Chris Broussard

[Caltex2]

Fun for the offseason.

Chris thinks the Blazers will be fourth in the West this coming season.

http://www.snsportsbeat.net/2008/08/...broussard.html

Discuss

[Bruno]

The hype around Portland is crazy.

FACT : They were a lottery team last year.
FACT : They have a lost a couple of solid role players this summer.
FACT : they have added only rookies this offseason.

They have done a great job at assembling a talented young core but it doesn't mean that this core will give them a championship down the road not or that Blazers will start to be good as soon as next year.

The road to be a legit contender is still long for Blazers and it's far from sure that they will reach the end of this road.

[monosylab1k]

Chris Broussard is a dumbass. Just like every other ESPN basketball writer not named Hollinger.

[RonMexico]

I don't like that Broussard says the Suns' and Mavericks windows are closed due to age, but lists the Spurs as contenders. The Spurs' offeseason has not made them any younger, and they've only retained a few key players from last season. Gist would have been a nice pickup but they lost him to Europe. I think proper management of the aging players (i.e. Nash, Shaq, and Hill) can keep them fresh for the post-season. I don't think you can question the playoff desire of those 3 players, but they're only useful if their health can cooperate.

I see Porter managing his older players' minutes more like Popovich and less like D'Antoni. Also, I see Ricky C. able to manage his players better in Dallas as long as Josh Howard doesn't try to engage in illicit activity on and off the court.

[JMarkJohns]

Portland should win 50 games, but top-4 is ridiculous. Maybe as high as 6th, but even then that's really pushing things. I thought they should have made a play for Posey. Obviously they thought better.

I do expect a pretty sizeable improvement again, because while they are only adding rookies, the three they are adding each will likely finish in the top-10 in ROY voting, and any one of them may actually win it. They need better shooting, and losing James Jones hurts, but Webster looked to be improving in this area, and Bayless and Fernandez are each very good shooters.

[Spuradicator]

Chris Broussard is a dumb

[SenorSpur]

Portland should win 50 games, but top-4 is ridiculous. Maybe as high as 6th, but even then that's really pushing things. I thought they should have made a play for Posey. Obviously they thought better.

I do expect a pretty sizeable improvement again, because while they are only adding rookies, the three they are adding each will likely finish in the top-10 in ROY voting, and any one of them may actually win it. They need better shooting, and losing James Jones hurts, but Webster looked to be improving in this area, and Bayless and Fernandez are each very good shooters.

I see you've mysteriously switched team allegiances.

Did you bail off the PHX bandwagon because you felt the Suns were a sinking ship?

[Findog]

I see you've mysteriously switched team allegiances.

Did you bail off the PHX bandwagon because you felt the Suns were a sinking ship?

A few of us have "switched" allegiances to mock spamlongII.

[Findog]

I don't like that Broussard says the Suns' and Mavericks windows are closed due to age, but lists the Spurs as contenders.

The Spurs have three les with their current Big Three, while Dallas and Phoenix have a combined one Finals appearance. Broussard is a dumbass, but the Spurs are more of a contender than the Suns or Mavs.

[JMarkJohns]

I see you've mysteriously switched team allegiances.

Did you bail off the PHX bandwagon because you felt the Suns were a sinking ship?

I will root for Bayless and I do like the talent the Blazers have assembled, but most of my Blazers posts are a good bit tongue in cheek.

Unfortunately, I'm still a Suns fan.

I've PMed Kori to change my subhead to read "Effin' Robert Sarver" but I've had no luck just yet. Right now I'm torn between boycotting them to try and get a new owner in (which is the right thing to do), or support them because they've been my sports life for 20 years.

As for the sinking ship, I'm a Suns fan. When has their ship not been sinking?

[JamStone]

It's no guarantee, but it's not absurd to think Portland might be a top 4 team in the West next year. All they have to do is win their division to be a top 4 team. Assuming Oklahoma City stays in the NW division, they and the Timberwolves are horrible. Denver appears to be cutting costs and might decline this upcoming season. So, if everything goes well, Portland could be battling Utah for the division. Utah probably wins the division, but the Blazers could make things interesting if they stay healthy and get team chemistry early on in the season.

[RonMexico]

Do not root for Bayless. He went to St. Mary's and U of A, which is a double negative in itself. He also carried the ball about 300 times on his way to beating Texas A&M last year.

[Findog]

It's no guarantee, but it's not absurd to think Portland might be a top 4 team in the West next year. All they have to do is win their division to be a top 4 team.

They would in effect be the fifth seed if they win their division but don't finish with a top four record, since they wouldn't have HCA in the first round. I think they've leapfrogged Denver, but I don't see them overtaking the Jazz.

[Findog]

Do not root for Bayless. He went to St. Mary's and U of A, which is a double negative in itself. He also carried the ball about 300 times on his way to beating Texas A&M last year.

I never cared about the kid one way or the other, but spamlongII slurping him off all summer long has me rooting for him to tear his ACL.

[RonMexico]

I mostly talking to JMark who needs to end his UA support immediately.

I mean, he was the summer league MVP and I hope his number is retired soon like Nate Robinson's

[lefty]

Chris Broussard is a dumbass. Just like every other ESPN basketball writer not named Hollinger.

HollinPER is a dumbass too

[ThunderStix®]

HollinPER is a dumbass too

I'll always remember when he said, "I'm switching my pick to Lakers over Jazz in six, the reason? more stats"

[JamStone]

They would in effect be the fifth seed if they win their division but don't finish with a top four record, since they wouldn't have HCA in the first round. I think they've leapfrogged Denver, but I don't see them overtaking the Jazz.

Semantical argument at that point.

Like I said, it's not a guarantee. The Jazz should be better. I don't think it would happen. But, it's possible.

[monosylab1k]

HollinPER is a dumbass too

at least with his statistical overload, Hollinger has a basis for his dumb opinions. The rest of the idiots at ESPN make their opinions based on their own stupidity.

[Findog]

Jemelle Hill, Scoop Jackson and Rick Reilly are sportswriting AIDS

[JMarkJohns]

I mostly talking to JMark who needs to end his UA support immediately.

Why the hating? What did UA ever do to you

At least you have your sweep from last season. Bayless never did know what it was like to win that game.

[Caltex2]

at least with his statistical overload, Hollinger has a basis for his dumb opinions. The rest of the idiots at ESPN make their opinions based on their own stupidity.

I think you guys are being a little hard on them. No matter what your opinion is, someone is gonna bash it. You gotta at least respect if they base it on a something logical or tangible. That's why the average colege basketball analyst (especially at ESPN) is no good. No wonder Billy saw the door.

But it's easy to bash someone if they end up wrong. How many time shave you guys been wrong?

[rj215]

Why does ESPN continue to hire idiots for their NBA analysis? Broussard knows nothing about basketball other than that he needs to ride Kobe's every chance he gets.

The Blazers will be improved but not in the top 4. I'd say they'll finish 7th or 8th.

[angelbelow]

most of espn are idiots. there are a few pure analysts but most just ride the superstars.

[RonMexico]

Why the hating? What did UA ever do to you

At least you have your sweep from last season. Bayless never did know what it was like to win that game.

Yeah, but we at Brophy only beat him once I think...