We are #1 in the entire NBA

[magnifier661]

I just used this and sent it to all my flaker friends

 

[HailBlazers]

WTF, "apparently!?" even Siri has a hard time admitting it. No respect.

21-4 #1 in the NBA. It's a GREAT DAY TO BE A BLAZER!!!

Best thing about this, we've beat the top three teams behind us! Cannot WAIT till Miami comes to town, got my seats secured, thanks to MGB RIP.

 

[Strenuus]

I just noticed that the first 4 teams are all small market teams. Interesting.

 

[magnifier661]

WTF, "apparently!?" even Siri has a hard time admitting it. No respect.



Best thing about this, we've beat the top three teams behind us. Cannot WAIT till Miami comes to town, got my seats secured.

If we put a smack down on Miami, it will be fucking sweet!

 

[THE HCP]

That would be a dope tshirt actually!

 

[magnifier661]

That would be a dope tshirt actually!

Let's wait until after we win it all

 

[jlprk]

When guys say Joel is the MVP of training camp, I listened. When they talked about how selfish JJ played last season and how unselfish and huge Robin was, I listened.

Aldridge said once that this is the most unselfish Blazer team he's been on. No one outside of message boards has said that Hickson played selfishly. What changed was that Olshey changed both 1) new players to fit the system, and 2) designed a new system to better fit the remaining players.

 

[KingSpeed]

It's pretty damn cool. Now I want to have it for the rest of the season.

#feelingentitledalready

Me too!

Sam Amico just said on Courtside that every single Cav he talked to today said we would finish in the top three in the west.

Duh, Cavs.

So awesome

46 wins and I'm sticking by it!

learn the game, then post

 

[jlprk]

Re: Blazers in sole possession of THE best record in the NBA

ESPN is too slow. It's game over. Detroit 101 Pacers 96

An hour ago I was reading the articles listed on ESPN's front page. There was no mention of Indiana losing its first home game. I looked at box scores of a couple of top games like the Knicks losing. Then I checked the standings and we were at the top of the league! I had no clue, despite looking at links to tonight's news. I then read about the Pacers game, then came here to see whether anyone had noticed.

My point is that we get no respect on ESPN's front page even when it should be Indiana's article giving us the glory.

 

[Blazer Fanatic]

Aldridge said once that this is the most unselfish Blazer team he's been on. No one outside of message boards has said that Hickson played selfishly. What changed was that Olshey changed both 1) new players to fit the system, and 2) designed a new system to better fit the remaining players.

No one outside of message boards has said that Hickson played selfishly.

If you are referring to talk last season - perhaps. But I'm talking about all the predictions that were being made after and during pre-season.

LA, Matthews, Lillard ALL were quoted and on video saying that JJ was about JJ on Media Day, before pre-season play even began. They were not saying it to call him out or to be hurtful, because they all said they liked Hickson. But they were very candid about it.

There was also an article mid-season last year, that looked at "stealing rebounds" and the effect that players have on team rebounding. It suggested, in statistical terms, and supported the belief of what many Blazer fans saw on a nightly basis with JJ: that his rebounding "prowess" did not increase team rebounding, and that he was among the top 5 offenders in the entire NBA for "stealing" rebounds that would have been Blazer rebounds regardless.

The contrast between RoLo and Hickson in terms of team rebounding is quite glaring, and a serious indictment of the thinking that pro-Hickson fans were clinging to.

 

[Blazer Fanatic]

Re: Blazers in sole possession of THE best record in the NBA

An hour ago I was reading the articles listed on ESPN's front page. There was no mention of Indiana losing its first home game. I looked at box scores of a couple of top games like the Knicks losing. Then I checked the standings and we were at the top of the league! I had no clue, despite looking at links to tonight's news. I then read about the Pacers game, then came here to see whether anyone had noticed.

My point is that we get no respect on ESPN's front page even when it shuld be Indiana's article giving us the glory.

Like democrats on Faux News. It's not about reality, it's about playing to their audience and giving them what they think they want to read.

 

[THE HCP]

After tonight, Clips will hold The Belt!

http://nbachampionshipbelt.com

 

[jlprk]

LA, Matthews, Lillard ALL were quoted and on video saying that JJ was about JJ on Media Day, before pre-season play even began. They were not saying it to call him out or to be hurtful, because they all said they liked Hickson. But they were very candid about it.

I missed that. Are those interviews archived anywhere?

 

[B-Roy]

I missed that. Are those interviews archived anywhere?

I would like to know as well. Do not recall JJ being called out like that.

 

[magnifier661]

I would like to know as well. Do not recall JJ being called out like that.

I don't think he was directly called out, but I do remember that the players did talk about needing a true center.

 

[B-Roy]

I don't think he was directly called out, but I do remember that the players did talk about needing a true center.

Yes, that I know, but "JJ was about JJ" was what I did not recall.

 

[magnifier661]

Yes, that I know, but "JJ was about JJ" was what I did not recall.

I don't remember reading or hearing about that. I don't doubt they didn't think that though. It was pretty obvious JJ would steal rebounds.

 

[jlprk]

In interview after interview, Olshey and Stotts have said that our defense is better at Center now. Then they quickly add that Hickson worked hard but was playing out of position. I haven't seen players get into that discussion.

I wish that Aldridge would take ownership of the inside and be as possessive as Hickson supposedly was. That's what was so refreshing about Hickson, after years of Aldridge's passiveness.

When I said I read about the Knicks game, I was interested because of Martell Webster's big night off the bench in a close game.

http://espn.go.com/nba/dailyleaders/_/gameId/400489234

 

[Strenuus]

In interview after interview, Olshey and Stotts have said that our defense is better at Center now. Then they quickly add that Hickson worked hard but was playing out of position. I haven't seen players get into that discussion.

I wish that Aldridge would take ownership of the inside and be as possessive as Hickson supposedly was. That's what was so refreshing about Hickson, after years of Aldridge's passiveness.

When I said I read about the Knicks game, I was interested because of Martell Webster's big night off the bench in a close game.

http://espn.go.com/nba/dailyleaders/_/gameId/400489234

Seems to me he's doing just fine on the inside now.

 

[jlprk]

Seems to me he's doing just fine on the inside now.

Yes, I was talking about previous seasons. Stotts (I suspect it's really Olshey) changed the system during the summer to better exploit what Aldridge can do and hide what he can't or won't.

 

[Blazer Fanatic]

I missed that. Are those interviews archived anywhere?

There are 100s of video's on youtube on the portlandtrailblazers channel. I can't find the comments by Wes talking about having confidence to play better D knowing Lopez has his back and that he couldn't be aggressive on wing D because of JJ, and about JJ just looking out for JJ. Still looking for Dame's comments about JJ only being about JJ. But both were not meant to disparage Hickson. They were just being candid.

This is LA before pre-season (specifically refers to Hickson having other motives):
[video=youtube;Vk2A5qvhQsc]

Stotts pre-season:
[video=youtube;cfxFQ0Pw2N4]

This is Lillard before pre-season:
[video=youtube;SuWLXS5wtYs]

LA after 1st Pre-season game ("I don't feel like we had that last year. I think Lopez has that kind of character to be that guy down low.")
[video=youtube;lTOQkrkeNZs]

Knowing your role with Mo pre-season:
[video=youtube;1trVHZT3vUE]

Wes talking about why the same things said last year, are different this year (media day):
[video=youtube;tdTF2sC8GW0]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tdTF2sC8GW0[/video]

People that chose to ignore this as "just talk" are who I refer to as "not paying attention." Who said what, is as important as what they said. Blazers are high character, and character matters.

 

[Blazer Fanatic]

I don't remember reading or hearing about that. I don't doubt they didn't think that though. It was pretty obvious JJ would steal rebounds.

When asked, players (and I specifically recall Wes, Dame, Batum, and LA) laughed when the topic of Hickson came up. Like it was a running joke that Hickson stole rebounds and played terrible defense. Reminded me of having a family member you love, but they just are all about themselves even if they aren't j-holes about it.

 

[HailBlazers]

Oh Snap.

 

[BoomChakaLaka]

Very exciting time to be a Blazer fan! I still think we are one banger away and we must stay injury-free of course - but that win against Detroit was gritty. The team believes!

 

[B-Roy]

That LMA interview....

Aldridge REALLY didn't like Hickson. Wow.

 

[Strenuus]

Wesley is an uber dork. I love it. He has always reminded me of Puff Daddy (Sean Combs) for a long time, but cooler.

 

[jlprk]

23 minutes of video. I'll get to it and comment sometime tonight. First I got me some fun, Chinese moon rover videos.

 

[Further]

I just repped everyone who has posted in this wondrous thread.


Congratulations Blazers and Blazer fans alike!

 

[Paxil]

Why did you think they were a play-off team? These kind of answers are what are interesting for me.

Because the team is very well balanced, no big holes, a much better bench, a legit center and Batum, Aldridge and Mathews are all hitting their prime. Plus, and this is a big factor too, it just look to me like there were not a lot of other teams that scared me other than Miami of course.

 

[Boob-No-More]

In interview after interview, Olshey and Stotts have said that our defense is better at Center now. Then they quickly add that Hickson worked hard but was playing out of position. I haven't seen players get into that discussion.

I wish that Aldridge would take ownership of the inside and be as possessive as Hickson supposedly was. That's what was so refreshing about Hickson, after years of Aldridge's passiveness.

Right....

I have no idea what motivates your irrational love of all things Hickson, but the guy is flat out a liability. It doesn't matter what position he plays, it doesn't matter what system he plays in, what team he plays for, or who his teammates are, he flat out gives up more than he gives you. Every advanced stat in the world proves this over and over - and he's doing it in Denver again this year.

Last year, in Portland, he played the fewest minutes of any starter, but the Blazers gave up 266 more points than they scored when Hickson was on the court - by far the worst on the team. Here's last year's starting five:

Aldridge:
Minutes: 70%
Net Points: -26
Net Points/48: -0.4

Batum:
Minutes: 70%
Net Points: -109
Net Points/48: -1.9

Lillard:
Minutes: 79%
Net Points: -62
Net Points/48: -0.9

Matthews:
Minutes: 60%
Net Points: -87
Net Points/48: -1.7

Hickson:
Minutes: 58%
Net Points: -266
Net Points/48: -5.5

Hickson was also the only starter with a negative on court/off court. In other words, the team performed better when someone from the worst bench in NBA history took Hickson's place.

Aldridge:
On Court: -0.4
Off Court: -9.5
Net: +9.1

Batum:
On Court: -1.9
Off Court: -6.2
Net: +4.4

Lillard:
On Court: -0.9
Off Court: -11.8
Net: +10.9

Matthews:
On Court: -1.7
Off Court: -5.3
Net: +3.6

Hickson:
On Court: -5.5
Off Court: +0.2
Net: -5.7

One of these things is not like the others...

And you REALLY don't want to compare Hickson to Lopez this year:

Lopez:
On Court: +8.4
Off Court: +5.0
Net: +3.4

Hickson:
On Court: -3.6
Off Court: +8.7
Net: -12.3

And you really, REALLY don't want to compare Hickson to Aldridge this year (or any year):

Aldridge:
On Court: +10.3
Off Court: -2.7
Net: +12.9

Hickson:
On Court: -3.6
Off Court: +8.7
Net: -12.3

So, time to wake up and give up this ridiculous ruse that Hickson is somehow superior to Aldridge in any way. Seriously, look at those numbers, Aldridge is better than Hickson to the tune of a net of over 25 points per 48 minutes. That's a RIDICULOUS margin, but it's why Aldridge is Aldridge and Hickson is Hickson.

I wish that Aldridge would take ownership of the inside and be as possessive as Hickson supposedly was.

I don't want LaMarcus Aldridge to be like J.J. Hickson in any way, shape or form. You can have Hickson and his "ownership of the inside" (which includes playing ZERO interior defense) and I'll take Aldridge exactly as he is, thanks.

That's what was so refreshing about Hickson, after years of Aldridge's passiveness.

What's refreshing to me is winning games now that Hickson is gone. Aldridge was EXACTLY right. Hickson was the weak link last year and replacing him with Robin Lopez is the biggest difference between winning 40% of our games last year and winning 84% of our games this year.

BNM