NBA/Blazers 2025-26 Thread

[Phalanx]

Cool pic. How many playoff games did Giannis, Dame and Middleton play together? Was either Dame or Giannis injured during either year of those playoffs? Was Middleton still an all-star, or had his production fallen off?

And how did the Blazers look in the playoffs this year with a healthy Jrue Holiday? (You don't have to answer, we all saw it.)

What did we all see again? The Blazers beat the Clippers twice in the last week of the season to pass them in the standings and then took out Phoenix with Jrue leading them back from a sizeable deficit? And then playing competitive ball vs the #2 team in the West and probably in the entire NBA? Did you see what the Spurs did to Minnesota last night? None of the four games Portland lost in the first round went like that, they were all close until the end, and the Blazers even had double digit leads in a few of them. The Blazers are clearly not talented enough at the starter level to hang with a team like the Spurs, but Jrue clearly still is, and his interest on the trade market proves that other teams saw something you apparently didn't.

You continue to cite injuries as though that is some excuse for a player not performing in the playoffs over an entire career. Somehow, LeBron won his playoff series without Reaves or Luka. Because he ups his game in the playoffs and knows how to lead a team. Lillard is not good in the playoffs. Getting injured at critical junctures is not an argument in his favor when assessing his career. The fact that you make these silly arguments year after year after year while he continues to suck in the playoffs should give you pause. You must be a really big fan of his rapping or something, because what he has done in the postseason in his career is clearly not worthy of this level of adoration.

[pezsez1]

None of the four games Portland lost in the first round went like that, they were all close until the end, and the Blazers even had double digit leads in a few of them.

The Spurs spanked us in Game 5, which we only reached because Wemby got hurt in Game 2. Weren't the Blazers down by like 30 at one point? They never quit playing, but they never made it close, either. Lost by 19. They got absolutely dog-walked in an elimination game. Deni had a decent game, but nobody else could get a bucket when it actually mattered.

Also let's not talk about Game 3, when the Blazers were up by like 20 in the third quarter and then farted it away and lost by 12. Oh, and we lost Game 4 by 21.

What's your definition of looking respectable?

Again, I'm not knocking Jrue Holiday. He's a solid player. But you can't have a one-man show (in this case, Deni is our star) and win in this league. Dame couldn't do it, and now Jrue can't do it, which isn't surprising because he's never been the best player on a team.

[Phalanx]

Just listened to an interesting interview with Tom Dundon that I recommend to anyone who is tossed and turned by every wind of media narrative. I really liked what he had to say and I suspect he will make a great owner (governor).

https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/l ... 0768020876

A few highlights: He dispelled a bunch of the 'Dundon is cheap' stuff: he thought towels to wave would be cooler than T-shirts because he is used to the NHL where everyone already has the jersey and would rather have the towel. He also left the two-way guys at home because they don't do that in the NHL. In both cases, he chalks it up to the difference between the two leagues and the way things are done and he is learning as he goes. They didn't get into the coaching search stuff, but Cronin has expanded on that elsewhere. He says winning is the top priority rather than making money, and if he saves money on cost-cutting, it goes to bringing more talent to the team.

He reiterated that he has no interest in moving the team and says he faced the same fears when he bought the Hurricanes as well. He says, "I bought the PORTLAND Trailblazers". He said he had a renovation deal in principle with the State of Oregon and the City of Portland before he bought the team and those entities have already apportioned half the necessary money for the job. The current issue that he is working on at the moment is extending the lease.

One funny one was that he says the front office is still high on Hansen. I chuckled at that, but maybe it's a set-up for down the road when the kid doesn't pan out and Dundon needs a good reason to clean house. Of course, it's great news if Hansen does work out, but it just doesn't seem like it was a good pick.

[pezsez1]

Really liked the interview and I also think he'll be a great owner.

I do think he's understating the likelihood that the Portland City Council could blow this layup, but hopefully those folks do some growing up and realize exactly what's on the line here.