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Mar 13

Run Down in Indy

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By mikebarrett

This won't likely be a long blog post. For one thing, it's after 2 am in Manhattan, but mostly I'm not sure what to say about what happened in Indianapolis.

As you likely know, it's very tough to predict this stuff. Once in a while, you can guess right. Like the other night in Boston, for instance. The Celtics were angry, desperate, and were about to head out on a long road trip. You knew that was going to be a long night before we even arrived at the arena. But, Tuesday night's game in Indiana? No way. Not this way.

This team's confidence is very fragile right now. Perhaps you've figured that out. We say this all this time on our TV broadcasts, but if the Blazers don't get off to a great start in games, they're finished. By great start I don't mean the first 10 or 12 minutes of a game, I mean the first two or three minutes.

A couple of years ago the Blazers led the NBA in come-from-behind victories. You'd get them down heading into the fourth quarter and it didn't matter. They had that belief, that confidence, and that resolve to always come back. And, a long-standing cliche in the NBA goes something like "nothing is more meaningless than an early double-digit lead." Well, that doesn't hold true with this Portland team. Get them down early, break their spirit in the opening minutes, and you've got them.

That is troubling, and I can't really figure out why that is. The conclusion I keep coming up with is that they just lack confidence, plain and simple. If you have another explanation, I'd like to hear it.

The Indiana Pacers certainly realized this going into the game. Problem was, as bad as they were offensively, they still led and eventually took total control of the game. The Blazers couldn't have gotten off to a worse start. They shot 2 for 15 in the first quarter, were just 9 for 30 in the first half, and had just one assist in the game until about the five-minute mark of the third quarter. You're not coming back from that.

Portland ended up shooting just 31 percent for the game, and ended with a franchise-record low five assists on the night.

What had me scratching my head after the game was the fact that we had talked so much about the fact that Saturday's win in Washington seemed to be such a confidence-building win. They followed up that win with a great practice on Monday. Spirits were high, their focus was right on the mark, and everyone left that practice feeling very good about Tuesday's game. Then, in a matter of minutes it went up in smoke.

We knew the start of the game against the Pacers would be so vital, too. Not only did we consider this the "hump game" of this trip, but the opening minutes would be extremely crucial in establishing the tone of the night. We know how that turned out.

The problem now is, it just gets tougher from here. There are three games left on this road trip. Wednesday night it's the second of a back to back when we take on the Knicks at Madison Square Garden. New York is frustrated, hungry, and desperate for a win. They've been getting killed by the New York media, and will come out looking for blood. That's followed by games against Chicago, and Oklahoma City.

Perhaps this is a good time to say this Blazer team is unpredictable. Maybe that'll work the other way this time.

We'll find out a lot, as always, in the first few possessions of the game in New York.

Previous Story: A Step in the Right Direction in D.C.

Next Story: A Day of Drastic Change

46 Comments

Hey Mike; this was a bummer, It wasn't losing but how we lost.

The Indy announcers said the game plan was simple, since Portland is a bad 3 pt shooting team, they could sag back and not let them get through to score. They either fouled on each play and got called for it or fouled on each play and only get called on part of them

Portland isn't the team they were at the beginning of the season.
Portland cannot play against tough defensive teams or physical teams.
because they can't make enough open shots to open the floor spacing up. I do not know why we cannot make shots. Like you said that is very confusing.
We are a good open court team but the other team with good transition t can take that away from us.
We need to develop a better half court weapon besides LaMarcus.

by Hg on 3/13/2012 10:49 PM
I have a reasoning - the front office wants to keep fans, but also wants a high draft pick. I'm convinced the Blazers are flunking. There is no way this team should realistically be where they are now. So, they are tanking the season. Getting a high draft pick in the upcoming draft is much more rewarding than getting bloody and fighting an unwinnable war, which is the first round of the playoffs. Let's face it. Blazers aren't getting past the first round. They aren't making the playoffs. I accepted this awhile ago. And although the Blazers still have a chance, they dig themselves a deeper hole every game, and teams that they need to lose aren't losing as much as the Blazers. When you NEED teams to lose to make the playoffs, the worst thing to do is to lose, especially get blown out.

I refuse to believe this is just a confidence issue. I refuse to believe this team doesn't have the smarts to play simple defense. I refuse to believe that they want any part of the playoffs in this tough schedule. I just don't see it this year. We saw it last year, we saw it the year before. But this year? Na. They don't care.

I'd be much happier if the Blazers lose every game from here on out and just get that first round pick. But hopefully they won't waste it like they did on Oden, who is completely done being a blazer according to 750 the game. And personally, I'm fine with that. Relying on him to get healthy is like relying on a blind man to find Waldo. If it happens, it was pure luck.

Blazers need to trade Camby. Need to figure out what they're going to do with Wallace. Trade Felton. And... last but not least - fire Nate. If the Blazers do get a high draft pick, it'll be wasted because Nate doesn't play rookies. The only interesting thing the Blazer's facebook page had to say was Nolan Smith going 3-3 and asking if he should get more playing time.

The answer is YES. Play your bench, give these guys good minutes, give your overworked and overpayed starters some rest, and see how deep we truly are. We need to fire Nate. Look at great coaches like George Karl, Gregg Poppovich, Tom Thibbs, Doc Rivers, Rick Charlisle, Lionel Hollins. These guys PLAY THEIR BENCHES. Nate never has played his bench until he gets sick of everyone telling him to, and he gives them about 3 minutes, even in games when we're up 20 and these guys could get some valuable experience.

So, the seasons over. I want the Blazers to win tomorrow, and then after that, just beat the teams we hate, but lose as much as possible. People that want the playoffs just want to continue watching their Blazers, but no one in their right mind thinks we can beat a team in the first round. So why even bother? Improve your team. Get much needed youth.

by Herr on 3/13/2012 11:36 PM
I see a "maybe" win in NY and that will either be because of 1. Jeremy Lin or 2. this blazer team can't look in the mirror for once and decide if they want to be hungrier than the other team. And there is irony in no. 2 because if our season is much like the Knicks season. The knicks only passion is j. lin.. Melo is bored, Amare is like the "gerald" of this team in which he is just having a bad season and the rest are flunking besides Shumpert and Fields (our batum and matthews.) So how could we lose this game? Or how can we win this game? Easy, look in the mirror and put aside the fact that NY is winless this whole month and say to yourselves, I can beat this team. By that i mean Blazers need to beat "the blazers" if they want to go back to being blazers. It's not New york their facing now, it's them. We have no GM, trades aren't going to go down because of that and because we're portland, who wants to come here?? Steve Nash? our most likely candidate? umm.. not going to happen. So forget about trades, we go from here, with what we have. And start "trying" to win portland!!! Oh they can't! that's right, they lossed self-confidence. Well quit then. And start over like Herr pointed out. Season is not over Herr. It's always good to think about the future but we only have here and now and those situations you would like to have happen just aren't going to happen unless we have a real gm. Management has a BIG EGO and so does this team. We have to get rid of it and start playing basketball, i think that's one of the reasons why we're losing. Don't believe me? How come Felton had a spur of 2 pretty good performances after the trade talks boomed about him leaving portland? These players pay attention to that stuff. OR how about LA not playing so LA after the All star break in ORL. Does him being benched in that game tell him he's not good enough to face a K. Love or a B. Griffin in a regular season match? In the meantime, tomorrow it's about them facing their worst enemy, themselves. I sound like a movie critic but that's what it is. If they don't win tomorrow, they are NOT, repeat, NOT going to beat CHI or OKC. Uh-uh not on my watch.

by Ballinrotation365 on 3/14/2012 3:29 AM
I don't see a team with fragile self-confidence, but one in which some of the players have too much confidence and not enough realistic evaluation of how they are playing and what they need to change. Just imagine how much worse the score would have been if they hadn't gone to the FT line so many times last night. When you take nearly 20 fewer FG attempts than your opponent and a third of your attempts are from beyond the arc (making less than one fourth of them) you can't expect to win. Despite being a loyal fan and loving the game of basketball, this team is currently very difficult to watch/listen to.

by dockaren on 3/14/2012 6:16 AM
Some of these games are getting hard to watch. Sorry I didn't get to listen to you and Mr. Rice but I got a chance to watch the game with my softball teammates because our game was cancelled. Usually if things aren't going well for the Blazers I try to watch for someone doing something special or exciting. The only thing like that I saw was Nolan Smith playing late in the fourth quarter. What I don't get is why Coach waits so late to put in the bench when the team is so far down like they were in the fourth quarter. Does he have something against them? My teammates and I talked about that with my softball coach last night. He said if you are getting blown out, then what you are doing isn't working and you have to do something else. I hate to say it but I think it's time for a new coach. He seems really stubborn.

I know tomorrow is the last day for trades so hopefully the Blazers can get someone who will play hard and try to win when we put him in there. Or maybe we can trade for draft picks and play some of the bench players more regularly
It has been said that some of the guys have been quitting on the team. I hate to say this too, but it kind of looks like it. There were a lot of times it just looked looked like guys did not seem interested. It's like you could see it on their faces. I bring up my softball team again because when our game was cancelled because of the weather we decided to have a pizza night. After seeing the Blazers play, we made a promise to each other never to give up on each other. I suppose it's passed time for the Blazers to do anything like that. What I am saying is that we need to let the players play who are still committed to the fight and bench those who have given up.

by Angi on 3/14/2012 6:29 AM
Erver hear of mailing it in? The only way the Blazers could have made it more apparent would to have not come to the building. We're shooting long jump shots and they are running a layup drill.

The guys at the end of the game showed some energy and fight. Why not play them instead of those who don't seem interested. I'd rather watch a poor team that fights than a good one that doesn't care. The result may be the same but I can root for the one that scraps.

by Ancientone on 3/14/2012 6:52 AM
Ancientone:
My feelings also, it is not the losing that bothers me it is the way we lose. If we know we are a lousy jump shooting team and we know we are a lousy 3pt shooting team then why do we keep trying. Occasionally we get lucky, but not every night.
BOTOH, we don't have a lot of good dribblers that can take it to the rack. So the only thing we can do is the open court easy basket, high school type play, and when opponents takes that away or Felton is gassed or stoned, we can't do anything else.

by Hg on 3/14/2012 7:21 AM
this game was another bad outing for this already looking to next year blazer group of idiots. i turned this game on a little late, but to no surprise the score was 26-44 pacers and there were no words that left my mouth, but i felt thoroughly disgusted by what i saw. i watched the show with mb and sarah the other morning and mb said that the blazers had had a crisp, all out, spirited practice, but to come out and only score 75 points against this crappy pacer team is just ridiculous. mb also said that from his stand point, he doesnt believe that this group of idiots has quit on nate when i beg to differ, look how they play and then tell me they are following nate's gameplan. i think not. michael holton said that the blazers set ice cream soft screens and when you dont set strong screens and get knocked off your weak screen attempt no one can get open on the perimeter. the blazers are now 1-3 on this already disasterous road trip and have ny, chi, and okc left. there is no way this soft, delicate, fragile, weak, horrendously lacking offensive and defensive blazer group of idiots is going to win anymore games on this road trip. there is just 1 more day left before the trade deadline and if i was a betting man after screaming at my tv and furiously wanting the organization to get the trifiling players out of portland; matthews, camby, crawford, felton, and even l.a. yes, i said l.a. because i have found myself sticking up for him on countless occassions where he just watched an opponent go right in and score without even attempting to take a charge or at least put a body on someone. ever since his all star bid he has taken plays off and probably should just get his and go through the motions just like the rest of this disfunctional group of idiots. i doubt they will make a move. the portland fans deserve better from this nice to each other group of idiots, but i dont see that happening any time soon. bunch of losers.

by Imwytdashyt Epps on 3/14/2012 7:29 AM
Imwytdashyt Epps:
Somebody that continues to call Portland Blazers idiots and confesses to screaming at the TV, gives me the impression that it takes an idiot to know an idiot LMAO.
Why give us a lecture on how bad we are playing when we already know it
Why give us the last 3 games of the road trip schedule when we already know it.

Do you think all the fans are idiots as you see yourself and the Trailblazers?

by Hg on 3/14/2012 7:45 AM
One concern for the future. If we stand pat to go for free agents this summer, what really good player with pride is going to want to sign with the Blazers and join a perceived no effort don't care group? Maybe the best chance is trades now.

by Ancientone on 3/14/2012 8:14 AM
Agree with all of the above...it is getting really hard to watch this team. I am embarrassed for them.

First, i am really tired of the coach standing on the side line with his mouth gaping and a look on his face as if he is some where else. No emotion, not much of game plan either. Nate seems to think if his starters can't get the job done, it's not going to happen. What he does is so predictable and i am sure the other team can guess it as well. It is time to unload Nate.

If the starters don't hit their first shots, they pass the ball as if it's a hot potato for the rest of the game and then turnovers begin to climb. That's like losing 4 points. i say to each player "get to that place on the court where you make your best shot and keep on shooting until you begin to hit it." And to the rest "have you ever heard of a rebound or a second chance shot?" Where are our bigs? They are all old or injured and have no staying power. I would rather develop Chris Johnson for that role.

Give the bench a lot more time. They have a lot more hussle than the starters. This season is a bust so lets begin to develop some of the speed and youth. They need some serious playing time so that when we need them they can fit in seamlessly. the teams that go all the way are the ones who get contribution from the bench. Shame on Nate for what he has done to the bench.

If you always do what you've always done, you will always get what you've always gotten. Time for some serious changes here, starting with the coach.

by allie-oop on 3/14/2012 9:25 AM
hg, you must have a fascination with me because all you do is sit around your computer and wait til i comment. you really need to get a life and stay off of this site if you cant keep your balls in your own court. old butt need a hobby. remember sarah telling you to back off, obviously not. anyway, if the blazers know they are idiots why continue doing idiot things?

by Imwytdashyt Epps on 3/14/2012 10:42 AM
Wow! My sister warned me it could get chippy in here! Even I know that calling people names like idiot is not going to help the problem. The Blazer players are not idiots. They are just playing under their potential and not playing with effort or as a team. They might just be selfish. They could play smarter but they are not idiots. What ever the team does by tomorrow or if it doesn't even do anything, we cannot let our free agent opportunities go out the window for the summer. Now is the time the management has to be smart and look overall what we need.

I think the Blazers need to trade away Felton and Crawford. It just seems like those guys never clicked. I've read where people say Felton has not set the tempo like the team wanted him to but it looks more to me that Coach has not let him do it at times. Sometimes Coach looks great and at other times he looks completely blank. I don't like the idea of anyone losing their job but there are too many blank times and not enough great times for him. Whatever the Blazers do by tomorrow the first step his replacing the coach. Hiring a general manager might just be a good idea too.

by Angi on 3/14/2012 12:38 PM
Imwytdashyt Epps: I am sorry, I thought it was you that Sarah was telling to back off. Actually it was both. I just detest name calling and I have a hobby of writing and reading post on Mike and Sarah's Blogs, watching the Trailblazers, So I have a good life.
I just thought it was comical that you were calling the Blazers idiots and yelling at your TV at the same time.

by Hg on 3/14/2012 12:59 PM
Hg: Feeding trolls is a mistake -- you can't ever win.
--
don

by dgpdx on 3/14/2012 1:21 PM
I'm worried about Nic Batum. In the last three games, he's been going through the motions but with no spirit, none of the intensity that was starting to come in his game. It's like he's resigned himself to being traded. I sure hope not but the signs are hard to ignore. Of course, he could also just be depressed over the team's disintegration, like a lot of us fans are.
--
don

by dgpdx on 3/14/2012 1:27 PM
I'm afraid nic is easily influenced by the group, eg. " if those guys are slacking why am I busting my butt"..

by Ancientone on 3/14/2012 1:37 PM
Angie: I have usually found this site to be quite civil. That's why I post here.

by Ancientone on 3/14/2012 1:41 PM
Thank you Ancientone. I'm not put off by that sort of thing. It's interesting here. My sister posts on Mr. Barrett's Blog a lot. She told me it's mostly all right but every once in a while she has had to take care of some troll business!

by Angi on 3/14/2012 2:06 PM
You could be right about that, Ancientone. Clearly there is a lot of trouble in paradise...
--
don

by dgpdx on 3/14/2012 2:53 PM
A lot of bickering in here...anyways this year sucks...the players look like they are quiting on the coaching staff. These guys are not this bad....seriously..Gerald Wallace career 15 ppg former all star...Crawford one of the best 6th men in the league...15-20 ppg guy..and so on...I honestly think some of the guys are just saying fu*K it!!

What worries me right now is this so called trade thats going down... the Lakers will get Beasley, the Wolves get Crawford and we get Blake! hahahaha wow!...those 2 teams get good scorers and we get a over the hill bench guard. Yeah yeah..I liked Blakey when he was here..he did decent..and Roy made him look even better...but this is not even close to a fair trade....AND

Were still stuck with Felton. hmmm nice. The Bucks in meantime get one of the best 2 guards in the NBA, for 1 old vet and a injury prone center..not bad Bucks!...btw..can we get your GM??

I mean if you want to sink this season and wait..fine so be it..but trading good talent for sub par talent burns me. Crawford hasnt been playing awesome this year..I admit..but its got to be the style of nates offense..or Something!!!!....because the guys been a VERY good scorer the last 11 years on other teams...so 30 games into a season on a new team will not make me judge how good a player is.

by whitefeather21380 on 3/14/2012 3:01 PM
As long as there is this mass "confusion" as to why they can't hit shots or win games, this team will not improve....it is not a confidence issue, it is personell issues...both in talent as well as in chemistry ON the COURT...which is why a trade for Rondo would be awesome, even if Batum is included...this franchise must make a splash, take some chances, and bring some excitement to this community again!

by Jaredtherebel2001 on 3/14/2012 3:06 PM
Epps, I agree, I do think your list of players to get rid of is a little short. Nic should be the second out the door, right after Felton.

by carmenL on 3/14/2012 3:24 PM
I'd just like to say good bye to you all. Done for the season. Don't question me as "not a true fan". I'm have too much faith in my life to be a fan of garbage, and that's what we're getting. Mike, it's been a fun couple of years watching the Blazers. But, now they aren't even that anymore. See ya guys next season. Oh, and trading Jamal Crawford? As if he was the problem? Get real. This team is a joke. Everyone besides the broadcasting crew doesn't appear to know what they're suppose to be doing.

by Herr on 3/14/2012 4:21 PM
So the Knicks are struggling...the coach goes bye bye today..man how are we going to win....awww the Blazers are coming to town..bingo! If your a home team the Blazers are coming to your city, you must be licking your chops right now...because thats pretty much a win in the books lol....sad but true.

Fav. play of the night sooo far...when Felton was running fast break and had Batum behind him....instead of passing it over his back...he stops and turns a complete 180 and throws the ball at Batums ankles! Nice. Guess Crawford is in the lockeroom not playing this game...suppose he is in timeout because he told Nate his offense sucks..or they are about to trade him lol

by whitefeather21380 on 3/14/2012 4:52 PM
Hey Mike,
You asked for other explanations as to why we so easily crack after slow starts. You said lacking confidence. I agree but I think lack of confidence is a byproduct of other things they lack. Toughness, rebounding, lock down defense,perimeter shooting, playmakers and a list of other factors. They don't have a team that plays well from behind. Also explains why we have struggled in close games.
Toughness- Who is our bruiser? Camby last couple games.
Rebounding- We constantly get out rebounded. Watch Noah when we play the Bulls. He will out work our entire front line.
Defense- Swiss cheese. We've had success with pressure defense but you can't play that for 48.
Perimeter shooting- No explanation necessary.
Playmakers- We are a roster full of complimentary players. Sometimes LMA can dominate. Imagine what he would do if we had one other player that demanded a double team.
This is just my opinion. I'm only a fan. I don't have the answer. The guys getting paid to have the answers don't seem to either. Not just Nate. He has a half bench full of neckties drawing a paycheck.
Now that we are playing terrible basketball who is taking credit for building this team. Paul. No. Larry. No. Chad. No.
Hire a GM please.
One final thought. To me, bad Blazer basketball is still better than no Blazer basketball.

by Divotking on 3/14/2012 6:04 PM
Run down in Indy; Run out of New York; What's next, tossed into Lake Michigan?
--
don

by dgpdx on 3/14/2012 6:37 PM
Jamal was held out of the game tonight. Nate said tendonitus. Don't ask dumb questions right.
I'm going to vent about management. I will call it the "experiment". A car without a steering wheel. A team without a GM. Rumor has it the big move, the best move to improve the team is to trade Jamal. If it happens who will introduce the new player to the city. Chad of of course. Who made the trade is anybody's guess. Who ever pulled the trigger is not putting not their name on it. No one is going to take credit for any management decisions right now. They will just push Chad out from behind the curtain.
Their is a plummers saying that goes, "water goes everywhere and crap floats to the top". The experiment failed. Hire a GM.

by Divotking on 3/14/2012 7:05 PM
Rumor, Felton and Crawford stirring rebellion against Nate after he chewed them out.

by Ancientone on 3/14/2012 7:52 PM
I am SO DISGUSTED!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!..... I will always be Blazer fan...but its all done that we are going to lose Crawford. For Blake!!!!....burning me up!!

The Blazers are not playing Crawford right...his natural spot is backup 2 guard..hes not the prablem here, honestly could be the future solution. And when you look at his stats its not horrible. In 26 min per game, he is average 14+ points, 4 assists, 40% fg 92% ft and good 3pt shooter.
Blake? haha... 5 points 3 assists 37% fg 71% ft in 25 min per game. yuck!

sell the team please Allen..get a real GM...and say good bye to Mr. Felton!
2-10 fg tonight vs the knicks... 5 turnovers...typical night for him...wow

by whitefeather21380 on 3/14/2012 7:53 PM
It sounds more and more like crawford and felton are locker room cancers. it looks like it too. those two have been pouting on and off the court for two months now! i dont care for crawford's stats. i can see it in his body language when he doesnt get his minutes.he pouts and stops shooting. he's a smooth talker though. total politician. eff him and felton and anyone on this team for that matter who has laid down, who hasnt fought, who doesnt have heart. felton is not worth even typing about. the cancer has spread throughout the whole team. this is one of the worst feelings as a fan and supporter. EVERYBODY ON THIS TEAM IS TRADEABLE. NONE HAVE THE HEART OF A CHAMPION. this feels as bad as the Jailblazers!

HG after what i saw tonight, the blazers ARE idiots from the top down!

Just shameful.

Fragile confidence? Do you need confidence to work hard? please!

fragile confidence my ...!

by sudelander on 3/14/2012 8:28 PM
Ancientone;
I'm curious, what is the source of that rumor? How could they pull that off with LMA, Batum and Matthews in the locker room? What a mess. Is there any good news out of Blazer camp? Poor leadership. As in management.

by Divotking on 3/14/2012 9:28 PM
Ancientone;
I'm curious, what is the source of that rumor? How could they pull that off with LMA, Batum and Matthews in the locker room? What a mess. Is there any good news out of Blazer camp? Poor leadership. As in management.

by Divotking on 3/14/2012 9:28 PM
Let's see, we're now behind Utah and Phoenix and only 1/2 game ahead of Golden State. A potential bright spot --- it's said to be a deep draft this year so even without a lightening strike top three choice, we should get a good prospect.

Of course, whether or not said prospect develops in Nate's system is another matter.
--
don

by dgpdx on 3/14/2012 10:49 PM
I do agree that this entire team is playing like Crap. LA is not playing well at all...he doesnt want to take command....just go with the flow and lose. low post game? doesnt exist. And yes Felton is total cancer.

But I still think Crawford can be good for this team. In his 11 year career hes been a 15-20 ppg guy..and thats off the bench. He gives you a big boost in offense when played RIGHT. Then he comes to Portland and now we got prabs? I just dont agree. He doesnt seem to be upset with the number of min, but more so how he gets them. He needs to be played off the bench and more consistent, thats how he has played his whole career. That has been one thing that Nate seems to mess up on with many of his players...and thats when to play them...he juggles them around too often..always been a weakness as long as I ve been watching him coach.

But this is a team mess...its not a crawford mess or even a felton mess...even though felton is pure garbage...cant stand him..but if your a grown man..you dont let 1 or 2 guys make you sink the ship...this whole team seems to accept whatever..from the owner to the players...and I really dont see a light at the end of the tunnel

by whitefeather21380 on 3/14/2012 11:03 PM
Divotking: I read it on Blazers Edge earlier today that Felton and Jamal was doing a silent mutiny on Nate, and it was going to be them to go or Nate, and since they were not super stars it probably would be them.

by Hg on 3/14/2012 11:32 PM
it was just a matter of time before this type of thing happened with the absences of roy and pritchard. there was nothing we could do about roy's early departure but pritchard's dismissal was a foolish self inflicted wound and that wound is seriously infected. if pritchard was still here i imagine pritchard would have nipped whatever-it-is (personality/coaching clash) in the bud. i imagine he would give both coaches and players perspective and ease tensions. i wonder if it's coincidental that the pacers are humming along so beautifully since his arrival. i have a hunch there is.

now we're about to get rid of crawford, a guy who turned down money to join this mess of a team. the way pritchard and cho were ushered out this is no surprise. if i was crawford i'd be pissed and relieved at the same time. this one will come to bite us in the butt i'm sure.

nate's time is done. i imagine the veterans, the kind of guys nate begged for, would love that. i know i would. you all already explained why.

felton sucks.

fire paul allen.

go blazers!

the blazers are a train wreck. i appreciate the blogs, comments, and news reports because this is my man's soap opera and i like knowing what's going on.

by thedanman on 3/15/2012 12:43 AM
Divotking: It was the Blazers edge.

by Ancientone on 3/15/2012 9:06 AM
Hey, we're going to Chicago, where the Bulls won over the Heat with Watson&Lucas at the PG. Is it possible, let there Felton for Rose? :-)

by Silent Fan on 3/15/2012 9:25 AM
The trade of GW and Okur will be good in the business part of the Organization, as Okur is on a expiring contract and GW wouldn't commit, on the playing side since Nate likes to station his threes out at the 3pt line or at least someone that can make 3pters, anybody that could make 3's forget how when they come to Portland BTW, would be a welcome sight.

Ancientone: If Okur plays center, and takes his man outside with his ability to hit outside shots, is he good enough to help LaMarcus open up the middle. Camby is OK at it but his limited time doesn't help that much?

by Hg on 3/15/2012 10:22 AM
Hg: He is, but when will he be healthy enough to play?

by Ancientone on 3/15/2012 12:21 PM
Ancientone: that was the answer I was looking for. Thank you.

by Hg on 3/15/2012 3:06 PM
it was time for something to happen with this team. felton should be gone or ride pine the rest of the season. he has made me so mad that i don't care to watch him play. i would rather see nolan play in a heart beat. after we buy out williams we should get patty back. i hope...then wes can put the goggles on so he can see the basket again. okur thabeet and flynn welcome to portland. GO blazers

by Miller on 3/15/2012 3:16 PM
Miller:
I read the FO shopped Felton to all the other teams, but no one wanted him.
I would put him on the bench and let Flynn, Nolan and hopefully Patty fight for PG honors for the rest of the year.

by Hg on 3/15/2012 3:35 PM
Wow!! Strange days in Ptown. Who's driving this ship? This team is like an avalanche. When it finally reaches the bottom of the hill, (not there yet) I hope we have a GM in place to help dig people out.
thedanman; fire paul allen Beautiful thats funny thank you

by Divotking on 3/15/2012 4:22 PM
Divotking: quit complaining and start digging LOL.

by Hg on 3/15/2012 8:35 PM