This team doesn't care enough

[HomerLovesKoolAid]

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

It's gonna take more than drugs Mags, probably sexual favors and/or body parts like a kidney.

 

[Nikolokolus]

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.

So what if he's more deferential early and then asserts himself as a shot taker later in the game? He's a fucking rookie for chrissakes, he's playing the most difficult position on the floor and is having to discover that balance of when to take the shot himself or create for his teammates.

All this talk about "motivation," "heart" and "caring" is just so much bullshit this year. If you want to talk about guys playing out the string and not giving a damn all I have to do is point you to last year and one of the most gutless seasons I've ever seen from this team. This season is nothing like that.

 

[WillG]

Will say that Lillards doing the 'BRoy walk' up court far too much though, (especially for a 22 year old) - needs to push it up floor a bit more, also, he's settling on the long step-back jumper too much - needs to look to penetrate more.

Overall, in the grand scheme of things, can't be anything but ecstatic with his performance so far.

 

[magnifier661]

So what if he's more deferential early and then asserts himself as a shot taker later in the game? He's a fucking rookie for chrissakes, he's playing the most difficult position on the floor and is having to discover that balance of when to take the shot himself or create for his teammates.

All this talk about "motivation," "heart" and "caring" is just so much bullshit this year. If you want to talk about guys playing out the string and not giving a damn all I have to do is point you to last year and one of the most gutless seasons I've ever seen from this team. This season is nothing like that.

Hear hear!

 

[Shooter]

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.

No, Lillard and the rest of the team are always able to summon up enough energy to make a charge late in the game. If they can find that energy in the fourth quarter, they can surely find it in the first.

 

[Nikolokolus]

I hate to see massive deficits as much as the next guy, but I mostly chalk it up to talent deficiency. Either A) because the starters know they have to pace themselves somewhat so there's something left in the tank at the end because their relief is so poor or B) the bench surrenders a lead faster than a French infantryman.

 

[Shooter]

I hate to see massive deficits as much as the next guy, but I mostly chalk it up to talent deficiency. Either A) because the starters know they have to pace themselves somewhat so there's something left in the tank at the end because their relief is so poor or B) the bench surrenders a lead faster than a French infantryman.

There may be some truth to that. When you pace yourself, however, you let the other team outplay you and get a big lead. Then you have to play that much harder to catch up.

Another possibility is that we don't have a real leader on this team, and everybody is sitting back and waiting for "the other guy" to step up. I definitely see that in Lillard. All he wants to do is get the ball out of his hands and throw it to someone--anyone!--else. He's just hoping that his pass will lead to a score, but he's not really working hard to make it happen. The day that Lillard starts forcing the issue every time down the court, and either driving to the hoop or dishing to someone for an easy basket, is the day we will have a true point guard on this team.

 

[Nikolokolus]

Shooter, you're so far off base on this. Not even a little bit close.

 

[Shooter]

Once again, a lack of effort killed us tonight. Nobody played much defense except Batum, and Lillard (just like Roy used to do) only really played hard in the fourth quarter. What a miserable effort by a team that has beaten the Heat and the Knicks and the Spurs this year. This bunch of Blazers is sleep-walking through games now.

 

[Nikolokolus]

Each loss in this run of games lately has been for less than 6 points, that's not sleep-walking, it's just that the coin flips we were winning at unsustainable rate have started flipping the other way. They were never as good as all those close wins implied they might be and they're not as bad as the losing streak they are on implies either.

 

[THE HCP]

^Well typed!

 

[Nate Dogg]

The team needs a can of Camby "whoop ass" drink
or a "Juwan Howard" appearance.

 

[Denny Crane]

It wasn't that long ago there were posts about how the Blazers had 3x 20PPG scorers. Now you've got just one (LMA) at 20+ (barely at 20.5), Lillard down to 18.3, and Batum at 16.7.

It took the starters playing a lot over their heads to help the team to a better than expected record.

I don't see it's an issue of caring enough. It's an issue of unrealistic expectations and a very weak bench.

 

[Shooter]

So the Blazers care deeply about winning, but they can't summon up enough interest to play defense against the Wizards?? Is that the official line here?

 

[e_blazer]

So the Blazers care deeply about winning, but they can't summon up enough interest to play defense against the Wizards?? Is that the official line here?

No, the official line here is that the Blazers don't have a whole lot of players on the roster who have a clue about how to play defense. Matthews is solid. Nic can be good, but often isn't. Aldridge is OK. Lillard is learning, but has a long way to go. Hickson is not aware that there is a term called defense that applies to the NBA game. Our bench is NBDL level.

 

[THE HCP]

It wasn't that long ago there were posts about how the Blazers had 3x 20PPG scorers. Now you've got just one (LMA) at 20+ (barely at 20.5), Lillard down to 18.3, and Batum at 16.7.

It took the starters playing a lot over their heads to help the team to a better than expected record.

I don't see it's an issue of caring enough. It's an issue of unrealistic expectations and a very weak bench.

Damn you and your common sense!

 

[Shooter]

The official line here is that the Blazers don't have a whole lot of players on the roster who have a clue about how to play defense.

And yet we somehow held the Heat to 45.5% shooting (3.5% lower than their season average) and 90 points (13 points lower than their season average) . . . That doesn't sound like a team that's "clueless" about defense.

 

[THE HCP]

And yet we somehow held the Heat to 45.5% shooting (3.5% lower than their season average) and 90 points (13 points lower than their season average) . . . That doesn't sound like a team that's "clueless" about defense.

Are you actually taking the time to post examples from 1 god damn game? Well done.

 

[THE HCP]

I can do that to, watch......... Joel Freeland once scored 64 points in an Under -21 league game in London!

 

[Charcoal Filtered]

But they.care enough to just lose by a few points.

 

[Shooter]

Are you actually taking the time to post examples from 1 god damn game? Well done.

Oh, you need another example? By all means. When we beat the Knicks--in Madison Square Garden no less--we held them under their season average in both shooting percentage and points scored. That's another victory against a very good team when the Blazers were actually putting some effort into their game.

I find it fascinating that the Blazers are so "horrible" at defense that they can hold the world champions and one of the hottest teams in the league under their season averages in two crucial offensive areas--and yet some people on this board think they are incapable of playing good D.

 

[THE HCP]

Oh, you need another example? By all means. When we beat the Knicks--in Madison Square Garden no less--we held them under their season average in both shooting percentage and points scored. That's another victory against a very good team when the Blazers were actually putting some effort into their game.

I find it fascinating that the Blazers are so "horrible" at defense that they can hold the world champions and one of the hottest teams in the league under their season averages in two crucial offensive areas--and yet some people on this board think they are incapable of playing good D.

2 games out of 40+?

 

[Shooter]

2 games out of 40+?

Yes, two games against elite teams, and we held them under their season averages. Sorry if that doesn't mean anything to you, but I'm sure it means something to people who know a little about NBA basketball.

 

[Charcoal Filtered]

How many games did MJ score 50? I guess the other nights he just.did not care.

 

[THE HCP]

Yes, two games against elite teams, and we held them under their season averages. Sorry if that doesn't mean anything to you, but I'm sure it means something to people who know a little about NBA basketball.

So let me get this straight. We play really well a few times this season and that makes us a better team? How many games did you honestly think we'd win when we made our predictions back in October? With 5 quality NBA players on our roster? And do you have the balls to question my knowledge of the game?

 

[THE HCP]

How many games did MJ score 50? I guess the other nights he just.did not care.

Well typed homie!

 

[Charcoal Filtered]

Well typed homie!

I have seen you type as well as hearing it many times.

Cannot get too high and cannot get too low. It is a long season and will average itself out.

 

[Shooter]

How many games did MJ score 50? I guess the other nights he just.did not care.

That's a really bad analogy. Individual offense is much more variable than team defense. An individual player can get really hot on a particular night, and then be "off" the next night, but team defense should be consistent night in and night out if you are committed to it.

 

[Shooter]

And do you have the balls to question my knowledge of the game?

I sure do, especially given the fact that you think Michael Jordan failing to score 50 points every night is a good example of why a team can't play good defense every night. That's a stupid analogy, but you apparently thought it was brilliant.

 

[Charcoal Filtered]

That's a really bad analogy. Individual offense is much more variable than team defense. An individual player can get really hot on a particular night, and then be "off" the next night, but team defense should be consistent night in and night out if you are committed to it.

There are lots of holes in this boat. Fix them and then we can worry about how to sail it.