So How Long Before Portland Puts It All Together?

[Jerz-2]

These cats appear to be poised to have “next” with respect to emerging powerhouses in the NBA, especially since they got potential franchise players at key positions. They got youth (Aldridge is the senior statesman at 28 years old). Their depth needs a little work (and more importantly, more experience), but that’s about it.

This isn’t a reactionary thread to their win last night vs. the Heat…anybody who’s watched them this year can see that this is a talented young squad who could really make some noise in the coming years, and considering that other, traditional Western Conference powerhouses are getting older….

 

[thelonious21]

dont worry bout us

 

[Black]

They never will.

 

[thelonious21]

They never will.

How bout them Bullets

Heard ya Man Wall lookin

 

[No Homo]

They just need a decent bench

That bench is

 

[MikelArteta]

Never

 

[Black]

How bout them Bullets

Heard ya Man Wall lookin

I'm a wiz fan

 

[L&HH]

Their chance came and went (bad luck).

They had a potential top 3 center and potential top 3 sg but they were the most fragile players probably in the history of the NBA

Team that w/ the top 10 pf that LA is and they would have what OKC is now (or at the very least your current Memphis Grizzlies). Now their stuck in that no man's land of a team who is good enough to contend for a playoff spot (no better than a 6th seed) but are never a serious threat to win it, which means they wont get lottery picks. They also arent the most attractive free agent destination either.

What could have been

 

[Vancouver Grizzly Fan]

Next year, I expect big things. They'll get in the playoffs but I don't see them getting past the 1st round.

 

[FreedS[ohh]lave]

Powerhouse them nikkas are a run of the mill lower tier playoff team with a bunch of good players and no great one

 

[Jerz-2]

Their chance came and went (bad luck).

They had a potential top 3 center and potential top 3 sg but they were the most fragile players probably in the history of the NBA

Team that w/ the top 10 pf that LA is and they would have what OKC is now (or at the very least your current Memphis Grizzlies). Now their stuck in that no man's land of a team who is good enough to contend for a playoff spot (no better than a 6th seed) but are never a serious threat to win it, which means they wont get lottery picks. They also arent the most attractive free agent destination either.

What could have been

Point well-taken. But here’s why I respectfully disagree:

• Potential – in other words, we really don’t KNOW if this team is incapable of putting it together because they just started playing together. For all we know, these dudes could do a complete “level up” next season. OKC is a prime example of the “level up” sensibility: went from 23-59 one year to 50-32 the very next…and these dudes (Portland) are winning right NOW.

• Conference Comp - there are only three teams in the West right now who one could say are going to be mainstays at the top of the conference for the next few seasons: OKC, Clip Show and Memphis (I would also say Golden State, but they’re still relatively unproven). San Antonio is getting older and so are the Lakers, and the rest of the teams still need key pieces before they can seriously contend.

• Pieces – unlike a lot of these other teams, the Blazers have franchise talent at three KEY positions upon which to build: PG, SF and C. If those three learn how to play together and stay healthy, I’m not sure why this team couldn’t emerge like OKC did.

 

[OG_StankBrefs]

It's amazing what happens when a team beats da Heat.

"2013 Title Lock! "

"We comin yall! "

"Take ova son! "

"Dis squad is SURRUS fam! "

 

[MikeBrownsJob]

They've had some really bad luck. If Oden had stayed healthy with Brandon Roy and Lamarcus they could have been OKC. I really like Lilliard and Batum though. They will only get better. The plus side of this is management has a knack for finding talent.

 

[Jerz-2]

It's amazing what happens when a team beats da Heat.

"2013 Title Lock! "

"We comin yall! "

"Take ova son! "

"Dis squad is SURRUS fam! "

This isn’t a reactionary thread to their win last night vs. the Heat…anybody who’s watched them this year can see that this is a talented young squad who could really make some noise in the coming years.....

 

[OG_StankBrefs]

Would you have made it if da Heat had won?