If I were you BlazerGal I wouldn't try comparing the Blazers to a team that is rebuilding and retooling in the Rockets, I would wonder why you have practically a 90 million dollar payroll, the biggest in the NBA, and got swept in the first round. Portland is going back to the Blazers of the mid-90s, good enough to get to the playoffs, competitive in the first round, but going home early. AGAIN!
I love this post by BlazerGal in the Rockets vs Blazers link someone brought up in this thread: Not present a challenge hmm? The Spurs got to the WCF, the Lakers STEAMROLLED the Blazers on their way to the WCF, and the Jazz actually won a few games in the playoffs and didn't roll over and quit. The Blazers made some nice pick-ups, and I'm not talking about Zach Randolph. The Derek Anderson pick-up is nice. But will the team chemistry be better? I don't see a reason why it should be. Is there a proven go-to guy? I don't see one, Anderson is younger and more athletic then Steve Smith but hasn't proven to be anymore of a go-to guy then Steve Smith. All in all, if I were a Blazers fan, I wouldn't worry about the Rockets, they'll be there, the Rice deal WAS a great deal and he'll fit in. No, if I were a Blazers fan I would wonder why I went from 10 minutes from a Finals appearance, to getting swept in the first round, and only being somewhat better.
Here's my question to BlazerGal, when will Zach Randolph touch the basketball. You have Rasheed, Scottie, DAnderson, BWells, and DStoudamire on the floor. The veterans have a hard time passing to each other, let alone a ROok. I also forgot to mention Dale Davis and Fat Kemp touches (he's lost 45 lbs, but getting schooled at Fonde gym in H-town) Eddie Griffin will receive more touches than Zach and will develop his game for the future. Zach's game will deterioate just as Jermaine O'neal's game deterioated while sitting on Portland's power forward heavy bench. By the time Zach gets off the bench, Eddie will be a proven commodity and Zach will get traded to the Nets or Wizards. Being a basketball fan requires assessment of the entire picture.
This was a stupid thread to start with. It only encouraged Blazer bashing which is the "vogue" right now. I am embarrased by Blazer Gal and I'm sorry you guys had to put up with this on YOUR board, even though I disagree with quite a few of the comments being made... Call me a crack smoker, but to me Francis, Mobley, and Griffin is hardly superior to your pick of any 3 Blazers. Francis is awesome no doubt, but so is Wallace even if you have to put up with his 'tude quite a bit. In the West, you're not going to win anything without a dominant 4/5, and Wallace goes toe-to-toe with any of the other elite PFs. Mobley is good, Wells and Derek Anderson are just as good. I might rate Wells a little higher than the other 2 based and his capabilities he has on defense, in the post, and on the boards - DA and Mobley is practically a toss-up depending on who you like. Griffin has lots of potential, so does Randolph - most Rockets fans think Griffin will be really good, most Blazers fans think Randolph will be really good. I honestly don't know who will be the better player, but ut may ake a while to determine that....
The original poster makes many great points. Especially about losing Olajuwan, Bullard, & Anderson. And no lost was player was as obvious as the one that Houston fans have held close to their hearts for years and years. After the first ring, he only immersed himself deeper into the hearts of Rocket fans everywhere. Losing a player like the one we lost, a man that brought so much to the table-the blocked shots, the points, the boards-not to mention the leadership, will be hard to overcome. Going into this season, with him on board, I thought the ring was in the bag. Now with him gone, I guess it really is Steve's team and we will see if he's up to the challenge. But man will we miss him. Bullard, please come home. Lefty
Mobley is good, Wells and Derek Anderson are just as good. Griffin has lots of potential, so does Randolph - most Rockets fans think Griffin will be really good, most Blazers fans think Randolph will be really good. Whatever. You guys get upset when someone ranks Cato and Pippen at the same level, and come back with this? Wells over Mobley? Randolph as good as Griffin? Those ideas will come true about the same time Kelvin Cato is considered the second coming of Hakeem.
Sometimes you have to think outside the clutchcity.net box once in a while. I'm sure there are many non-Blazers/non-Rockets fans who would agree with me on these points. And I said I didn't know who would end up being the better player between Randolph & Griffin didn't I? But to me, where they got picked in the draft is pretty meaningless at this point and that's about the only thing that Griffin seems to have over him...
Hmmm, you think your players are better and it's fine, someone here says that they think Mobley is better and we have to "think outside of clutchcity.net". Ok! Besides Griffin has more then his draft position in his favor, he is on a team that will let him play a key role and get more minutes. I think that will pay dividends! Besides, only Portland fans are comparing Zach Randolph and Eddie Griffin.
They better be better, Portland has a 90+ million dollar payroll with players that are supposed to bring them a championship! All of that, and Portland won something like what, 5 more games then Houston last year and the same number of playoff games? I would be more concerned about not getting slaughtered by the LA Lakers every year then comparing yourself to a Rockets team that is in the mist of finishing up the major part of a rebuilding project!
I have seen Randolph play a great deal actually, and your right, he has soft hands and very good post moves close to the basket. But if he can't <b>get to the basket</b>, he's useless. He used his bulk to establish the low post position that makes him so dangerous. If he loses that bulk, he won't be able to establish low-post position, and his soft hands and low post excellence will be useless. They said a lot of things at the Rocky Mountain Review - But if Randolph dropped 15 lbs from college, he's still closer to 295 than 255. I've seen him play, and there is no way he was at anywhere near 270 in college. He was 290 at the McDonald's All-American game, and was even bigger in college. BTW - Bonzi Wells is a fine player, but isn't in Cuttino Mobley's league. And I scoff at your Derek Anderson comparison.
But that's because I know I'm right! That's fine, we'll agree to disagree on this. Mobley is obviously a better shooter/ball-handler, Wells is a better inside player/rebounder/ball thief with only decent range (although it's getting better and better). There's no way you can make a decent argument that either of these guys is significantly better than the other. I would hardly be offended by calling them equals... They said a lot of things at the Rocky Mountain Review - But if Randolph dropped 15 lbs from college, he's still closer to 295 than 255. I'm telling you, there's just no possible way he weighs as much as you insist he does. He's only 6'9", if he weighed 270+ he'd look like a behemoth. He looked very trim to me at the summer league and like he was in very good shape...
There's no way you can make a decent argument that either of these guys is significantly better than the other. If you watch these guys play consistently you can. DA is not in Cuttino's league. Where do you begin? First, let's talk about creating your own shot. Cuttino is about the best in the business at this... quickest first step in the league, good ballhandler, good at shooting on the move, etc. DA is a decent ballhandler and has a decent first step, but that's about all I can say. DA can slash, like Shandon Anderson, but he is not a good creator for himself, something you need at the SG position in the NBA. Shooting? They're about even at this. DA had a good percentage last year, but I'll bet you anything it dramatically drops this season in Portland. Everyone who plays for San Antonio sees their 3 point percentage rise because of the opportunities they get because of Tim and David. Hell, I'll even bet that Bruce Bowen, who didn't hit 40% from the field last year, hits 40% from 3 point range in their system. Defense? Again, about even. Cuttino has quick hands and has consistently improved his one on one defense. DA gets a lot of hype on the defensive end... but where are the results? If I remember correctly, Kobe averaged 38 points and 8 rebounds against the Spurs. Considering Kobe averages about 28, and that the Spurs hold almost every team to 5-10 points below their normal scoring average, shouldn't Kobe's numbers take a big dip, and not a raise? Also, in addition to all that, DA hasn't made it through a season without suffering a fairly significant injury (the playoff injury last year counts). Cuttino has been one of the more durable players in the league. DA and Cuttino receive similar praise by the media because they are both young quality shooting guards not quite at the superstar level, but if you watch the games, DA is not in Cat's league.
Many of us see a lot of both Mobley and Anderson. Derek is not equal. Derek is not the creator, playmaker in Mobley's league. He fed off of the twin towers, or pathetic Clipper junkball. Pretty much every single point Mobley puts up is created all by himself, using picks or not. But the proof is in that both Lenny Wilkens and Doc Rivers went out heavily for Cuttino last summer, saying they would create offenses to make him a significant playmaker like Rudy does. Also, it is pretty well acknowledged that Cuttino's first-step is regarded as one of the top 10 most cited reasons they are changing the zone rules this year. And do you want some slam-dunking statistics: Mobley scored over 10 pts per 4th quarter last year, and scored over 21 ppg after becoming a starter at the beginning of January. But really dude, it is simply the first step. Mobley is only behind Iverson on first-step speed. You watch; Derek can't create for himself like a top notch SG should....or the Spurs management was really stupid for icing him out....think about it.
HPD, if you really would rather build a team around Wells, DA and Sheed over Francis, Mobley and Griffin I have 7 foot future star center on the Rockets I'll trade your rookie for Randolph. Francis is arguably a top 3 PG and the yougest (still improving) of the PG studs. Sheed 1) isn't close to being a top 3 PF (I would put him about #6--if I ignore reason #3; 2) is significantly older, and 3) most importantly, is a head case (how can you so casually dismiss this, do you not see his behavior as a problem that limits his contribution to his team???). Also, you don't think Portland would trade Wells or DA in a millisecond for Mobley? You bet they would. Those two have never had defenses focus on them and still performed at Mobley's level, it is a lot easier to just play well around lots of other good players and in a low-post oriented system that generates easy shots for the guards. The Blazers two also have both had significant knee injuries. Basically, by any reasonable persons' account, we have the best backcourt in the league and ya'll are (generosly) slightly better than average there. Now if you can get Minnie Mouse out of there (maybe see if DA works there) and if Wells recovers ya'll could improve your overall backcourt a notch, but there are very few starting PGs who in the total team game contribute less than MM. As MM said that Avery J did not have the mettle to lead his team to a title, that me-first punk will be crushed if he ever looks himself in the mirror. BTW-I happen to like Randolph and was pissed the Rockets didn't get him with one of their 1st two picks, but that was before the big draft trade. Nonetheless, there is a reason Randolph didn't go in the lottery and EG was the #1 prospect by some accounts, and this certainly isn't erased by Randolph having a few good outings against CBA level competition before the players had any time to work with their coach/team (though EG certainly was good too). Teams don't just draft for immediate contributions in a playground ball type situation, but also assess POTENTIAL. There is no one in the draft I would rather have gotten than EG, though I guess if the Rockets had the #1 pick I would have had to give a series look to Mr. Brown. We are not dissing the Blazers for sport, we are just telling you like it is. Heck, I would not be suprised if Blazers end up with the 2nd or 3rd best record in the league next year and I would be very suprised if the Rockets had a better regular season than them. But the Blazers, full of good players with great egos and who in general are just real whiney jackasses, can't hang when the going gets tough in the playoffs. That is the RECORD, how many times does history have to repeat itself before you say blow up the team, starting with Sheed and MM, then move on. Also, now this is just my opinion but I think I have pretty good standing for it, I would rather have the Rockets nucleaus and salary situation for being contenders down the line.
Where exactly did you hear that he is down to 250-255? Do you have on official link, or even a major media outlet that you remember mentioning it? ...Or did you just see him at Salt Lake/Long Beach and guess about the details? Cato was working out every day last summer. Every day. It wasn't mandatory. He has a contract. Would anyone agree that Cato has a good work ethic, or even a work ethic for that matter.
But they HAVE blown up the team already. The team that lost to the Spurs in the WCF was a very different team than the one now. You could say the team that lost against the Lakers in the WCF choked, but you could just as easily say that they were down 3-1 and fought back very hard to put themselves in a great position to win the series which is all you can hope for. Last season was a disaster no doubt, but not the continuation of an annual meltdown. I really disagree there. DA shot 41% last year overall which isn't that great, but his 3pt% was about 40%. I'll bet that his FG% this season rises to at least 43-45% (with less attempts), but his 3pt% drops just a notch down to the mid-30's. Again, this whole argument is rather pointless. I respect what most of you guys have to see, but we're probably going to have to agree to disagree on some of these points because I can't type fast enough to keep up with all you guys.
You got some wits BlazerGal, BUT....... How the hell are you comparing Francis and Wallace??? Francis is a general on and off the floor!! And Wallace has great talent, but he is no leader, and Cheeks aint gonna do much to help that! Francis and Mobley=Chemistry And tell me who your CAPTAIN is on your dysfunctional team??? Wallace - Serious Mental problems=HELL NO Pippen - The Whiner?= Hell NO Stoudamire- See Above= Hell no Anderson/Patterson=New comers=Hell No I can't do this, your team is a disgrace, wait a minute.........they are not even a TEAM!!!!!
Not really, Sheed, who has obvious leadership problems, is still be counted on to be the leader. And don't get us talking about Quitten. Personally if the could have kept Grant and done something like trade Sheed (his stock was so high then) and MM for Payton or Kidd plus a role player, they might have had a shot. Basically they needed to try something radical (if not the above players, maybe they could have gotten Carter, Kobe, Iverson, maybe even tried on McGrady involving Sheed in a deal) and adding Davis and Kemp while losing Grant plus their best young interior player was not radical. I agree with you here. I think DAs % will improve though his PPG will go down a little. With the Blazers he won't have to excell at the number of roles the Spurs needed him to. He was the defensive stopper on opponents wing players and was the sole guard playmaker on Spurs. Personally, I think the Spurs will miss DA more than DA will miss them. He still isn't as good as playmaker or quite the overall force Mobley is though
Anderson's defense is OVERRATED... He had the luxury of playing behind the Twin Towers, which allowed him the luxury of playing the passing lanes, and being able to breathe on top of his man... Por does not have the shot blockers that SA has, therefore DA will have to back off some on D, and this could expose his weaknesses...
