[Game] Kings @ Trailblazers - 11/11/16 - 7 PT, 10 ET

[Fora Dragi]

I sometimes struggle to tell who really just doesn't know stuff and is talking out of their butt, and the people who know stuff and basically just lie in order to try to win a point.

Let me introduce you to a little team called the Portland Trailblazers. Tale of woe team really. For their entire existence a franchise that just can't have nice stuff. Everytime they try, thing inevitably fall apart in their faces. Walton's feet. Bowie over Hakeem and Jordan. Then his feet too. Oden's knee. The Jailblazers, the disintegration of their last serious team.

Now here are some other things you should know about the Trailblazers if you're going to insist and jumping into a debate about them:

1) they suck at defense.

Really not their thing at all. They allow team to score 111.7pts/game on them. That's 28th in the league. Last year under Karl we only allowed teams to score 109.1. Blazers are also 26th in the league in DRTG. Its not just pace. Their margin is barely better than ours.

2) They're no better passing the ball than we are:

Just one of those things -- they aren't. no more assists, more turnovers. Very similar Ast/TO ratio.

3) Their stars really aren't any sexier than ours. Their #1 is playing well over his historic head. but then again, so is our #2. Both guys will presumably find their level as the season goes on, and it should remain pretty balanced.

DmLillard 30.6pts (.650TS%) 4.7reb 4.5ast 121ORTG 114DRTG 26.9PER
DCousins 26.6pts (.582TS%) 8.6reb 2.9ast 114ORTG 106DRTG 27.6PER
Rudy Gay 22.3pts (.588TS%) 6.5reb 2.5ast 114ORTG 107DRTG 23.1PER
McCollum 22.2pts (.592TS%) 4.4reb 3.0ast 111ORTG 110DRTG 20.9PER

Their team isn't anymore balanced. We go:

Cuz 26.6
Rudy 22.3
Collison 11.7
Afflalo 9.8
8 others between 7.4 and 3.2

they go:

Lillard 30.6
McCollum 22.2
Harkless 11.2
Crabbe 9.6
Plumlee 9.0
6 others between 6.4 and 3.3

1)when did I say they were great defenders? They are better and they outscore their opponents.

2) So the numbers show they are better than us. I'm not sure of the point you are making. Plus your stat does not show how many touches were used each possession...if you think ball movement is one pass and a score (ala rojon rondo) I question your understanding of today's game.

 

[Fora Dragi]

1) You do realize that Dave Joerger and the Grizz under he and Hollins were a perennial power in the West during the last 10 years, right? Reached the WCS? Popped the Warriors in the nose a couple of seasons ago? Not a great idea as it turns out, but not something you are capable of unless you are pretty darn good.

Just checking here at how selective that ole memory is.

2) And BTW, there seems to be a cottage industry of falsely accusing this team of sucking at guarding the 3. We're more than 1/8th of the way into the season now, and our 3pt defense is entirely league average.

Opp3pt%: .343 (NBARank #14)
Opp3ptFGA: 26.3 (NBARank #16

Our 3pt defense is entirely unexceptionable. Neither a reason why we win or lose compared to the rest of the league.

3) our own shooting deficiencies are so stipulated. Then again, we shoot them (7.3-22.0 .331%) better than do the Toronto Raptors (6.4-22.2 .290%), and they seem to be just fine.

i love how you find polished turds just to make a point. You can honestly tell me this team plays like and has players like the Griz. Conley is far better than any guard we have. Gasol plays both ends. Randolph is a monster. Still they game up short against the GSWs of today. So they played well against GSW, guess what they lost.

Oh and look and last season 1/8th of a season is not a good barometer. Look at last year. OH and if you are just not quite as good as other team in this league at everything....well you just aren't a good team.