Posted 02/13/2012 10:21 PM

After some time to rest and some good practice, I think the Blazers will turn the Rose Garden into a house of horrors for the Wizards.

Posted 02/13/2012 10:51 PM

I expect 5 on 4 basketball at some point in the game Javale will be on D while the Wizards are on offense. As for the game I'm gonna pass because we should win by 20+ and why do I want to watch a team that going to tease us so sorry Blazers I watch you wednesday.

Posted 02/14/2012 5:59 PM

Joe Freeman and Jason Quick are reporting that Nicolas Batum will start in place for Wesley Matthews

Posted 02/14/2012 6:37 PM

Wow... I've been ranting on here that Nic should start at 2-guard. Either Nate spends time on these forums or he had the same thought as me. I've been saying start Nic AND Gerald. It's happening in about 22 minutes! Let's see how this goes.

Posted 02/14/2012 6:41 PM

Yes! Finally! He should be playing 40+ minutes a game!

Posted 02/14/2012 9:05 PM

typical blazers tonight cant hit a shot out of a time out suck on defense all stars get injured.


the only thing you take from this game:

SIGN NIC BATUM FOR WHAT EVER MONEY HE WANTS AND START HIM AT THE 2!!!!!!!!!!!!! He's aggressive and posterizing people like i always knew he could, almost made me forget we are going to loose 3 games this week

Posted 02/14/2012 9:18 PM

I haven't seen players afraid of a basketball like this since 5th grade. Why don't any blazers want to take a shot? They're trying to come from behind and they waste 20 seconds passing up shots then turn it over. When you agreed to play in the NBA... didn't you expect to touch a dang basketball?!

Posted 02/14/2012 9:33 PM

It's called poor coaching.

Posted 02/14/2012 9:38 PM

Or lack of confidence in your coach.

Posted 02/14/2012 10:33 PM

Th proved many things to me, Batum and Wallace played strong and like the franchise players they are
Matthews played eeee then disappeared
Felton and Crawford were non existant and should be traded be cause they are not motivated at all
williams and rhine played hard

Posted 02/14/2012 10:33 PM

Th proved many things to me, Batum and Wallace played strong and like the franchise players they are
Matthews played eeee then disappeared
Felton and Crawford were non existant and should be traded be cause they are not motivated at all
williams and rhine played hard

Posted 02/14/2012 11:44 PM

If the Blazers didn't sign him, that's going to be awful...

Posted 02/15/2012 9:46 AM

I know I am gonna get torn up for this, but what if we started getting Babbitt some minutes? I know he has been sucking, but supposedly he is an amazing shooter and whenever he is in the shoot around, he nails his shots. Maybe he just needs some time and then we will get the sharpshooter we really need.

Posted 02/15/2012 10:28 AM

I would agree schwabbii. Time on the floor brings confidence. Babbitt was the 16th pick in the first round, had good games in the Dleague, it would be nice if he could try and prove himself in actual game time minutes. After watching Lin in NYC do what he is doing it would be a bummer to be sitting on something similar. I know we picked him for a reason and hopefully not to just sit on the bench.

Posted 02/15/2012 11:13 AM

First, thanks for finally starting Nic over Wes. Smart move. On a night when our starting 5 will include Batum, Wallace and Aldridge, we should have some serious power, multiple options of attack, and maybe some consistency in our offense.

Jamsmashers, I don't even know where to begin with your statement... Batum could be considered a franchise player, but don't think we can call Wallace that yet. He has yet to even be here for a full season, and it's still open to whether or not he'll be leaving after this one. I'm just glad Mathews finally showed up at all, and I think bringin him off the bench is exactly what he needed. We'll see more from him soon. And as for Felton and Crawford needing to be traded because they didn't show up for this game... are you KIDDING? You think THEY were the problem last night? Were you watching the game? Lol...

Also, no offense Schwabbii but Babbitt is without a doubt NOT the answer. Even with Crawford playing below his averages, Luke will never come close to Jamal unless he has a Lin-esque breakout!
The real problem with our "sharpshooting" is too many of the players think they can be the one to do it! The only guys beyond the arc should be Jamal, and Nic. Maybe Elliot, and occasionally Mathews and Felton, but even those last 3 guards though should be cutting and driving to the hoop more than taking J's, because it will give them better open jumpers if the defense has to give space, as well as higher percentage baskets when they get near the rim, and with the half-azd jumpers they've been taking, we NEEEEED simpler, higher percentage shots from the guards.
Gerald should NEVER be shooting 3's, or long jumpers. NEVER. NNNEVERRRRRR. His shot is the flattest, laser of a jumper since Andre. I don't care if that's his habit of shooting, he's a professional athlete and there is an undeniable technical advantage to jumpers (and freethrows) of putting arc on the ball. If he's learned to shoot flat, then it's time to correct his bad habit and raise his percentage, or stop being lazy outside and get to the basket like Crash should be. Every time. Nooooo jumpshots for Wallace.

These guys need to go back to their individual skills on offense. Too often it seems like they're not sure what their role is. I feel like we're seeing our guys so much in their own heads about what the right play is (pass or shoot, drive in or jump out) that they're forgetting about team basketball, and that it doesn't come down to whether or not they can hit THAT specific shot. If there's not an obvious pass or lane, it does NOT mean you automatically need to drain the shot from where you're standing! That should be a last resort when all other plays have been exhausted.
The most obvious example is when we're getting good ball movement, spreading the D, but then as soon as a guard (or Gerald) has a somewhat open shot (compared to trying to maneuver a lane), they rush a quick jumper that is at BEST a coinflip to score. Any coach out there (hopefully including McMillan?) would tell you that if your shots aren't falling, you need to SLOW DOWN and get better selection, not hastily put up shots any time you don't have a hand in your face. The more jumpshots we take, the more likely it is that we lose the game. That's not a pissed fan talking, that's BASIC basketball IQ.

And once again, I feel like this has gotta come down to the coaching. It's not SOLELY Nate, obviously our players are having trouble too! But, if the players are making consistent mistakes for any number of reasons, our last hope is supposed to be that Coach will see the bad habits, the exhaustion, whatever is lacking, and direct our players on how to fix it.

We NEED Nate McMillan to step it up and become the Coach that will hold these atheletes accountable, and force them to improve. Our players are so far below averages, it can't just be the individual players. Something is going on across the board... and our Coach needs to be responsible for finding it and fixing it. That IS the Coach's job, and right now it is absolutely critical for Portland.