Why aren't we contending?

[KingSpeed]

What's missing? How can we get it? Our best player says they're shooting for the 7 seed.

 

[magnifier661]

What's missing? How can we get it? Our best player says they're shooting for the 7 seed.

Let's talk about this in December. We will be contenders then.

 

[The_Lillard_King]

What's missing? How can we get it? Our best player says they're shooting for the 7 seed.

Every contender has a superstar (or at least an all star starter).

Blazers have one all star . . . coaches selection

 

[BlazerDuckSeahawkFan94]

We are a big away. If we could land Hawes or Asik we could make a ton of noise right away.

 

[Natebishop3]

[video=youtube;GFLGRidfFo4]

 

[GrandpaBlaze]

Why aren't we contending? Um, maybe we're not good enough yet?

We have a couple of very good players in Dame and LMA. Outside that, we have some pretty good support players and an adequate bench but nothing overwhelming.

Our bench is still stocked with very young, inexperienced and skill-questionable players.

Optimism mode - mostly muted (but at least its not pessimism mode anymore).

Gramps...

 

[KingSpeed]

Every contender has a superstar (or at least an all star starter).

Blazers have one all star . . . coaches selection

Dame isn't an All Star?

 

[SlyPokerDog]

In Olshey I trust.

 

[Strenuus]

Defense.

 

[Strenuus]

Dame isn't an All Star?

Nope. He isn't an all star as of this writing.

 

[KingSpeed]

Nope. He isn't an all star as of this writing.

So once the coaches pick him, he'll instantly be a better player. I mean, he's one of the top 10 Scorers in the league!

 

[Strenuus]

So once the coaches pick him, he'll instantly be a better player. I mean, he's one of the top 10 Scorers in the league!

lol. He'll be picked. But as of today he's not an all star, in the technical since of the term.

 

[Mediocre Man]

We are so far away from contending, it isn't funny

Some have been saying this all summer, some others mocked those people

 

[Natebishop3]

We are so far away from contending, it isn't funny

Some have been saying this all summer, some others mocked those people

Who has seriously said we were contenders? I said I think we're a playoff team, and I still think there's a good chance we're in the 7th or 8th spot by the end of the season.

 

[Nikolokolus]

Who has seriously said we were contenders? I said I think we're a playoff team, and I still think there's a good chance we're in the 7th or 8th spot by the end of the season.

It's not "everybody" but there's always a few usual suspects and I've seen plenty of predictions of 48+ wins and higher seeds.

 

[Natebishop3]

It's not "everybody" but there's always a few usual suspects and I've seen plenty of predictions of 48+ wins and higher seeds.

Kingspeed and Mags do not count.

 

[BBert]

I can't believe anyone thought or thinks we are contenders. Unless 'contenders' means, contenders to have an above .500 record, or to make the playoffs.

The reason we aren't is because we don't have enough good enough players, not because of coaching or lack of heart or those kinds of things. We need a better center, for starters, and for CJ to live up to his 'best case scenario' projections. Even then, with the league love of teams like the darling Clippers, Rockets and Thunder, and especially LeBron and the LeBronettes, we still wouldn't be 'real' contenders. But we'd at least be able to make some noise.

This is going to be a rocky season. Buckle up.

 

[Boob-No-More]

Because it's been 4 games. No one is "contending" right now. Championships aren't won or lost the first week of November. To say anyone is, or isn't contending right now is several months premature.

BNM

 

[Draco]

The only thing we are missing is defensive rebounding.

 

[Nikolokolus]

The only thing we are missing is defense.

agreed

 

[BLAZER PROPHET]

Very few teams truly are “contenders”. To me it’s a step by step process. And, with injuries (Roy, Oden…), free agency, salary cap… the process is very difficult and can end abruptly.

Last year we had average starts, and one was a rookie. We had no bench at all. So now we have taken a good step forward by retaining LAM, and trading for a fair bench giving us some depth and NBA experience.

Next, we hope Dame and Nic grow as players and perhaps we make a trade or two to better strengthen our bench. Possibly in the off season we obtain a free agent…

But we keep plugging away step by step and hope we don’t get derailed.

Another thought… to me I’d rather build a playoff team and try and tweak it to be better than trying to build a title contending team as that often backfires and then you tumble all the way down.

 

[BLAZINGGIANTS]

Why aren't we contending?

How can you say we're not?

We've played all of 4 games. I'm not saying we will contend, but I'm not saying we won't. It's just a bit to rush to a conclusion after 4 games. I mean, if we were in tank-mode, it'd be easy to conclude that we are not contending. But considering the amount of work put into tweaking the roster, we are attempting to contend. Whether we end up as contenders remains to be seen, but I cannot answer one way or the other after 4 games.

 

[BBert]

Because of Meyers Leonard, silly.

 

[Blazinaway]

So once the coaches pick him, he'll instantly be a better player. I mean, he's one of the top 10 Scorers in the league!

and that makes someone an allstar?

 

[crowTrobot]

hard to contend when your defense sucks balls, which ours has so far this year

 

[The_Lillard_King]

So once the coaches pick him, he'll instantly be a better player. I mean, he's one of the top 10 Scorers in the league!

Wait till he is an allstar (not by coaches selection) and watch him get the calls. So yes being a voted all star starter makes you better.

 

[MickZagger]

lol, one bad game and it dashes everybody's hopes. We have a good team, with a lot of new pieces. I still say we'll be in the middle of the pack of the playoffs. 5 or 6 seed. The west is weak this year.

 

[magnifier661]

lol, one bad game and it dashes everybody's hopes. We have a good team, with a lot of new pieces. I still say we'll be in the middle of the pack of the playoffs. 5 or 6 seed. The west is weak this year.

I'm right there with ya

 

[Boob-No-More]

Bump!

BNM

 

[Wizard Mentor]

I agree that we are a long, long way from contending. Maybe even as long as 85 games.