Saturday, January 24, 2009

Wizards Preview

The Wizards suck, we should handle them tonight. I hope we do and put another notch in our belt.

Gambler's Corner

Blazers -10
Over/Under is 193

I am taking the Blazers and the over. I like how Portland plays against lesser teams at home. I think they will blow them out.

Friday, January 23, 2009

Report Card


So we are (2) games past the halfway point in the season, and we have a few days break, so I thought I would write a report card for each Blazer so far this year. So here are my thoughts, feel free to try to emasculate me or praise me in the comment section, or leave a grade or two of your own for your favorite players, trust me I’ll read it!


Brandon Roy: A

Brandon somehow managed to be even better then I thought he was going to be this year. He does everything for this team. Anyone who watches the Blazers on a regular basis knows that he is one of those players who makes the game that much easier for those around him. Not only does Roy lead us in scoring (22.3) and assists (5.2), he is 2nd in steals (1.03) 4th in rebounds (4.7) and 2nd in assist to turnover ratio (2.68) which is amazing considering how much he has the ball in his hands and how often he is double teamed. Roy is heart and soul of this team and is the unquestionable leader.

LaMarcus Aldridge: B+

I would give Aldridge an A as well, but his slow start (marked by the worst shooting slump of his career) negates his recent play. Aldridge really hit his stride when Roy was out for a couple games, stepping up his scoring and rebounding. What I like about LaMarcus is that he continues to improve despite already being good. If we get the same kind of improvement out of the rest of our young players as we get out of LaMarcus, we will be knocking on the finals door sooner then expected.

Greg Oden: C

There are two sides to the Greg Oden argument. One side says be patient and the other is he was the number one pick, why is he not doing more? I have been (and still am) on the "be patient" side. He is a rookie big man, who hadn’t played basketball for some 19 months prior to the start of the year, coming off what used to be considered a near career ending surgery in the NBA. Many people point to Amare Stoudamire’s recovery from the microfracture, but you have to remember that was the quickest and best recovery we have yet to see in the NBA! So give Greg sometime to settle in. He might not be that dominant presence that we need/want him to be yet, but I think he will get there eventually. You can already see that his lows aren’t as low any more, and his average game is moving up the scale. Again with such a young player (and team) it just takes time, and as long as they keep improving I am happy (for now).

Steve Blake: B+

Has anyone been more of a pleasant surprise then Blake? He leads the Blazers in 3’s made, and is doing it at a career high percentage. His recent absence has put an exclamation point on how much we rely on him. He has time and again hit big shots when defenses collapsed on Brandon Roy; he has the best assist to turnover ratio on the team, and is a stellar free throw shooter. Barring a trade for a top tier point guard, I don’t see Blake’s starting job in jeopardy anytime soon.

Nicholas Batum: B

If any of you watched Batum in summer league you would have thought (just like I did) that he was at least 2-3 years away from being able to contribute to our team. Well, we were definitely wrong. Batum adds some parameter defense to what is a fairly weak defensive backcourt. It seemed like the Blazers were searching for that “glue guy”, a Shane Battier or Bruce Bowen type, but it would appear that we have one in the making with Nicholas. I look forward to seeing his development in the coming years.

Joel “The Thrilla” Przybilla: A-

How many guys in professional sports do you know that would move to the bench during the best year of his career for a rookie and not gripe once about it? But that is why I love the Vanilla Gorilla so much. He embodies team, and toughness. He is our enforcer, and I can’t think of too many players that would be a better teacher for Oden. Przy manages to lead the team in rebounds (8.0) despite being 7th on the team in minutes. He is extremely effective in his short minutes and is an amazing insurance policy for Oden and his foul trouble. Roy is the heart and soul of this team, Przy is the toughness.

Rudy Fernandez: C+

Rudy came out of gate firing on all cylinders. He was good for at least one ally-oop dunk a game, and a couple 3’s. However, you can tell he has hit the “rookie wall”. The rookie wall is the point in the season where rookies are adjusting to playing over twice as many games as they ever have before in their career. Physical, but more so, mental fatigue begins to set in. Many of you might disagree with me, but just because Rudy is flashy doesn’t mean he deserves an “A”. I think the most telling stretch in Rudy’s rookie year was the stretch of games when Roy was out and Rudy started. It was a reminder that Rudy is still a rookie and has a long ways to go before he can contribute on a regular basis being one of the top guys.

Travis Outlaw: B-

Travis’ year (and career) has been marked by his inconsistency. While I will concede that you have to expect that from jump shooters, I will not concede that he can just disappear from the entire game. Travis’ problem is he forgets that just because his jumper isn’t falling doesn’t mean he can’t help our team. Travis has great athleticism and I would like to seem his use to rebound and play D. He only seems interested in doing this every once in a while, which makes him expendable to me.

Sergio Rodriguez: C

Sergio has had a huge opportunity lately with Blake out to show us what he is really made of. And while it hasn’t been horrible, it definitely hasn’t been impressive either. As long as Sergio is on this team, he will be a mediocre PG at best. His strengths are in sharp contrast with our requirements from a point guard. I do not see Sergio in the Portland’s long term plans.

Martell Webster: Incomplete

Let’s hope his return sparks a win streak and helps to make our 3 point shooting more consistent. The latest report is Martell's return date is closer to March then February.

Channing Frye: C-

Not that we expected big things out of Channing, but he hasn’t even been able to give us quality backup minutes. His game just doesn’t fit with what we are trying to do and it shows in his playing time. To his credit he has been a great teammate throughout this difficult stretch.

Jerryd Bayless: B-

Jerryd started the season wound so tight it looked like any turnover was going to make him snap and kill someone with his bare hands. But after he was allowed time to play through his mistakes without fear of being pulled, he took full advantage. That is what gamers do and to me is the difference between him and Sergio. Bayless brings something the Blazers desperately need, easy points. Besides Roy, no one truly gets easy baskets, either lay-ins or free throws. Bayless helps us get both. To me, he could replace Outlaw as our offensive spark in the 2nd unit, because I feel like because he gets to the rim and goes to the foul line, it will be easier for him to bring the points consistently. As opposed to Outlaw who is screwed if his jumper isn’t falling. Now I am not saying that this will happen this season, but I do see it on the horizon.

Ike Diogu: F

I actually thought Diogu could bring something to the table this year. I was definitely wrong.

Raef LaFrentz: A+

Raef has been killing the rehab. Just kidding, I have no idea how his rehab is going, but because he is out for the season, it makes his expiring contract even more valuable. I think that is worth an A, considering what we expected from Raef this year!

Shavlik Randolph: Incomplete

Sorry, I can’t really tell how good or bad he is considering he’s played like 5 minutes all season..

So what do you guys think? Agree? Disagree? Why? Sound off!

Wednesday, January 21, 2009

Rookie Update/Cavs Game Preview

David Thorpe’s Rookie Report came out today and he mentioned 3 of the 4 Blazer rookies. I thought it was interesting enough to post. I especially like his thoughts on Oden.

Greg Oden:
It matters not that Oden had his huge game -- 24 points, 15 boards, 2 blocks and 2 steals -- against the Andrew Bogut-less Bucks. If 80 percent of the game of basketball is mental, like some coaches (including me) contend, then 50 percent of that part is sheer confidence. And Oden, who is a perfectionist in some respects, simply needs positive things to happen for him to help him realize that he can truly be a franchise player.
It does not matter if his coach believes it. Or his teammates, fans, the media or the "experts" watching the NBA. At least, not until he believes it first. And after games like Sunday night, when Oden dominated most of the action in all 35 minutes he played, he can think about what happened and smile (inwardly at the very least). Then, he'll want to go out and do it again.
When he starts expecting to be that dominant and can brush off momentarily failures while staying focused on the big picture, these types of games will appear with more frequency.
Rudy Fernandez:
Fernandez made six field goals Sunday night. The significant part is that only one of them was a 3-pointer.

It was the first time he made more than three 2-point field goals in a game since Dec. 18, and just the fourth time all season. The five 2-pointers were one off his season high of six, set way back on Nov. 1.
Jerryd Bayless:
Bayless finally had his coming-out party, which seemed inevitable after watching him destroy the competition in the Vegas Summer League. He scored 23 points on just nine shots against New Jersey last week, thanks in large part to his 11-for-11 showing from the free throw line. He displayed a knack for getting to the line (a lot) in Vegas, too.

In his next game, he went 6-for-9 from the field but took just three free throws. Given that he's only 1-for-10 from 3 this season, adding points from the line is imperative if he wants to become an efficient scorer.
Game Preview

Tonight’s game versus the Cavs will be another one of those “Measuring Stick” games. It will test our offense and how many guys are ready to step up. Cleveland is a great defensive team (#1 in Def. efficiency), so you can bet our sometimes stagnant offense will need to be firing on all cylinders for us to have a chance tonight. That means Outlaw, Oden, Bayless, and Rudy need to bring their six shooters tonight.

After their hot start, Cleveland has only won 6 of their last 10 games, including a loss to the Chicago Bulls on their home court. However, they are coming off a loss to the Lakers on Monday, so I fully expect them to be motivated in the first meeting between these teams this year. Cleveland’s starting center Zydrunas Ilgauskas is out as is one of their key bench players, Delonte West. With Ilgauskas out, I am hoping Oden can replicate his dominant performance that he had on Monday, versus the likes of an aging Ben Wallace and undersized Anderson Varejao. If we can somewhat limit Lebron’s penetration and Oden can do a good job of knowing when to go for the block and when to let it go, he will stay out of foul trouble and be able to help us secure a win. Here are my keys to the game.

1. Aldridge & Oden Must Play Well
We need both of our starting bigs to contribute a ton tonight. They should have an opportunity to relax somewhat on defense guarding Ben Wallace and Varejao, so they need to crash the boards extra hard tonight.
2. Keep LeBron Out of the Key
WAY easier said then done, but if we can keep him from penetrating and getting into the lane for a layup or kicking it out for an open three, I think it will bog down their offense somewhat allowing us to snatch a win.
3. Be Quick, but Not In A Hurry
We must move the ball well on offense and take advantage of the open looks we do get. We must play with urgency on offense, but we need to stay calm. We cannot have one of those offensive dry spells in the 3rd quarter or we are doomed. Must take and make open shots tonight.
4. Everyone Must Contribute
There is no way we win this game unless everyone who steps on the court contributes. It will take a total team effort, and there is no room for error when playing against one of the top 5 teams in the NBA.

Gambler’s Corner

Blazers -1
Over/Under 183

I think having Blake out for tonight’s game is the difference, so I am going to take the Cavs and the under. I think it will be a slower paced defensive minded game.




Monday, January 19, 2009

Big D-Bag & Bucks Preview


Crappy Article

This is absolutely the most asinine article I have ever read. Yahoo Sports Adrian "D-Bag" Wojnarowski wrote this article regarding Darius Miles and the Blazers.


I could make a post solely about this article and disputing it. However, I am going to attempt to keep it short so I still write a decent game preview for tonight.


After reading this article, I get the feeling that Adrian doesn’t truly follow the Blazers and more specifically, Kevin Pritchard. Can anyone of you name a time where KP “He wanted to be the star in the good times in Portland, wanted all the bouquets and bows for his work on the job.”? As most of you know, I have a man crush on Pritchard and have heard pretty much every word he has recorded in interviews and articles, and I have never once gotten the impression that he has fallen in love with his own legend. He is constantly deferring praise to the rest of his team, almost to the point where sometimes it seems like the guy doesn’t know how to take a compliment. As I see it, Pritchard is the Brandon Roy of the non-basketball side of the Blazers. He is the leader, and creates a team environment built for success.


If you look around at any good leader, you will see a bit of arrogance. But that’s what makes them good leaders! How are you supposed to make people believe in your plan if you yourself are not sold on it? So for Wojnarowski to point this out as a bad trait, it exposes him as a nerd, who has never truly commanded the respect of a group of people. Granted that was harsh, and I don’t really even know Wojnarowski except for what I have read about/by him. But that is exactly what he is doing to KP.


Lastly, Wojnarowski says “Their threatening email had been a desperate final act of a franchise awash in arrogance.” As a fan, I see it as our management team is showing the fight and willingness to do anything to better this franchise. It can be compared to scrappiness on the basketball court. Sometimes, when things aren’t going your way you have to scrap for a win, and that’s exactly what our front office tried to do. I would SOOO much rather have an executive team soil our franchises name a little because they were trying too hard to improve our franchise then one who is happy to just stand pat without a plan at all (LA Clippers anyone?). We made a last ditch effort to win this game, but we lost (for now), and it didn’t work out. But like the legendary Wayne Gretzky said “You miss 100% of the shots you don’t take”


Told you I could write a whole post on this article. I tried to contain myself, but I could not.


In some GOOD Blazer news Rudy Fernandez has been chosen to be the 4th contestant in this years dunk contest! Congratuations to Rudy and I hope he does something awesome. I think he will bring something out of his bag of Spanish tricks because like Buhler said Rudy is a “creative cat.” Good work voting him in guys!


Game Preview


The Milwaukee Bucks (20-23) are currently sitting in 8th place in the east. They have a new, defensive minded coach this year in Scott Skiles, and have enjoyed some mild success. They are 9-16 on the road and are 18th in the NBA in offensive efficiency. But don’t let their record fool you, they have already defeated the Spurs twice this year and the Jazz once. So they have the potential to come into Portland and steal a win. Let’s hope not.


The Blazers will once again be without Steve Blake, who is now been ruled out 2-4 weeks. Let’s hope it is on the shorter end of that. Good news is, we will get an extended look at Bayless who has really stepped up in Blake’s absence. Sergio however is making the Blazers decision of who to keep and who to trade a whole lot easier. Granted he is not playing horribly, but he is not taking advantage of the situation like he should be either. What this does mean though is no move involving Sergio will likely happen until we get Blake back or are acquiring another point in the trade. But here are my keys to the game”


  1. Limit Our Turnovers
    1. This is especially important tonight, as Milwaukee forces and average 16 turnovers a game. If we can take care of the rock tonight, I think it will give us a huge edge.
  2. Make Our Free Throws
    1. This is an exclamation point after Saturday’s game, and I am sure many of the Blazers have a little more energy and have their legs underneath them for tonight’s game. This should help in our % from the charity stripe.
  3. Outrebound Them
    1. Milwaukee hits the boards hard and are 7th the league in rebounding. If the Blazers block out and limit their 2nd chance opportunities I think we will walk away with a win tonight.

Gamblers Corner


Portland -6

Over/Under 198


I am looking forward to the Blazers bouncing back tonight and having a “statement game.” Look for good D and solid free throw shooting on offense. That’s why I am going with the Blazers and the under. I think we will hold Milwaukee offensively and blow them out offensively.


Goose is taking…