AboveLegit Posted January 9, 2012 Report Share Posted January 9, 2012 Currently are the second best team in the West (6-2; 1 game behind OKC). Last season they were the slowest paced team in the league, but Nate McMillan worked his magic this offseason and turned this team into an uptempo offense, which has greatly benefited the likes of Gerald Wallace and Raymond Felton. Watching their halfcourt offense is equally as impressive as watching this team on the break. Their off the ball movement is a testament to how great of a coach McMillan is. However, they still lack that player who can get to the free throw line consistently, and it has presented problems for this team in this short season. Their interior defense has been a concern, as well as the offense in the paint. At times, Aldridge seems reluctant to post up (although that could be due to his injury he's still fighting back from), and Jamal Crawford's shot selection still hasn't matured enough to trust him to run the offense diligently on a nightly basis. Portland is one of the more exciting teams to watch, Miami and Denver are the only teams that rival them when it comes to the pace at which they play. Will it lead to success in the playoffs? Let's not forget, they are also one of the deepest teams in the league that spread the floor well, a formula that was executed to perfection last year by the Mavericks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blazed49 Posted January 9, 2012 Report Share Posted January 9, 2012 What keeps me positive moving forward is that aldridge really hasn't gotten to that level he played at last year. He hit his stride about a month or 2 before the all star break last year. So if we can maintain this pace until aldridge finally hits his stride and starts attacking the rim a little more, I think we'll be fine. Last year against Dallas we played pretty solid d but with the exception of the Roy comeback game we really lacked scoring outside of LA. With the up tempo offense and the addition of crawford I think that will help a ton the rest of the season and the playoffs. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nitro Posted January 9, 2012 Report Share Posted January 9, 2012 I'm confident they will be a contender in the West, but I don't know if they can beat the Thunder or the Lakers and Grizzlies if they are healthy. The Blazers and Thunder play a similar brand of basketball (defense oriented, and using that defense to get their transition game going), with the Blazers being the deeper, more well-balanced team, and the Thunder having the star power. I have a feeling that'd be a GREAT series. The Lakers and Grizzlies present a problem that I don't know this team could overcome....those squads have the best 4/5 combinations in the league, and great perimeter scoring threats as well. Neither team may have the depth to beat the Blazers, and right now the Grizzlies without Zach are at risk of either missing the playoffs or getting a seed similar to last year. Overall, yes, I do trust them. They are deep, well-balanced, and on any given night a number of guys can beat you. They have a tremendous coach and in the playoffs will have a strong advantage when playing at home. I don't think what they are currently doing is a mirage, and even if they don't make the Finals, they should make a strong run regardless. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Check my Stats Posted January 9, 2012 Report Share Posted January 9, 2012 I would like to see them add another quality big to their rotation. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dr. Feelgood Posted January 9, 2012 Report Share Posted January 9, 2012 I'm absolutely loving our team right now. We're one of the deepest teams in the league. And I know we'll at least be a top 4 seed in the West. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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