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GameThread #9: vs. Portland

Portland Trail Blazers at Minnesota Timberwolves, Nov 11, 2009 7:00 PM CST


As The 600 Project astutely pointed out today, this is the first opportunity Rambis & Co. have to take on an opponent they've seen before. There's no excuse for the Wolves' poor effort against Golden State, but it's also no small task for a coach to teach a difficult system to his assistants and young players. Pile on the fact that 2/3 of the roster is new this year and that quasi-Triangle is a recipe for 1-7. Let's see what kind of adjustments Rambis can make before getting the pitchforks out.

The Warriors game brought us the first regular season glimpse of the Flynn/Sessions tandem (at least that I've seen) and it didn't look that great. If the Blazers start two point guards against us again, I'd like to see us trot out our 2 point guards just the same. Part of teaching a new system is finding out how your roster pieces fit within that system. If Flynn and Sessions just will flat out not work together, it'd be nice to know sooner rather than later. At the risk of wanting it both ways, I still think it's way to early to make any concrete conclusions about the roster and system. If the All-Star break rolls around and we're still talking about terrible efforts and 20 - 40 point blowouts, I'll light your torch for you.

And, per the video above, since we've talked a lot about Rudy Gay on this site, what are your thoughts on Travis Outlaw as the uber-athletic 3 Kahn has said the Wolves are looking for?

Be sure to visit Blazers Edge for Portland coverage. They may enjoy ribbing us regularly, but it's by and large good-natured. Let's punish them for their weakness.

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For whom?

Of course I meant for the Wolves considering this is a website devoted to them. Maybe I should have been more clear due to the blazer troll infestation that always happens.

by Menyun on Nov 11, 2009 8:22 PM CST up reply actions  

sorry you feel that way

I was doing my best to be respectful… Wolves just couldn’t hang with a much more talented Blazer squad. Nothing to be ashamed about. The Wolves came out and played hard. Best of luck Wolves fans.

" Well...Game is ugly and Dave from BlazersEdge is not all that funny."-- saudagg of cAnus hoopis

by bow4meow on Nov 11, 2009 9:33 PM CST up reply actions  

No worries, wasn't directed at you or actual fans.

I was just answering Tim’s question. I shouldn’t have put blazer in front of troll. Blazer fans = good. Trolls = bad. That is all I meant.

by Menyun on Nov 11, 2009 10:13 PM CST up reply actions  

Ha!

I’ve got about 10 total posts on CH and one of them gets picked as a Blazers fan’s sig with some…clever capitalization. Nice!

by saudagg on Nov 12, 2009 10:08 AM CST up reply actions  

Your words must have really resonated with him. Kudos.

When I get sad, I stop being sad and be awesome instead. True story.

by Xand1 on Nov 12, 2009 10:13 AM CST up reply actions  

Sure enough. You said it.

"I don't always read blogs regarding the Trail Blazers
...but when I do... I read Blazers Edge."

- resurrect_ha28

by FiveOhThree-RipCity!! on Nov 11, 2009 6:39 PM CST up reply actions  

So the Lineup tonight is

C Al
PF Hollins
SF Gomes
SG Ellington
PG Flynn?

by TonyO on Nov 11, 2009 6:33 PM CST reply actions  

Al, Hollins, Gomes, Brewer, Flynn.

I’d expect to see a lot of Ellington and Sessions though, if the Blazers play Blake and Miller together a lot. Rambis is probably going to decide he needs Corey at the 3 to defend Roy.

by Oceanary on Nov 11, 2009 6:38 PM CST up reply actions  

as a blazer fan i hope that da wolves actually play. if so, they can win!

must be rough having such a crappy team. rest assured, blazers are known to have a let down not to mention they are still experimenting. i hope the blazers lose; only then will nate have some sense in starting miller and benching blake. only then will he play oden with fouls even though he rarely fouls out. only then will outlaw get dumped like he should.
i really hope the best for da wolves. the city is nice and similar to portland. the people are…..hmmm, a bit snobish, but whatever. good luck loyal wolves.
prediction: wolves 89 blazers 87

by radioairbag on Nov 11, 2009 6:38 PM CST reply actions  

Talk about some really backhanded "compliments"

Just so you know not all Blazers fans are insufferable boobs (just most of them). The wolves are in a tough spot, but I have a feeling that once Jefferson gets his legs underneath him about a year post ACL surgery and when Love comes back I expect this team to be a lot more competitive … that is if Kahn can actually get you guys an actual shooting guard to pair up with either Sessions of Flynn (or whomever you choose).

Best of luck with the rest of the season, it’s a tough spot to be in as a fan when a team is blown up and pretty much in full rebuilding mode, but having gone through it myself for most of the early 2000s, I can say I don’t envy you, but I like what Kahn is trying to put together … and the monster cap space you guys are going to be playing around with is going to pay some pretty nice dividends this summer, not too mention the trade chips you’ve got with so many point guards either on the roster or in the pipeline.

by nikolokolus on Nov 12, 2009 12:12 AM CST up reply actions  

It will be interesting to see what Outlaw gets this off-season

seems unlikely that Portland will extend to bring him back, with their depth. I wouldn’t mind taking a good look at him.

As for tonight, I’m anticipating a somewhat better effort, but still a loss.

by Eric in Madison on Nov 11, 2009 6:39 PM CST reply actions  

I’ll try and find you the best Kevin Pritchard disguise that money can buy. Anybody have a spare trunk to hide him inside in the interim?

by nja700 on Nov 11, 2009 7:58 PM CST up reply actions  

Why don’t you guys like him? Takes too many shots? Bad D?

When I get sad, I stop being sad and be awesome instead. True story.

by Xand1 on Nov 12, 2009 9:43 AM CST up reply actions  

it's his shot selection... he hits em w/regularity, but god they look just.... awkward..

jab step leap through the roof …. and at the most extreme part of his leap, he releases, and magicaly floats away from the basket…

sometimes they go in sometimes they dont….

that and the fact that the kid was dumb as a sack of rocks, and was just goofy as hell his first few years (playin under rasheed will do that too you if your from nowhere missisippi) ..then he got some money and got even dorkier/ shiny hillbilly whos actin cool.

it’s not that we don’t love travis, it’s just that… well… it’s travis, we’re split evenely inside everylast one of us, 50/50 love/hate him.

The Faith don't panic, the faith freaks out, burns out farms, and torchs small villages in the name of The Faith.

by faith on Nov 12, 2009 11:53 PM CST up reply actions  

I'm told Blazer fans hate Travis Outlaw

The ones I talk to on Gamefaqs actually named their season topic “Trade Outlaw”.

The gripes I hear about him are shot selection, defense (it sounds like he tries less than even Gay), and consistency.

by Oceanary on Nov 11, 2009 6:40 PM CST reply actions  

outlaw is a joke....

he will be traded if not waived. he is a nice guy but bad decisions on the court are too much for blazer fans to handle

by radioairbag on Nov 11, 2009 6:43 PM CST up reply actions  

The Outlaw "hate" is a myth

Yea he drives a few Trail Blazer fans crazy with his shot selection and suspect perimeter D but loyal red & black bleeding PTB fans (like myself) appreciate everything Outlaw brings to the game, team and fans. He had an off night last night minus that sick dunk on Gay, so expect Travis to bring it tonight.

Best of luck Wolves

" Well...Game is ugly and Dave from BlazersEdge is not all that funny."-- saudagg of cAnus hoopis

by bow4meow on Nov 11, 2009 6:45 PM CST up reply actions  

Is he a long term Blazer?

I can’t imagine he’s high on the team’s priority list with Fernandez balking for more burn, Webster healthy again, and Batum rehabbing.

I’d move Ryan Gomes for Outlaw. Gomes is a solid all around player, but nothing dynamic, and we’re going to have to trade him eventually anyways to break even on Brewer. Travis would give our starting 5 some serious deep shooting that Gomes doesn’t have.

by Oceanary on Nov 11, 2009 6:50 PM CST up reply actions  

hard to say

Travis wants bank and has had visions of being more then just a role player off the bench. I’m not certain how likely the PTB are to accommodate his wishes. Chad Ford or some other ESPN goon recently speculated the PTB would not pick him up next year. If true, I can see KP working a deal to get something in return.
I’d hate to see it. Travis is the longest tenured Blazer, and has all the good chemistry factors that make him a favorite to many fans. In alot of ways Travis embodies the character that KP has rebuilt the team with. No offense, but Gomes- no way. Problem is Travis has a pretty modest contract and fair value is going to be hard to match, unless the PTB start throwing in Bayless, Rudy, Web, or something else. I personally say Travis in Rose Red for another 5. Sorry radio.

" Well...Game is ugly and Dave from BlazersEdge is not all that funny."-- saudagg of cAnus hoopis

by bow4meow on Nov 11, 2009 6:58 PM CST up reply actions   1 recs

Man, if we could get Fernandez from you guys, I'd die happy

That’d be the ultimate blue chip in getting Rubio to for sure play for us. But it would be hard to negotiate a deal for him….his talent level far exceeds his contract, and I have a feeling KP is more interested in an equal return of his talent, not his paycheck.

by Oceanary on Nov 11, 2009 7:01 PM CST up reply actions  

Ain't gonna happen

and could be unhealthy expending hopeful energy when it’s just a pipe dream.

" Well...Game is ugly and Dave from BlazersEdge is not all that funny."-- saudagg of cAnus hoopis

by bow4meow on Nov 11, 2009 7:06 PM CST up reply actions  

Probably not

but his minutes are actually down this year. How long does a guy like that play 20 minutes a night before it’s a problem? And it isn’t going to get better when Batum gets back.

by Eric in Madison on Nov 11, 2009 7:10 PM CST up reply actions  

Nothing's really a pipe dream with KP and Kahn

Because of Kahn’s willingness to trade his wife if he gets the right offer, and because Pritchard’s got so many different players that aren’t getting the PT they want because your team is so damn deep at the wings.

 The Blazers are lucky in that they have a great starting core locked up for the forseeable future, but I’m interested to see what happens to the depth of that youthful roster. You’re so deep that losing one or two (even though you may love them) young bench players is likely and probably good for both teams. It’s worth pointing that the Blazers’ wing prospects are all solid players and the PG draft picks are the biggest weakness…

by nja700 on Nov 11, 2009 8:09 PM CST up reply actions  

I think Rudy is staying

the Portland fans greeted him in masses when he flew in after being signed. We love his athletic ability, skill and high BBIQ. It would take a ridiculous trade to get him and frankly Minnesota has no matching value that’s even close.

What happened w/ Rubio? Do the Wolves still own his rights?

" Well...Game is ugly and Dave from BlazersEdge is not all that funny."-- saudagg of cAnus hoopis

by bow4meow on Nov 11, 2009 8:15 PM CST up reply actions  

cuz I'm thinking a trade to bring Ricky here could be arranged

lets talk

" Well...Game is ugly and Dave from BlazersEdge is not all that funny."-- saudagg of cAnus hoopis

by bow4meow on Nov 11, 2009 8:19 PM CST up reply actions  

no thanks

you won’t trade what I would want. he has more value to the Wolves just in his potential than he does for you.

by Eric in Madison on Nov 11, 2009 8:25 PM CST up reply actions  

If you change your mind

come visit the Bedge and we’ll talk…

" Well...Game is ugly and Dave from BlazersEdge is not all that funny."-- saudagg of cAnus hoopis

by bow4meow on Nov 11, 2009 9:34 PM CST up reply actions  

bowow--i disagree. there is no way he will be resigned. not a chance.

fair value for him is allen iverson—-maybe. he reached his potential and just doesnt seem to get it. too bad. good person, horribly inconsistent.

by radioairbag on Nov 11, 2009 7:05 PM CST up reply actions  

That's fine

we can say I told you so when either or happens

" Well...Game is ugly and Dave from BlazersEdge is not all that funny."-- saudagg of cAnus hoopis

by bow4meow on Nov 11, 2009 7:10 PM CST up reply actions  

Regardng Outlaw

Portland fan here. IMHO, Outlaw makes much more sense than Gay.

Positive:
1. Lot cheaper than Gay, with new contract likely 4-6 million range per year
2. Will give you 90-100% of Gay’s production offensively if given similar minutes and offensive touches Gay gets
3. Decent man-to-man defender and actually tries to play D, which is lot more than you can say about
4. Good team chemistry guy
5. Did I mention cheaper?

Negatives:
1. Will shoot a lot given chance (same as Gay)
2. Gets lost on defensive assignments some time (again, same as Gay)
3. Won’t be able to trot out the Gay-Love connection

by xedubx on Nov 11, 2009 6:40 PM CST reply actions  

but will get to say

Outlaw-Love (Love’s name is just too sweet to not pair it up with almost anything)

by TheEvilProfessor on Nov 12, 2009 6:52 AM CST up reply actions  

btw, dave from blazersedge banned me cause "...you don't contribute in a positive manner that is conducive to this site."

screw dave and the blazersedge. it comes down to what dave wants. so im negative sometimes about the blazers. thats part of sports! its a clique site anyway….

by radioairbag on Nov 11, 2009 6:41 PM CST reply actions  

I'm in a Clique!

didn’t know

"its tough to play with one eye, unless you're a pirate." Delonte West
"una canasta a Pau en la cara" Rudy

by Honka Playboy on Nov 12, 2009 12:10 AM CST up reply actions  

Add some links and

double clique, as they say en Francais.

by uncle rico on Nov 12, 2009 12:16 AM CST up reply actions  

#25 (Blazers' Edge inside joke)

Half of Blazers’ Edge would trade you Outlaw for Brian Cardinal. The other half wouldn’t trade him for Ricky Rubio. And the third half will take a wait and see attitude. Dang, we have too many people at Blazers’ Edge….

πάτερ, ἄφες αὐτοῖς, οὐ γὰρ οἴδασιν τί ποιοῦσιν.

Blazersedge.com || New to Blazers' Edge?

by T Darkstar on Nov 11, 2009 6:41 PM CST reply actions  

you just about encapsulated it

Outlaw is a certainly a polarizing figure for Blazer fans.

How did you guys win that?
"We scored enough points. We scored 107, they scored 105.
-Nate McMillan Postgame, 3/4/2009

by douglast on Nov 11, 2009 6:44 PM CST up reply actions  

no, 90% of blazer fans that actually know b-ball would get rid of him.....

i said this 4 years ago; outlaw must go. wtf is his shooting %? he is outlawed in my mind! his decision making is atrocious, no defense, bad rebounder, and horrible rotations on simple plays. he must go.

by radioairbag on Nov 11, 2009 6:46 PM CST up reply actions  

You said 4 years ago he must go...

and the team has improved every year for the past four years.

"its tough to play with one eye, unless you're a pirate." Delonte West
"una canasta a Pau en la cara" Rudy

by Honka Playboy on Nov 12, 2009 12:11 AM CST up reply actions  

I'm embarrassed

that I laughed at that. And then weighed in to let you know that I laughed at that. And that you’re a Blazers’ Zombie.

by PoorDick on Nov 11, 2009 8:16 PM CST up reply actions  

How long before this whole post is taken over by Blazer fans?

"I don't always read blogs regarding the Trail Blazers
...but when I do... I read Blazers Edge."

- resurrect_ha28

by FiveOhThree-RipCity!! on Nov 11, 2009 6:44 PM CST reply actions  

Sorry. I know a ton of negative posters over at BE that never get banned, even though they are chronically negative

You must have done something that broke the guidelines of the site. Sorry you were booted, its a great place with a ton of great analysis.

"I don't always read blogs regarding the Trail Blazers
...but when I do... I read Blazers Edge."

- resurrect_ha28

by FiveOhThree-RipCity!! on Nov 11, 2009 6:50 PM CST up reply actions  

My biggest beef with Blazersedge is the moderators love affair with the idiot known as AK1984. All he does is try to incite fights with his faux intellectual BS and as soon as someone points this out they are immediatley banned. It is a site that is filled with good analysis but is run by a bunch of morons.

Blazersedge mods suck

by lrh86 on Nov 11, 2009 6:57 PM CST up reply actions  

From what it looks like on here...

You and I are totally different cases. I’m actually surprised that SNP or wyn haven’t banned you yet. You are making a total ass out of yourself. I was at least for the most part respectful on Blazersedge. What it came down to is I wasn’t a part of their little social group so I couldn’t get away with the things that they could. For example; calling out AK1984 for being a total idiot.

Blazersedge mods suck

by lrh86 on Nov 12, 2009 3:14 PM CST up reply actions  

that's harsh

AK is pretty respected at BE and I never see him try to instigate problems. On one occasion he wondered why PTB fans aren’t as “objective” as he thinks he is, and that was met with a rather blunt explanation about it being a PTB fan site.

It’s disingenuous to feed the notion that BE mods are out to cap any non like minded people. Dave sets a good example of tolerance for the rest of the mods, and anybody who frequents the site and isn’t about grinding axes at the sites expense is given exceptional latitude.

Try going to Boston’s SBN site and acting contrary.

" Well...Game is ugly and Dave from BlazersEdge is not all that funny."-- saudagg of cAnus hoopis

by bow4meow on Nov 11, 2009 7:03 PM CST up reply actions  

surely you must be kidding.....

dave sets a bad example. to ban me and anyone else that tells it like it is and backs it up with facts….it’s just ludicrous and ignorant. i guess dave is both and more.

by radioairbag on Nov 11, 2009 7:09 PM CST up reply actions  

hmmmm....

tells it like it is… I’m sure it feels that way to you. Sorry you got banned. Maybe it’s your tone. You seem angry and opinionated. Bad combo. Best of luck getting back.

" Well...Game is ugly and Dave from BlazersEdge is not all that funny."-- saudagg of cAnus hoopis

by bow4meow on Nov 11, 2009 7:12 PM CST up reply actions  

True

but there is a difference between civil dialogue that encourages an exchange of ideas and talking sports like it’s the online version of CNN’s Crossfire.

by uncle rico on Nov 12, 2009 12:18 AM CST up reply actions  

The people on Crossfire don't call each other idiots.

The personal attacks are inappropriate, radioairbag. You moron.

by Princely Frank on Nov 12, 2009 1:23 AM CST up reply actions  

No,

but if you watch John Stewart’s demolition of the program when he was a guest my point would be perhaps more clear.

by uncle rico on Nov 12, 2009 1:43 AM CST up reply actions  

AK1984 is the perfect example of how to...

“tell it like it is” and not get banned. You can talk all kinds of junk about the blazers if you present it in a fairly respectful manner(not saying that AK talks crap on the blazers, just that he knows how to go against the grain and still be respectful enough to gain the respect of other posters, despite having some less than popular opinions). Facts and opinions are welcome and encouraged by Dave, being a jackass isn’t. I am willing to bet your mistake was being the latter…

RUDY > MJ

by Rudiculous on Nov 12, 2009 1:54 AM CST up reply actions  

I've said horrible things about AK1984

without being banned

"its tough to play with one eye, unless you're a pirate." Delonte West
"una canasta a Pau en la cara" Rudy

by Honka Playboy on Nov 12, 2009 12:15 AM CST up reply actions  

That is a good example of the little clique y’all have going there over at Blazersedge. If an outsider comes in and says the same things as the “insiders” and they promptly get banned. I don’t agree with that kind of BS.

Blazersedge mods suck

by lrh86 on Nov 12, 2009 11:00 AM CST up reply actions  

Typical internet social forum dynamic

though that does not apply everywhere. CH is very civil and intelligent. Thanks again to the other members of the pack here and our alpha hound, SnP.

by uncle rico on Nov 12, 2009 3:00 PM CST up reply actions  

Jarrett Jack went all sour grapes too

 when he complained about his role.

" Well...Game is ugly and Dave from BlazersEdge is not all that funny."-- saudagg of cAnus hoopis

by bow4meow on Nov 11, 2009 6:51 PM CST up reply actions  

Gametime!

Wolves-Blazers on one half of the screen, Cavs-Magic on the other with the Wolves Audio!

by TonyO on Nov 11, 2009 7:02 PM CST reply actions  

Oden's going to be pretty good, but nothing in his history suggests he's going to make a big jump

He progresses in little steps. Most improved player is about making one big leap.

I had Anthony Randolph pegged as MIP, but Nelson is effing with his playing time. So I’m not sure now.

I think though that Corey could be a darkhorse candidate.

by Oceanary on Nov 11, 2009 7:06 PM CST up reply actions  

Crap

I have to listen to the Portland announcers again. How do they determine whose announcers you get on LP?

by Rascal Flatts on Nov 11, 2009 7:09 PM CST reply actions  

Anyone know what's going on with Jason Hart?

I doubt he’s Kahn’s solution for a third point guard, and he never plays. So why are we hanging on to him?

by Oceanary on Nov 11, 2009 7:14 PM CST reply actions  

Fill out an Active Roster

Blount is on the roster..just inactive.

by TonyO on Nov 11, 2009 7:16 PM CST up reply actions  

But Blount is just trade bait

Kahn said he wanted the third point guard spot to be a player that has on-court use for us.

by Oceanary on Nov 11, 2009 7:18 PM CST up reply actions  

Hmmm. I think I’m going to drill Jerry Zgoda on it later tonight. Maybe he knows what the team is planning.

by Oceanary on Nov 11, 2009 7:24 PM CST up reply actions  

Hmm, so far starting Hollins seems to be working out well

Now to find a defensive big man who isn’t skinnier than flagpole and won’t foul out after 20 minutes…

by Oceanary on Nov 11, 2009 7:32 PM CST reply actions  

Jawai is a presence

Still needs a lot more reps, but I like his thunder to Hollins’ lightning….or whatever…….

by Rascal Flatts on Nov 11, 2009 7:39 PM CST reply actions  

I'm really not seeing why the Blazers keep starting Blake....

Miller and Roy facilitate just fine, so is Blake out there just to spread the floor….? If all Portland needs is shooters, they should be starting Fernandez or Webster…

If they want to rival the Lakers they have to know they need to star Roy at the 2…..right?

by Oceanary on Nov 11, 2009 7:39 PM CST reply actions  

From what I understand

Roy is pretty outspoken about how he likes playing with Blake?

by Mplax on Nov 11, 2009 7:40 PM CST up reply actions  

trade ya Foye for him

oh wait, we dont have him anymore. Would you take Rubio?

by bheidge on Nov 11, 2009 7:46 PM CST up reply actions  

RUBIO is a complete joke, why u drafted him is beyond me.....

he might be as good as rudy——someday. he is way overrated!

by radioairbag on Nov 11, 2009 7:48 PM CST up reply actions  

Thats a pretty big statement

what is it about him exactly that makes you say that?

by bheidge on Nov 11, 2009 7:51 PM CST up reply actions  

he's considered "ok" in europe. that's not the NBA

dude, he’s what, 21? played pro in europe for like 6 years or something and u think that he’s worth a top ten draft pick? u must be crazy. he’s not proven. beyond that, he doesnt want to play in a small nba city. he said that before the draft. now your stuck. u can trade him for nothing and waste a pick—-thats about it. sorry bh, thats the way it is

by radioairbag on Nov 11, 2009 7:54 PM CST up reply actions  

ok in Europe? as what a 18 year old last year?

He’s a few years away from being a 21 year old. Try to keep in mind how Brandon Jennings did last year in Europe and what he is doing this year in the NBA. I have got no problems drafting a 6’4" 18 year old PG that already has Professional experience.

by bheidge on Nov 11, 2009 8:00 PM CST up reply actions  

yeah, that' great bh. but keep in mind he's not jennings.....

to spend a top ten draft pick like that is atrocious! like i stated, he wont play for u guys. he wants money, fame, and other crap that u find in bigger markets. its a wasted pick. he wont be steve nash, parker, or even blake. well, maybe blake, but the argument really isnt about his ability. the point is, he doesnt want to play there and most likely wont. u could of got someone much better now that would play in minn without worries.

by radioairbag on Nov 11, 2009 8:13 PM CST up reply actions  

Inflammatory statement?

Letting fly with disparaging comments already? Starting to see why you got BE banned.

by Boss10 on Nov 11, 2009 8:29 PM CST up reply actions  

Here you go:

–adjective
1. tending to arouse anger, hostility, passion, etc.: inflammatory speeches.

by Boss10 on Nov 11, 2009 9:14 PM CST up reply actions  

well put

Think he is trying for a record number of bans over his life? Or is just clueless?

by TheEvilProfessor on Nov 12, 2009 7:03 AM CST up reply actions  

I think “ignorant” was the word you were looking for.

When I get sad, I stop being sad and be awesome instead. True story.

by Xand1 on Nov 12, 2009 10:05 AM CST up reply actions  

Stop the presses. Hollins just went a whole quarter with only 1 foul.

Well….not a WHOLE quarter. But normally he’d have like….4 by now.

by Oceanary on Nov 11, 2009 7:40 PM CST reply actions  

This is about as well as we can play

yet we are still way outgunned. Once Portland wakes up, it’s over.

by Rascal Flatts on Nov 11, 2009 7:46 PM CST reply actions  

I saw it coming. The Wolves were playing their hardest, doing everything possible

while Portland could coast along with their superior talent and stay right with us. Now that Portland woke up, the hammer commeth down.

by Rascal Flatts on Nov 11, 2009 7:53 PM CST up reply actions  

I am... unhappy

with atdhe to say the least. Chi v. Tor is now on 2 channels and the Wolves on none.

by Mplax on Nov 11, 2009 7:56 PM CST reply actions  

How long do we give Jefferson and Love as a duo?

Because it’s pretty clear from the past three years that anytime we play a team with an athletic 7 foot center, Al gets shut down. We’re too small.

by Oceanary on Nov 11, 2009 7:57 PM CST reply actions  

They could bring in a big athletic 7 foot center

and rotate the 3. Jefferson and Love have played together less than a year and you want to throw in the towel already?

by bheidge on Nov 11, 2009 8:02 PM CST up reply actions  

The amount of time they've spent together doesn't really matter

Because no matter how much chemistry they develop, one of them will always be on an Oden or Bynum or Dwight Howard.

Even when he was healthy and Oden wasn’t, Jefferson has always had problems matching up with Greg. Guys like that are just too tall for him. And Love’s not any taller, so…

by Oceanary on Nov 11, 2009 8:04 PM CST up reply actions  

Yup

and those three big men could be a fixture in the conference finals/NBA finals for years to come. It doesn’t matter if Al matches up well with a lot of other starting Centers. These three guys are the ones we need to worry about for the next 10 years.

by Rascal Flatts on Nov 11, 2009 8:06 PM CST up reply actions  

Oden and Bynum

need to prove they can stay healthy first

by bheidge on Nov 11, 2009 8:08 PM CST up reply actions  

Kahn may already have his mind made up

The problem is finding a legit Center is really, really, really, really, really hard. Most teams either have a token starting C that can’t play 30+ minutes or a hybrid PF/C like Jefferson, Horford, etc.

by Rascal Flatts on Nov 11, 2009 8:03 PM CST up reply actions  

That's kind of why I think we should take a flier on Thabeet, if we can get him

Especially if we can get him cheap, which looks like might be the case right now. Oden really wasn’t much better than Hasheem is when he first came to the NBA.

by Oceanary on Nov 11, 2009 8:06 PM CST up reply actions  

Sorry

but Thabeet would be manhandled by these guys. You think Hollins has a poor center of gravity, Thabeet is worse. The guy gets knocked out of position easier than Corey Brewer does.

by Rascal Flatts on Nov 11, 2009 8:08 PM CST up reply actions  

You've got to get over Thabeet.

Seriously, he will never be a factor in this league. What does he have that even Hollins doesn’t?

by dropstep on Nov 11, 2009 8:09 PM CST up reply actions  

He has the potential

If we don’t have to give up anything significant for him, why not take the chance? There’s no on on the trading block and none of the centers in the upcoming draft project to be any better.

by Oceanary on Nov 11, 2009 8:14 PM CST up reply actions  

He was drafted #2...

…5 months ago. You really think we wouldn’t have to give up anything significant? Why didn’t we just trade up then? Please he sucks and has BUST written all over him. I lost count of the number of times he got knocked on his butt by a penetrating guard – while in college!

by Boss10 on Nov 11, 2009 8:20 PM CST up reply actions  

Exactly my point.

So why not focus on problems that are correctable, and hold on to a guy who was playing at all star level at the 5 before his injury.

in a way I’m with you. If Al was not sucking so bad this year I’d suggest shopping him for a big with equivalent all star potential as the only way to land the guy you want. But blockbuster trades like that are rare.

by dropstep on Nov 11, 2009 8:22 PM CST up reply actions  

Blazers fan chiming in ...

Joel Przybilla has a player option this summer so potentially he could be a free agent. He’s certainly not young and he’s got no offense aside from putbacks and the occasional pick and roll, but he’s 7-1, plays pretty stout post defense, is fairly tough and would give you something of a presence on defense in the post … besides you’ve already got Jefferson and Love to give you scoring from the low block, so it’s not necessarily mandatory to have a scoring center.

Just something Kahn may have in mind with his gobs of cap room and Joel is a Minnesota native … so you never know (though I guess he’s not exactly loved in his home state because of some falling out he had with the university of Minnesota.

by nikolokolus on Nov 12, 2009 12:27 AM CST up reply actions  

I think the opinion around here is that

Cole Aldrich is Joel with moves. So he is targeted by many in next years draft. Of course only time will tell if that does or should happen. I wouldn’t mind him, and there is something to be said of a defensive center with decent offense, but I think we need to find our star in the draft if we are that high, not our defensive anchor. Although I am not saying I would be unhappy if we came out of the draft next year with Aldrich (side note: another MN boy)/

by Mplax on Nov 12, 2009 12:35 AM CST up reply actions  

I'm pretty high on Aldrich

Energy guy with better footwork and balance than I see some commentators give him credit for. Seems to be pretty effective at both ends. I think the Wolves could definitely do worse than taking him should he have a favorable season.

by TheMadKiwi on Nov 12, 2009 3:12 PM CST up reply actions  

Whoa...hold back on the euphemisms

such as “pretty tough post defense”, “fairly tough”, and “something of a presence on defense”…you are drooling all over him.

Jokes aside, Joel is one of the best rebounder and shotblocker in the NBA, period. He was #1 in rebounding rate in NBA last year. Also, messing with him is not a good idea since one of his off-season training regiment is boxing. He’s one of those guys not afraid to go toe to toe against Shaq. (and usually does)

by xedubx on Nov 12, 2009 3:04 AM CST up reply actions  

I tend to favor the low PT rebound rate

slightly less. That’s also why I wont put TOO much stock into Love being the best rebounder in the league when he gets starter minutes. If he is constantly coming in fresh to beat up the guys who have been playing 30+ mpg, he is gonn have an advantage. That being said, they are both still tremendous rebounders.

by Mplax on Nov 12, 2009 11:08 PM CST up reply actions  

It's not a center's league anymore

You don’t need a dominant 7 footer. If there is talk about Noah being the 2nd best center in the East, the bar is low for effective play in the post.

You won’t get better D out of Jefferson at the 4, so it’s more a problem with Jefferson than it is a problem of a Jefferson/Love combo.

by dropstep on Nov 11, 2009 8:08 PM CST up reply actions  

It IS a center's league still

And it always will be. That’s the myth everyone buys into….they think just because teams play small, centers aren’t important.

But if you look at the teams that contend and have won all the championships in this “small ball” era, it’s all teams with real centers. And the three teams poised to still be contenders when we’re ready for a playoff run have real centers.

If Al isn’t guarding Dwight Howard, then Kevin Love is, and that’s even worse.

by Oceanary on Nov 11, 2009 8:12 PM CST up reply actions  

Wasted energy

Who is going to compete with Howard? So, unless you have a plan for getting Howard, worrying about replacing the Center we do have is pointless.

There are a couple of dominant centers in the league. In your world, if you don’t have one of them it’s hopeless. The problem is that you can’t get one just because you want one. And using the draft to constantly collect random 7 foot stiffs, who were marginally efffective in college is not going to make you a better team.

by dropstep on Nov 11, 2009 8:18 PM CST up reply actions  

Kendrick Perkins shut Howard down last year

So did Bynum and Gasol in the Finals.

It’s not impossible, and it’s doesn’t take Shaq to do it.

by Oceanary on Nov 11, 2009 8:20 PM CST up reply actions  

And I'm not saying it has to be Thabeet

Just he’s an option that would probably be pretty available right now.

We just need a center, bottom line.

by Oceanary on Nov 11, 2009 8:27 PM CST up reply actions  

Oh yeah Perkins

Thanks for proving my point that you don’t need a dominant 7 footer to be a top team in the league

by dropstep on Nov 11, 2009 8:29 PM CST up reply actions  

Just like our team

I think it’s more fair to judge Thabeet in 3 years. It’s easy to rag on him now, with the poor play/lack of playing time and the broken jaw. But he was drafted as a project the whole time. I don’t really trust Memphis to develop him but like Oceanary I think it’d be worth a low-cost shot at him on the chance he does improve. Though the fact that he was #2 and just entered the league guarantees they won’t bail on him for at least a year.

by nja700 on Nov 11, 2009 8:36 PM CST up reply actions  

He's still one of the better centers in the league

And plays great defense. He’s bigger too. It would be nice to have a bigger center that plays defense. Hollins can block shots and jump all over the plays, but I don’t see him as being a great defender aside from weak-side blocks.

by nja700 on Nov 11, 2009 8:33 PM CST up reply actions  

Hollins just doesn't have the IQ for the job

He’ll make a great Birdman type off the bench, but we need a heavyweight.

by Oceanary on Nov 11, 2009 8:36 PM CST up reply actions  

Hey, I'm happy to have Big Al at center...

whenver I take a trip down memory lane – Jason Collins, Mark Blount, Cherokee Parks, Felton Spencer, Randy Bruer, Luc Longley, The Kandi Man…Ugh! Makes me appreciate Dean Garrett!

by SoDakHmr on Nov 11, 2009 10:17 PM CST up reply actions  

ummm, yeah, portland is too overpowering. to the point where they can be unstopable on both ends...

if they play consistently decent, and at times really good, we can beat anybody, anywhere

by radioairbag on Nov 11, 2009 8:01 PM CST up reply actions  

If they want to beat anybody anywhere

they will have to play consistently really good. Consistently decent wont get it done, not with that team. Sorry to tell you radio, this isn’t Portland’s year

by bheidge on Nov 11, 2009 8:04 PM CST up reply actions  

Minnesota playing hard

Portland’s depth and superior talent is starting to show. Minnesota needs to continue to play as hard in the second half to have any chance, otherwise Portland will steamroll them if the Wolves get down on themselves. Much better to see Minny playing like they care tonight.

Good luck second half

" Well...Game is ugly and Dave from BlazersEdge is not all that funny."-- saudagg of cAnus hoopis

by bow4meow on Nov 11, 2009 8:11 PM CST reply actions  

Our bench can't consistently score

And Al is getting taken to the woodshed by Oden….

by Oceanary on Nov 11, 2009 8:13 PM CST up reply actions  

at least they are manning up

I respect that. When Portland’s bench is clicking like tonight they become very difficult to contend with.

" Well...Game is ugly and Dave from BlazersEdge is not all that funny."-- saudagg of cAnus hoopis

by bow4meow on Nov 11, 2009 8:17 PM CST up reply actions  

Ya, after what happened at Golden State

I’ll take just not being embarrassed, to be honest.

by Oceanary on Nov 11, 2009 8:18 PM CST up reply actions  

not trying is more embarressing then losing

" Well...Game is ugly and Dave from BlazersEdge is not all that funny."-- saudagg of cAnus hoopis

by bow4meow on Nov 11, 2009 8:19 PM CST up reply actions  

I'm not following

embarrassing? Sorry. Sheesh

" Well...Game is ugly and Dave from BlazersEdge is not all that funny."-- saudagg of cAnus hoopis

by bow4meow on Nov 11, 2009 8:22 PM CST up reply actions  

Say no more.

I do like the cat avatar, however.

by uncle rico on Nov 11, 2009 9:16 PM CST up reply actions  

thanks

That’s Bonzi— Official Blazers Edge mascot.

" Well...Game is ugly and Dave from BlazersEdge is not all that funny."-- saudagg of cAnus hoopis

by bow4meow on Nov 11, 2009 9:35 PM CST up reply actions  

I can guess which

ex Jail Blazer he gets his name from.

by uncle rico on Nov 11, 2009 9:40 PM CST up reply actions  

I wouldn't even name a dog "Bonzi"...

Then again, my cat is named “Ratbag,” so go figure.

"A bizarre and extremely rare hybrid Blazer/Laker fan, Timbo has always struggled to contain the Beast Within, like Dr. Jekyll, Bruce Banner, or Ted Kennedy." — Miled Animal

by timbo on Nov 11, 2009 9:41 PM CST up reply actions  

My other cat is "Wallace"

at the time the team hadn’t come to be known as the Jail Blazers and Bonzi and Wallace were key players. I learned never name my pets for Blazers that aren’t retired. Live. Learn.

" Well...Game is ugly and Dave from BlazersEdge is not all that funny."-- saudagg of cAnus hoopis

by bow4meow on Nov 11, 2009 9:45 PM CST up reply actions  

Well

just don’t trade your cats and there’s nothing wrong with it. Tom cats are a bit like free agents however. I’m still looking for Latrell, but he has a bunch of kitties to feed.

by uncle rico on Nov 12, 2009 12:10 AM CST up reply actions  

Speaking of manning

No, not Danny. Where is maynholup these days?

by uncle rico on Nov 11, 2009 8:18 PM CST reply actions  

My guess is that he's either

chiefin’ ona kill, or working on the Pawlenty for President campaign.

by PoorDick on Nov 11, 2009 8:22 PM CST up reply actions  

No talent at all

This lineup is simply not NBA quality.

by Eric in Madison on Nov 11, 2009 8:36 PM CST reply actions  

Our defense is non-existent

We’re not even scoring that bad. 49% shooting, 59 points, just 6 turnovers.

We just…..can’t defend.

by Oceanary on Nov 11, 2009 8:38 PM CST reply actions  

He seems quiet to me tonight...

….not his normal disruptive self. Definitely no one else helping out defensively.

by Boss10 on Nov 11, 2009 8:40 PM CST up reply actions  

Just like against Golden State...

sigh

I kind of feel bad for the kid. He plays perfect defense out there….he just doesn’t get the help he’s used to when he had Noah and Horford behind him.

by Oceanary on Nov 11, 2009 8:40 PM CST up reply actions  

Blazer announcers.

I had to mute the game. They have got to be the worst in the league.

by Menyun on Nov 11, 2009 8:42 PM CST reply actions  

This quote literally made me squirt pop out my nose:

“The crowd not leaving; I think they enjoy watching that the Blazers are really up-and-coming contenders.”

Word for word. Wow.

by LoveTo on Nov 11, 2009 8:47 PM CST up reply actions  

OKC announcers are worse

they just have fewer opportunities to get cocky.

An Oregonian in Texas.

by NoiseMekanik on Nov 11, 2009 9:01 PM CST up reply actions  

i don't care if you are 70% or 7%...

… there is a look on a man’s face that says “fuck i wish i could move like i used to so i could cover this defensive assignment.” and there is a look that does not say that. al is wearing the latter.

by TheH on Nov 11, 2009 8:47 PM CST up reply actions  

Well-put.

Al is thinkin about some Subway.

by Boss10 on Nov 11, 2009 9:16 PM CST up reply actions  

Just like the last game..

..we’re on the short end of a 64-33 point ‘run’ – let us hope it doesn’t get worse. Warriors had a 66-33 run on us. Kahn lit into the guys for lack of effort. Guys better play this quarter hard.

All right, brain. You don't like me and I don't like you, but let's just do this and I can get back to killing you with beer.
Homer

by CaliWolf on Nov 11, 2009 8:48 PM CST reply actions  

66-33

All right, brain. You don't like me and I don't like you, but let's just do this and I can get back to killing you with beer.
Homer

by CaliWolf on Nov 11, 2009 8:49 PM CST up reply actions  

Kahn lit into the guys for lack of effort? When? What did he say?

by LoveTo on Nov 11, 2009 8:50 PM CST up reply actions  

http://www.twincities.com/timberwolves/ci_13754992

All right, brain. You don't like me and I don't like you, but let's just do this and I can get back to killing you with beer.
Homer

by CaliWolf on Nov 11, 2009 8:52 PM CST up reply actions  

They should

The lack of effort in the third was pathetic.

by Oceanary on Nov 11, 2009 8:50 PM CST up reply actions  

I don't know....

They are just so outgunned and we make a lot of mental errors. One thing they need to do though is mean-up. You can’t just have guys alley ooping and raining down threes without some really hard fouls eventually.

by Rascal Flatts on Nov 11, 2009 8:54 PM CST up reply actions  

Agree.

At some point it’s got to get under your skin. I just don’t see if from Al. Hollins?

by Boss10 on Nov 11, 2009 8:56 PM CST up reply actions  

Kahn

If Kahn is getting at players for lack of effort, who could possibly be going?

by NickyDaLuv on Nov 11, 2009 8:54 PM CST reply actions  

wtf... Portland timeout??

“We’re only up by 21.” Sweet.

by Boss10 on Nov 11, 2009 8:54 PM CST reply actions  

you don't know coach Nate...

beside, we are required to take one in the quarter anyway

How did you guys win that?
"We scored enough points. We scored 107, they scored 105.
-Nate McMillan Postgame, 3/4/2009

by douglast on Nov 11, 2009 8:54 PM CST up reply actions  

radioairbag does not represent Blazers Edge

He got banned from BE and it’s obvious why. There’s always one barney in the mix ya know.

" Well...Game is ugly and Dave from BlazersEdge is not all that funny."-- saudagg of cAnus hoopis

by bow4meow on Nov 11, 2009 9:40 PM CST up reply actions  

that line always reminds me of Woody Allen

buying some skin magazines in Banana’s (?) when the vendor yells out the titles of publications very loudly. Embarrassed, he tells a little old lady that they’re for a study he is doing.

Radioairhead is amusing with that line.

by uncle rico on Nov 12, 2009 12:13 AM CST up reply actions  

Correction

You tell it how you think it is. My conclusion…your judgement is lacking. Have fun with that.

by TheEvilProfessor on Nov 12, 2009 7:29 AM CST up reply actions  

I know, right?

I mean, who really thinks that a teenager who already has 5 years pro experience in a league that is better than NCAA Division I, played meaningful minutes at PG for a silver-medal Olympic team, plays great defense and is a fantastic passer, is respected by every NBA player who has played against him, etc. I’d hate to have that player in the top 10!

I mean, he’s already on the downturn too! Everyone knows that NBA players decline once they hit 20! Except for young, athletic, no BBIQ PGs on the Blazers. If only players peaked in their late 20s, then it’d be great to have Rubio!

Thank god Rudy Fernandez didn’t play for the Spanish national team or in the Spanish pro leagues! Then he’d be unproven and overrated! Not to mention wings that shoot and are athletic are FAR more rare to find than young PGs with fantastic court vision and BBIQ!

If anyone didn’t catch it, I enjoy employing sarcasm punctuated by exclamation points!

by nja700 on Nov 11, 2009 9:17 PM CST up reply actions  

Please tell me you're being sarcastic

How was getting Rudy more of a gamble? Rubio was the biggest gamble in this year’s draft, and Rudy wasn’t a gamble at all. He was a great value at the #24 pick. That pick is never a big gamble.

by nja700 on Nov 11, 2009 9:31 PM CST up reply actions  

yes nja, i was being sarcastic.....

ive wrote previously that runio is a joke and cant compete with rudy. we stole rudy in retrospect with some good moves. runio, on the other hand, is a complete waste of a pic.

by radioairbag on Nov 11, 2009 9:39 PM CST up reply actions  

Rubio will be better than Rudy...

He is young and already very good. Love his defensive chops at such a young age. Great passer, good at attacking the hoop, he is just a consistent jumpshot away from being a very well rounded player. I am an extreme Rudy homer, just look at my screen name, and I would trade him for Rubio if I felt comfortable that Rubio would actually come over…

RUDY > MJ

by Rudiculous on Nov 12, 2009 2:02 AM CST up reply actions  

subs after the break should be Dante for TO and Bayless for Rudy

Howard for Joel if the vet wants to stretch his legs

How did you guys win that?
"We scored enough points. We scored 107, they scored 105.
-Nate McMillan Postgame, 3/4/2009

by douglast on Nov 11, 2009 9:02 PM CST reply actions  

thats why I said "if he wants"

How did you guys win that?
"We scored enough points. We scored 107, they scored 105.
-Nate McMillan Postgame, 3/4/2009

by douglast on Nov 11, 2009 9:03 PM CST up reply actions  

Flynn-Sessions

Bayless-Miller

All right, brain. You don't like me and I don't like you, but let's just do this and I can get back to killing you with beer.
Homer

by CaliWolf on Nov 11, 2009 9:08 PM CST reply actions  

I must admit

feeling a little bit optimistic after the Celts game. But the subsequent games disabused me of any further hope or optimism. This team is simply awful and will finish in the bottom 3, if asked for a prediction.

by uncle rico on Nov 11, 2009 9:14 PM CST reply actions  

Bottow two, if you ask me

Only team I feel confident we can beat out in the standings now is New York

by Oceanary on Nov 11, 2009 9:16 PM CST up reply actions  

I thought Sacramento was awful...

But they are looking ok… And I like Casspi – good kid. Wolves have probably the 3 worse games I’ve seen this year.

by Boss10 on Nov 11, 2009 9:19 PM CST up reply actions  

Yep

I thought the Pups could take them. Not any more though.

by uncle rico on Nov 11, 2009 9:20 PM CST up reply actions  

Getting Love back will help.

Good luck with it, Wolves fans.

"A bizarre and extremely rare hybrid Blazer/Laker fan, Timbo has always struggled to contain the Beast Within, like Dr. Jekyll, Bruce Banner, or Ted Kennedy." — Miled Animal

by timbo on Nov 11, 2009 9:20 PM CST up reply actions  

New York

or New Jersey? The Nets haven’t moved to Bwooklyn yet. But I do like the netizens here and I stayed at a Holiday Inn Express last night.

by uncle rico on Nov 11, 2009 9:18 PM CST reply actions  

The Nets are playing without Devin Harris right now

One he’s healthy, they’ll start winning some games.

New York is just a lost cause. They openly declared they aren’t going to even try this year before the season started.

Which is really stupid seeings as they won’t even be able to cash in a good draft pick from it all.

by Oceanary on Nov 11, 2009 9:19 PM CST up reply actions  

I was

being a little facetious. But it seems pointless arguing about who is going to be in the bottom tier. Oh, we forgot Memphis. In any case, the Wolves will eventually play better. But when and for how long. The rebuilding process will also be longer than Kahn hopes for, of that I’m sure.

by uncle rico on Nov 11, 2009 9:22 PM CST up reply actions  

Look at Webster splashing 3's up by 20...

Stay classy Portland!

"When a hyper-intense guy looks for ways to fire himself up, yeah, it pretty much comes out as wild eyed psycho lunacy." - Jeff Clark from C's blog on KG

by Khalid El-Amin on Nov 11, 2009 9:19 PM CST reply actions  

lol what else is he supose to do when he's left

WIDE open? step inside and shoot a shot that he never shoots? try to jam it? dribble out the shoot clock for a violation… what?

The Faith don't panic, the faith freaks out, burns out farms, and torchs small villages in the name of The Faith.

by faith on Nov 11, 2009 9:29 PM CST up reply actions  

We're supposed to

go into our victory formation and kneel down to kill the clock.

Oh wait, this is basketball. I have no idea.

by xedubx on Nov 12, 2009 2:57 AM CST up reply actions  

Dunk it from the 3pt line like in NBA Jam. Duh.

When I get sad, I stop being sad and be awesome instead. True story.

by Xand1 on Nov 12, 2009 10:33 AM CST up reply actions  

I'll never understand this.

"A bizarre and extremely rare hybrid Blazer/Laker fan, Timbo has always struggled to contain the Beast Within, like Dr. Jekyll, Bruce Banner, or Ted Kennedy." — Miled Animal

by timbo on Nov 11, 2009 9:42 PM CST up reply actions  

Would you rather there be a mercy rule?

Witty Unpredictable Talent and Natural Game

by iDea on Nov 12, 2009 12:17 AM CST up reply actions  

Yeah, I'm not sure I get why we grumble about this.

We suck. That’s the reason the score is getting run up on us. The Blazers should in no way be held responsible for keeping the score at a reasonable level.

If you have an open three, you shoot it. If you’re on a fast break and you can throw a cool alley-oop, you do it. Why should the score matter? We can get mad at the Wolves for not nutting up enough to even attempt to stop it, but i don’t understand blaming Portland.

by LoveTo on Nov 12, 2009 12:29 AM CST up reply actions  

Okay, alternative suggestion

Let the refs ask Rambis if he wants to throw in the towel? Pretty sure the Blazers would have been okay with calling it after the third quarter, taking the W and getting an early night’s sleep.

Heaven forbid our bench players would want to force themselves into the starting lineup…

The only time you’ve got a beef is if Webster’s taking a three with less than 0:24 left in the game. Sorry mate.

by TheMadKiwi on Nov 12, 2009 3:24 PM CST up reply actions  

Yikes

This game didn’t tell us anything we didn’t already know. Was good to see a more spirited effort in the second half. Two things I don’t get: the team needs to play well and play energetically on defense to get the easy baskets they can’t get in the halfcourt if they’re not going to go screen/roll 75% of the time. The effort on that side of the ball has been lacking. Second, they can’t run if the guards don’t start crashing the defensive boards. I know Oden was grabbing boards over the top of Al, but when a team shoots that many jump shots, the guards have to rebound because the bigs aren’t the ones who’ll be in position to grab those caroms. Man, it’d be nice to have a Porter or Mitchell on this squad (Brian Cardinal isn’t it).

by pagingstanleyroberts on Nov 11, 2009 9:27 PM CST reply actions  

I stilllllllll

Have a huge man member for this site!!! it’s freakin awsome!! YOU GUY’S ROCK!!

keep it up guy’s (n girls if there r some)

The Faith don't panic, the faith freaks out, burns out farms, and torchs small villages in the name of The Faith.

by faith on Nov 11, 2009 9:31 PM CST reply actions  

Huge Man Member?

Terrible

The Oden Era, Day 873

by Heymoe on Nov 12, 2009 10:56 PM CST up reply actions  

We need a lot of help defensively...

And I’m not sure how much Love is going to do for that.

by Oceanary on Nov 11, 2009 9:33 PM CST reply actions  

Not in a just society.

"A bizarre and extremely rare hybrid Blazer/Laker fan, Timbo has always struggled to contain the Beast Within, like Dr. Jekyll, Bruce Banner, or Ted Kennedy." — Miled Animal

by timbo on Nov 11, 2009 9:43 PM CST up reply actions  

Yep

I watch the Bucks games, and he can really play. Much more under control than I expected to see; just very talented.

by Eric in Madison on Nov 11, 2009 9:44 PM CST up reply actions  

A metaphor
We need a lot of help defensively…

And I’m not sure how much Love is going to do for that.

Kind of like a group of blind people being lost in a cave and complaining because the first guy on the rescue team doesn’t quite have 20/20 vision

by Son of Gerald Green on Nov 11, 2009 9:44 PM CST reply actions  

Love will help

Just don’t expect him to turn this around. That’s all I’m saying.

by Oceanary on Nov 11, 2009 9:45 PM CST up reply actions  

Love to the rescue?

When Love returns things will improve, but we will remain woefully undersized. And he won’t make us any more of a running team. In fact, I saw a Jawai outlet pass early in the game that would rival any of Love’s supposed outlets (before the second unit began falling apart, losing the lead and starting our slide into oblivion again). The comment about our passing was spot on. We don’t pass well. We don’t shoot well. We don’t rebound well. We don’t defend well. Game. Set. Match. Portland has a load of talent, but we made them look better than they probably are. I think we’ll be doing a lot of that this year.

by ogishkemuncie on Nov 11, 2009 9:49 PM CST reply actions  

love will not help unless your're talking about free love....

im from portland and thought he was overrated in high-school. he did one year at ucla and did what? did i miss something? he’s ok and wont be dominate. he may be like a outlaw that rebounds.

by radioairbag on Nov 11, 2009 10:00 PM CST up reply actions  

OK gotta speak up

I’m not a huge Love fan either, but he does happen to be the all-time leading scorer in Oregon high school basketball history. Hard to overrate that. Then he averaged 17.5 pts and 10.6 rebs and shot 56% from the field at UCLA. Whatever anybody thinks about Love’s NBA potential, it’s hard to argue that the accolades he earned in high school and college were not earned.

A three-pointer is not a "triple." A triple is a hit in baseball.
A three-pointer is not a "trey." A trey is either an ESPN sportscaster or something that bad spellers eat cafeteria food on. - Dave on Mar 20, 2009 10:00 PM PDT
A trey is actually a playing card or die or domino having three pips. - pipgras on July 31, 2009 9:22 PM PDT

by GustyJ on Nov 11, 2009 10:28 PM CST up reply actions  

I've got to wonder what you're seeing/watching

if you even remotely compare Outlaw to Kevin Love. That’s got to be the most ridiculous comparison ever.

"Ain't nothin' in this world for free."

by Arby on Nov 11, 2009 11:30 PM CST up reply actions   1 recs

Ya

The outlaw to love comparison i absolutely hilarious. I am struggling to think of one single that they both have in common.

RUDY > MJ

by Rudiculous on Nov 12, 2009 2:04 AM CST up reply actions  

They’re both 6’9?

When I get sad, I stop being sad and be awesome instead. True story.

by Xand1 on Nov 12, 2009 10:36 AM CST up reply actions  

Kevin Love will not be a panacea for the ills this team suffers from

But he certainly will help. He can rebound, he can pass, he can shoot. Those are at least 3 of the 4 things the Wolves were missing from that second half last night. The defense can (and I think will) come around. He might never be Defensive Player of the Year, but if Love is playing the 4, he can at least be a good team defender at that position in time.

by BLayne23 on Nov 12, 2009 8:10 AM CST up reply actions  

this is gonna hurt. (you were warned)

The Faith don't panic, the faith freaks out, burns out farms, and torchs small villages in the name of The Faith.

by faith on Nov 12, 2009 1:16 AM CST reply actions  

So

I’ve always sorta like Ryan Hollins as a backup role player big… what is his deal? I gather from some posts he gets in bad foul trouble as well? What’s his story?

You guys like what ya see in him?

-=Mortimer=-

by Mortimer on Nov 12, 2009 1:59 AM CST reply actions  

Not as cool as Jawai

"Goals are good. Plans are better." -Ben.

by Sabonis4Ever on Nov 12, 2009 2:24 AM CST up reply actions  

That goes without saying.

He’s a mountain of man meat and gristle and pain.

Jawai till I die.

Mortimer

by Mortimer on Nov 12, 2009 2:42 AM CST up reply actions  

I like Hollins

I think he has a lot of potential on both sides of the ball. Right now his niche in the NBA is probably a Chris Anderson type player, bringing energy and defense off the bench, but it could rise ot be Tyson Chandler like if he works hard and puts on some weight.

by Oceanary on Nov 12, 2009 2:31 AM CST up reply actions  

Energy is what I like about him

He moves really well for his size, is a bit skinny but that can change, and seems to play hard every possession.

He’s never had huge minutes before, so it’s not like I’ve seen a lot of him, but I just like how he moves. Often that’s the first thing I notice about a player, and it makes me remember them as sumthin’ maybe good.

His rebounding percentages aren’t very good for a 7 footer (not bad for when he was with Dallas for a lil’ bit), but his blocks are decent. I can see him becoming a good energy role player very soon.

Mortimer

by Mortimer on Nov 12, 2009 2:37 AM CST up reply actions  

THe low rebounding is a product of his weight

He just can’t hold his position well. Right now he’s 99% athleticism…..almost everything he does can be ultimately summed up as “trying to outjump the other guy”.

He’s already shown a lot of progress in the skill department though. That face up 12 foot jumper is something I’ve never seen from him before, in Dallas or Charlotte, and tonight was a good sign that he’s slowly learning to cut down his fouls and still be effective on defense.

by Oceanary on Nov 12, 2009 3:15 AM CST up reply actions  

I was actually thinking of Chandler as I watched Hollins last night.

If Flynn can somehow channel Chris Paul, Minny might have something there.

And if I could somehow channel Tom Hanks, I might have an academy award or two, I know. But hey, anything’s possible.

by BLayne23 on Nov 12, 2009 7:58 AM CST up reply actions  

Andre Miller?

Sitting right by the Blazer’s bench last night, it seems to me like the addition of Andre Miller does nothing for that team. The chemistry on Portland’s team begins and ends with Roy, LMA, Oden and Steve Blake. I honestly don’t remember seeing Miller B.S. with his fellow teammates once, and I think that translates onto the court.

When you have young guys like Jerryd Bayless and Rudy Fernandez coming off the bench for your team, not getting the minutes they should in order to both make the biggest impact on the game they can while simultaneously learning more about how to dominate at the NBA level, you’re doing your team a disservice. In both games against the Wolves this season, I felt like things ratcheted up for POR as soon as Bayless and/or Fernandez entered the game, nd that’s not a coincidence, if you ask me.

Andre Miller is not this team’s future – Bayless and Fernandez are.

MIller’s night amounted to the most uninspiring almost double-double I have seen in an NBA game – somehow, when you see someone like Jason Kidd put up a 9 point, 10 assist night, you feel when you watch the game that he’s got control of everything going on out there every second he’s on the court. I didn’t feel that way watching Andre Miller. Did Portland really think they needed another guard? Why?

I really think his presence has thrown Steve Blake totally out of whack on the court. Once Batum returns, I think Portland needs to find a way to let some of these guys breathe out there. A trade, a shift in the rotation, I don’t know what. But, I get the feeling that could become a “too many cooks” operation pretty quickly, 6-3 record notwithstanding.

by BLayne23 on Nov 12, 2009 7:54 AM CST reply actions  

One thing I will say about Miller.

He got Oden involved. And Blake has never done that. Roy doesn’t do that (to busy going one-on-one). Miller is helping the team see that Oden is a legitimate threat out there. Watching the wolves triple-team Oden brought me tears of happiness as a Blazers fan.

Of course, there’s still a long ways to go, but it’s nice to see the big guy coming around and getting his PER (if you like that stat) into the twenties.

πάτερ, ἄφες αὐτοῖς, οὐ γὰρ οἴδασιν τί ποιοῦσιν.

Blazersedge.com || New to Blazers' Edge?

by T Darkstar on Nov 12, 2009 9:39 AM CST up reply actions  

Well, that's a coaching thing, rather than a player thing.

If, indeed, Roy and Blake don’t try to involve Oden, then McMillan is the one who should be correcting that issue. He needs to help show them how much easier life is when you have a big man that can do the things down low that Greg Oden does. If that’s all Andre Miller brings to the table, then that’s a pretty costly (in more ways than one) addition just to get someone willing to dump the ball inside once in a while.

by BLayne23 on Nov 12, 2009 9:52 AM CST up reply actions  

In some respects it doesn't matter

If the Miller experiment turns out not to work so well, he’s effectively an expiring contract next season (third year not guaranteed). I thought his contract was a heck of a coup for Pritchard when he signed, still do.

by TheMadKiwi on Nov 12, 2009 3:27 PM CST up reply actions  

It was use the cap space...

or lose it. Portland got Miller for free.

by Sabonis4Ever on Nov 12, 2009 6:33 PM CST up reply actions  

I wasn't very big on the Miller signing at the time.

His pathetic lack of an outside shot really worried me. Roy needs the floor spread out to do his work. After watching Miller on this team so far, I have changed my opinion. I think Brandon Roy is far too dependent on having the ball in his hands, and he hasn’t shown much of an ability to get the big men involved. Working Miller into the starting lineup has helped Roy learn to play off the ball more and the offense as a whole has become much less stagnant. Now the trick is finding ways to get Roy his touches while having a pg in the game that doesn’t just hand him the ball and spot up for three. In the long run, it will be good for everyone on the team, even if it hurts Roy a little bit in the present.

Also, there are certainly blazers fans that agree with you on the “too many cooks” theory. The blazers got bailed out(if you can say that) when Batum got hurt and they didn’t have to deal with a really nasty logjam at the 3 (batum, webster, outlaw), and on the perimeter in general. There is definitely some people that want to see consolidation of some these young assets into more reliable, consistent veteran players, myself included…

RUDY > MJ

by Rudiculous on Nov 12, 2009 8:50 PM CST up reply actions  

Miller's "jumper" is bizarre.

He can make it, as long as he has a ton of room, because he doesn’t actually jump on the shot. (If he does, it’s a very miniscule hop. I was maybe 6 feet from him when he tried hitting a set-up three just after a TO was called, and I honestly don’t think his feet left the floor.

by BLayne23 on Nov 13, 2009 11:42 AM CST up reply actions  

Hoping things get better when Love is back and as Al gets his legs back under him.

Until then, part of my entertainment (with the hoops being ugly) will have to be getting a few laughs from the announcers.

Not sure if it is mentioned anywhere above, but the Hanny highlight of the night for me was when Alridge was ignored in transition and got a wide-open alleyoop. It was one of the worst defensive plays I’ve seen in years, because it was relatively slow to develop and the Wolves didn’t appear to even know he was there. Hanny’s comment was something to the effect of “he snuck behind the defense on a back-door cut”.

by Punisher#8 on Nov 12, 2009 8:41 AM CST reply actions  

Even my wife knew that was a result of awful defensive play, not some brilliant play by Aldridge.

She shook her head and made a clicking sound I’ve heard her mother make when someone doesn’t put the dishes back in the kitchen where they belong.

by BLayne23 on Nov 12, 2009 9:03 AM CST up reply actions  

i’m pretty sure that Al was standing right under there between Aldridge and the hoop and could have easily made a play on the ball. Instead he just sat there and watched the path of the ball when the oop was thrown instead of tracking where Aldridge was and, you know, making a play to disrupt it..

When I get sad, I stop being sad and be awesome instead. True story.

by Xand1 on Nov 12, 2009 10:44 AM CST up reply actions  

He also tried to show on a pick and roll against Roy, then didn’t make any attempt AT ALL to rotate back after doing so. Roy promptly went around him and dumped it off to Oden for a dunk. At first I thought it was a poor job on the part of our guards, but I rewound it saw that it was actually Al switching the pick and roll and then letting Roy go RIGHT by him, causing everyone else to have to rotate and leave Groden the Ogre wide open. Ugh. He didn’t even try, just stood there flat footed like he knew he was going to get beat, so why bother?

When I get sad, I stop being sad and be awesome instead. True story.

by Xand1 on Nov 12, 2009 5:02 PM CST up reply actions  

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