was getting overworked, there really isn't any point here to even bringing up my opinions.

Is 35.7 mins a game over worked? I'm not being controversial here. I always thought 36 was about normal for a starter. Would love to see 34 but probably not in the cards anytime soon?
Now Jan was brutal no question but he was putting up huge numbers and i'm thinking it would have been tough to get him to leave the game?

 

[PDXFonz]

I been telling ya this for months. Why ya wanna get slaughtered in the 8th seed is beyond me. But to each it’s own

 

[illmatic99]

So, you would rather be like the Spartans (no retreat!) as opposed to Alexander the Great (withdraw like a ram so you can charge all the harder).

Remind me again - who conquered much of the known world?

This is a good analogy.

Look at LA this year.

 

[kjironman1]

Would I like a higher draft pick? Yes
Would I like to watch us play in the playoffs? Yes
Do I think we have upset potential as an 8 seed? Yes, if we get some guys back
Do I believe in tanking? No
Do I think Dame/Anyone Else on the team would be fine missing the playoffs for a better draft pick? No
Will I bump this thread if we make the 8 seed and get out of the first round? Yes
Will I eat crow if we make the 8 seed and lose? Yes
Will I complain if we miss the playoffs and get a good player in the draft? No
Will I complain if we miss the playoffs and don’t get a good player in the draft? Probably not, but no promises.

Nice!

 

[e_blazer]

Man I recently watched the 2000 WCF’s again, it really got me wondering...

There were plenty of blown calls in that last quarter, but I think that the 22% shooting by the Blazers had more to do with the loss than anything else. Why would a league intent on a Lakers' W have allowed the Blazers to build up a 15 point lead in the first place?

 

[CupWizier]

You might be right, but that doesnt mean I’ll want that. Like I said I want them to go for being as good as they can be. Just once the math says they cant be in I really dont want to see an injury to Dame chasing the 10th seed. If their in “contention” all the way til the end, then keep going for it IMO.

My point has more to do with what Lillard will want. He's not a player that wants to sit out and reducing his minutes to under 35 might be reasonable but I doubt Lillard would accept much less.

 

[TorturedBlazerFan]

There were plenty of blown calls in that last quarter, but I think that the 22% shooting by the Blazers had more to do with the loss than anything else. Why would a league intent on a Lakers' W have allowed the Blazers to build up a 15 point lead in the first place?

Wasnt just that game though. There were some patterns going on. Blazers built big leads in 6 games and in all of those games the Blazers in the 2nd half couldnt buy a call with all of PA’s money.

 

[hoopsjock]

So, you would rather be like the Spartans (no retreat!) as opposed to Alexander the Great (withdraw like a ram so you can charge all the harder).

Remind me again - who conquered much of the known world?

But short of getting lucky in the lottery and moving up into the Top-4 (in a bad year to be lucky, even though I hate using the weak draft argument) or someone sustaining an injury (knock on wood that we're done with injuries this season) that would keep them out significant time next season, there isn't really a tactical advantage at this point to retreating.

 

[illmatic99]

But short of getting lucky in the lottery and moving up into the Top-4 (in a bad year to be lucky, even though I hate using the weak draft argument) or someone sustaining an injury (knock on wood that we're done with injuries this season) that would keep them out significant time next season, there isn't really a tactical advantage at this point to retreating.

It's the risk of long term injury that is worrisome. We have enough evidence that guys shouldn't be playing 40+ mins on the 4th game in 6 nights or on a b2b now. Especially when the reward for killing these guys is a first round matchup as an 8th seed.

Ya i get it, it's easier said than done when it comes to telling someone like Dame to take a seat, but that's why the coach is paid millions.

 

[hoopsjock]

Is 35.7 mins a game over worked? I'm not being controversial here. I always thought 36 was about normal for a starter. Would love to see 34 but probably not in the cards anytime soon?
Now Jan was brutal no question but he was putting up huge numbers and i'm thinking it would have been tough to get him to leave the game?

Despite missing 4 games this season, Dame is still leading the league in total minutes played. After the deep playoff run last year I think it showed that we needed to try and keep Dame fresher for late season and for the playoffs. Unfortunately this year they don't really have a choice but to wear him down if playoffs are the only goal.

 

[hoopsjock]

It's the risk of long term injury that is worrisome. We have enough evidence that guys shouldn't be playing 40+ mins on the 4th game in 6 nights or on a b2b now. Especially the reward for killing these guys is a first round matchup as an 8th seed.

Ya i get it, it's easier said than done when it comes to telling someone like Dame to take a set, but that's why the coach is paid millions.

Yeah, I was the guy killing Stotts for playing Dame 38 minutes per game in October and November. Stotts even said they did a study that showed he'd be fine playing that much. So dumb.

 

[kjironman1]

Despite missing 4 games this season, Dame is still leading the league in total minutes played. After the deep playoff run last year I think it showed that we needed to try and keep Dame fresher for late season and for the playoffs. Unfortunately this year they don't really have a choice but to wear him down if playoffs are the only goal.

January was huge minutes no doubt. He was trying to will wins for the team it seems.

 

[oldmangrouch]

But short of getting lucky in the lottery and moving up into the Top-4 (in a bad year to be lucky, even though I hate using the weak draft argument) or someone sustaining an injury (knock on wood that we're done with injuries this season) that would keep them out significant time next season, there isn't really a tactical advantage at this point to retreating.

I would argue there are 2. First, being conservative with our injured players. What benefit is there to risking re-injury by rushing their return? Second, increased playing time for Trent/Little/Simons/Gabriel. It'll be ugly in the short term, but if it means a stronger team next season isn't it worth it?

 

[illmatic99]

Yeah, I was the guy killing Stotts for playing Dame 38 minutes per game in October and November. Stotts even said they did a study that showed he'd be fine playing that much. So dumb.

Man, a lot of us were. Lucky that this groin thing is minor.

 

[hoopsjock]

Man, a lot of us were. Lucky that this groin thing is minor.

Keep in mind too that Stotts was the one who continued playing Dame heavy minutes for several games after learning that Dame's back was bother him too.

 

[wizenheimer]

Remind me again - who conquered much of the known world?

Jeff Bezos

 

[Terry Stotts]

Keep in mind too that Stotts was the one who continued playing Dame heavy minutes for several games after learning that Dame's back was bother him too.

When have I ever learned anything?

 

[hoopsjock]

I would argue there are 2. First, being conservative with our injured players. What benefit is there to risking re-injury by rushing their return? Second, increased playing time for Trent/Little/Simons/Gabriel. It'll be ugly in the short term, but if it means a stronger team next season isn't it worth it?

No one said anything about rushing returns though. Nurk is way, way, way past the recovery time for his injury from last season. They are already being super cautious with him. I don't think they'd play him if they weren't confident he was healthy. It's the opposite of rushing him back. With Collins, Olshey said he wouldn't play unless he was 110%. Again, they're going to be overly cautious so if he plays this year I suspect that he'd be completely healed. Now with Dame and a groin injury it's a little tougher to predict. He could be fine and have it flare up again. The thing is though that even if he re-injures it there wouldn't be a situation where it effects next season. It might actually be good for him to not play extra games this year by making the playoffs and have to rest because of the groin injury. I'm not saying it's a good thing but it's not like a knee, shoulder, or foot injury that could be a long term issue so if he wants to try and play I don't think it's the end of the world.

As for the young guys, they have and could continue to get minutes this season anyway.

 

[Haakzilla]

I don’t care that we won. I don’t care that our bench is beyond terrible.

Playing our starters this many minutes so we can chase an 8th seed is foolish and professionally negligent. We are potentially threatening next season by running our starters into the ground and for what?

Stotts needs to be stopped.

...what starters?! Lol

 

[DDolla]

I don’t care that we won. I don’t care that our bench is beyond terrible.

Playing our starters this many minutes so we can chase an 8th seed is foolish and professionally negligent. We are potentially threatening next season by running our starters into the ground and for what?

Stotts needs to be stopped.

I’ve been posting before to rest Dame and CJ and let the kids play. Stotts and the players like to get to the playoffs so they can cash in with their bonuses.

 

[oldmangrouch]

I’ve been posting before to rest Dame and CJ and let the kids play. Stotts and the players like to get to the playoffs so they can cash in with their bonuses.

More likely the team bean-counters, worried about losing the income from (at least) 2 extra games at the Moda.

 

[handiman]

So, you would rather be like the Spartans (no retreat!) as opposed to Alexander the Great (withdraw like a ram so you can charge all the harder).

Remind me again - who conquered much of the known world?

There's no post-season qualification deadline in war. Nice try, though.

 

[oldmangrouch]

There's no post-season qualification deadline in war. Nice try, though.

Uh....what?

 

[illmatic99]

I need to dig into this a bit, but I feel like every memorable star player in recent history has had at least one severe injury that has derailed a season altogether in their prime.

MJ, year 2 broken foot, age 22
Kobe, Achilles
Nique, Achilles
Durant, Achilles
Steph, ankles
Rose, knees
Melo, knee in 2014, missed 42 games
PG, broken leg
CP, hamstring
Blake, knees
Westbrook, knee
Embiid, knee
Oden, knees
BRoy, knees
Isiah, wrist,
Grant Hill, ankles
Tmac, knees
Shaq, toe
Penny, knees
Duncan, knee in 2000 shut it down for the playoffs
etc, etc etc

Lebron is truly the anomaly. Harden is the other. Also shows how lucky and tough AI was.

I really hope Dame/CJ both breaking their feet and being out a year in college is it for them.

 

[TorturedBlazerFan]

I need to dig into this a bit, but I feel like every memorable star player in recent history has had at least one severe injury that has derailed a season altogether in their prime.

MJ, year 2 broken foot, age 22
Kobe, Achilles
Nique, Achilles
Durant, Achilles
Steph, ankles
Rose, knees
Melo, knee in 2014, missed 42 games
PG, broken leg
CP, hamstring
Blake, knees
Westbrook, knee
Embiid, knee
Oden, knees
BRoy, knees
Isiah, wrist,
Grant Hill, ankles
Tmac, knees
Shaq, toe
Penny, knees
Duncan, knee in 2000 shut it down for the playoffs
etc, etc etc

Lebron is truly the anomaly. Harden is the other. Also shows how lucky and tough AI was.

I really hope Dame/CJ both breaking their feet and being out a year in college is it for them.

Outside of the Blazers the guy I wish I could've seen have a career unabated by injuries was Dwade. He slowed down fairly quick as the injuries built up but that guy was so much fun to watch.

 

[illmatic99]

I missed a bunch of obvious guys in Klay, Kyrie and Kawhi.

Seriously, think of any top player. Almost every single one has had a significant injury that took them out for at least half a season.

Dame is due. Gulp

 

[hoopsjock]

I missed a bunch of obvious guys in Klay, Kyrie and Kawhi.

Seriously, think of any top player. Almost every single one has had a significant injury that took them out for at least half a season.

Dame is due. Gulp

Maybe Dame got his out of the way in college?