NBA / Blazers Thread

[Phalanx]

Meyer Leonard was playing out of position tonight. He does much better in the fetal position at the end of the bench.

[UOducksTK1]

Should been a 35 point win over Dallas. Good stuff from the Blazers.

Got Houston and OKC next. Great road tests for Portland.

[UOducksTK1]

Also, would Dallas be the Blazer's ideal first round matchup?

[buckmarkduck]

If Portland can play Dallas and then San Antonio, they might have a chance at the conference finals. The blazers play both really well.

[wlduck]

It amazes me how bad Blazers 2nd unit is. How is Will Barton still in the NBA?

For everybody ragging on the Blazers bench, please consider the Spurs. They are generally recognized as having a strong bench. I see Patty Mills and Jeff (Pendergraph) Ayers as rotation guys. So don't tell me how great everyone elses benches are. Every team has a drop off the farther down the bench you go. But bench strength has as much to do with skill sets fitting rotations as with overall talent. To that end, Freeman, Williams, Robinson and maybe McCollough are all decent players. As evidenced by the melt down last night, they don't fit well as a complete unit (were was Earl Watson- they needed an experienced ball handler in that unit?).

I don't think Barton will ever be a rotation player on this team. I keep trying to convince myself Leonard may yet develop, but that gets harder to sell to myself every time they put him in.

[Boom]

It amazes me how bad Blazers 2nd unit is. How is Will Barton still in the NBA?

For everybody ragging on the Blazers bench, please consider the Spurs. They are generally recognized as having a strong bench. I see Patty Mills and Jeff (Pendergraph) Ayers as rotation guys. So don't tell me how great everyone elses benches are. Every team has a drop off the farther down the bench you go. But bench strength has as much to do with skill sets fitting rotations as with overall talent. To that end, Freeman, Williams, Robinson and maybe McCollough are all decent players. As evidenced by the melt down last night, they don't fit well as a complete unit (were was Earl Watson- they needed an experienced ball handler in that unit?).

I don't think Barton will ever be a rotation player on this team. I keep trying to convince myself Leonard may yet develop, but that gets harder to sell to myself every time they put him in.

Patty Mills is a career 40% 3pt shooter and is a good fit to play off of Manu Ginobili in the 2nd unit. Borris Diaw & Marco Belini are both solid veterans that can play some D and get their own shots.

I don't see your comparison.

[wlduck]

It amazes me how bad Blazers 2nd unit is. How is Will Barton still in the NBA?

For everybody ragging on the Blazers bench, please consider the Spurs. They are generally recognized as having a strong bench. I see Patty Mills and Jeff (Pendergraph) Ayers as rotation guys. So don't tell me how great everyone elses benches are. Every team has a drop off the farther down the bench you go. But bench strength has as much to do with skill sets fitting rotations as with overall talent. To that end, Freeman, Williams, Robinson and maybe McCollough are all decent players. As evidenced by the melt down last night, they don't fit well as a complete unit (were was Earl Watson- they needed an experienced ball handler in that unit?).

I don't think Barton will ever be a rotation player on this team. I keep trying to convince myself Leonard may yet develop, but that gets harder to sell to myself every time they put him in.

Patty Mills is a career 40% 3pt shooter and is a good fit to play off of Manu Ginobili in the 2nd unit. Borris Diaw & Marco Belini are both solid veterans that can play some D and get their own shots.

I don't see your comparison.

My point is simply that everyone's bench, even the "good" ones, have flaws. You are referencing my exact point by pointing out Mills excellent three point shooting. He has a skill that fits a rotation. But he can't guard me.

[thomas time]

Great start to the tough road trip, would be great to get at least one more.

[wlduck]

Great start to the tough road trip, would be great to get at least one more.

3 of 4 would be awesome. I heard lots of " don't be to concerned if they win 1/0 on this trip" from local media. This team just keeps exceeding expectations.

[thomas time]

Ya before the start of the trip I thought 2-2 would be great, thinking to myself probably 1-3. They sure are just keep exceeding expectations.

[thomas time]

Tough loss tonight, went 4-5 minutes in the fourth without a fg and Durant had 2 big 3's late. Still 2-2 road trip is good, now come home and beat Denver

[UOducksTK1]

2-2 is still acceptable.. Aldridge has been killing it lately. 4 of the next 5 games are at home.

[UOducksTK1]

Lamarcus Aldridge is absolutely losing it. 44 points, Stud!

[lukeyrid13]

Lamarcus Aldridge is absolutely losing it. 44 points, Stud!

The Nuggets left him open on the pick and pop. They kept doubling Lillard and he'd kick it back to LMA for wide open 20 footers. Why would you leave LMA on the mid-range jumper?

[mrpd21]

That Lillard move to the rack and finishing with the dunk was SICK last night! Nice display of hops on that young man.

CJ McCollum has really been a pleasant surprise for me. Didn't know what to expect from him and I love that he returns from injury and immediately plays with tenacity. Great draft pick by the Blazers.