Devyn Lindquist's Blog

Jan 03

Isn't it nice to finally watch a game where from start to finish the Blazers are pretty much in complete control of the game? Everything sure was clicking last night. While I'm not ready to go on and say this team is better then the team last year, I will say that their completely different at least. Watching the offense flow reminds me of how good the Suns used to be with Amar'e and that up tempo offense. I wouldn't say Amar'e and LaMarcus are too much different in terms of pure talent alone, not necessarily refined skill which Amar'e definitely has more of right now.

What's so cool about this new offensive approach is all the efficient running with and without the ball, passing, backdoor cuts and lobs at the rim with regularity... It's keeping defenses on they're heels second guessing what's going to happen, it's also tiring them out and causing them to pickup ticky tack fouls, which is apparent with our recent rise in free throw attempts.

The Patty Mills experiment is greatly helping this, and so is Rudy as well. Teams can't just stack the inside of the key knowing that it's either going to be a near 24 second slow isolation play with Miller or Roy at the top of the key barreling towards the hoop for free throws, because Mills and Rudy are finally providing that outside shooting that's sorely needed in aid of Batum and Mathews.

With Miller being the only possible defensive liability, Mathews, Batum, Aldridge, Camby are all considered premier defenders as well as being a very good functioning offense. Pick your poison to guard the teams best wing player in Batum or Mathews. Whose going to have the more combined combined steals and blocks between LaMarcus and Marcus?  One of the best defenses in the NBA if these guys continue to gel and buy into the new system of play in the post Roy era.

Guard Mills, Guard/Forward Fernandez, Forward Cunningham, and Center Przybilla/Marks is a pretty good bench too. Just can't afford any more injuries unless a trade is made to acquire some more depth which I believe Cho will eventually do.

If we can come out on top of the road trip with 0-1 losses, I wouldn't be surprised if we caught up to the Thunder by the end of January. 9 of the next 11 games after this roadtrip are at home, and the road games are against Sacramento and Phoenix. This is by far the easiest part of our schedule, after just going through probably our most difficult part of it.