Is Portland legit?

[spurraider21]

I know its early, but as good as we've been, they've been right down our necks all along. Truth be told, I haven't watched that much Portland basketball so far so I can't really make that judgement. Can anybody here outside of tlong confirm how Portland has looked? On paper, Lillard-Matthews-Batum-Aldridge-RoLopez isn't bad at all

[SanDiegoSpursFan]

I've watched a couple of games; they look great, but they're shooting at a rate they definitely won't be able to maintain. I don't think they're contenders, but they could definitely get a top-6 seed.

[ElNono]

I've watched a bunch of games.... they're not really deep, and rely on starters putting 30+mpg every night... they're young, but the have some injury history, so you always wonder if that's going to come back to haunt them.

This season they're winning on the road, something they were awful at in previous seasons. They're motivated and on a nice streak right now, but you gotta wait and see how they respond once they lose a couple in a row.

[Sean Cagney]

I've watched a couple of games; they look great, but they're shooting at a rate they definitely won't be able to maintain. I don't think they're contenders, but they could definitely get a top-6 seed.

I agree they are a top 6 seed IMO, if they keep up near this they are a legit 3-5 Seed! I doubt they get the 3rd seed but hey it is possible.

[KaiRMD1]

It's a long season but if they can keep this up, kudos to them. They are a young team that is looking great right now.

[Darkwaters]

11 in a row is a solid streak. Again, can they maintain it? Who knows. But at this point they've played their schedule and won almost every time, including a few signature wins (namely: the Spurs). It's hard to find fault with them until they start dropping games. Until then, good for them.

[Robz4000]

They're fairly solid tbh. Not as good as their record indicates, but they should make the playoffs this year as long as they don't suffer any major injuries. They're the last of the mid-tier teams in the West I wanna see in the first round.

[HarlemHeat37]

They are 30th in the NBA in points in the paint and 29th in the NBA in defending the paint, both of those categories generally play a large part in a team's long-term success in the NBA, tbh..

Essentially, the Blazers are chucking up jump shots and they have been making them..they are living and dying by the jump shot, along with Terry Stott's new, gimmick defense of only worrying about defending the 3-point line..eventually, their jump shots will stop falling and teams will adjust to their gimmick defense IMO..

Stotts deserves a lot of credit, though..the Blazers don't have the defensive players to be an elite defensive team, or even a good defensive team, but Stotts has developed a great gimmick system of only focusing on defending the 3 and conceding points in the paint, thinking outside of the box..

They aren't a legit contender, but they will be a playoff team, though, and I would rather avoid them in the 1st round, since they seem to own the Spurs..

[Sean Cagney]

They are 30th in the NBA in points in the paint and 29th in the NBA in defending the paint, both of those categories generally play a large part in a team's long-term success in the NBA, tbh..

Essentially, the Blazers are chucking up jump shots and they have been making them..they are living and dying by the jump shot, along with Terry Stott's new, gimmick defense of only worrying about defending the 3-point line..eventually, their jump shots will stop falling and teams will adjust to their gimmick defense IMO..

Stotts deserves a lot of credit, though..the Blazers don't have the defensive players to be an elite defensive team, or even a good defensive team, but Stotts has developed a great gimmick system of only focusing on defending the 3 and conceding points in the paint, thinking outside of the box..

They aren't a legit contender, but they will be a playoff team, though, and I would rather avoid them in the 1st round, since they seem to own the Spurs..

I agree they are a tough matchup for us, but I think although we wold love to avoid them we would get them in the playoffs... They are a tough matchup for the Spurs though.

[99 Problems]

Probably not in reality. This time last season Clips were looking exciting.

[KL2]

They are the real deal, they're finally healthy and I don't see any major injuries coming to any if their players any time soon. This is the year they stay healthy and go deep into the playoffs for sure.

[hyhy]

Their starting 5 is legit, thats all.

[Johnny RIngo]

They won't be able to maintain those shooting percentages. For example, Wes Matthews is a career 39% shooter from beyond the arc and he's averaging over 50% this season. They're on a hot streak right now. They'll eventually cool down and teams will adust. Probably finish 4th or 5th by the end of the season.

Bad matchup for us though.

[Fireball]

Bad matchup for real, but Pop never treated them as a playoff opponent ... I guess the defense would change dramatically if we played them 4+ games in a row ...

[Darkwaters]

They are the real deal, they're finally healthy and I don't see any major injuries coming to any if their players any time soon. This is the year they stay healthy and go deep into the playoffs for sure.

Thats about a silliest thing anyone has ever said. Sure, some players are more injury prone than others and you just know they're not going to hold up (eg, Greg Oden). And sometimes a player's style of play just makes them more prone (eg, the Ginobili effect). But there really is no way to predict most basketball injuries. Come down on someone's foot wrong and you seriously twist an ankle. Or make an akward move and tear an ACL. So lets not pretend that anyone has a clue who is or isn't getting hurt this season.

[KL2]

Thats about a silliest thing anyone has ever said. Sure, some players are more injury prone than others and you just know they're not going to hold up (eg, Greg Oden). And sometimes a player's style of play just makes them more prone (eg, the Ginobili effect). But there really is no way to predict most basketball injuries. Come down on someone's foot wrong and you seriously twist an ankle. Or make an akward move and tear an ACL. So lets not pretend that anyone has a clue who is or isn't getting hurt this season.


No way in hell anyone on the blazers goes down with an injury, like I said this is their year. ;) ;) ;)

[TJastal]

Blazers aren't going anywhere with Wes Matthews as their starting shooting guard. He is basically their version of James Anderson. Even down to build, playstyle, and attitude. Both golden boys who think they're god's gift to the nba even years after their careers have fallen off the cliff because of their inherent lazy and unmotivated natures.

[99 Problems]

Yer, I agree on the bad match for us. Lillard goes into machine mode.

[exstatic]

I've watched a bunch of games.... they're not really deep, and rely on starters putting 30+mpg every night... they're young, but the have some injury history, so you always wonder if that's going to come back to haunt them.

This season they're winning on the road, something they were awful at in previous seasons. They're motivated and on a nice streak right now, but you gotta wait and see how they respond once they lose a couple in a row.

It's the exact formula they used last year, and they burnt out after the New Year after a strong start, not even making the playoffs.

You gotta have a bench and you have to use it.

[Captivus]

I've watched a bunch of games.... they're not really deep, and rely on starters putting 30+mpg every night... they're young, but the have some injury history, so you always wonder if that's going to come back to haunt them.

This season they're winning on the road, something they were awful at in previous seasons. They're motivated and on a nice streak right now, but you gotta wait and see how they respond once they lose a couple in a row.

This.
I dont want to bump my own thread but at that time Porltand had 5 players playing 35 minutes.

Complete chart here: http://www.spurstalk.com/forums/showthread.php?t=225012

[look_at_g_shred]

Remind me of New York Knicks last year. Shooting the 3 and jumpshot at a high rate. Everyone knew it would come to an end and it did. That shit don't work during the playoffs. Ask Stephen and the Warriors.

[Kidd K]

Like many have already said, they're going to make the playoffs but they aren't "legit" at least in terms of being a contender. I also don't believe they will have home court in the first round. Of course, the west has been

They have an 11 game win streak right now (we do too btw, which is pretty sweet), but having watched their games it feels more like a fairy tale than anything. They aren't just a losing streak away from losing that seed, they're a normal ".500 stretch over 10 games" away from dropping down 2-3 spots. It isn't easy keeping a top seed in the west. You don't have 5-6 piss poor tanking teams to beat up on 24 times a year like you do in the east. You only get to play those shitty teams 12 times a year. I mean for fucks' sake, only three teams in the east are even .500 right now, and one of the three is barely over .500 (Blazers are 7-0 against the east). In the west though you've got most of the teams above .500. . .when they have to play a long stretch against the west, they're going to suffer some losses in quick succession imo.

They do have some impressive features though. Aldridge is good as usual, Lillard is possibly even better than he's shown already (poor FG% so far, and we know how he kills us), Wes Matthews and Batum are practically having career best starts, plus they are bolstered with Robin Lopez, Mo Williams, and Dorell Wright. They're a pretty athletic team. Tbh they remind me of the Grizzlies a few years ago, except without the dope center.

I see them being a 5 seed at most. Regardless of where they finish, I think their ability level is more like around a 7 seed in practice. Their hot start will allow them to finish with a higher seed than they probably deserve though. That's why I'm thinkin more like 5-6 for them, not 7-8.

I'll give credit where it's due though, that isn't a franchise that tanked to get good. They kept trudging along being a .500 team and trying to make the playoffs, now they ended up good anyway without tanking. That's pretty admirable, no matter how they end up doing this year.

[txstr1986]

Their starting 5 is legit, thats all.

This. The starters can compete with anyone, but they don't really have a bench. It would be nice to see them get into the playoffs so that Aldridge can finally get the recognition that he deserves - the guy is really good.

[elemento]

No

They're not deep and come playoff time, I don't trust Robin Lopez as a starting material Center tbh. They have 4 good starters (Lillard, Mattews, Batum and LMA) and one decent 6th man (Mo). Other than that, they have nothing. One injury and they fall apart.

[RD2191]

Spurs would sweep the Blazers in a playoff series.

[le13]

Definitely legit!

Nothing else to say!!! Maybe their main problem still the bench. Otherwise they have one of the best starting five in the nba right now!

[jag]

They're due a couple ACL explosions this season. It will be much easier to give an accurate evaluation after said explosions.

[Bill_Brasky]

They are 30th in the NBA in points in the paint and 29th in the NBA in defending the paint, both of those categories generally play a large part in a team's long-term success in the NBA, tbh..

Essentially, the Blazers are chucking up jump shots and they have been making them..they are living and dying by the jump shot, along with Terry Stott's new, gimmick defense of only worrying about defending the 3-point line..eventually, their jump shots will stop falling and teams will adjust to their gimmick defense IMO..

Stotts deserves a lot of credit, though..the Blazers don't have the defensive players to be an elite defensive team, or even a good defensive team, but Stotts has developed a great gimmick system of only focusing on defending the 3 and conceding points in the paint, thinking outside of the box..

They aren't a legit contender, but they will be a playoff team, though, and I would rather avoid them in the 1st round, since they seem to own the Spurs..
any defensive strategy that favors giving up points in the paint over allowing threes is definitely not gonna work in the playoffs.

[jag]

They are 30th in the NBA in points in the paint and 29th in the NBA in defending the paint, both of those categories generally play a large part in a team's long-term success in the NBA, tbh..

Essentially, the Blazers are chucking up jump shots and they have been making them..they are living and dying by the jump shot, along with Terry Stott's new, gimmick defense of only worrying about defending the 3-point line..eventually, their jump shots will stop falling and teams will adjust to their gimmick defense IMO..

Stotts deserves a lot of credit, though..the Blazers don't have the defensive players to be an elite defensive team, or even a good defensive team, but Stotts has developed a great gimmick system of only focusing on defending the 3 and conceding points in the paint, thinking outside of the box..

They aren't a legit contender, but they will be a playoff team, though, and I would rather avoid them in the 1st round, since they seem to own the Spurs..

:lol HH all over Terry Scott

Their gimmick system will look impressive until an opposing team answers with the same strategy and takes away Portland's 3-pt attack. Portland is currently 4th in the NBA in 3PA and 3rd in the NBA in 3P%. After you match gimmick defense for gimmick defense, and the outside shots are no longer available, it becomes a battle over which team can score in the paint and defend the paint. As of right now, Portland looks like garbage in both areas.

[Sigz]

Blazers aren't going anywhere with Wes Matthews as their starting shooting guard. He is basically their version of James Anderson. Even down to build, playstyle, and attitude. Both golden boys who think they're god's gift to the nba even years after their careers have fallen off the cliff because of their inherent lazy and unmotivated natures.

Two totally different players.

[barakz21]

Well, at least they're now living up to the hype from years ago. Seriously, it was sad looking at their team. Had tons of potential scrapped by injuries. OKC's probably what they might have been if not for those injuries.

[tlongII]

We're legit. No question. We're deeper than you think as well. Mo Williams, Dorrell Wright, Joel Freeland, and Thomas Robinson have all provided quality minutes off the bench. Robinson was a steal. We'll also have C.J. McCollum joining the rotation soon. We have a plethora of 3-pt shooters on this team. We almost always have 3 guys that can knock down the 3 on the court. That is very hard to defend when you have LMA who has a great mid-range jumper and can get his shot off against anybody. Of course if we have a key injury we'll be in trouble, but the same can be said for any other team.

[tlongII]

And if you think Wessy Wes is lazy and unmotivated you don't know him very well. He might be the hardest working player on the team.

[Mugen]

:lol "License to Lillard"

[tlongII]

http://i.imgur.com/4PhyZKv.gif

[txstr1986]

http://i.imgur.com/4PhyZKv.gif

:lol

[FireMicoHalili]

They have a young, dynamic core. Heck Meyers Leonard was a solid prospect and he's a third-stringer.

[rascal]

It's the exact formula they used last year, and they burnt out after the New Year after a strong start, not even making the playoffs.

You gotta have a bench and you have to use it.



They are making the playoffd this year. They are coming together as a team this year and a year older which is in their favor because they are young.

[Sigz]

http://i.imgur.com/4PhyZKv.gif

What is this from LOL?

[Oh, Gee!!]

they seem legit, and they will make the playoffs if they stay healthy. Anything can happen in the playoffs, so I'd say they have a shot. I think Spurs go back to the Finals, but Portland could be a problem.

[ElNono]

We're legit. No question. We're deeper than you think as well. Mo Williams, Dorrell Wright, Joel Freeland, and Thomas Robinson have all provided quality minutes off the bench. Robinson was a steal. We'll also have C.J. McCollum joining the rotation soon. We have a plethora of 3-pt shooters on this team. We almost always have 3 guys that can knock down the 3 on the court. That is very hard to defend when you have LMA who has a great mid-range jumper and can get his shot off against anybody. Of course if we have a key injury we'll be in trouble, but the same can be said for any other team.

They don't play meaningful minutes... Mo is the only guy getting 20+ mpg of that bunch, while the starters ride for 30+ mins every game.

[Brunodf]

If they can stay healthy...

[timtonymanu]

Portland would scare me in a series, tbh.

Soft ass Aldridge only turns into a superstar when he sees us. Mo Williams always goes off on us and Lillard has been destroying us every game.

I think the Spurs would win. The Blazers sort of remind me of the 2013 Warriors.

[HI-FI]

What is this from LOL?

i'm guessing Mr. Bean the movie.

[Kool Bob Love]

http://taxfreegold.co.uk/images/foolsgold400.jpg

[BillMc]

Portland would scare me in a series, tbh.

Soft ass Aldridge only turns into a superstar when he sees us. Mo Williams always goes off on us and Lillard has been destroying us every game.

I think the Spurs would win. The Blazers sort of remind me of the 2013 Warriors.

I agree. I think we'd win too, but they're a bad match up for us.

[moisaenz]

why the blazer fans trolling here, lets see if they get a better record than the spurs this season then they can talk.

[CitizenDwayne]

No.

[elmanutres]

their youth might not get them too far in the playoffs, but in the future, once they get experience and some good leadership in vets, they will be contenders. so i wouldn't worry about them much. Course just to be sure, we should steer away from them in the playoffs. They just play too dam good against us

[TampaDude]

Just let the Clips or Grizz take them out in the playoffs, and we'll be fine.

[Sean Cagney]

Just let the Clips or Grizz take them out in the playoffs, and we'll be fine.
How about if we face them we take them out? That would dead all that they have success against us crap yes?

[SpurCharger]

Portland will be a 4 seed. They have a good young Core of players that gets better and better with each game. They are one piece away from being a contender. They lose in the 2nd round.

[TJastal]

Two totally different players.

Like, totally?

[TJastal]

And if you think Wessy Wes is lazy and unmotivated you don't know him very well. He might be the hardest working player on the team.

Wessy Wes? :lol