This team doesn't care enough

[Shooter]

What team on a 4-game losing streak comes out and plays the kind of first half we did tonight against the Bucks? You would have thought Milwaukee was the team that was desperate to win a game. They played harder than us, and much smarter. We didn't even belong on the same court with them. Lillard seems to have no clue how to start a game. He is desperate to get the ball out of his own hands as soon as possible, and will pass it to anyone who is open, even if they're not in a position to score. Then he stands around and watches. The only time this team plays hard is when they realize they are getting embarrassed on the court. Guess what that will get you? A 5-game losing streak.

 

[RR7]

cool story, thanks for sharing

 

[jlprk]

What is killing is that these are home games. One game ago, we lost to the 2nd-worst team in the NBA, the Cavs, and it was a breeze for them. I watched the feed then and tonight using the opponent commentators, and in both games, they were beside themselves in delight that their teams got ahead so easily. Neither team gets many road wins.

 

[Shooter]

We seem to pride ourselves on beating good teams and losing to lousy ones.

 

[crowTrobot]

Neither team gets many road wins.

both teams have played at least as well on the road as at home

bucks are 11-9 on the road

cavs have more road wins than home wins (6 to 4)

 

[jlprk]

The commentators effusively praised their players individually all game long, saying, "Now THIS is the way you win games," as if it's a novel experience for them.

 

[BigGameDamian]

What team on a 4-game losing streak comes out and plays the kind of first half we did tonight against the Bucks? You would have thought Milwaukee was the team that was desperate to win a game. They played harder than us, and much smarter. We didn't even belong on the same court with them. Lillard seems to have no clue how to start a game. He is desperate to get the ball out of his own hands as soon as possible, and will pass it to anyone who is open, even if they're not in a position to score. Then he stands around and watches. The only time this team plays hard is when they realize they are getting embarrassed on the court. Guess what that will get you? A 5-game losing streak.

It has nothing to do with caring. Sometimes you just come out flat. It happens but still they have exceeded expectations.

 

[KingSpeed]

Aldridge said the Cavs game was must win and then they quickly fell behind by 17 and did the same thing tonight. I'm going to lose interest soon.

 

[KingSpeed]

To be fair, though, the game was lost by 2.5 minutes of Nolan-ball. Otherwise, we played well. That's on management. Not poor Nolan. If management cared about winning, we'd have a better bench. Management does not want to win.

 

[BBert]

This team isn't good enough

There, I fixed your typo.

Playing the bench is a horror show. Two of our big three have injured wrists. I noticed Batum's wrist problem all game, especially after he got blocked on an attempted dunk, and I hadn't read a thing about his injury until I came here after the game.

If management cared about winning, we'd have a better bench. Management does not want to win.

That's what I thought at the beginning of the season. I thought they wanted to play and season our 'core', but didn't want to man the bench with players who would win us out of the lottery. All part of the grand plan.

Up until now, the team has been winning way beyond any sane person's expectations. Expectations have been raised. Now that the Blazers have come down to earth, I predict lots of whining.

 

[SheedSoNasty]

This team is not deep enough. After our starters, there's really nothing there.

 

[BlazerBeav]

We have 5 NBA level players. Just 5. Even the Bucks have players coming off the bench who can actually make meaningful contributions. I'd kill to have Mike Dunleavy on our bench. That stretch by Nolan Smith was possibly the worst two minutes I've ever seen the Blazers play. He's a joke.

 

[jlprk]

All part of the grand plan.

Let's calculate what it will take to keep our top-12 protected draft pick. Currently, the 12th-worst team is .436 (the Lakers). To get to .436 (35 wins and 47 losses) we have to go 15-27 (.357) the rest of the season.

We are .500 (20-20) after 5 straight losses. To play .357 will require at least 2 key injuries. It's too late for the Master Plan to retain our draft pick.

 

[Haakzilla]

...it looks like they got the memo from upper management, the tank is in the bank!

 

[BigGameDamian]

To be fair, though, the game was lost by 2.5 minutes of Nolan-ball. Otherwise, we played well. That's on management. Not poor Nolan. If management cared about winning, we'd have a better bench. Management does not want to win.

It's a team game.

 

[Mediocre Man]

Just an absolutely ignorant thread.

 

[Shooter]

This team is not deep enough. After our starters, there's really nothing there.

Uh, it was our starters who came out and laid an egg tonight. Our backups were on the bench when we got down by about 17. Every game that we get behind in early is the fault of our starting 5.

 

[tlongII]

Uh, it was our starters who came out and laid an egg tonight. Our backups were on the bench when we got down by about 17. Every game that we get behind in early is the fault of our starting 5.

Nope. Nolan Smith was the PG on the floor.

 

[julius]

Uh, it was our starters who came out and laid an egg tonight. Our backups were on the bench when we got down by about 17. Every game that we get behind in early is the fault of our starting 5.

you must've been lucky enough to not watch the same game the rest of us did, because the team was playing decent (ish) until they brought in Freeland and Smith.

Then there was like 4 crappy plays in a row by Smith and blammo, down by 17

 

[BBert]

Let's calculate what it will take to keep our top-12 protected draft pick. Currently, the 12th-worst team is .436 (the Lakers). To get to .436 (35 wins and 47 losses) we have to go 15-27 (.357) the rest of the season.

We are .500 (20-20) after 5 straight losses. To play .357 will require at least 2 key injuries. It's too late for the Master Plan to retain our draft pick.

Welcome to permanent purgatory.

 

[SheedSoNasty]

Uh, it was our starters who came out and laid an egg tonight. Our backups were on the bench when we got down by about 17. Every game that we get behind in early is the fault of our starting 5.

The point is that our starters play too much and are breaking down. The fatigue And minor injuries are starting to catch up to them.

 

[yenniedn]

you must've been lucky enough to not watch the same game the rest of us did, because the team was playing decent (ish) until they brought in Freeland and Smith.

Then there was like 4 crappy plays in a row by Smith and blammo, down by 17

Didn't get a chance to watch or even listen to game last night but, holy fucktard, box score shows Smith and Freeland both at -17 in 3 minutes of play each. How do you even manage to do that?

 

[Sinobas]

Joel Freeland and Nolan Smith are two of the worst NBA players I have ever seen in my life. They should be fucking cut right now.

 

[Nikolokolus]

Teams that don't care get rolled up and blown out on a nightly basis. Given the fact that they're still at .500 half-way through the season tells me all I need to know about how much they care -- Hint: It's quite a lot.

There are 5 (maybe 6?) rotation quality players on this roster right now, almost everything else behind them is D-league material and even some of those guys might have trouble hacking it in the minors.

All y'all thinking that this is a "heart" problem have missed the mark completely, this is an "arms and legs" problem.

 

[KeepOnRollin]

I think I posted this in the wrong spot so forgive my double post.

I keep seeing people say how bad Freeland is (and that was true early but not now) when he has arguably been better than Babbitt this year. I know they don't play the same position much (if at all) and that might show just how bad Babbitt is vs how good Freeland is but lets keep some perspective here. The whole bench stinks. Freeland is middle-of-the-road bad compared to our bench not near worst of the bunch.

I think we can all agree that Nolan isn't a NBA talent of course.

 

[BBert]

Agree Nik. The Blazers have mounted some huge comebacks this year, some successful ones, but others with too huge a mountain to climb lately. That those games were not massive blow outs, or didn't turn into extended scrimmages for both teams' third stringers, and instead were made close (setting a team record for consecutive close games I believe) tells me the heart is willing.

 

[Shooter]

N

The point is that our starters play too much and are breaking down. The fatigue And minor injuries are starting to catch up to them.

I understand that our starters are playing a lot of minutes, but we are also falling behind early in games, when our starters are fresh. Lillard in particular can't seem to get motivated to really play hard until the second half.

 

[magnifier661]

Who can we drug to get them to take Nolan smith? I would even take a late 2nd rounder

 

[BBert]

I was on the 'bench Price and just play Nolan Smith' bandwagon of one. For 2 minutes and 37 seconds. LOL I mean, I'm all for getting a decent lottery pick to wheel and deal with, but that was just embarrassing. In all fairness to Nolan, he was fouled on that first steal, and simply rattled after that. I hope the young man got his degree.

 

[SheedSoNasty]

N
I understand that our starters are playing a lot of minutes, but we are also falling behind early in games, when our starters are fresh. Lillard in particular can't seem to get motivated to really play hard until the second half.

Which I believe can be equated with fatigue and nagging injuries. Even at the start of a game, our players might be more run down than the opposing team's starting unit.